What's New (BETA)

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

Table of Contents
What's New in this release Disclaimer Major New Features Scheduling Interactive PlotEditor Coordinate Transformations Major Enhancements Search Ellipsoid (DataSearch) form Sections Window and section control files Image Georeference - Control Points Data Grid New features Vizex - search ellipsoid Vizex - Geolink windows Vizex - Export scene in X3D format Vizex - Lighting Options Wireframe - Build PolygonalSolids Wireframe - Slice By Planes Wireframe - Bedding Plane From Points Wireframe Rotation, Scale, and Translation Wireframe - Separate Wireframe - Pierce Points DTM - cut and fill volumes Strings - Drape onto wireframe Strings - Filter Points Modelling - Unfolding Drillhole Database Validation Import Grid Import Text Export to Excel File Difference Vizex - Form Set Folders Pit Design - Road Switchback Pit Design - Slot Ramps Enhancements 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18

DTM - Create Surface Vizex - Drape onto wireframe tool Vizex - Toolbar changes Vizex - Creating a flight path Vizex - Select by condition and view selection Vizex - Create DTM tool Vizex - Grid File Draw Style Vizex - Hot keys Vizex - Performance Vizex - Opening an input file Vizex - Options File Editor Projects - Various Statistics - Simplified omnidirectional semi variograms Statistics - Median/Mode calculation Files - long field names Macros - Set display limits and sections Macros - End Process Drillhole - Display Options Drillhole validation Drillhole - True Thickness Calculation Sub-blockingSetup BlockDefinitions Modelling - Grade Interpolation Modelling - 2DSearch Mode Pit Design - slope calculations PitDesign - manual road Edge Pit Optimisation - Various Wireframe - Draw Options Wireframe - Auto-load Option Wireframe - ValidationStrings Wireframe - Transform Grid coordinates Wireframe - Properties Blasthole Design - Clip blastholes Tools

18 19 19 19 20 20 20 21 21 21 21 22 22 23 23 23 24 24 24 24 26 26 26 27 27 27 27 29 30 31 31 31 31 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

What's New In This Release

This What's New document provides a complete list of new features and enhancements in MICROMINE 2010. As a Beta tester you have a unique opportunity to make MICROMINE a better product, and we encourage you to tell us if you think something doesnt work as it should. You can contact us directly from within MICROMINE by selecting Send BETA Feedback from the main menu. The What'sNew topic is also a Beta version and will undergo regular updates as MICROMINE 2010 continues to be developed. For a description of the essentials of the new features and enhancements in MICROMINE 2010, refer to the Getting Started PDF distributed with the software.

Disclaimer
The Beta version you are testing is an unfinished work in progress and some functions may change between different Beta versions, or between the Beta and Release versions. These changes may invalidate form sets created with a previous Beta, so we recommend you avoid performing any critical work or using critical data while testing. Micromine accepts no liability for any loss or damage that may occur whilst operating this Beta software.

Page 3 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Major New Features

Scheduling Issue# 7958 . When you create a Scheduling project in MICROMINE, the attributes, calendars, tasks, task types and resources you define are stored in an SQL Server database. Once a project has been created, you can use the options on the Scheduling menu to manage your exploration and mining projects. Scheduled tasks can be imported, sequenced and tracked in a traditional Gantt chart. What makes MICROMINE Scheduling unique however, is the ability to import, sequence and track the same tasks in Vizex. For more information refer to the MICROMINE Scheduling PDF distributed with the software.

Interactive Plot Editor Issue# 3797 . MICROMINE 2010 includes a completely new interactive Plot Editor, which replaces the old Plot Editors form-based interface. You can now configure your plot layouts within a Vizex- like environment, with the level of interactivity you would expect from Vizex. For more information refer to the MICROMINE Plot Editor PDF distributed with the software.

