Designing and Managing

Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

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Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast. V3. July 25, 2018

c
2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 by Leica Geosystems AG. All rights reserved. No part of this document shall be
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Designing and Managing
Drill Patterns
with HxGN Blast
MineSight: Exploration to Production
MineSight software is a comprehensive mine planning platform offering integrated solutions for
exploration, modeling, design, scheduling and production. It uses raw data — from drillholes,
blastholes, underground samples and other sources — to derive 2D and 3D models essential to
mine design and planning. Below the ground or at the surface, from precious metals to base
metals, for coal, oil sands and industrial minerals, MineSight software tackles geomodeling mining
applications to improve productivity at every stage of a mine’s life.

GEOMETRIES
Use digitized data to define geologic information in section or plan; define topography contours;
and define structural information, such as mine designs, important in the evaluation of an ore
body. Virtually every phase of a project, from drillholes to production scheduling, either uses or
derives geometric data. MineSight software lets you create, manipulate, triangulate and view
any geometric data as 2D or 3D elements.
DRILLHOLES
Manage drillhole, blasthole and other
sample data in a Microsoft SQL Server
database. The data can be validated,
manipulated and reported; and it is
fully integrated with other MineSight
products for coding, spearing, com-
positing, interpolation, statistics and
display. Some of the types of data
you can store are drillhole collar infor-
mation (location, length and more),
down-hole survey data (orientation),
assays, lithology, geology, geotechni-
cal data and quality parameters for
coal.

COMPOSITING
Calculate composites by several methods, including bench, fixed length, honoring geology and
economic factors. These composites are fully integrated with other MineSight products for statistics
and geostatistics, interpolation and display.
c 2017 Hexagon Mining

3D BLOCK MODEL (3DBM) STRATIGRAPHIC MODEL

Used to model base metal deposits such as por- Used to model layered deposits, such as coal and
phyry copper, non-layered deposits, and most oil sands. Although they are normally oriented hor-
complex coal and oil sands projects. izontally, they can be oriented vertically for steeply
dipping ore bodies.

Vertical dimensions are typically a function of the Vertical dimensions are a function of the seam
mining bench height. (or other layered structures) and interburden thick-
nesses.

Contains grade items, geological codes and a to- Contains elevations and thickness of seams (or
pography percent among other qualities and mea- other layered structures), as well as grade items, ge-
surements. ological codes, a topography percent, and other
qualities and measurements.

MODELING
Build and manage 3D block, stratigraphic and surface models to define your deposit. Populate
your models through: geometries (polygons, solids or surfaces) coded into the model; calculations
on model items; text files loaded into the model; and interpolation through techniques such as in-
verse distance weighting, kriging or polygonal assignment. As you design and evaluate your mine
project, you can update your model, summarize resources and reserves, calculate and report
statistics, display in plots or view in 2D and 3D.

ECONOMIC PIT LIMITS & PIT OPTIMIZATION

Generate pit shells to reflect economic designs. Using floating cone or Lerchs-Grossmann tech-
niques, work on whole blocks from the 3D block model to find economic pit limits for economic
assumptions such as costs, net value, cutoff grades and pit wall slope. Economic material is usually
one grade or an equivalent grade item. You can view the results in 2D or 3D, use the results to
guide your phase design, plot your design in plan or section, calculate reserves and run simple
production scheduling on your reserves.

vi
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

PIT & UNDERGROUND DESIGN

Accurately design detailed open pit geometry, in- Support & Services
cluding ramps and pushbacks with variable wall
slopes, and display your pit designs in plan or section,
clipped against topography or in 3D. You can eval- Client service and satisfaction is our
uate reserves for pit designs based on a partial block first priority. Boasting a multilingual
basis and calculate production schedules from the re- group of geologists and engineers
serves. Create and manipulate underground design stationed worldwide, the MineSight
through CAD functions and from survey information. team has years of hands-on, real-
world experience.
LONG TERM PLANNING GLOBAL SUPPORT
Generate schedules for long term planning based on
Providing global technical support
pushback designs, or phases, and reserves computed
during the day and with extended
by the mine-planning programs. The basic input pa-
hours on weekdays and weekends,
rameters for each production period include mill ca-
technical support is at your service.
pacity, mine capacity and cutoff grades.
The company’s offices in the United
States, Canada, Mexico, Peru,
SHORT TERM PLANNING Chile, Brazil, South Africa, Australia
and the United Kingdom all offer
Generate schedules for short term planning based on technical support via phone and
cuts or solids in interactive planning modules. A large email.
selection of parameters and flexible configurations let
you control daily, weekly or monthly production. TRAINING

Our software is always improving

in response to our clients’ needs.
It doesn’t take long to fall behind.
That’s why we’re committed to
helping you get the most from our
software. Take advantage of our in-
troductory and advanced courses
or create a customized curriculum
that best suits your needs.

SERVICES

MineSight Services offers mine

planning studies, mineral resource
studies and project assistance to
help you get the most from your
mine and from MineSight. From
scoping studies to final feasibility
studies, to MineSight coach, de-
pend on our multilingual MineSight
specialists.

vii
Contents
HxGN Blast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The HxGN Blast Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Blast Project Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Basic Design Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Import Designed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Blast Plan Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Validation Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Creating Charts with ARC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Exporting Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Charging Holes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Tie-in of Blast Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Attributes, Coverages and Sample Importing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Surface Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Conclusion & Future Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

HxGN Blast
HxGN Blast is the new utility for the design and exe-
cution of drill and blast plans from within MineSight LEARNING OBJECTIVE
3D (MS3D). Via an intuitive document and panel
interface, users can instantly design, manage and Learn to create, manage and validate
validate drill patterns designs. Advanced features drill patterns designs using HxGN Blast.
include smart naming techniques, which can be
used to attribute patterns and drillhole names with highly customizable, site-specific naming con-
ventions. Design validation rules allows user to interrogate designs to ensure they meet design
requirements.
The intuitive nature of the interface and simple workflow gives users control over the design, man-
agement and reporting of blast designs. Plans also benefit from being saved directly to a Mine-
Sight Torque database or SQL Lite files, which both offer quick and accessible storage. Blast is fully
integrated with other MineSight products and offers full operational integration across the suite of
planning and scheduling tools.

Starting HxGN Blast

Blast is started by one of two methods. The first is from within the Data Manager in MS3D. To open
a new HxGN Blast plan, right-click on the folder in which you wish to create the plan and select
New → Blast Project. Once created, the Blast plan appears as an object in the Data Manager.
Alternatively a Blast plan can be created through the OP Eng Tool tab in MS3D → Create Blast
Project.
There are also two ways to store Blast plans: via an SQL lite file-based method or in SQL databases.
The file method saves the Blast plan to two SQL lite files that are linked to an object in the Data
Manager. The database option allows you to save plan and configuration information to MineSight
databases. Pattern information will be saved to a MineSight planning database (MSPD2) whereas
the drillhole information will be stored to a Torque database. Both access the data through an
ODBC connection. The storage method does not affect functionality and workflow within Blast.
Upon creating a new Blast plan, the New Blast Plan dialog presents you with the following options.
• Create New — Create new files or databases from scratch. This will result in a new Blast plan.
• Connect to Existing—Connects to an existing files or databases. Changes made in the Blast
plan will affect the original source.
• Clone Existing—Create a copy of the existing files or databases. Changes made in the Blast
plan will not affect the original source. Changes will be saved to the newly established clone.
When connecting or cloning to an existing file or database, you can use the Clone Settings Only
option to include only the configuration settings but not the pattern designs or drillholes. Configura-
tion settings include all settings configured via the backstage areas, such as properties, templates,
custom expressions and surface geometries.

HxGN Blast | 1
c 2017 Hexagon Mining

EXERCISE: Create a Blast Plan

Create Blast plans using SQL Lite files and SQL databases.

SQL Lite OP Eng Tools menu → Create Blast Project → select Destination folder → Set
Link Name = HxGN Blast → OK

SQL databases OP Eng Tools menu → Create Blast Project → select Destination folder → Set
Link Name = HxGN Blast → Next → DB button → Data Source = MSPD2
Database → Next → DB button → select SQL Server → select Torque project
→ click the Connect button → OK

TERMINOLOGY

HxGN Blast incorporates industry-based technical terminology wherever possible:

Drillhole — A design or actual hole comprising a collar ID, X, Y, Z and length at a minimum.
Blasthole — A drillhole that has blasting parameters added to it.
Drill pattern — A collection of holes bounded by a polygon.
Blast pattern — A collection of holes that will be blasted collectively
Bench — A vertical section of ground within a blast pattern that will be blasted at the same time.
Flitch — A vertical section of ground that will be mined in one pass. A bench is commonly split into two
or three flitches.
Bench crest — The front or open face of a blast pattern.
Pit toe — Where the pit wall (batter) meets the bench.
Floor — Also a bench, but in this sense refers to the level on which trucks would normally run.
Burden — The distance between rows of drillholes
Toe burden — The distance between the toe of drillholes (especially dipping holes) and also the
distance between the toe of the first row and the toe of the bench (takes into account the face angle).
Spacing — The distance between holes on a row.
Hole length — The total length of the drilled hole (may alter from design to actual to dipped).
Stemming — Usually crushed rock used to fill the top section of a hole to prevent air blasts after
explosive has been added.
Explosive — Usually a combination of ammonium nitrate and diesel, such as ANFO or emulsion. Turns
into gas on ignition to provide the breaking power.
Detonator — Small explosive change used to ignite explosive.
Deck — Section of the hole charge; it could be the explosive charge, the stemming or even an air bag.
Powder factor — The ratio of explosives to volume (amount of explosive/volume of rock to be blasted).
Blast Movement Indicator (BMI) — Something placed down hole that measures the movement of the
hole post blast.

