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Studio 3 Process Help

HOLES3D - generate static drillholes from drillhole data

Process Name Menu Path Link to Command Table

HOLES3D Drillholes | Validate and Desurvey Click here

 Introduction

 Files, Fields and Parameters

 Notes

 Example

 Errors

Introduction

This is a Superprocess and running it may have an effect on other

Datamine files in the project. More...

HOLES3D converts a set of Downhole Sample data, Collars location data and optionally Downhole Survey data, into a 'desurveyed' Static
Drillholes file in which each sample is identified by its location (X,Y,Z coordinates) and direction (azimuth and dip) in space.

How to use

In the 'desurveyed' form, each sample is identified independently in 3D space without reference to its neighbors.

If two or more Downhole Sample files are specified (maximum 6) then they are merged so that all divisions of all sets of samples are
maintained. A typical use of merging is to add an assay file to a lithology file, where the lithology intervals do not match the assay
sample boundaries. Another example is to add absent data samples into holes by making the second file a single record per hole defining
the total hole length.

The output from the HOLES3D process is in the standard Drillhole format which is used elsewhere in the Studio 3 system. For example
the drillholes can be viewed interactively, composited downhole, and used to interpolate grades into a block model.

Using Downhole Survey Data

The Downhole Survey data is optional. If a survey file is not specified it is assumed that all the drillholes are vertical. If the survey file
only includes a subset of the total number of drillholes, then it is assumed that all drillholes which are not included in the survey file are
vertical. In both cases a warning message is displayed. The positions at which the survey readings are recorded does not have to
correspond to sample positions. Up to 2000 measurements may be taken down each drillhole. If more than 2000 measurements are
supplied for any drillhole, the process terminates with an error message.

Each drillhole in the Downhole Survey data file should have a survey measurement at its collar (AT=0). If this is not the case then the
process will automatically move the first survey measurement to the collar position. A warning is issued and a list of all offending holes is
displayed. If moving the survey position is not appropriate then you should edit the survey data file and rerun the process.

The process works by first computing a set of positions in space at known coordinates down each hole, and then interpolating between
these known points for the top and bottom of each sample. The interpolation uses arcs of circles separately in horizontal and vertical
planes.

The process will optionally calculate the XYZ coordinates of the start and end of each sample. This is controlled by parameter ENDPOINT,
which if set to 1 will create the six extra fields. These coordinates can be useful for creating a DTM of the top or bottom of a seam or
stratum.

As well as creating the desurveyed file, the process will optionally create two other files which assist in validating the input data. The
HOLESMRY file contains a summary of the drillholes in each of the input files. It shows the number of records in each input file for each
drillhole. The ERRORS file contains a list of:

 surveys from the Downhole Survey file,

 samples from the Downhole Sample file(s),

 collars from the Collars file

which do not pass the validation tests. The tests are detailed in the description of the ERRORS file.

If the HOLESMRY file shows that one or more of the input data files do not contain entries for every drillhole then a warning is displayed.
A warning is also issued if there are any entries in the ERRORS file. In order to correct any errors it will be necessary for you to edit the

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input data files and rerun the process.

You are encouraged to use the optional HOLESMRY and ERRORS files. You should also take careful note of the output display to see
whether any warnings have been issued. If there are any warnings it is strongly recommended that you fix the data problems before
using the desurveyed file for subsequent processing.

The SURVSMTH Parameter

When a hole sample is desurveyed the survey data (azimuth and dip) of the sample is used to locate the sample centre point in space. A
desurveyed drillhole file contains a set of samples each with a calculated center point in XYZ world space.

Sometimes raw drillhole data tables to be desurveyed may contain more than one survey record within one sample, each with different
azimuth and dips. Since a sample is by definition a straight line its location in space cannot be calculated using more than one survey
record. The SURVSMTH parameter is used to automatically divide up samples where more than one survey records lie within a sample.

The samples are split in half until only one survey record lies within each sample. Therefore many samples may be created. The default
value of SURVSMTH is 1 which will cause extra samples to be created so that no sample contains more than one survey record within its
FROM and TO values. For no extra samples to be created the SURVSMTH parameter should be set to zero.

If the SURVSMTH parameter is set to zero and a sample does contain more than one survey record not all survey records will be taken
into account. Traditionally this has been resolved by first compositing the samples to reduce their lengths. The SURVSMTH parameter
avoids this requirement.

It is often the case that the first one or two samples in exploration holes contain more than one survey record because they are relatively
long. This is because sample divisions have not had to have been created through assay and lithological identification near the surface.

Files, Fields and Parameters

Input Files

Name Description I/O Required Type

Status
COLLAR Data file of drillhole collar locations. Expects fields BHID, XCOLLAR, YCOLLAR and ZCOLLAR. Input Yes Collars
SURVEY Optional survey data file. Expects fields BHID, AT, BRG, DIP. If a borehole has Survey Data, Input No Downhole
then it must include a record for the collar location, i.e. AT=0. If a survey file is not specified Survey
it is assumed that all holes are vertical. If the survey file only includes a subset of the total
number of holes, then it is assumed that all holes which are not included in the survey file
are vertical.
SAMPLE1 First sample data file. This file is compulsory and must include fields BHID, FROM, and TO. It Input Yes Downhole
will probably also include at least one sample attribute field, such as grade or lithology. Sample
SAMPLE2 Optional second sample data file. Expects fields BHID, FROM, and TO, and at least one assay Input No Downhole
or sample attribute field. Sample
SAMPLE3 Optional third sample data file. Expects fields BHID, FROM, and TO, and at least one assay Input No Downhole
or sample attribute field. Sample
SAMPLE4 Optional fourth sample data file. Expects fields BHID, FROM, and TO, and at least one assay Input No Downhole
or sample attribute field. Sample
SAMPLE5 Optional fifth sample data file. Expects fields BHID, FROM, and TO, and at least one assay or Input No Downhole
sample attribute field. Sample
SAMPLE6 Optional sixth sample data file. Expects fields BHID, FROM, and TO, and at least one assay Input No Downhole
or sample attribute field. Sample

Output Files

Name I/O Status I/O Required Type

Status
OUT Output desurveyed sample data file. This will include fields BHID, FROM, TO, LENGTH, X, Y, Output Yes Drillhole
Z, A0, B0, and all other fields which were included in the sample file(s). The X,Y and Z fields
are the coordinates of the centre of each sample. The A0 and B0 fields are the azimuth and
dip of the sample, respectively.