Coordinate Transformations Issue# 7956 . MICROMINE 2010 supports transformations between any pair of coordinate systems in common use around the world, including datum changes and tie-ins to local plane grids. With this new tool, for example, you can now convert directly from GPS lats/longs on WGS 84 to your local project grid in one step. We intend to provide a library of form sets to conversions between the most common coordinate systems. However, these coordinate systems may still be incomplete by the time you received your Beta copy. They will be finished by the time MICROMINE 2010 is released. You can easily create your own form sets if you use a coordinate system not supplied by us.

Page 4 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

For conversions between datums, 7- parameter and 3- parameter transformation methods are supported (in addition to the Molodensky transformation method provided in previous versions).

Major Enhancements
Search Ellipsoid (Data Search) form Issue# 9076, 8483 . Data Search ellipsoid parameters are now more flexible, offering new axis orientation modes for regular geological information such as strike, dip, and pitch, or for geostatistical model axes generated from semi-variogram modelling.

Sections Window and section control files Issue# 2154 . Use the Sections Window to change the orientation and the extent of the display and define and retrieve sets of named sections and plans. A toolbar is provided at the top of the Sections Window. You can create a new section control file, open an existing section control file, edit a section control file selected in the Sections Window, or update a named section in the Sections Window.

The default location for section control files is aSECTIONS sub-folder underneath the current project folder. Any section control files in the SECTIONS folder will be shown automatically in the Sections Window. Use the Sections Toolbar to edit the view type, set the display limits, set the clipping type, and navigate the Vizex display section by section.

Page 5 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

The tools provided on the Vizex Sections toolbar can be used to update the named sections selected in the Sections Window. Use the tools provided on the Section Control File toolbar to set the section plane of the display and step through the named sections in a section control file.

Use the Strings | Convert | Strings to Section Control File and Strings | Convert | Strings from Section Control File functions to create a section control from strings that can be used to define a section plane, or conversely, generate strings from the section plane coordinates in a section control file. A section control file is a Micromine (.DAT) data file which has a number of required (for section definition) fields. For more information, refer to the Sections Window entry under "Vizex". The default location for section control files is aSECTIONS sub-folder underneath the current project folder.

Image Georeference - Control Points Data Grid Issue# 7609 . The control points you digitise when interactively georeference an image, can now be edited in a Data Grid shown below the Preview window. The new data grid allows the georeference plane of best fit to be quickly edited and recalculated.

If you are digitising a 3D image, five (Pixel X, Pixel Y, Coordinate X, Coordinate Y, Coordinate Z) coordinate columns are displayed for each point. The GRF georeference file format has been extended to include these georeference control points as metadata. When you load an image which has already been georeferenced, the georeference control points are displayed for editing in the data grid. If a fourth point is digitised, then a Root Mean Square (RMS) error is also shown which provides an indication of best fit. An On/Off column is provided which allows one or more control points to be included or excluded from by simply toggling the switch at the end of each data row. The state of the switch (on or off) is also written as metadata to the GRF georeference file.

Page 6 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

An icon in the Preview window is used to show which control points on the image are currently excluded.

New Features
Vizex - search ellipsoid Issue# 7890, 6261. You can now visually validate a 3D search ellipsoid by loading an ellipsoid display object in Vizex. Axes are displayed which allow you to verify the relationship between strike, dip, and plunge search parameters. Orientation and radius measurements can be made directly on-screen by snapping to each axis. Select the Display | Vizex | Search Ellipsoid menu option (or doubleclick the Search Ellipsoid form set type in the Vizex Forms pane) to open the Search Ellipsoid form.

Vizex - Geolink windows Issue# 810 . You can geolink windows whenever multiple Vizex windows are open. Geolinking synchronises the centres of all windows, so that as you pan a view, or step through a sequence of cross sections, all other windows will match. Select the View | Vizex | Geo- link Windows menu option to geolink multiple Vizex windows. To unlink windows, select the View | Vizex | Unlink Windows menu option.