2 | HxGN Blast
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

The HxGN Blast Interface

HxGN Blast uses a “Mode and Document”
interface, consistent with MineSight products LEARNING OBJECTIVE
such as MineSight Atlas and MineSight Planner, to
provide an intuitive means to create and manage Explore the MineSight Blast mode and
Blast plans. Blast currently has one mode, which navigation tabs
is the management of different drill patterns.
There are five navigation tabs in Blast: Home, Project, View, MS3D Display and Validation. Each
tab contains its own ribbon menu, which is used to access functions and tools. The Home tab
contains a dynamic ribbon menu, meaning the options in this menu change depending on the
mode in which you are currently working. Contextual tabs may be visible in Blast depending on
the active mode or document. They appear as a colored tab at the end of the default tabs, and
contain tools and functions relevant to a specific document. For example, the Pattern contextual
tab presents design and management options for adjusting the highlighted pattern.
There is also a backstage area, accessible via the backstage icon, for configuring
project-specific settings such as attributes, expressions, templates and surface geometries.
Database names and connections can also be accessed.

Tabs beneath and to the right of the grid view can be configured to only appear when the cursor hovers
over the tab. You can also drag them to another location or hide them entirely.

The HxGN Blast Interface | 3

c 2017 Hexagon Mining

File Manager — Lets you sort and display patterns in the main document area (grid view).
Grid view — Displays individual drillholes and the properties related to the selected plan. You can sort,
reorder or filter entries based on attributes and manually edit entries in the grid view. The MineSight 3D
(MS3D) viewer dynamically displays selections of a particular drillhole or multiple drillholes from the grid
view.
Report tab — Provides details of length, volume and area of the selected drillholes.
Message Window tab — As in MS3D and MineSight Torque, the message window displays errors,
warnings and other informative messages including when a function has started/ended.
Properties tab — Displays relevant properties relating to the selected drillholes. It can also be used to
adjust individual properties or the properties for an entire pattern (based on selection).
Template tab — Allows you to store, manage and apply templates.

4 | The HxGN Blast Interface

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Blast Project Configuration

The Blast Project Configuration dialog, accessed
via the Backstage Area, allows you to set up and LEARNING OBJECTIVE
customize your HxGN Blast project with the param-
eters needed to design realistic blast patterns. All Define benches, mining areas, phases
project-specific configurations are controlled via and other parameters needed for design-
the dialog. There are six panels in this dialogs: Gen- ing blast patterns.
eral, Properties, Hole Types, Templates, Expressions
and Geometry. Passwords can also be used to
protect the configuration, ensuring only permitted
users are able to access the configuration proper-
ties.

GENERAL SETTINGS
The General tab provides an overview of the min-
ing areas and associated benches. On the Bench
List tab, you can create a master bench list or a
unique bench list for every mining area. Bench lists
can be useful for defining project-specific bench
information. Benches can be added from an ele-
vation range, grid set, geometry object or model.
Within General Settings, the Pit tab lets you spec-
ify the names of pits, mining areas and any associ-
ated phases. Configuring such information allows
patterns and drillhole to be attributed, which can
be useful for defining and filtering plans in a project
and also for exporting plans.

EXERCISE: Create a Bench List

Create a 15m bench list by importing data from the Block model

Create a pit General tab → Pit → ’+’ → Name = North Pit → Default Bench list = Main Bench
List(15m)

Assign Phases Dropdown next to ’+’ → Add Range → Number of Enumeration = 3 → OK

Assign Benches Bench list dropdown menu → Select Main Bench list → OK

Blast Project Configuration | 5

c 2017 Hexagon Mining

PROPERTIES
Blast allows the configurations of custom properties to support pattern design. Using preconfigured
attributes, users can create custom fields with the assistance of calculations and python snippets.
Custom attributes can use a range of data types — such as integer, boolean and enumeration —
to create a property. Like calculated fields in other areas of MineSight, properties can be used as
required to customize a project and ensure users track key information in a customizable way.
Properties are split into two categories in the project configuration: system properties and user-
defined properties. System properties are attributes automatically created when importing a new
Blast pattern; they cannot be adjusted. The properties are split into four subcategories based on
their characteristics. “Drillhole,” for example, only contains attributes relating to drillholes, whereas
“Global” contains information about global properties such as the user, name of project and date.
User-defined properties can use all of the system-defined properties by mean of easily inserted
tokens when creating a new field. The ability to create such easily configured custom fields allows
projects to be personalized to site requirements and benefitting the design process.
The Derived option lets you specify whether the value of a property can change if the dependent
property changes. For example, the Drill Cost property will change if the length of the drillhole
changes if it is derived. If not, the value of this property will be calculated only once upon creation.

PROPERTY TYPES

HxGN Blast offers a number of options for property types when creating pattern level properties:

Stored —Displays the static value uploaded to the created field.

Derived —This is a dynamic option that will allow the displayed value to update if one of its dependent
values or properties are changed.
Accumulated —Displays the accumulation of the values in the property field.
Majority —Displays the value of the majority in the property.
AWA —Displays the Accumulated Weighted Average.
MWA —Displays the Mass Weighted Average.
VWA —Displays the Volume Weighted Average.
Minimum —Displays the minimum value of the property.
Maximum —Displays the maximum value of the property.

EXERCISE: Create a Derived Property

Define an expression for drillhole length.

Blank Property Property dialog → ’+’ → Name = DRILL_COST → Scope = Drillhole → Data Type
= Double → Derive Type = True → OK

Property Value Format → C2 → Is Visible = True Expression = <New Expression>

Define Expression Expressions Dialog → ’+’ → Name = DH_COST → Type = Double → Expression
field → $(Drillhole.Length)*6

The Is Visible option controls if the property is displayed in the blasthole list on the Home tab.

6 | Blast Project Configuration

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

TEMPLATES
Templates are a means to quickly assign preconfigured setups to new drillhole designs areas. Once
a setup has been configured in the Design dialog, you can save this configuration as a template
that can easily be applied to other target areas. Configured templates can be managed and
adjusted from the Template option in the Backstage Area.
Templates can be created from both the Template Editor in the pattern configuration dialog or
during the design process in the Design dialog. Both templates are identical and have exactly
the same functionality. Templates are improved by the use of tokens and smart naming. Pattern
names, drillhole names and toe & collar expression can all easily be applied using tokens and
expressions, reducing configuration time. Additionally, pattern templates can be imported and
exported for quick sharing among projects. Using the dropdown located on the Pattern Template
section, you can export to a csv file; you can also import from an MSPD or from an existing csv file.

EXERCISE: Create a Pattern Design Template.

Be sure to turn on all properties you want to include in the template via the checkboxes on the far right of the
design dialog

Blank Template Template tab → ’+’ → Pattern Design → 7X8 → Pattern section → Pit = North
Pit → Phase = Phase 1 → Layout at Top = True → Name = <New Expression>

Define Expression Expression dialog → ’+’ → Name = PATTERN_NAME → Result type = String →
Expression field → > BP-$(Pattern.Bench)-$(Pattern.BenchSiblings) → OK

Layout and Spacing Design From = Collar → Burden = 7 → Spacing = 8 → Staggered = True → Drill-
hole Section → Collar Expression = $(Pattern.Z) → Toe Expression = $(Pat-
tern.BenchBottom) → SubDrill = 1 → Diameter = 0.3 → OK

EXERCISE: Create a Drillhole Naming Template

The drillhole names are controlled by the order of tokens listed in the Naming template. Each token will rep-
resent a portion of each DHID.

Blank Template Template tab → Drillhole Naming → Name = Chess_Board → First Token = Row
= Alpha → Second Token = Text = “-“ → Third Token = Column = Numeric →
Fourth Token = Usage

EXPRESSIONS
The Expressions dialog allows you to create custom tokens for reporting site-specific information
such as pattern names, drilling costs or time needed to drill the pattern with a specific drill rig.
Expressions can use a configurable mix of system or user-defined properties, python syntax, func-
tions, surfaces or other expression to create a desired result. These expressions are available to use
when creating new properties or templates. In the below example, we are using a Python snip-
pet to set the string value of the property EXPLOSIVE based on the integer value for the property
PLANNED_PRODUCT.

Blast Project Configuration | 7

c 2017 Hexagon Mining

Drillhole Naming Template

EXERCISE: Create a drilling time expression

The expressions are created by using the tokens in the lower portion of the expression

Define Expression Expressions Dialog → “+” → Name = DRILL_TIME → Result Type = Double → Ex-
pression field → $(Drillhole.Length)*0.05/0.6. This result will give us the drill rate
in hours.

GEOMETRY
In the Geometry tab, you select surfaces, solids or model items for use in your Blast project. With
the selected surfaces, you can set up validation rules or use them in customized attributes or
expressions. Drillhole designs are improved by allowing the length to exactly meet a surface, or to
be configured to go beyond. Collars can also be more accurately positioned onto an updated
surveyed surface. Custom attributes can also be configured to measure each drillholes distance
from a particular solid or surface.

EXERCISE: Add a Surface to Adjust Drillholes

After creating this geometry set, you can use it in the Toe Expression of the Pattern templates to limit drillhole
length.

Geometry Rule Name = Topo2018 → Result type = Elevation → Value = Select surface from
Viewer → Type = Geometry

Add Rule to Expressions Expressions Dialog → “+” → Name = Surface2018 → Result Type = Double

Define Expression Expression field → $(Surface2018) It's TOPO2018

RESERVES LOGIC
This dialog will allow you to associate a previously established Reserve logic to patterns in the Blast
project. One of the major advantages of this type of set up would be the ability to read items

8 | Blast Project Configuration

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

directly from the block model. Looking forward to conditional charging templates, this will read
the rock type of a block and apply the template that meets the requirement. Other advantages
include the ability to use grade values in expressions and the advantage of attributing holes with
the VOI (volume of Influence) reserves of grade and tonnage information.

EXERCISE: Add a Surface to Adjust Drillholes

We can associate an existing Reserve logic with a HxGN Blast project

Add a Reserve logic Reserve logic → Green plus symbol to add a logic (or use the model symbol to
edit an existing logic) → Import from file to add an existing logic → Navigate
to the logic and open Used Reserves logic from LTP

HOLE TYPES
The Hole Types dialog allows you to create and manage hole types inside of Blast. During the
blast process, not all hole types will be treated the same, so it is important to identify the different
types of drillholes. Five drillhole types appear as standard and only the display option of these
can be adjusted. Additional Hole Types can be added and attributed with blasting and area of
influence properties. Display options can also be customized allowing the different types to be
easily identified in drillhole pattern.

