Mine2-4D addresses many of the inadequacies that engineers face when utilising both manual and computer based approaches to mine design and scheduling.

Labour Intensive and Time Consuming Processes

Poor Integration between functional parts of mining systems results in more time taken to massage data into 'usable' form.  Poor productivity results from the manual nature of the process, even when using software systems.

Mine2-4D communicates directly with Earthworks Production Scheduler, enabling the user to apply accurate schedule data to pre-defined mining activities.  As the two functions communicate directly, modifications made to the design data and activity dependencies are reflected in the Schedule and vice versa. 

Lacking Sufficient Detail

Even the most advanced software lacked sufficient detail required to complete all activities in Production Planning, especially short-term.  These systems tended to produce Plans and Schedules based only on mine production of ore and waste and lacked detail on required resources such as equipment, labour, supplies, etc...

Mine2-4D includes the ability to add numerous user-defined attributes and properties to facilitate better data definition and reporting.  Filters are available to target portions of the design and increase user focus. 

Derived activities are also used to represent non-extraction activities (i.e. drilling and filling).  Defined activities can be used to represent non-mining activities in the scheduler (i.e. installation of electrical sub-stations).

Inability to Handle the Scale and Complexity

The sheer scale and complexity of a complete Life of Mine schedule of activities to be sequenced is beyond the capability of most systems.  Given the need to include sufficient detail the size of the problem to be solved can be too large or complicated, requiring the scheduling of a network of hundreds of thousands of activities.  In addition, many of the systems were not available on a PC and required the purchase of a Unix Box to operate efficiently.

Using Mine2-4D, large projects can be broken down into sub-projects (i.e. by level, area or zone) to be combined at a later stage.  This reduces the scale and complexity of data to be manipulated at any one time.

Complex to Setup and Operate

Capable solutions often require extensive and complex setup parameterisation, and in-house spreadsheet-based systems that require specialist knowledge to attain reliable results.

The Mine2-4D database structure is automatically modified to accommodate user-defined attributes and properties, eliminating the necessity to manually manipulate data in external spreadsheets.  As Mine2-4D was developed for a group of mining consultants working to time and dollar constraints, many tedious processes have also been automated.

Limited Flexibility

The system must be applicable to any mining method or commodity and flexible to handle local conditions.

Mine2-4D recognises three core design types that enable users the flexibility to manage all underground mining methods encountered.   The three core design types are:

1.  Fixed Cross Sectionals - define general drifting and raising activities

2.  Outlines - define cut-and-fill, slashing and mining to a defined ore outline

3.  Complex Solids - define irregular mining cavities such as long-hole stopes.

Inability to Effectively Manage Change

The plans and schedules produced by existing systems are not easily adaptable or responsive to change.  Long-range plans often become redundant due to the time required to recreate/update the plan with the deviations encountered between planned and actual performance.

Firstly, Mine2-4D allows the creation of rules to define repetitive dependencies between like activities.  This means that when design changes are required, dependencies can often be re-created in a matter of seconds by the click of a button.  In many cases, 90% of all dependencies can be generated using dependency rules.

For regular deposits, the Mine2-4D autolayout tool allows the design engineer to quickly create a number of designs based on varied pillar spacings, extraction drifts and the like.  This tool has been successfully used in many shallow-dipping, room and pillar projects and has recently been used to generate designs for block caving and underground coal mining operations.

Lack of Financial Basis

Unless the plan and schedule of activities contains full costs and revenues, alternative scenarios cannot be assessed with an objective to deliver a maximum return on investment and evaluate alternative expansion investment strategies.

Mine2-4D can produce a full schedule in a fraction of the time taken using traditional methods thus allowing the user the time and ability to perform various scenario analyses.  Costing can be carried out on a per-unit production or per-resource basis in Earthworks Production Scheduler.

Inability to Communicate

Limited ability to communicate the mine plan and actual progress made, at all levels in an organization.  Many problems arise when reporting is conducted against a short-term plan that does not complement the long-term or budget plan.

Mine2-4D allows communication of the plan through animated schedules.  Animations have found favour from the board room to the face ... as they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

The majority of sites currently using Mine2-4D have one schedule which drives budget reporting, medium to long-term reporting and short-term plans.  Earthworks Production Scheduler also allows tracking of actuals directly against design activities.