Vizex - Export scene in X3D format Issue# 5337, 3569. Select the View | Export Vizex scene to menu option to export the current Vizex scene in X3D or WRL (plain text VRML) file format. X3D is the ISO standard XML- based file format for representing 3D computer graphics, and is the successor to the Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML).

Vizex - Lighting Options Issue# 6512. A combination of light sources can be configured to light the scene

Page 7 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

via a new View | Vizex | Lighting Options menu option. A maximum of four light sources can be configured to provide directional lighting. For each light source, enter the azimuth and elevation of the light source

Use the slider bar to set the Object Shininess for objects that have a surface, such as wireframes, grids, and block models.

Wireframe - Build Polygonal Solids Issue# 9235 . Use the Wireframe |Build Polygonal Solids function to generate polygonal solids that are mapped to the sections in an input (String or Outline) file. An associated set of nominal section planes, with Away and Towards measurements defined for each section plane, must also be defined in a section control file. Using the orientation of the nominal section plane, each polygon is projected onto the "Away" and "Towards" planes. The projections are then wireframed and closed to form a solid.

Page 8 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

If Outline file is selected as the Section File Type, multiple outline files can be selected. When defining the attributes of the output wireframe, an option to populate the name attribute with names taken from the Section Control File is provided.
TIP: The polygonal solids generated as result of this process can be used in the Wireframe | Grade Tonnage Estimate Report function, to create a report equivalent to the Polygonal Section Estimate Report.

Wireframe - Slice By Planes Issue# 9342. Use the Wireframe | Slice By Planes function to slice a wireframe using an orthogonal or transform cutting plane, or the sections defined in a section control file.

Page 9 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

The function can be used, for example, to quickly create the benches needed for an open pit design.

Wireframe - Bedding Plane From Points Issue# 7840. Use the Wireframe | Bedding Plane From Points function to create a wireframe from points in plane. The function will generate a planar surface (defined by shape and length) for each point in the input file.

Page 10 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

The orientation of each surface is dependant on the Dip and Dip Direction for each point.

Wireframe Rotation, Scale, and Translation Issue# 4694. Use the Wireframe | Rotate and Wireframe | Scale functions to rotate or scale a wireframe around a specified point and in the directions specified. Use the new Wireframe | Translate function to to move a wireframe a specified distance in a specified direction, for example, raise its elevation.

You can either Overwrite the input wireframe or save the converted wireframe as an output wireframe.

Wireframe - Separate Issue# 7001 . Use the Wireframe | Separate function to separate an input wireframe by shell or by volume. By shell . A wireframe may consist of a number of topologically separate parts. Each part, or shell, is a set of topologically connected facets. By volume . A volume may consist of a number of nested shells. For example, two nested sphere shells would define a volume between the spheres.

Page 11 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Wireframe - Pierce Points Issue# 6716 . Use the Wireframe | Pierce Points function to generate an event file containing the coordinates of all points where a boreholedrillhole trace (or the strings in a string file) intersect a wireframe or wireframe set. The coordinates of each pierce point, together with a Hole ID and a Wireframe Name, are written to an output file. When displayed in Vizex, the rotation of the symbols can be set to match the rotation of each hole.

DTM - cut and fill volumes Issue# 9434. Use the DTM |Cut and Fill Volume function to calculate the cut and fill volumes and the surface areas between two surfaces. The volume above the reference surface (fill) and below the target surface (cut) are calculated and reported in cubic meters. The fill area, the cut area, and the area of each surface are written to the report file and displayed on screen

Page 12 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Strings - Drape onto wireframe Issue# 1435. Use the new Strings | Drape onto Wireframe menu option to drape strings onto a wireframe and then either save the result strings to the input file or write them to an output file. An option to copy the attributes of the input strings to the new records for the draped points, is provided.

Strings - Filter Points Issue# 7826 . The Strings | Utilities | Filter Points function can be used to reduce the number of data points in a String file by eliminating those which fall within a specified tolerance.