EXERCISE: Create a Pre-Split Hole Type

New Hole Type Hole Type panel → ’+’ → Name = Pre Split → Abbreviation = PS → Can
Charge/Stem/Has Area of Influence = True → OK → click Geometry Style
→ Node Type = Circle Filled → Apply → OK

Blast Project Configuration | 9

c 2017 Hexagon Mining

Basic Design Principles

Once you’ve initialized an HxGN Blast project, you
can create a pattern design. Multiple options exist LEARNING OBJECTIVE
to either select or import existing outline geome-
tries. The provided geometry will identify the area Become familiar with the pattern design
or line segment in which the pattern is populated. options available within HxGN Blast.
It is import the geometry is correct as it cannot be
adjusted at a later stage.
You can either select from a polygon or a polyline when creating a pattern. The resulting design
dialog will then let you choose to select from an existing geometry or choose to digitize the target
area via the viewer.

EXERCISE: Select Outline Geometry for the Drill Pattern Design.

Pattern Boundary Home tab → Create New Pattern → From Polygon → Select button → choose
polygon from blastmaster-1453 object

Pattern Design
Once a target area has been selected, patterns design can begin. You will notice that once
a geometry has been selected, the Design Dialog will go from a grayed-out state and become
active. On initial selection, the design dialog will also allow the selection or digitization of multiple
pattern polygons. Multiple polygons can be independently managed within the design dialog by
means of the pattern manager. The pattern manager allows patterns to be selected and adjusted
in the design dialog. Templates can also be applied to individual or multiple polygons; they can
also be targeted or deleted using the icons located on the right of each entry.
When digitizing a blast patter, you have the option to limit your polygon in a number of ways.
• Same RL: While digitizing, this option will clip to polygons that are the same relative level.
• Same Bench: This option will allow you to select a bench. Digitizing will clip against other
polygons that have the same bench assignment.
• Selecting a limit: By selecting a limiting polygon, you can digitize a blast pattern polygon and
ensure that it will be limited to the selected boundary.

EXERCISE: Import and Manage the Design of Multiple Polygons

Open the shot MS3D Data manager → Blast Master Folder → Open blastmaster-1453
boundary

Multiple Pattern Home tab → Create New Pattern → From Polygon → Select button → Click
Boundary and drag to select multiple polygons from the blastmaster-1453 geometry
object

After selecting multiple polygons the New Pattern dialog will allow you to configure each pattern inde-
pendently.

10 | Basic Design Principles

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

PATTERN CONFIGURATION
Under the Pattern Configuration section, users can specify attributes related to the patterns and
drillhole naming. The Pit and Phase fields will appear blank as these require configuration in the
Backstage Area. They allow patterns to be attributed with Pit and Phase items that can be used
at a later stage for filtering. It is important to flag bench information and drillhole naming as these
items are attributed from this part of the design dialog. For this example, they will be left as default
with the default naming conventions summarized below
LAYOUT & DESIGN
The Layout & Design section controls pattern design, pattern spacing and orientation; it also con-
trols the reference point and staggering. The pattern generated from the design dialog is the
master 2D pattern layout applied to the target polygon. Other patterns/substrings can, however,
be added subsequently via the substring options. Pattern design is the key adjustable factor in the
blasting process.
Adjustments will need to be made to burden and spacing depending on site-specific factors such
as bench height, explosives used and type and structure of rock. The default burden and spacing
in the dialog is configured to 10 and 10. Burden is the spacing between rows of holes, and spac-
ing is the distance between holes on a row. These parameters are also helpfully labeled at the
reference point when creating the pattern design.

Basic Design Principles | 11

c 2017 Hexagon Mining

The Design From option controls whether the pattern is designed on the top of the bench or from
the bottom; a difference is only noticed when using inclined holes. The Staggered check box
controls if rows of drillholes are staggered by a half spacing distance.
Reference point and orientation are also important to pattern design. The reference point is the
anchor point from which the pattern burden and spacing are referenced from. This point can be
manually adjusted via the viewer or with the use of coordinates to ensure the patterns design is
correctly positioned in relation to the target outline. By default, the elevation will remain locked
to the elevation of the selected polygon unless the padlock icon is unselected, in which case an
alternative elevation may be used.
The 2D orientation of a pattern can be adjusted by selecting or digitizing two points on screen.
Additionally, the orientation can be selected from a substring to orient the pattern parallel to
one of the outline edges. Note that the orientation is not limited to a singular substring direction;
multiple directions can be used and averaged.

EXERCISE: Adjust Burden and Spacing.

A default Burden and Spacing of 10 and 10 will be populated when selecting a pattern target. These will be
in metric or imperial measurements based on the project settings

Burden and Spacing Home tab → Create New Pattern → From Polygon → Select button → click
and drag to select multiple polygons

EXERCISE: Adjust the Pattern Origin

Manually adjust the reference point. The default reference point will highlight with three green circles. Se-
lecting and moving the bottom left corner circle will change the reference point. Selecting and moving the
top left corner circle will change the orientation of the burden relative to the reference point. Selecting and
moving the bottom right corner circle will change the orientation of spacing relative to the reference point.

Reference Point Layout & Spacing → Axis button

12 | Basic Design Principles

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Using Substrings
To aide in the effort of controlled blasting HxGN Blast has a subsection of the design interface
dedicated to substrings. Originally collapsed in the design dialog, the substring menu will allow
you to design a Bench Toe or a Pit Crest substring. Within this dialog you have the option to select
a section of a polyline as the offset; you can digitize the desired offset line or select a premade
polyline.

After you have selected the appropriate substring you can choose to Add/Modify Offset Rows to
edit the properties using the Offset Rows Dialog.

EXERCISE: Create a Bench Crest offset and edit the properties of that substring

Create and adjust a Design Dialog → expand the substring menu → Use the desired option to
substring create/select a Bench Crest substring → Add/Modify Offset Rows → Adjust
the parameters and preview to see the immediate results in the viewer →
Click okay to add the substring to the pattern.

Basic Design Principles | 13

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NOTES

14 | Basic Design Principles

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Import Designed
In addition to creating a pattern from scratch, you
can also import patterns in a number of ways. On LEARNING OBJECTIVE
the Home tab, the Import option allows you to
choose to import from existing geometry or from Use HxGN Blast to connect to an MSPD2
a blast project. or to another Blast project and import ex-
When choosing to import patterns from geometry, isting designed patterns.
you can choose an existing boundary or digitize
your preferred boundary. The Design dialog allows you to add design values to the pattern. The
Geometry option lets you import blasthole by either selecting the holes themselves or existing col-
lars. In this instance, you we also have to use the Design dialog to add values to the pattern.

You can import entire patterns from an existing project,

or import individual collars or groups of blastholes.

Import Designed | 15
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The Import dialog on the Home tab also has the option to import items from another Blast project.
When using this option, you can connect to the project via a server connection or from a Blast
project save file. Select the source file and choose the patterns you would like to import.

Import Using Holes or Collars

Using the same dialog used to import patterns, you can also import blastholes from collar points or
from blastholes created outside of HxGN Blast. Once you have selected your collars or blastholes,
use the Design dialog to attribute a template and other attributes to the holes.

16 | Import Designed
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Blast Plan Management

HxGN Blast goes beyond pattern design with ad-
vanced features for effective management of cre- LEARNING OBJECTIVE
ated designs. Patterns can be sorted, filtered or
displayed based on attribute, allowing users total Edit and manage created blast patterns
control. This section outlines how to edit and man- with HxGN Blast.
age created patterns effectively and discuss the
different styling and visualization options.

Pattern Management
Upon creation, a pattern will appear by name in the File Manager. The File Manager, much like
the Data Manager in MineSight 3D (MS3D), manages the visibility of patterns. It can also be used
to target the viewer to a particular pattern or remove the pattern altogether. Visibility can be con-
trolled on the pattern level or by a filter. patterns can be sorted based of attributes, for example
bench, pit or phase.
Selecting a pattern in the file manager, or using the Select Pattern button on the Home tab, will
highlight the pattern in the viewer and also load the drillholes to the grid view. From the grid
view, individual collar points or drillholes are displayed and can be selected, edited or removed.
Selecting a particular drillhole will change the highlight to that drillhole; display options will adjust
accordingly.

EXERCISE: Sort Patterns

Enable a bench filter to sort patterns.

Sorting Open Grouping Dialog → Home tab → Patterns → Group By → double-click on

desired properties → OK

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Selection Options
The grid view is a great means of visualizing all drillhole information in a quick and manageable
form. The strength of the grid view is in the simplicity it offers for viewing required information.
Columns can very easily be sorted, filtered, or reordered allowing user to quickly customized view
of information. The exercise below, summarizes the possible option for customizing the display of
information.

EXERCISE: Customize the Grid View

Customize the display of information in HxGN Blast grid view.

Reorder Columns Select column to move → Click and drag column to new location

Sort Drillholes Click column header to sort ascending or double click to sort in descending
order

Filter Columns Mouse over desired column → Click Filter icon → Select values to display

Group Drillholes Select column to group by → Drag column header to top of Drillhole dialog

18 | Blast Plan Management

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Display Options
The ability to display plans and designs in a
customizable way is fundamental to HxGN
Blast. The MS3D Display tab allows indepen-
dent graphical settings for selected plans
and global plan display settings. Plans can
be visualized to assess suitability in a vari-
ety of forms, from a simple pattern layout
design to Area of Influence solids outlining
blast areas. This section will cover the con-
figuration of project-based display options.
The display options in the MS3D Display tab
Pattern showing AOI polygons and row boundaries are duplicated to allow the user to differ-
entiate between selected and unselected
patterns. Geometry Visibility controls the display option of patterns when unselected. This is the
default appearance of the pattern or drillhole view and appears in a light gray “washed” color
unless options are selected. The color allows the layouts to be visible in the viewer without being
too intrusive.
Selection Visibility controls the display options for a selected pattern, allowing the user to quickly
identify which pattern is selected. Separation of properties also allows separate display options
to be used. For example Downhole traces and Volumes of Influence could be unselected for
Geometry Visibility but turned on for Selection Visibility.

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EXERCISE:Change Display Options

Alter the display options for Geometry Visibility and Selection Visibility. The visibility is edited through the MS3D
Display tab.

