Vulcan Training News - Archived

WA School of Mines (November 2006)

Curtin University’s Western Australian School of Mines (WASM), located in Kalgoorlie, offers a four year Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mining Engineering.

This degree at WASM is the only program offered in Western Australia as part of the Minerals Council of Australia’s initiative in mining engineering education. In other words, the program is recognised by the peak mining industry body as being world class (the only other programs in Australia are those at the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales).

The WASM fourth year mining engineering curriculum includes an underground mine design project, requiring students to conduct a pre-feasibility study on an orebody to a professional standard. Maptek has supported WASM in delivery of this course by providing Vulcan mine design training to students.

Zak Osman from Maptek Perth conducted the training one day a week for four weeks during August and September. Following this, the 21 students felt competent enough to undertake their mine design project in Vulcan. One student commented, ‘Before taking this course, I didn’t know much about Vulcan. It’s really user friendly and my team has already designed the decline for our project.’

Due to the exceptionally high level of technical support from Maptek, the Mining Engineering and Mine Surveying Department at WASM will use Vulcan in the mine design courses. As a consequence, plans are underway to provide training to WASM mining engineering staff so that they can better manage the delivery of mine design courses.

Geostatistics training (September 2006)

Claudia Monreal from Maptek Chile conducted an intensive two week internal training course in Perth to Maptek’s Australian geology team. Participants from Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth were taught the theories behind geostatistical methods, which were reinforced using practical examples from real operations.

Course content included: variography; simple, ordinary and indicator kriging; and simulation. Following on from this training, Maptek will be offering customer training courses in the application of geostatistics in Vulcan, which can be accessed by contacting your local Maptek office.

L-R: Stephen Gouldstone, Chris Grove, Anthony Bottrill, Steve Sullivan, Claudia Monreal, Mark Gabbitus, Richard Jackson, Julian Cosson, Toby Prior
click on image to enlarge

Geostatistics course in Denver (June 2006)

Eric Gonzalez, Regional Manager of Maptek Mexico, conducted a 10 day Geostatistics training course in Denver in February. The well received course covered basic univariate statistics concepts through to Sequential Gaussian simulation.

According to John Sims, Coeur d’Alene, ‘The course was well worth the time invested. I really liked it. If you held the 8 week course, I’d definitely take it.’

The course gave participants a taste of the capabilities of Vulcan’s Geostatistics module and provided a good foundation from which to work. ‘It’s been just the right balance of theory and application,’ commented Nigel Luckman of Southwestern Resources. ‘It followed a step-by-step plan while answering our questions too.’

Gretchen Moore of Stillwater agreed, ‘It was better than I thought. It’s been a great conceptual and practical overview of geostatistics using software we already use.’

Top l-r: William Zelinski (Barrick Goldstrike), PJ Hollenbeck (Maptek Denver),
Brad Atkinson (Maptek Denver), Nigel Luckman (Southwestern Resources Corp.),
Mike Orobona (CCI Hibbing Taconite), Eric Gonzalez (Maptek Mexico);
Bottom l-r: John Swenson (Maptek Denver), Rachel Burgess (Maptek Edinburgh), Gretchen Moore (Stillwater Mining Company), John Sims (Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation), Yonnus Idris (Albian Sands Inc.)

Australian Vulcan Technical Services (March 2006)

In November 2005 Australian Technical Services staff met in Perth for a week of intensive Vulcan training. This is the third year for the masterclass, which is now an established event for Maptek Australia.

The group shared knowledge about several specialised Vulcan options:

• New Grade Control: demonstrated using a gold dataset.
• Drill and Blast Design: including explosive analysis tools.
• Chronos Reserver: scheduling package.
• Stratigraphic Modelling: applying tools to metals environment; new Fixstrat tools.
• New Tri-Block: reblocking block models with a new surface.
• Polygonal Reserver: short term scheduling tool in Advanced Reserves.
• Intelligent Objects: linking screen objects with data in an external database.
• Iroads: designing mining and civil engineering applications.
• Haulage Profile: optimising haulage times from pit to dump.

Left to right: Anthony Bottrill (Adelaide), Helen Arcaro (Perth), Toby Prior (Brisbane), Mark Gabbitus (Perth), Peter Odins (Sydney), Mark Scholes (Newcastle), Chris Grove, Michael Cardinaels, Mark Musk (Brisbane), Ryan Goodchild (Perth), Steve Sullivan (Adelaide), Shane Clark (Brisbane), Richard Jackson, Zak Osman, Phil Edmiston (Perth), Richard Buckley (Adelaide). Absent from photograph: Stephen Hope (Johannesburg), Julian Cosson & Stephen Gouldstone (Perth)

Vulcan Training Mexico (September 2005)

Eric González (back row second from right) and Vulcan users from Servicios Industriales Peñoles at the first Vulcan training course conducted in Torreon City, México by the new Maptek Mexico & the Caribbean office.

Maptek South America (April/May 2005)

The Mining Geostatistics course held in Maptek Chile in partnership with the University of Alberta finished in April2005. Over two months, participants studied the theory and applications of modern geostatistics, with an emphasis on mining. Course professors, Dr Clayton Deutsch and Dr Oy Leuangthong, are based at the Civil Engineering Faculty, University of Alberta and also run the Centre for Computational Geostatistics.

Students awarded a Citation in Applied Geostatistics were: Christian Monardez (Minera Doña Inés de Collahuasi), Ivan Vela (Anglo American Chile), Ricardo Muñoz (Minera Michilla), Martha Villalba and Miguel Cuba (BHP Billton Tintaya, Perú), José Antonio Lopes (AngloGold Ashanti, Brazil), Ingrid Calvo (Minera Carmen de Andacollo), Galceran Marquet (Holcim Venezuela), Miguel Letelier (Codelco Chile División El Teniente), Suzane Magri, Flavio Costa (Maptek Brazil) and Claudia Monreal (Maptek Chile).

Daniel Diez, Vulcan Sales Manager for South America.

Gastón Rodríguez, I-Site Manager showcase products at Arminera 2005 in Buenos Aires, in May.

Vulcan Training at BHPBio (March 2005)

Due to the upsurge in demand from China for iron ore from BHP Billiton’s Pilbara operations, BHP Billiton Iron Ore has significantly expanded its Resource Development Group. Skilled 3D computer modelling is required to accurately estimate tonnage and geochemical constraints in iron ore, particularly for companies aiming for ‘world’s best practice’ and to meet JORC requirements.

With this in mind, Maptek’s Perth Technical Services Team set up customised Vulcan courses using BHPBIO datasets. The newly recruited reserve definition geologists were trained to produce standardised, timely, quality geological models.

This training was designed to meet BHPBIO business requirements. The four day program covered basic Vulcan tools and led to staff building competent wireframing using their own datasets. This experience provided them with a strong foundation to convert their geological ideas, developed on hard copy plans and sections, into computerised 3D models.

The interactive 3D visual nature of Vulcan has enabled BHPBIO to raise the quality of models produced.

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