Page 13 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

If the tolerance is set to zero (the default), the process will filter out duplicate points. If a tolerance greater than zero is set, this is the distance from each point, within which other points will be treated as duplicates and excluded from the output file.

Modelling - Unfolding Issue# 6124 . Use the Modelling | 3D Estimate | Unfolding function to unfold an orebody based upon sub- surface (footwall) and surface (hanging wall) geometries. Wireframes, strings, and string link files can be used as inputs to the process.

The unfolding and stretching of folded orebodies is an important requirement for many clients who want tomodel folded sedimentary deposits.

Drillhole Database Validation Issue# 9130. The Drillhole | Validate | DHDB menu option provides a

Page 14 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

convenient shortcut which allows you to quickly validate all of the files in a drillhole database.

You can also auto-validate a drillhole database. Refer to the Enhancements section for more information.

Import Grid Issue# 4028, 5976. Select the File | Import | Grid menu option to import a Surfer Grid (*.GRD) file or a Geosoft Grid (*.GXF) file. The imported file is converted to a Grid (*.GRD)file format. Binary grids for Surfer versions 6, 7 and 8 are supported.

Import Text Issue# 3024. The File | Import | Text function has been completely rewritten. You can now import any column or comma delimited text file and create a Micromine data file from the imported data. The structure of the output file can be

Page 15 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

determined from either: the structure of the input file. the structure of an output file. the structure of a template file.

A Preview window is provided. If you selected the "Determine from input file" output option, then the properties of each field (derived after scanning the input file) can be edited.

Export to Excel Issue# 9226. Select the File | Export | Excel menu option to export the data in a Micromine file to an Excel workbook.

Data can be exported in .XLS (Excel 97 - Excel 2003) or .XLSX (Excel 2007 XMLbased) format.

File Difference

Page 16 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Issue# 7861 . Use the File | Difference function to calculate the difference between two compatible files. The process will sort the input files on the key fields you specify, and write any differences between the files to an output file. The records that occur in file A, but which do not occur in file B will be written to the default output file.

Vizex - Form Set Folders Issue# 5869, 2156, 3582, 3886 . For large projects that contain a large number of form sets it is useful to be able to organise them into folders. This is now easily achieved by selecting a Create Form Set Folder option from the right- click menu in the Vizex Forms pane in Vizex.

Once you have created form set folders, they are an aid to navigation whenever you need to select an existing form set, or save a form set.

Pit Design - Road Switchback Issue# 6734. When you select the Road | Switchback | On The Next Bench option the road is marked to be turned on the next bench, switching the direction of the current roadfrom lockwise to anticlockwise (or vice versa). c If Gradient Switchback properties are already defined in the Road Properties form: A switchback is generated up to the next bench and the gradient of the haul road is kept constant. Since the switchback extends across the full bench height, a tapered berm is extended along the apex of the switchback. If Gradient Switchback properties are not defined in the Road Properties form:

Page 17 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

The Gradient Switchback tab of the Road Properties form is displayed and you must define the following properties of the switchback before it can be generated:

Pit Design - Slot Ramps Issue# 7365. You can now digitise a centre-line string and use the Project String tool on the Mine Design toolbar to generate a series of slot ramps. Many shallow open pit mines are accessed from a slot ramp instead of a spiral ramp (which suits a deeper mine). The berm, batter, and expansion settings of the pit design will be used to: control the descent of the ramp. adjust the width of the bench at each berm crossing.

Enhancements
DTM - Create Surface Issue# 4980. A new Include boundary points in triangulation option to include the points along the boundary in the triangulation, has been added to the Constraint File form for the DTM | Create Surface function. This type of extrapolation is almost always a requirement when dealing with seam data.

Page 18 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Vizex - Drape onto wireframe tool Issue# . It is now possible to drape points (as well as strings and outlines) onto a wireframe. The meshing algorithms used by this (and the new String | Drape Onto Wireframe) function have been enhanced to improve processing performance.