Select one of the patterns from the File Manager. You will notice in the viewer that the selected pattern
becomes more prominent with bold colors, downhole traces, area of influences and labels. Unselected
patterns will only have a basic pattern layout with downhole traces all with washed colors.

Now move the selection away from the pattern and highlight a bunch of drillholes in the grid view. Notice
the Selection Visibility options have jumped from the pattern and are now displayed only for the highlighted
drillholes. Try altering the display option to better suit personal preference.

Geometry Visibility Geometry Visibility → Downhole = ON → Area of Influence = off → Row Bound-
ary = off → Volume of Influence = off → Label = off

Selection Visibility Selection Visibility → Downhole = ON → Area of Influence = on → Row Boundary

= off → Volume of Influence = off → Label = on

DISPLAY OPTIONS

Downhole — Displays projected downhole traces and by default is selected as “on.” To view only
pattern layouts without drillhole traces, unselect this option.
Row Boundary — Displays a border around rows of drillholes. The border outlines the burden distance
and offers a trace along the axis of drillhole spacing. This display option is useful for understanding the
naming sequence of a pattern and its orientation.
Volume and Area of Influence — Provide a graphical representation of the influence area for each
hole. These are a basic example of voronoi diagrams, where all holes are assumed to have the same
weighting deciding the area of influence.
Label Position — In conjunction with the Label option, controls whether the drillhole name (Label)
appears at the collar or toe. You can select both or neither option.
Highlight — Controls the use of the yellow outline. When selecting a pattern or drillhole, you may notice
a yellow highlight appears. You can unselect this option.

20 | Blast Plan Management

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Styling Options
Default display options come with pre-
configured styling; the styling can be ad-
justed via the Style button on the Display
tab. Styling Configurations allows all op-
tions, from line weight to point color, to be
controlled and customized. Selecting the
Style button will open up the Styling Config-
urations dialog, which splits the styling op-
tions based on individual elements. The
interface should be familiar as it uses the
same setup as the display properties in
MS3D.
Selecting an element will bring up an inde-
pendent style dialog. The style dialog is split
into subsections that control every aspect
of the element. The buttons in the Global
subsection control visibility and the color of unselected patterns.
The Nodes, Polylines, Surfaces and Labels subsections control the display options of their named
fields. All elements represent specific parts of the displays options for drillhole and pattern design.
The display options range from changing the color and line thickness of the target polygon to
adjusting the transparency of the surfaces used in the Volume of Influence display option. You can
also apply a global washed color for all elements by using the configuration button on the lower
left corner of the dialog.
Different hole types can be distinguished
with use of separate colors. To define the
separate display properties, select the hole
type under the collar trace and change
the polyline display color. Alternatively the
display options for holes types can be se-
lected from the Hole Types configuration in
the Backstage Area. Once styling options
have been changed, selecting Apply will
commit the changes and save them to the
project. Selecting OK will close down the di-
alog.

EXERCISE: Adjust Styling Options

It is important to understand how to adjust styling options to be able to customize the display pattern and
drillhole layouts.

Styling Options Display tab → Style → Layout → Change Polyline Color → Apply

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Pattern Editing
Patterns can be manually adjusted via the viewer. In some scenarios, the pattern layout might
be correct for most of the target area but leave a few drillhole collars awkwardly positioned. In
such circumstances, it might be beneficial to move the more problematic drillholes instead of
repositioning the entire pattern.
MOVE COLLARS
To move a drillhole collar, you need to select the collar point by selecting the drillhole via the grid
view or alternatively the viewer. Once selected, drillhole collars can be relocated in the viewer to
a more suitable location.
Note that moving collar points can potentially change the collar ID. If the point is moved outside of
the original row boundary and sequence, the collar ID will be updated to reflect its new position.
The original collar ID will be totally removed, and the collar point will be given an updated collar
ID to reflect its new position. In most cases, the collar ID is appended with a letter so the entire
sequence on the row doesn’t have to be updated.

EXERCISE: Move an Existing Collar Point

Selected the collar point from either the viewer or the grid view.

Move Collar Point select pattern → Edit tab → Select → Choose collar point → Edit tab → Move
→ Click and drag collar point to a new location

Dynamic Area of Influence

To aide in the process, you can also bring up a Dynamic Area Of Influence preview. The preview provides
a quick visual on the impact of moving a drillhole collar on neighboring drillhole collars. This is a significant
time saver and really helps when editing a pattern. To use the Dynamic Area Of Influence when moving
a collar point, hold the CTRL key while editing the collar location.

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 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

ADD COLLARS
In some cases, patterns can be improved by adding additional collar points. Substrings can be
useful for adding rows of different spaced points, but sometimes manually adding points can be
the best option. Adding points can be used strategically where the user decides the Area of
Influence polygons are too large.
Collar points can also be removed, again from the ‘Edit’ sub menu the ‘Remove’ option allows
individual or multiple selected collar points to be removed. Additionally the sub menu allows all
collars points or the entire patterns to be removed.

Before (left) and after inserting new collars

EXERCISE: Add Collar Points

Add individual collars to an existing pattern.

Add Collar Points File Manager → Select pattern → Edit tab → Create → Click in viewer to set
new collar points

The Add Between 2 Points option lets you add an additional collar point equidistant between two existing
collars points.

HOLE EDITOR
To help perform these functions and save screen real estate, we also have the Hole Editor located
in the upper left portion of the Edit Ribbon. The Hole Editor performs the same Add/Move/Remove
functionality of the standard toolbar with the added advantage of minimizing the Blast project so
you are able to see the MS3D viewer.

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INFILL
Areas of infill can also be configured once a pattern layout has been completed. Infill allows the
user to specify areas where denser spacing is required. An existing polygon, or one digitized on the
fly, specifies the target area. Inside of the target area, a half distance burden will be assumed; the
same spacing will be observed, but the rows of drillholes will be increased. Infill can be employed
in circumstances where additional blasting might be required, such as areas with harder material
or when the goal is to improve fragmentation in ore grade material. Note that infill will only occur
within complete rows. The new collar points will have an appended name and the hole type
“Infill.”

Areas of infill

EXERCISE: Adding Infill Collars

Adding infill collars to an existing pattern.

Infill Collars File Manager → select pattern → Edit tab → Add Infill Polygon → Digitize Poly-
gon

24 | Blast Plan Management

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Set Properties Tool

The ‘Set Property Values’ tool found under the ‘Edit’ tab allows the quick attribution of drill or blast
hole properties. Properties can be changed at any time by selecting the drill hole / blast hole and
adjusting from the property panel. However, the advantage of the Set Properties Value tool is that
it allows easy attribution by expression or by a constant.

Set the properties of a given property

As in the example above, Drill hole elevations can be easily adjusted to the elevation of a surface
post design. Attribute such as ‘Firing time’, ‘Actual Length’ ‘Validation’ and ‘Hole state’ can all
easily be adjusted.

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c 2017 Hexagon Mining

Validation Tools
The validation tools inside of HxGN Blast allow users
to very quickly certify that designs meet specifica- LEARNING OBJECTIVE
tions. The tools offer a range of functionality from
error messages to marking blastholes as invalid if Set up and run validation tools to verify
they do not meet certain design criteria. Valida- pattern designs.
tion rules are split into three categories that have
different functionality. All rules are easily config-
ured to site-specific requirements and should give users confidence in created designs.
1. Rule of Thumb — Determines if input parameters during design are correct. If they don’t meet
the design requirement(s) a customizable error message can warn the user. Configured rules
can also be used as validation rules after design
2. Proximity Rules — Allow users to check the distances between holes in a pattern against holes
from other patterns. The rules can be set to check on the same bench or the bench above,
based on a defined distance.
3. Property Rules — Based on user or system properties, users can check to see if the values
meet design specifications. Property rules can also use custom expressions and or configured
expression surfaces.
Rules can be configured to be run on create, meaning once a new pattern is created the rule
will automatically run and the result will be stored back to the drillhole attribute. Rules can also be
configured to run against all drillhole types or target one type in particular.
Rules are configured and executed via the Validation menu. They are split into two panels, Search
& Select and Validation. Search & Select allows the rules to be run and for any conflicting holes to
be selected. The Validation option does not select the holes, it changes the status of conflicting
holes to “Invalid.” Both panels feature the option to run all rules at once.
RULE OF THUMB
The Rule of Thumb validation tool allows Blast to be configured to automatically flag incorrect
parameters that don’t meet design requirements. Site specific needs, such as patterns or drilling
parameters, can be entered to ensure the designs do not conflict with company procedure or
operate outside of equipment constraints. A rule of thumb is configured via the Validation tab.
The Configure button lets you create and manage validation rules. You can also clone existing
rules for quick configuration.

26 | Validation Tools
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

EXERCISE: Configure a Rule of Thumb for Dip Angle

Add a rule so that a warning message will appear when a Dip angle not in the range -80 to -90 is entered it
the design dialog. Note that this is a warning; the user will still be able to proceed with the incorrect value.
Also, this rule of thumb will only be applicable when creating a pattern layout in the design dialog.

Rule Of Thumb Validation Tab → Configure → Rule of Thumb → ‘+’ → Name = ROT_Dip →
Description = Rule of Thumb to validate the dip angle of blastholes → Hole
Usage Type = Production → Property = Pattern.Dip → Min = -90 → Max = -80
→ Warning Message = DIP FAILURE. Ensure dip angle is corrected

Any rule of thumb can also be used as a validation rule for existing designs if configured correctly.
The exercise below covers how a Rule of Thumb can be used to both validate during and after
the design process.

EXERCISE: Configure a Rule of Thumb for Burden

Add a rule so that a warning message will appear when burden is out of range.

Rule Of Thumb Validation Tab → Configure → Rule of Thumb → ‘+’ → Name =

ROT_Burden → Use as Validation Rule = True → Hole Usage Type =
Production → Method = New Expression → Result Type = Boolean
→ Value = $(Pattern.Burden)>=20*$(Pattern.Diameter) AND $(Pat-
tern.Burden)<=35*$(Pattern.Diameter) → Warning Message = BURDEN
FAILURE. Burden outside of range

Once the rules have been configured they can be verified either via the design dialog or by
configuring and running as a validation rule. The ROT-Dip rule can be checked by entering an
invalid dip angle of -70 in the design dialog, which will flag up an error message. The ROT_burden
can be checked in a similar way. Increasing the burden without changing the spacing will trigger
the configured error message.
Alternatively, the rule can be run via the Validation menu for existing pattern layouts. Selecting
the pattern layout from the Validation menu will select and highlight any blastholes that do not
conform to the rule. The Message Window will also report the number of selected invalid holes.
The rules can also be run from the Validation panel, which will mark invalid holes via the Validation
property.

