RockWorks | ModOps | Solid | Logic | Max Stripping Ratio
This program filters an existing Boolean solid model based on the ratio between the thickness of the overburden ("waste") and the thickness of the zone of interest ("ore"). Several methods of computing the stripping ratio are offered, based on individual ore zones or total ore zones.
Feature Level: RockWorks Basic and higher
Menu Options
Step-by-Step Summary
- 3D Log Design
If you decide to include logs with this diagram (3D Solid Diagram | Striplogs), click on this tab at the top of the window to set up how you want the 3D logs to look.
See Visible Item Summary and Using the 3D Log Designer for details.
- Rules & Filters
Use these tabs at the top of the window to apply spatial filters, time/date filters, or stratigraphic rules to data being displayed in your 3D striplogs. (More info)
- Input/Output Models
- Input Model: Click to the right to browse for the name of the existing RockWorks solid model (.RwMod file) that the program is to read and filter.
!This must be a Boolean (not a real number) model. See the Applying a Boolean Filter to a Solid Model option for information.
- Output Model: Click to the right to type in the name to assign to the new Boolean solid model that the program will create, which results from the filtering operation.
- Constraining Surface: Insert a check in this box if the computations are to be only for solid model nodes that lie below a grid (usually representing ground) surface. You can leave this box un-checked if the computations can include all nodes to the top of the model.
- Options
- Maximum Ratio: Enter the maximum acceptable value for the overburden:thickness ratio. Enter here just the real number overburden portion of the ratio (a ratio of 16:1 would be entered as "16"). The lower the stripping ratio, the thinner the overburden is in relation to the zone of interest. The higher the ratio, the thicker the overburden is in relation to the zone of interest. An example: A stripping ratio of 20:1 signifies that for every 1 foot of zone thickness, 20 feet of overburden must be removed.
- Method: These options control how the program computes the stripping ratio. Choose one of the methods by clicking in its radio button.
- Total Waste / Total Ore: This method computes a single stripping ratio for each column in the solid model, using total non-ore thickness to total ore thickness. If, for the column, the ratio exceeds your maximum, then all of the "ore" for that column will be reclassified as "waste."
- Contiguous Waste: This method computes the ratio for each ore zone in the column in the solid model. For each zone it determines the total contiguous thickness of waste above it, up to the next ore zone if any, and computes the stripping ratio for that zone. If, for that zone, the ratio exceeds your maximum, then that ore zone only is reclassified as "waste."
- Total Waste / Zones: This method also computes the ratio for each ore zone in each column in the solid model. Unlike the previous method, this considers overburden for each ore zone to be all of the overlying "waste" material, even the waste that lies above other ore zones. If the stripping ratio exceeds your maximum, then that ore zone only is reclassified as "waste."
- 3D Solid Diagram
Insert a check here to display the output solid model as a 3D diagram.
Click this tab to set up the diagram options.
- Block Diagram
- Isosurface: Click in the Isosurface radio button to display the solid model as if enclosed in a "skin." This view will be smoother than a voxel display. (More info)
- Isomesh: Check this box to plot a series of polylines that represent three-dimensional contours at a user-defined cutoff. Click this tab to establish the settings. (More info)
- Voxels: Click in the Voxels radio button to represent the solid model in the 3D display as color-coded voxels. You can choose to display either the Full Voxel, or just the Midpoint. Display of the midpoint only can significantly improve display time for huge models.
- Filter: Check this option if you want to restrict the isosurface or voxel display to a specific data range. This does not affect the model, only the display of the model. Enabling this permits you to create an initial display in RockPlot3D that eliminates the need to manually change the display attributes. More importantly, this capability if essential for initially displaying the solid in a pre-filtered state when creating animations and Playlist scripts.
! These filter settings can be changed once the diagram is displayed in RockPlot3D.
- Color Scheme: Choose the color scheme for the block model - automatic, table-based, etc. (More info)
- Striplogs: Check this item to include 3D logs with the solid model display. Click the 3D Log Design button at the top of the window to set up how you want the logs to look.
- XYZ Clipping: Check this sub-item if you want to restrict the logs to a particular spatial area. (More info)
- Other 3D Solid Diagram Options: Use these checkboxes to append other layers to your 3D scene. (Summary)
- Draped Image: Include an image in this 3D scene, draped over an existing grid surface. (More info)
- Floating Image: Include an image in this 3D scene, floating at a specified elevation. (More info)
- Perimeter Cage Include a 3D reference cage around the solid diagram. (More info)
- Legends: Include one or more legends with the diagram.(More info)
- Infrastructure: Display buildings, pipes, or other infrastructure with your 3D scene. (More info)
- Faults: Include 3D fault ribbons with this scene. (More info)
- Other 3D Files: Include other, existing, RockPlot3D ".Rw3D" files in this scene. (More info)
- Output Options: Use these settings to define whether the output scene is to be saved (or displayed as "untitled"), how the file should be named, and whether it is to be displayed after it is created. It also offers export options. (More info)
- Be sure you have an existing Boolean solid model already created, for input into this program.
- Select the ModOps | Solid | Logic | Max Stripping Ratio menu option.
- Enter the requested menu settings, described above.
- Click the Continue button to proceed.
The program will:
- Read the input Boolean solid model file.
- If requested it will determine which nodes fall below the input ground surface grid and use only those nodes in the computations.
- It will scan each vertical column of voxels within the model, determine which areas contain continuous "ore" nodes, and compute the thickness for each ore zone.
- It then determines which areas contain continuous "waste" nodes, and computes the thickness for each waste zone.
- It will divide overburden (waste on top) or interburden (waste in between) by ore thickness, based on the method you requested, to determine the single or multiple stripping ratio for each column in the solid model.
- Those ore voxels for which the stripping ratio exceeds your maximum will be reclassified as "waste" and assigned a value of "0." Those ore voxels for which the stripping ratio is less than your maximum will remain "ore" and are assigned a "1."
- The program will store the new 3D Boolean model under the requested file name.
If you have requested a diagram, it will be displayed in a RockPlot3D tab.
- You can adjust any of the input options via the main Options tab to the left and then click the Continue again to regenerate the model and display.
- View / save / manipulate / print the diagram in the RockPlot3D window.
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