Vizex - Toolbar changes Issue# 8664 . You can now specify string expansion distance and simplify tolerance values directly from the Vizex Tools toolbar using the drop- down menus provided alongside the Expand String and String Simplify tools.

Note that default expansion distance and simplify tolerance values can still be set via the String Editor tab under Tools | Options | Vizex.

Vizex - Creating a flight path Issue# 6676, 6380, 8129. The enhanced options on the View | Flight Path | New menu option allows you to create a flightpath (fly- through sequence) in Vizex by recording a series f viewpoints. Other menu options allow you to open o an existing Vizex (.VFLY) flight path file, open a 3D Viewer (.FLY) flight path file, or save an existing flight path file as a (*.AVI) movie file. You can use the buttons and tools on the new Flight Path toolbar, to insert, modify, or delete viewpoints, run the current flight path, or step through the current flight path. When you open a flight path, or create a new flight path, the Flight Path toolbar is opened automatically.

Page 19 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

A Flight Path Options button allows you to enter parameters to control the appearance, speed, and smoothness of trajectory of the current flight path.

Vizex - Select by condition and view selection Issue# 5185 . You can now select a View Selection checkbox in the Select-ByCondition form. If the checkbox is selected, the display will automatically zoom in on the objects that are selected as a result of the operation.

Vizex - Create DTM tool Issue# 6651. The Create DTM tool on the Vizex Tools toolbar can now be used to generate a surface model based on selected points (as well as strings).

Vizex - Grid File Draw Style Issue# 5991 . A 2D Slice draw style has been added to the Draw Style options when you open the display properties of a Grid file in Vizex. When the 2D Slice draw style is applied a cross- section through the grid is displayed in the plane f the current view - or the orthogonal plane that is closest to o the plane of he current view. t

Page 20 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Vizex - Hot keys Issue# 6166, 5961 . New hot keys are provided in Vizex. 'Hot keys' are singlepress keyboard shortcuts that allow you to quickly switch from one editing or viewing mode to another. For examp le: You can now p ress t he S key t o t oggle Snap Mod e on and off. You can also cy cle t hrou gh t he Sna p Mod e (Point , Line, G rid , Int ersect ion) op t ions u sing SHIFT + S key . You can now p ress t he B key t o t oggle Bet ween Mod e on and off. You can also cy cle t hrou gh t he Bet ween Mod e (Qu art er, Third , Halfway , User Define et c) op t ions u sing SHIFT + B key .

Vizex - Performance Issue# . The Vizex display environment has been optimised to support multi-core CPUprocessing and it is now faster to load and process wireframe objects. Similarly, the meshing algorithms used by the Polygon Boolean function have been enhanced to improve processing performance.

Vizex - Opening an input file Issue# 5851. You can now open a file associated with the current layer in Vizex by selecting a display object in the layer and then selecting Open Input File from the right-click menu.

Vizex - Options Issue# 5691, 1448 . As an aid to visibility when working in the Vizex Forms pane, select the Collapse all other form sets when expanding checkbox option (via Tools | Options | Vizex). If this option is selected, when you expand a form set in the pane, all other form set nodes in the tree are collapsed. Issue# 6081 . Under Tools | Options | Vizex, you can now select two (Only show in overview window and Show when not in section view) options if you want to limit the display of the extent box.

Page 21 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

File Editor Issue# 6382. The File Editor data grid has been updated, is more robust, and now has a more Excel-like look and feel. The way that files are opened for editing in the File Editor has changed.A standard Windows dialog is now used which allows you to open a file in edit or readonly mode.

If you have opened a file for editing, you can edit the file in Verify mode by selecting a Verify Mode button on the FileEditor toolbar. In Verify mode, ou will be prompted to verify every edit you make. y Changing multiple column widths To change the width of columns to fit the contents, select the column or columns that you want to change, and then double- click the boundary to the right of a selected column heading.