PROXIMITY RULES
Proximity rules allow users to assess the spacing of existing patterns. Patterns can be referenced
from the same bench or from the bench above to verify that designs have the correct spacing.
The interface allows quick configuration; and multiple rules can be created to enable a range
of rules for different design requirements. The proximity logic works by creating a rule to validate
blastholes. Drillholes that do not adhere to the rule will potentially be marked as invalid and will
require adjustment.

Validation Tools | 27
c 2017 Hexagon Mining

EXERCISE: Configure a Proximity Rule

Create a proximity rule to run a bootleg check. Bootleg is a common industry safety check in which the
user is interested in the current pattern’s location as referenced against the pattern above. This is to prevent
potentially unexploded explosive material located in the tails of the previous pattern from being drilled into.
This check is often a legal requirement and is paramount to operational safety.

By definition, the logic is testing for a positive as defined by the calculation. Anything not found to meet the
logic will be marked as invalid. In the logic supplied, we are making any hole on both benches closer than
2m as invalid.

Proximity Rule Validation Tab → Configure → Proximity Rules → ‘+’ → Name = Bootleg → De-
scription = Bootleg holes closer than 2m invalid → Hole Usage = Production
Note:When w
→ Target Bench = Above → Distance = ’> 2’ → Warning Message = Bootleg
is to put the fo
fail
As an examp

When not searching the bench above, there are the options to search the proximity on the existing
bench. This can either include or exclude the targeted pattern. Once configured, the proximity
rules can be run at any stage. A pattern will need to be selected and the rule can be run to check
for potential conflicts.

Proximity pattern check

EXERCISE: Run Validation Rule

Run the bootleg rule and mark any holes that do not meet the > 2m rule as invalid. To select and display
these invalid blastholes, in the grid view select and group by the Validation column. Select all blastholes that
appear in the “Invalid” category and compare location against both pattern layouts.

Run Validation Rule select Pattern to check → Validation tab → Validation section → Property →
Bootleg

28 | Validation Tools
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

PROPERTY RULES
Property rules allow validation to be made against
any of the defined properties. As seen in the Back-
stage Area patterns, blastholes and custom proper-
ties all exist as tokens and can all be used to vali-
date designs. Upon creation, design collar points or
blastholes are all automatically attributed with these
fields.
Property rule result

EXERCISE: Configure a Property Rule

Use the ExtentDistance property to identify holes that are potentially too close to the outline polygon. By
default, each hole knows how far it is away from the outline polygon.

This property rule will be configured with the Run On Create option selected, meaning that every time a new
pattern is created the pattern will automatically be subjected to the configured rule. This will mark the drill-
hole as invalid in the validation field. Alternatively, you an unselect this option and run the rule manually.

Property Rule Validation Tab → Configure → Proximity Rules → ‘+’ → Name = PatternEdge →
Description = Location too close to edge → Run On Create = True → Hole
Usage = Production → Design Rule Property = DrillholeExtent.Distance “>” 4
→ Warning Message = Hole is <4m from pattern edge

EXERCISE: Run Property Rule

Any holes that fail this rule will be flagged as invalid and can be grouped in the gridview.

Run Rule select pattern to check → Validation tab → Validation section → Property →
PatternEdge

Validating Rules
All rules can be managed and executed via the Validation menu. You can run rules simultaneously
using the Run All option that appears on both the Validation and Search & Select panels. However,
take care when using this option as not all rules will be applicable to all pattern designs.
Conflicting holes identified in the validation rules will carry an “Invalid” attribute. You can manually
set the attribute back to “Valid,” “Validated” or “Unvalidated” in the Property Editor. The Property
Editor also allows you to change the status of multiple selected blastholes at once. The validation
status can also control the exportability of the hole. If configured, no blastholes marked as Invalid
can be exported; only holes that meet design requirements can be exported.
Property rules can also be configured to use expression surfaces. The Expressions option in the
Backstage Area lets you add surfaces for use in a property rule. This has many practical appli-
cations. For example, blastholes can be attributed with distances from a particular surface and
the validation tools used to flag areas where proximity for example to a particular dyke might be
problematic.

Validation Tools | 29
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EXERCISE: Configure Property Rules Using Expression Surface

Add a surface, create a user-surface property and then create a dyke property rule. Once cre-
ated, the property rule can be run to identify any drillhole proximal to the dyke surface. This is a
very powerful feature and will be particularly useful when it comes to designing the blast. Areas of
harder material, such as that identified by the dyke, will require additional design consideration.
Add Surface Backstage Area → Geometry → ‘+’ → Add Distance from Viewer → Select Sur-
face → Name = Dyke → O → Expressions → ‘+’ → Name = Dyke → Expression
= $(Dyke)

User Surface Property Backstage Area → Properties → ‘+’ Name = DykeCheck → Scope = Drillhole →
Type = Double → Derived Type = True → Initial Value Expression = $(Dyke)

Dyke Property Rule Validation tab → Configure → Property Rules → ‘+’ → Name = DykeCheck →
Description = Check hole proximity to dyke → Hole usage = Production →
Design Rule Property = Drillhole.DykeCheck “>” 10 → Warning message =
Holes inside of dyke material → OK

30 | Validation Tools
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Surface Proximity
Using the ‘Proximity’ tool found under the ‘Reporting’ tab, surfaces can be colored based on their
proximity to a drill hole. Such functionality easily assists in face burden analysis, where proximity
is checked to ensure blast designs will not result is excessive breakouts or fly rock on open faces.
Problematic areas can be easily identified via a customizable cutoff table and adjustments can
then be made to the drill / blast design.
The displayed cutoff colors can also assist drillhole spacing, and easily identify areas of close or
sparse proximity which might otherwise be difficult to recognize.

EXERCISE: Utlize the surface proximity analysis.

Add Surface Reporting Tab → Proximity → Select surface from the viewer

Define a cutoff and Create a custom cutoff called "Proximity" → Select the appropriate pattern →
apply it to the pattern Select the hole usage type → do not adjust "skip top" → do not select the
explosive only option → Press apply

Note that in the dialogue the ‘Explosive only option will only consider the part of the drill hole
containing explosives. ‘Skip top’ allows the specified measurement to excluded from the top of
the drill hole. Once configured, users can then export the established values to a drill hole property.

Validation Tools | 31
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NOTES

32 | Validation Tools
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Creating Charts with ARC

HxGN Blast can be used to generate reports on in-
dividual holes or selected patterns. The Advanced LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Reporting & Charting (ARC) Report Manager dia-
log allows you to create multiple types of reports: Become familiar with the ARC interface in
Grid, Chart, and Pivot. Selecting the desired type HxGN Blast and use ARC to create Grid-
of report from the ribbon menu will give you the based, Pivot-based, and Chart-based re-
option to create the report on either specific holes ports on selected patterns of blastholes.
or selected patterns.

Column Chooser lets you view a hole-by-hole breakdown of the volume of the hole
along with the cost associated with that drillhole.

EXERCISE: Create a custom Pivot chart in ARC

Use ARC to create a custom Pivot chart that will look at the user defined property DH_COST and the system
property Volume.

Create Pivot Chart Reporting ribbon → Pivot → Drillholes → right-click → Field List → select the
desired fields

Creating Charts with ARC | 33

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NOTES

34 | Creating Charts with ARC

 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Exporting Patterns
After designing your blast patterns in HxGN Blast,
you have several export options to pass the infor- LEARNING OBJECTIVE
mation to your survey and drill fleet. An Export tem-
plate must exist for the Export button to be avail- Design templates to export your blast pat-
able. To create a template, click on the Configure terns to different formats.
button and choose from the following export for-
mats: CustomCSV, Leica J2Drill, MSR, SRG, SRV, DXF, and Legacy report.
When creating the export template, you have the option to export to multiple formats if needed.
Different export formats can be included in one template. After configuring the export templates,
the Export button will get activated on the Home tab of the Blast project. Clicking this button will
open a dropdown list from which you can select the export template you want to use.
CUSTOM CSV FORMAT
The CustomCSV format lets you create custom reports that includes data from different levels, such
as global, pattern or drillhole level. It also includes two options for creating quick reports that you
can use as the inputs for your existing workflow.

Set up a CustomCSV Template.

CustomCSV Export Configuration dialog → New Configuration “+” → Name = CSV → Drill
Patterns = All Drill Patterns → Drillholes = All Drillholes → “+” → CustomCSV
→ Name = CSV → Drill Patterns = All Drill Patters → Drillholes = All Drillholes
→ File Name = {Pattern.Name}

File tab File Header = {Global.User} {Global.DateTime}

Drill Pattern tab In the Center section → {Pattern.Name} {Pattern.Pit} {Pattern.Phase}

Setup Drillhole tab In the Center section → {Drillhole.Name} {Drilhole.DrillholeType}

LEICA J2DRILL FORMAT

The Leica J2Drill option produces a *.MAP file, which is the ASCII format used by the HPGPS drill rig
positioning system. With this option, you specify a file output name and enter any notes or special
instructions to be included.

Set Up a Leica J2Drill Template

Leica J2Drill Export Configuration Dialog → New Configuration “+” → Name = J2Drill → Drill
Patterns = All Drill Patterns → Drillholes = All Drillholes → “+” → J2Drill → File
Name = {Pattern.Name}

Exporting Patterns | 35
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MSR FORMAT
The MSR export format allows you to export the pattern boundary, the associated drillholes, or
both. Drillhole and Pattern tokens can be used to automatically index the file, boundary, and
drillhole element names and materials. The tokens are entered into the fields by dragging them
into the desired location.