For more information on Studio 3 Downhole Survey files, click here.

HOLESMRY Optional output file containing a summary of the drillholes in each of the input files. It shows Output No Table
the number of records in each input file for each drillhole identifier (BHID). This can be very
useful for validating the data, and showing what data is missing from which holes.
ERRORS Optional output file containing a list of surveys and samples which do not pass the validation Output No Table
tests. Tests 1-3 refer to the SURVEY file, tests 4-6 are applied to the data in files SAMPLE1

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to SAMPLE6, and test 7 is on the COLLAR file: (1) a survey file has been specified. (2) each
BHID has a survey reading for AT=0. (3) each BHID in the (merged) sample file has at least
one entry in the SURVEY file. (4) the downhole TO value of a sample is greater then the
downhole FROM value. (5) the FROM/TO interval for one sample does not overlap the
FROM/TO interval of the next sample. (6) the FROM/TO interval is not duplicated. (7)
XCOLLAR, YCOLLAR and ZCOLLAR are not absent data. Only one of the errors 4-6 will be
reported even if a sample fails more than one of these tests. The output file will contain the
following fields: - FILE: the name of the file in which the error was identified, - PROBLEM: a
brief description of the problem, - BHID: the drillhole identifier, - FROM: the downhole FROM
distance of the sample, - TO: the downhole TO distance of the sample. In order to correct
the problems it will be necessary to edit the original data files.

Fields

Name Description Source Required Type Default

BHID Drillhole identifier. COLLAR, No Any BHID
SAMPLE1,
SURVEY
XCOLLAR X co-ordinate of drillhole collar. COLLAR No Numeric XCOLLAR
YCOLLAR Y co-ordinate of drillhole collar. COLLAR No Numeric YCOLLAR

ZCOLLAR Z co-ordinate of drillhole collar. COLLAR No Numeric ZCOLLAR

FROM Downhole distance to sample top. SAMPLE1 No Numeric FROM
TO Downhole distance to sample bottom. SAMPLE1 No Numeric TO

AT Downhole distance to survey point. SURVEY No Numeric AT

BRG Bearing of drillhole. SURVEY No Numeric BRG
DIP Dip of drillhole. Dip values must always be positive when SURVEY No Numeric DIP
referring to the downwards direction if using this
command in a batch process.

For more information on Studio 3 Downhole Survey files, click

here.

Parameters

Name Description Required Default Range Values

Option Description
0 Prevent samples being added to the output file.
add samples where there are more than one survey
1
record per sample.

When a hole sample is desurveyed the survey data (azimuth and

dip) of the sample is used to locate the sample centre point in
space. A desurveyed drillhole file contains a set of samples each
with a calculated center point in XYZ world space.

Sometimes raw drillhole data tables to be desurveyed may

SURVSMTH contain more than one survey record within one sample, each No 1 0,1 0,1
with different azimuth and dips. Since a sample is by definition a
straight line its location in space cannot be calculated using more
than one survey record. The SURVSMTH parameter is used to
automatically divide up samples where more than one survey
records lie within a sample.

The samples are split in half until only one survey record lies
within each sample. Therefore many samples may be created.
The default value of SURVSMTH is 1 which will cause extra
samples to be created so that no sample contains more than one
survey record within its FROM and TO values. For no extra
samples to be created the SURVSMTH parameter should be set to
zero.

If the SURVSMTH parameter is set to zero and a sample does

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contain more than one survey record not all survey records will
be taken into account. Traditionally this has been resolved by first
compositing the samples to reduce their lengths. The SURVSMTH
parameter avoids this requirement.

It is often the case that the first one or two samples in

exploration holes contain more than one survey record because
they are relatively long. This is because sample divisions have not
had to have been created through assay and lithological
identification near the surface.
set to 1 to include the X, Y and Z coordinates of the start and end
of each sample in the desurveyed output file. Fields XSTART,
ENDPOINT No 0 0,1 0,1
YSTART, ZSTART, XEND, YEND and ZEND are created in the
output file.

Set to 1 to ensure that positive dip values point downwards, or -1

DIPMETH
to point upwards

PRINT Option Description No 0 0,1 0,1

to display each individual process which is run by the
1
HOLES3D superprocess.

Notes

For more information on Studio 3 Downhole Survey files, click here.

Example
!HOLES3D &COLLAR(collars), &SURVEY(surveys), &SAMPLE1(assays), &SAMPLE2(lith), &OUT
(assay.d), &HOLESMRY(holesmry), &ERRORS(errors),

*BHID(BHID), *XCOLLAR(XCOLLAR), *YCOLLAR(YCOLLAR), *ZCOLLAR(ZCOLLAR), *FROM(FROM), *TO

(TO), *AT(AT), *BRG(BRG), *DIP(DIP),

@ENDPOINT=0.0

Error and Warning Messages

Message Description Solution

The file name entered for the collars An alternative file name must be
files cannot be found. provided before the process can
proceed.

Copyright © CAE Datamine Corporate Limited

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