Projects - Various Issue# 2728 . The New Project form has been improved, making it easier to create a new project. THISFEATUREISNOTYETAVAILABLE. Issue# 9547. When you create a new project, the default folder location is now: C:\Documents and Settings\<user_ name>\My Documents\Micromine Projects

Page 22 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

where <user_name> is your login user name. Issue# 6614. You can now quickly create, open, close, and attach a project by using the options provided on a new Project toolbar. Forward and Back buttons allow you to quickly switch between the projects you have recently opened.

Statistics - Simplified omnidirectional semi variograms Issue# 7055. Use the Stats | Omnidirectional Semi Variograms function to calculate and display omnidirectional semi variograms using simplified rules. For more complex models, use the Stats | Semi Variograms function.

Statistics - Median/Mode calculation Issue# 9396. The Median/Mode option calculates a bin size which provides the best interval (for presentation purposes). The bin size is now chosen as the value which best fits the range of most of the data (16th-84th percentiles), such that it is from the series 1,2,5 (or 10^x multiples thereof) and that there are at least 20 bins. Generally speaking, there will be somewhere between 20-50 bins. The mode is chosen as the midpoint of the bin with the most points.

Files - long field names Issue# 4061 . Micromine Data files now support long (up to 255 character in length) field names.

Page 23 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Note: When you create a long field name, a unique short field name is also created in the file header. This has been done to provide backwards compatibility with previous versions.

Macros - Set display limits and sections Issue# 627. When building a macro, the following processes can now be included that allow you to manipulate the display limits or navigate the display section by section: Macro processes equivalent to the "Next" and "Previous" section tools on the View toolbar. Macro processes you can use to step through the named sections in a section control file. These macros are particularly useful, for example, when you want to plot a set of transform sections. Refer to "Section Control Files" under the Major Enhancements section of this document.

Macros - End Process Issue# 491 . When running a macro, if you want to start the process part way through macro file, you can enter a value in a Start process prompt. a In this release, you can also enter a value in an End Process prompt to stop (exit) the macro execution before the end of the macro file is reached. The number you enter corresponds to the number of a record in the last macro file that will be used in the run.

Drillhole - Display Options Numeric Exceptions Issue# . It is now possible to control the way non-numeric values are handled when drawing a graph in Vizex. Often there are no valid readings near the top of the hole and these need to be ignored. Colour field Issue# 2251. When setting Graph display properties, it is now possible to specify a field other than the Graph field as a Colour field. Hatch Width field Issue# 2729 . When setting Hatch display properties, it is now possible to use the values in a hatch width field to control the width of the hatched area.

Drillhole validation

Page 24 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Issue# 5872. The BoreholeDrillhole | Validate | BoreholeDrillhole function has been enhanced and separate tabs are provided for the specification of collar, survey, interval and event files. The following options are provided on the Report tab:

Issue# 5872, 7787 . The drillhole database options (available via Tools | Options | Drillhole Database) have been updated. The following options are provided:

Disable auto-validation for this session Auto-validation for boreholedrillhole databases is enabled whenever you start the application. However, you may prefer to disable auto- validation, for example when the drillhole database is open and drillholes are displayed in Vizex. Check for missing intervals Select this option if you want to check that the first FROM value in the Interval file = 0, and that the sample intervals are continuous in the Interval file. Check for missing holes Select this option to check that all holes in the Interval file are referenced in the Collar file.

Page 25 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Issue# 5872, 7787. Interval and Event files are now validated automatically when they are added to a boreholedrillhole database. The following checks are made: Records are sorted by HOLE ID and then FROM values. The holes in the Interval and Events files exist in the drillhole database. There are no overlapping intervals There are no holes beyond the end of hole depth.

Drillhole - True Thickness Calculation Issue# 1823, 9592. The Drillhole | Calculations | True Thickness function now requires a drillhole database as one of its inputs. This allows the following values to be directly accessed from the database (rather than be manually entered as in previous versions): Drillhole azimuth and inclination. Formation dip, and dip direction (which must originate from an event file associated with the database).