Set Up an MSR Template

MSR Export Configuration Dialog → New Configuration “+” → Name = MSR → Drill
Patterns = All Drill Patterns → Drillholes = All Drillholes → “+” → MSR → Export
Boundary / Drillholes = True → File/Object/Boundary Name / Boundary Ma-
terial = Pattern Name → Drillhole Element Name = Drillhole Name → Drillhole
element material = Drillhole Type → OK

SRG/SRV
With the SRG and SRV formats, you choose the export name and how the blasthole will be re-
ported: start point and Length; endpoint and length; or start and end points. SRV will create a
comma separated file and SRG will be column delimited.

DXF
When setting up to export a DXF file, you specify the File name and if you want to export the
pattern boundary, the drillholes, or both.

LEGACY REPORT
The legacy report is set to reproduce the reports that were generated by the Blast Pattern Editor
with the header containing information such as number of holes, total length and average BH
length. When setting up this report, you have the options of defining the output file name and
including subdrilling in the report.

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Charging Holes
Charging and Tie-in functionality in HxGN Blast al-
lows users to take designed drill patterns and con- LEARNING OBJECTIVE
vert them into workable blast designs. Pattern de-
signs can be imported or created inside of HxGN Convert a drill pattern into a blast pat-
Blast. Once converted into a Blast plan, details tern; import actual data; set up triggers
about explosives and other consumables can be and states; apply consumables; and cre-
applied. Using a preconfigured template, en- ate charging templates to the blast pat-
tire patterns are easily assigned stock blasting ar- tern.
rangements; alternatively, holes can be individu-
ally attributed.
The charging of holes relies on the input of site-specific consumables. Via the consumable library,
products such as detonators, booster and explosives can be added and their properties config-
ured. Consumable usage can also be tracked and costings easily reported using integrated ARC
reporting. Total design costs, total explosive material costs and required charging lengths are all
easily accessed.
Once assigned, blast patterns and associated charge designs can be displayed and evaluated
via the Down Hole visualizer. Selected surfaces or preconfigured geometries can be displayed to
check intersections. The down hole view can be adjusted to display multiple blast holes in a true
3D view, and allow attributed consumables to be edited and adjusted from the charging grid.
Post charging, a detonation sequence can also be designed and applied to blastholes via the
tie-in design options. Tie-in designs can then be animated, allowing accurately timed simulation
of the design. Display options allow the tie-in design to be demonstrated in a number of ways and
evaluated.

Converting Drill Plans to Blast Patterns

To begin a blast plan, you must convert or import a drill pattern. The drill pattern contains the
drillhole survey information to which the blasting information will be applied. Existing patterns inside
of HxGN Blast can be easily converted.
To convert a drill pattern into a blast pattern, select the drill pattern from the Drill Pattern tab in
the File Manager and use the right-click option. The blast pattern will appear under the Blast
Pattern tab. It will assume an independent blast pattern name, which by default will be “BP-
$(Project.PatternCount),” and a count value based on the number of blast patterns. The name
can be altered from the Properties tab.
Options allow for multiple drill patterns to form one design. This benefits adjacent cuts that likely
will be implemented in the same blast. Combined drill patterns will be merged into a singular blast
pattern with all drillholes appearing within one boundary.

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EXERCISE: Convert a Drill Pattern into a Blast Pattern

Create a one-to-one drill pattern to blast pattern.

Convert Drill Pattern tab → select target pattern → right-click → select Create Blast
Pattern → Blast Pattern tab → select newly created blast pattern

EXERCISE: Convert Multiple Drill Patterns into a Single Blast Pattern

Create a single blast pattern from multiple drill patterns.

Multiple Patterns Drill Pattern tab → select target multiple patterns → right-click → select Group
And Create Singular Blast Pattern → Blast Pattern tab → select newly created
blast pattern

Various import options for patterns and plans are available in the charge and tie-in components
of HxGN Blast. Plans can be imported directly into a drill pattern using the Import From Geometry
option. The importer, located on the Home tab, opens up the Pattern Import dialog. From here,
preconfigured attributes such as bench, pit and phase can be selected, as can naming expres-
sions for pattern and hole naming. Boundaries can be selected or digitized, or patterns imported
from existing drill geometries. Imported patterns will appear under the Drill Patterns tab.
Alternatively, plans can be imported from other existing HxGN Blast projects via the Import From
Blast Project button. Patterns can be imported either by selecting the SQL lite files or the appropri-
ate ODBC connections to databases. When patterns information is imported, geometry outlines
are saved to a MSPD2 database and drill holes are saved to a MineSight Torque database, or SQL
lite file versions if selected.
Once a drill pattern has been implemented, actual survey information for the drillhole locations
can be imported. These actual locations may be different, so it is important that the differences
are understood and all future designs such as charging and tie-in are applied to the actual hole
locations. Actual locations can be imported either from a *.CSV file or a database source. When
importing actuals hole locations. an import template needs to be configured to allow all items
to be mapped correctly and the setup to be saved and applied to later imports. Once config-
ured, the appropriate patterns can be selected and the actual information imported. The Blast
Mapping Dialog will allow the user to automatically map the incoming holes against existing holes,
either using a proximity search, a name search or both.

EXERCISE: Create Import Templates

Import Template Home tab → Import Hole Actuals → Importer Configuration → Create New
Template → name template → select data source → select source file →
map attributes against column dropdowns → select elevation and length
items → Create separate templates for actuals and attributes

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Import Actual Locations

Actual Locations right-click on the selected drill pattern → Import actuals → select correct import
template and source file → check Blast Mapping dialog → Import

Import Attributes

Attributes right-click on the selected drill pattern → Import Actuals → Select correct im-
port template ’attributes’and source file → Check the Blast Mapping dialog
→ Import

During import, the Highlight and Display options can be used to help identify the movement of
actual holes against the design location. Arrows can be selected via the Polyline Viewer button to
display the direction and distances the actual locations differ from the design locations. This can
help identify if patterns have all shifted consistently or if there is an area where certain drillholes
have been moved. It can also help locating several redrills to a singular design hole.
Note that actual location coordinates can be added to the grid view by selecting them as Visible
in System Properties from the Backstage area. Actual locations can be displayed over designed
location by selecting the option on the Display tab. Alternatively, the display color of the Actual
holes can be edited in the styling options. Changing the display color allows easy distinction
between design and actuals hole locations.

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Hole States and Triggers

Hole states allow users to assign states that restrict a hole’s behavior and properties. Hole states are
ideal for restricting changes or the application of certain actions. Users can also configure triggers
to allow holes to be automatically transitioned through different states during the blasting process.
These states let the user filter and track holes. For example, a newly created drill pattern is assigned
the “In-Design” state upon creation. Once pattern designs are finalized, they can be exported to
a drilling crew and an automatic trigger can be configured to change the all drill holes state to
“Published.” The Published state is configured to not allow users to edit Hole Location or Name,
locking these attributes while the holes are issued to the drill crew.

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DEFAULT CONFIGURATION FOR HOLES STATES AND TRIGGERS

Initial Design Newly created holes are automatically assigned the Initial Design state. Actual
locations are restricted.

Published Published holes have been exported, often to a drill system such as J2Drill. Re-
naming and usage types are restricted.

In Blast Pattern Drill patterns are converted into a blast pattern and design locations are re-
stricted.

Drilled Importing of actual locations from J2Drill or other files will lock all design and
hole naming attributes.

Charged Charging information applied to the hole will restrict naming, changes to usage
type and removal of holes.

Blasted Manually assigned after plan has been blasted. Restricts all actions apart from
reporting and exporting.

From the Hole States and Trigger section, accessed via the Backstage, users can easily configure
new states or adjust existing states. Selecting a state will display the current configured constraints;
adjustments can be made via tick boxes and dropdown privileges. The Hole Trigger panel con-
figures when these different states are applied and contains a summary of the restrictions and
behaviors.

The Hole States And Triggers dialog allow users to configure the workflow of each pattern.

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EXERCISE: Create New Hole State and Configure Trigger

Create a new, customizable state, called “Assayed,” that will flag drilled holes as having been sampled. The
trigger is assigned when importing actual locations, and will help identify holes that have been drilled and
sampled by the pit crew. Custom states can be added and adjusted to suit the workflows of specific sites.

New Hole State Backstage → Hole States And Triggers → select the Drilled hole state → Clone
button → rename the state “Assayed” → add the following description:
“Hole drilled and samples taken for grade control department” → select Can
Change MSTQ Name → unselect tick box → change privilege to Blocked via
the dropdown

Hole Trigger select Hole Trigger panel → select the Load Actuals trigger → change state to
Assayed → add the following description: “Loading actuals signifies hole has
been drilled and sampled”

Adding Consumables
The consumable library, found in the Backstage, allows the user to add customizable consumables
to the blast plan. Consumables are any item that will be consumed in the blasting process and
contributes to the cost of the blast. They typically include delays, cords, stemming and explosives.
Combined with the cost of drilling, consumables make up a significant portion of the total costing.
They are also a major factor in helping to determine the optimal charging design to achieve the
desired fragmentation.
Consumables and blasting products will vary from site to site, so being able to enter a configurable
range is key in proper blasting. Eight categories are provided, covering all aspects of typical prod-
ucts for blasting and tie-in design. Products can be individually named and assigned a dollar
value, a stock amount and category-specific values such as delay timing or units of measure-
ments. To further utilize these consumables in templates or in calculated fields, user properties are
automatically created for each item entered.
Explosives, stemming and air decks all require measurement units, the amount and a density in
the form of a specific gravity value. The measurement unit, which can be selected from the
dropdown, allows you to add a broad range of different products in various forms, such as liq-
uid, volumes or predefined thicknesses. Items can be added and adjusted at any time during a
project and are selected to form charging templates and tie-in designs. To add an item, select
the category and use the plus symbol to enable a new entry. The fresh dialog will allow attributes
to be entered and adjusted. Alternatively, existing items can be cloned, which will copy all as-
sociated attributes.Once configured consumables can be saved to a ‘Consumable Settings File
/ *.xml’ which will save the entire consumable inventory. This file can be used as a backup or be
imported into other blast projects.
When defining explosive information, attributes such as diameter, strength, velocity are required.
This information helps in the fragmentation prediction (Kuz-Ram Fragmentation model). Note that
diameter can also be lowered away from the default (‘0.20’). Reducing the explosive diameter,
below the hole diameter otherwise known as ‘Decoupling’ allows a reduction of borehole pressure
controlling wall breakage. Strength, specifies the percentage relationship to ANFO, with ANFO ex-
pressed as 100. ‘Velocity’ defines the detonation velocity and can be adjusted in certain blasting
scenarios

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The consumables can be added and configured in the backstage area.

Shown on subsequent pages are the consumable inventory for the training data. It covers a broad
range of consumables and has been created to highlight the different available options. Colors
are used throughout to help identify products; they are displayed when using the Down Hole
viewer and during tie-designs.

EXERCISE: Enter Consumables

Add a new delay called “None1 25” and a new explosive called “Amex Dry.”

New Delay Backstage → Consumable → select Delay → add delay using plus symbol → re-
name delay “Nonel 25” → add the following description: “Nonel type delay
with 25 second delay” → add price per $1.00 → In Stock = 1,000 → change
color to Red → select a delay time of 25

New Explosive Backstage → Consumable → select Explosive → add explosive using plus sym-
bol → rename explosive “Amex Dry” → add the following description: “Orica
Amex packaged explosives suitable for general blasting in dry holes” → add
price per $8.00 → In Stock = 1,000 → change color to Green → select the
units as Thickness → SG = 2.8 → Length = 4

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All categories will have a default item selected. This will normally be attributed to the first created
item and be automatically assigned whenever the item is selected. The default can be changed
at any time to another item of the same type. The entire consumable inventory will need to be
added to complete the template design and later tie-in exercises. Additional consumables or
adjustments made to existing products can be added later. Any item that does not fit into the
seven normal categories can be added under the “Other” category and can be applied to
templates accordingly.

Consumable inventory that will go in the backstage area for later use in HxGN Blast.

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Adding Blasting Templates

Consumables can be individually applied to holes within a blast plans via the Down Hole visualizer
(discussed in the next section). Alternatively, blasting templates can be created that will apply
a blast design to selected drillholes. Having stock blast templates drastically reduces the time
required to create a blast plan, and templates can be used to address any number of different
blasting scenarios.

Charging templates are managed via the Backstage. Selecting the Templates option will allow the
configuration of charging templates. The Charging panel allows any consumables to be added
in a sequenced order with assigned length or quantity. Charging templates use the same inter-
face as consumables, so new templates can be easily created or settings cloned from an existing
template.

By default, the holes are designed from the top down, but this can be inverted by un-checking
the Top Down box. The Consumable ribbon lists all eight consumable categories. Selecting any of
the options will add the default consumable to the charging template. From the Template Editor,
values and units can be adjusted. Templates cannot be re-sequenced, so it is important that the
consumables are applied in the correct order.

EXERCISE: Adding a Charging Template

Create a blasting template for use in our blast patterns.

Blasting Template Backstage → Templates → Charging → select the “+” to add a new template
→ rename the template “Dry blast Amex” → add the following description:
“Normal blast for dry blast in normal ground conditions using Amex explo-
sives” → add Stemming → add Detonator → add a booster → add explo-
sives → add an Air Deck → add explosives → add a detonator → adjust
stemming, explosives and air deck values

Once a charging template has been created, specific products types can be selected. The de-
fault product as configured in the consumables section will appear but can be changed using
the dropdowns. The Value item allows thickness, volumes or percent values to be specified. Listed
below are four charging templates detailing consumables and thicknesses where applicable. The
templates show a broad range of different blasting scenarios and can help address specific blast-
ing requirements. Templates can also be adjusted based on blasting feedback, ensuring the
correct fragmentation is achieved.

Templates can also be configured to use expressions, which can help define custom depths across
a blast pattern. For example, an expression could use a geometry surface that defines a variable
water table. The charging template could then use this expression and apply blasting consum-
ables on a custom basis, depending on where the water table intersects individual drillholes.

In the exercise below, a template is created to specifically address different blasting conditions
as experienced in the pit. The template is designed to achieve good fragmentation in holes that
have a high water table. By using the water table surface in an expression, the template is able to
define where the waterproof type explosive should be used. This means the type of explosive can
be switched at the water table to achieve the best fragmentation.

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Example of the four charging templates that can be used in this project.

EXERCISE: Add a Template with Expression

Set up a template with a water surface.

Expression Backstage → Geometry → add surface from viewer → select SURFACE WATER
TABLE → name the surface “watertable” → Backstage → Templates → add
the Wet Blast template → select the unit for Amex dry as Elevation → select
the Use Expression box → select $(watertable) from the dropdown → select
Length for the Sental Pyrposplit unit → select the Use Expression box → select
$(Drillhole.length) from the dropdown

Templates can be applied to a blast pattern via the Templates windows; blast holes can be se-
lected in the blast pattern and any of the configured templates applied. Alternatively, templates
can be applied to the entire patterns. All designed consumables will be applied to the holes as
specified in the template. Applied templates can be checked and verified vie the Down Hole

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visualizer.

EXERCISE: Apply a Template

Template Blast Patterns → select blast pattern → Template window → Charging Tem-
plates → select Dry Blast → Apply (This will apply the template to the entire
blast pattern)

Via the Template window, existing templates can be modified, cloned and deleted. The quickest
way to access a charging template is via the Modify option in the Template window. Details about
the creation date, any notes and the authors name will also appear in the Details section.

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Conditional Charging
Conditional charging allows user the ability to apply different charging templates based on drill-
hole properties. This allows decisions to be made based attributes for example: if a drillhole is
wet apply Charging Template A, IF dry apply Charging Template B. This allows multiple charging
templates to be applied to a single drill pattern. Conditional charging templates are configured
under the same charging template option; however they do not contain any charging informa-
tion. When setting up a conditional charging template, a flow chart is used. The flow chart uses
property values (conditions) to assign preexisting charging templates. Existing templates or con-
ventionally created charging templates store charge designs. On creating a conditional template
a user is required to configure the logic for the flow chart, automatically a start point will be cre-
ated to begin the workflow. The user can then specify a range of function types, for example true
/false, range, options, charge and do not charge as summarized below.

Decisions, ranges and options allow the user to

configure results depending on the value. The
flowchart logic can be adjusted or appended at
any time by selecting any process and ’right click-
ing’ to bring up the edit menu. Selecting shift
plus holding the ’left’ mouse button will allow the
user to move the entire canvas. Once added the
processes can be change by right clicking and
changing the chosen type, the processes rely on
the selection of an expression. The expression can
be created on the fly or an existing expression se-
lected from the expression editor.

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As mentioned the expression editor can be used to build an extensive range of custom expres-
sions. Using the builder, tokens for properties can be mixed with operators and function to achieve
the required logic. In the exercise below a conditional charging template is configured to assign
different charging templates based on the main lithology of a drillhole. If a drillhole intersect ’Marl-
stone’ it will be assigned the ’Marlstone’ template and if it intersect a ’limestone’ it will be assigned
the ’limestone’ template. In preparation for the exercise the below charging templates will need
to be added.

EXERCISE: Create a conditional charging template

Create a conditional charging template to assign templates based on drillhole lithology

Create template Project Configuration → Templates → Charging Template → Add new ’Condi-
tional template’ → Call the template ’Lithology conditional charge’ → Right
click on the first process box → Select the cutoff option → Select the expres-
sion and select the item $(Drillhole.LITHO) → Add the cutoff ’1’, ’2’ & ’3’ → for
below ’1’ select the option ’template’ Double click on Charging → From the
Charging Template dropdown select ’Blank’ → Repeating the same process
set 1 → 2=Limestone charge, 2 → 3=Sandstone charge, Above3=Marlstone
Charge

Once created this conditional charge template will work for any drill pattern that has lithological
information saved to the collar ‘LITHO’ item. A conditional template can be applied in the same

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way as applying a conventional charge template, first select the pattern and then select the
template from the template tab. Conditional template can be used to apply a variety of charge
template based on the drillhole attributes.

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Down Hole Visualizer

Viewing down hole profiles is important in understanding the positioning of consumables. Hole
profiles can be checked via the Down Hole window. The Down Hole window provides a visualizer
to view selected hole profiles. Multiple profiles can be viewed simultaneously even if they are
not geographically next to each other. The view can also be configured to allow profiles to be
displayed in a number of ways. Views can be switched from 2D to 3D, restrictions placed on
multi-hole selections, grid lines adapted, and surfaces or labels displayed. All display options are
configured through the Display Options button, and the configuration is saved to a “style,” which
can be switched to much like a grid set.

An example of the Down Hole visualizer and the list of components making up the selected
blasthole.

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Configured geometry surfaces can also be displayed and labeled to assess their intersection point
with the drillhole. Expressions can be used in a template to define where a geometry surfaces
will occur on a profile, allowing the user to attribute consumables accordingly. The View options
inside the down hole view allows quick access to the blasthole profile in any manner of directions.
Attributed consumables can also be displayed in grid form by selected the Charging option.

EXERCISE: Adjust Down Hole Display Options

Down Hole Display select an attributed blast hole → select the Down Hole window → view and
adjust the blasthole → select the styling option → create a new down hole
display configuration → select the Multi Selection option → change the view
mode to 3D → change the grid interval to 5 → add the $(watertable) ge-
ometry surface under the Geometry section → change the marker color to
blue

Selecting the Charge button will open up the Charge dialog, which displays a grid view of the
attributed consumables detailing “from” and “to” depths, thicknesses and amount of products.
Adjustments can be made to the charged holes on a single selection basis; any of the depth or
thickness values can be increased or decreased via the scroll arrows. Anything updated inside the
Charging dialog will be instantly updated in the down hole profile.

EXERCISE: Adjust Charging

Charging select an attributed blast hole → select the Down Hole window → select the
Charging option → select the explosive from the consumable grid → in-
crease the thickness of the explosive → check how this affect the down hole
trace in the visualizer

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Contouring Analysis
As much an analysis tool as it is a reporting tool, the Contouring function in Blast allows the user
to contour any drillhole property and apply a cutoff value for display. In the example image and
exercise we are going to contour the powder factor of the hole applied after the pattern has
been charged.

The contour of a Blast pattern based on powder factor.