Sub-blocking Setup Block Definitions Issue# 9142. The Sub-blocking | Setup function has been enhanced to make it easier to define custom block definitions. Buttons have been added to the Block definitions form which can be used to increase or decrease the number of blocks. When the "number of blocks" inputs are updated, the origin and the end block centres of the blocks are adjusted automatically.

Modelling - Grade Interpolation Issue# 3458, 6912. The following data search parameters have been added for the Modelling | 3D Estimate | IDW and Kriging functions. In effect, the Min count per reference and Max count per reference values allow you to apply a filter condition. For example, you may want to ensure that, for every hole, you only count a certain number of "best" points.

Page 26 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Min count per reference is useful when you want to specify that you only want holes that have a certain minimum representation in a search space(so that points are not counted, for example, when a particular hole has only one point in its search space). Max count per reference is useful when you want to specify that all the points found in a search space should not come from a single hole. Both of these parameters use the Count Reference field to constrain the points that are selected by thegrade interpolation process.

Modelling - 2D Search Mode Issue# 7165 . A '2D Search' checkbox option has been added to the DataSearch form for the 3D Block Estimation IDW and Kriging functions. Select this option to activate 2D Search mode. When this mode is active, the calculations that use the Data Search form will ignore any 3D (Main Axis Plunge, 2nd Axis Plunge, and 3rd Axis Factor) parameters that may have been specified.

Pit Design - slope calculations Issue# 4854 . There is a direct trigonometric relationship between the overall slope, the batter height, the batter slope, and the berm width. A new Calculate button has been added to the Input tab of the Pit Design form, so that any one of those values can be calculated by varying the other three. For examp le, y ou can ent er a bat t er height , a bat t er slop e, and a requ ired ov erall slop e, t hen u se t he C al cul ate bu t t on t o calcu lat e an ap p rop riat e berm wid t h.

Pit Design - manual road Edge Issue# 6666. You can now use a new right- click Road | Manual Road Edge menu option to manually build a haul road that ascends or descends from the selected (crest or toe) start string.

Pit Optimisation - Various Issue# 3422. Function Parameters that can be expressed as a variable have

Page 27 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

an extra input field (immediately to the right of the normal input field) which is marked with an f x symbol. Double-clicking in this input field opens a link to a form that can be used to define the expressions that will be used for the parameter. Issue# 5808 . A Variable Element Price can now be specified in the Processing tab of the Pit Optimisation form. In some cases the element price may differ, depending on factors such as the ore type, for example. This new field allows you to specify a field in the block model that contains variable element prices. If no price is defined for a given block in the block model file, then the value specified in the Price column will be used instead. Issue# 5804. The Analysis tab now allows you to specify initial Capital Expenditure and replacement Capital Costs by period. Initial capital expenditure might be specified before the start of a project, for example, and then be specified later, say three years into the project, to allow for mill expansion. Replacement capital costs can also be specified as a constant value, and/or as a value that varies by period. Like capital expenditure, capital costs will also change if the mill is expanded. Issue# 5659 . The Smart Combination Of Threshold And Recovery option is provided to allow for the scenario when both processing recovery and threshold parameters need to be used, i.e. processing recovery is 90%, but the output tails " are not less than 0.4 g/t". If the Smart Combination checkbox is not selected, then: the Threshold Value is subtracted from all grades in the model, and: the Processing Recovery is then applied If the Smart Combination checkbox is selected, then the following logic is applied: If Grade - (Grade * Recovery) >= Threshold then Recovered Grade = Grade * Recovery If Grade - (Grade * Recovery) < Threshold then Recovered Grade = Grade Threshold Issue# 6177. You can now enter a value which is the Minimum Pit Size (the width of the pit base) below which mining is impossible due to the technical limitations of mining equipment. When a pit base value is specified in the Output tab, the function cuts the ultimate pit from the bottom until it is possible to put a square (with the specified width) at the pit bottom.

Page 28 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Issue# 6770. A new Selling Setup button in the Processing tab allows you to set performance and cost factors that will be used to determine the selling price for each element. Issue# 6649. As part of the Reporting options in the Analyse tab, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) can now be calculated for every pit in 'By nested pits' mode, or for every period in 'By periods' mode.If no meaningful value ( > 0) is found, then the IRR field will contain 'NA'. Issue# 3421. When a single processing methodisa pplicable to a particular rock type, the Pit Optimisation process is able to Calculate a cut- off grade value for each element. A Processing Performance factor can also be specified for each method in the Processing methods form. This indicates the amount of the extracted metal that can be processed during the period. Issue# 7576, 9138 . The Ore tonnage, Recovered Metal , and Grade for each processing method can now be included in the pit optimisation report.

Wireframe - Draw Options Issue# 961 . A new Auto draw style option has been added to the Draw Options tab of the Wireframe Display Properties form. When the Auto option is selected: A 3D Shaded draw style is applied when the wireframe layer is in plan view. A 2D Slice draw style is applied when the wireframe layer is in section view. Issue# 4710. On the Draw Options tab of the Wireframe Display Properties form, you can now colour code a wireframe using any attribute . A Grade field can be chosen as the colour field, for example, when a wireframe is used to represent a mining block.

Issue# 7415 . A Smooth Wireframe slider bar has been added to the Advanced Options tab of the Wireframe Display Properties form. By adjusting the slider, you can quickly control the amount of smoothing.

Page 29 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Setting the smoothing slider bar to maximum will make the edges along a surface appear smooth. Note however that the individual triangles themselves remain unchanged. In other words, the smoothing is applied to the display layer and not the underlying triangulation data. Issue# 9173. An option to draw edges between wireframe facets has been added to the Advanced Options tab of the Wireframe Display Properties form. If the inner angle between two wireframe facets is less than or equal to the specified Crease Angle, a crease line will be drawn. Setting the slider bar to a maximum will make all of the edges along a surface visible. The abilit y t o d isp lay ed ges may be u sefu l, for examp le, when a large nu mber of mining blocks are d isp lay ed as wireframes in Vizex and t here is no ind icat ion of any t hing ot her t han a single large solid .

Wireframe - Auto-load Option Issue# 6652. The result of a Wireframe Boolean or Cut operation can now be loaded in Vizex by selecting an Auto-load the created wireframe checkbox option

Page 30 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

in the Wireframe Properties form.

Wireframe - Validation Strings Issue# 8826 . If open sections or connection errors are detected during the validation process, wireframe validation strings are created. If those strings are coincident with the original construction strings, they are now given priority when strings are selected during editing. This makes it easier to correct the wireframe using both the validation strings and the construction strings.

Wireframe - Transform Grid coordinates Issue# 960. A Wireframe Setup option is now provided in the the Survey | Convert Coordinates Between | Plane Grids function (and in the new Survey | Convert Coordinates Between | Coordinate Systems function).

You can either overwrite the coordinates of the input wireframe, or save the transformed coordinates to an output wireframe.

Wireframe - Properties Issue# 9485. Properties are now displayed when temporary (for example, a wireframes created during a Wireframe Cut operation) or unsaved (untitled) wireframes are created or edited.

Blasthole Design - Clip blastholes Issue# 5276 . You can now select a Clip Blastholes to Wireframe tool on the Blast Design toolbar to crop blasthole end points to a wireframe selected in the display.

Page 31 of 32

What's New in MICROMINE 2010 (Beta)

Tools Issue# 8955. At Micromine we are constantly striving to improve. As older functionality is superceded by newer functionality, some menu options are marked as obsolete and hidden from the user interface. To provide backward compatibility and allow a smooth transition from old functionality to the new, you can choose to Show obsolete menu options alongside current options on the MICROMINEmenus (via Tools | Options | System). Note: You will need to restart the application for this option to take effect.

Page 32 of 32