EXERCISE: Set up the contour tool and contour powder factor for a pattern

Cutoff Material Data Manager → Right click on the items folder → Create a new Cutoff item
for PowderFactor set up as numeric → Min .15 Max .45 with an increment of
.015 → Adjust the color → Click OK

Contouring Reporting Tab → Select the item you wish to contour → Select the Configure
option → Appropriately name the contour → Choose the appropriate Cutoff
item → Choose the appropriate display type → Click OK

Most products available on the market will only contour the timing of the initiation of the blast,
and while that is the basic user case this tool will allow that functionality plus the contouring of
any custom information. The example we provide is of powder factor but applying the idea to
penetration rates, hardness and other measured while drilling (MWD) information can be used as
a key indicator of ensuring a good blast.

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Reporting on Consumables
With the addition of Advanced Reporting and Charting (ARC) in HxGN Blast, the display of useful
blast-specific information is accessible. Whether it’s creating a report of the total design length
versus the actual length or compiling detailed costings, ARC enables a complete range of report-
ing. The Reporting contextual tab houses all ARC charting functionality. Grids, charts and pivot
grids can be created for drillholes or drill and blast patterns. Creating reports will trigger View tabs,
which can be accessed at any time from the reporting subsection of the File Manager. The views
can be refreshed to update any changed data or different blast plans selected using a pivot grid
filter.

Bar chart used to track the use of consumables.

EXERCISE: Create a Pivot Grid of Bench Costing and Materials Used

Pivot Grid select the Reporting tab → select the Pivot option → report on Blast Patterns →
select the new view created in the reporting subsection of the File Manager
→ right-click in the chart area → select the Show Field List → move Bench
and Name into the Row area → move Cost, Total Length, Hole Count and
any other desired items into the data section

The reporting views allow custom reports to be created. Edits can be made to any design or
pattern, and the refresh will update the data used in the report. Reports can also be cloned and
adjusted. Created reports and charts can be easily exported using the Export option, which allows
export to image, web and other ASCI based export formats. Alternatively, reports and charts can
be printed directly using the Print button.

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Utilizing ARC Symbols to display KPI’s through the use of

conditional formatting
Using built in tools we have the ability to apply conditional formatting to our current ARC reports
to better understand the data and highlight relevant information. Using the accuracy data we
used to create the previous report we are going to look at another representation of the data.
The reporting view allows for custom reports to be created. Edits can be made to any design or
pattern and the refresh button will update the report accordingly. Reports can also be cloned
and exported an image, the web and other ASCII based export formats. Alternatively, reports and
charts can be printed directly using the Print button on the Reporting tab.

EXERCISE: Create a new grid report called Accuracy by driller Grid and apply the conditional formatting to
this report

Grid Report Select the Reporting Tab → Select the Grid Option → Report on Drillholes →
Using the column chooser move the desired fields into the body of the report
Name/ActualX/ActualY/ActualZ/Accuracy/Driller/Drill Rig/Drill Crew. This will
be the basis that we use for creating the conditional formatting.

Now that we have the grid report created we need to apply a set of rules to satisfy the desired
conditions and produce the results below:
Greater than 2.43 set the font to Red Fill with Red Text and apply formatting to the entire row.
Less than 1.76 set the font to Green Fill with Green Text and apply formatting to the entire row.
Between 1.76 and 2.43 set the font to Yellow Fill with Yellow Text and apply formatting to the entire
row.

Conditional formatting for a accuracy by driller report.

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Fragmentation
Rock fragmentation, which is the fragment size distribution of blasted material, is used in the mining
industry as an index to estimate the effect of blasting. Fragmentation in bench blasting is affected
by the blast condition such as explosive charge, spacing and burden and lithological material
property.
Achieving reliable fragmentation is a primary focus of the blasting process. To support this HxM
Blast has integrated fragmentation prediction using the Kuz-Ram fragmentation model. Kuz-Ram
is a standard empirical model that uses design parameters to predict particle size. Unreliable and
inconsistent fragmentation can have a vast downstream impact so it is important that time is spent
evaluating designs.
After creating an initial blast design in a fragmentation model can be generated to examine es-
timated particle size. The Kuz-Ram algorithm uses pattern spacing, blast energy and geologic
parameters to predict the size of the rock following a blast. Available in standard of logarithmic
display, the resulting charts can be analyzed to ensure that particle size is meeting design specifi-
cations. If there is a deviation away from the required particle size, adjustments can be made to
the design to ensure the desired fragmentation is achieved.
Rock factor can have a significant impact of blast fragmentation and is often not homogeneous
in a pattern. During fragmentation reporting, the rock factor can be dynamically edited. This
provides the user with a working envelope for fragmentation prediction.

Pattern design parameters such as burden, spacing and hole diameter will automatically be con-
sidered when running the model. Rock factor and specific gravity are used as the material clas-
sification values and are defined when creating a design. These can be adjusted to fit the blast
scenarios by selecting the pattern and adjusting the charge parameters under properties. All
explosive information is based on the applied charged design for the selected pattern. Explosive
strength is supplied when defining explosive types in the consumable library. The explosive strength
is used as the main explosive factor alongside the charged ratio / charged weight to support the
prediction on particle size.

EXERCISE: Run fragmentation prediction

Run fragmentation prediction for a selected pattern

Fragmentation Select Pattern → Reporting tab → Select fragmentation → Examine and re-
Prediction view fragmentation estimation → Review size distribution bins → Change the
display of particular size makers using the tick box beside the chart.

Note when running a fragmentation model, drill holes will need to be attributed with a charging tem-
plate. Without a charging a template, fragmentation cannot be generated as it lacks applicable ex-
plosive information. For how to charge a drill pattern please see the charging chapter.

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Fragmentation Prediction dialog for a particular pattern

After the model is run a graph displaying estimated cumulative size distribution is generated. Blast-
ing is the first step of size reduction in mining and is typically followed by communition operations.
The efficiency of these operations is directly related to consistent fragmentation. Therefore, reliable
evaluation of predictions is critical.
The cumulative size distribution graph allows appraisal by displaying the range in predicted parti-
cle size. Particle size standards such as the ’P’ values are easily displayed and show a percentage
value of material that is below a certain particle size. Such values can be used to evaluate the
potential blast design and ensure particle size meet design requirements. Fragmentation size val-
ues are also saved back to the blast holes under the ’Fragment_Size’ item, once the prediction
has been run.

EXERCISE: Change spacing metrics

Change blast hole spacing metrics

Spacing metrics Select drill pattern → Pattern contextual tab → Design tab → Select the design
editor → Adjust the orginal pattern burden, spacing and hole diameter →
Note change in predicted particle size.

Note that drill pattern design cannot be edited if they have already been used to create a blast pattern.

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EXERCISE: Change material metrics

Change blast hole material metrics

Mateial metrics Select drill pattern → Properties window → Adjust the Rock Factor and Rock SG

Rock SG is the ratio of a rocks mass to the mass of an equal volume of water and is used to define the
density. Rock factor is the blast ability index and is a definition of the strength properties of the rock mass
as defined by Lilly (1986).

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Rock Factor and Rock SG as found in the drill pattern properties

EXERCISE: Change explosive metrics

Change the explosive strength and the amount of explosive used in the charging template

Strength Project Configuration → Consumables → Explosives → Select the current explo-

sive → Adjust the strength of the explosive

Charging amount Project Configuration → Templates → Select the current charging template →
Adjust the value of the explosive used → Update the current pattern by reap-
plying the charging template

Changes to the above parameters can be made at any time during a blast design lifecycle;
it is recommended if changes are made the model is re-run to demonstrate the impact. The
model is only a predication as to the fragmentations and measurements can vary owing to local
variations or different condition experienced in the blast. Results produced by the cumulative
size distribution graph offer a reliable prediction and can help influence downstream processes
such as haulage, communition and recovery. Optimizing the fragmentation has the potential to

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 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

The strength of an particular explosive

improve all downstream processes whilst reducing energy and maintenance costs and improving
safety and efficiency at the mine.
Once plotted, fragmentation can be exported either to as raw *.CSV data of screen size and
percentage or direct print to PDF function including screen sizes, percentages and a chart of the
Kuz-Ram fragmentation curve. Additionally, actual fragmentation values (P10-P90 and related
percentages) can be imported to compare against curve against original prediction. Values can
also easily be exported to user properties (Pattern Properties). Under and Average fragmentation
values can be exported after fragmentation prediction.

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Tie-in of Blast Patterns

The tie-in design component of HxGN Blast allows
users to efficiently tie together desired blast pat- LEARNING OBJECTIVE
terns. The tie-in design allows the blast sequence
to be defined. Thus, from the selected initial hole, Tie blast patterns together for detonation.
each individual blast hole will now have its own Validate the pattern to ensure that our
detonating time. This is essential as it allows all blast accounts for all of the holes and to
blastholes to have a free face to move rock into. ensure that we have the correct number
The blasting professional accomplishes the timing of holes per timing delay.
between holes with the use of detonators and de-
lay cords, both of which are customizable consumables within HxGN Blast. Moreover, the delay
and cord can be changed at any time during the process, highlighting the range of functionality
the tool offers. During the tie-in process, you can choose to highlight Bad Tied Holes and Un-Tied
Holes, which will let you check if any holes have not been tied correctly or skipped.
Ensuring an optimal blast sequence is important during the blasting process. A perfectly timed
blast sequence ensures that desired fragmentation is achieved and will have an impact on down-
stream processes such as haulage and comminution. Moreover, it allows control over side effects
such as ground vibration.

Tie-in and Blast Sequencing

To begin a tie-in design, the user must select a single (or multiple) initial blast hole(s). This allows all
detonation timings to begin from the selected hole(s). The tools are then utilized to ensure that the
design will produce the required blast sequence.
The Tie Editor offers a range of functions such as Tie Multiple Holes, copy and paste functions and
designating initial holes to create essential patterns that are used in industry.

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Produce a Basic Echelon Blast Sequence

Using the Tie Editor, tie a pattern together in a simple blasting sequence. Ensure that the pattern is in plan
view to allow easy selection of collar points without interference.

Simple Sequence Tie tab → Tie Editor → Initial Hole → select the corner hole of the row closest to
the free face → Tie Multiple Holes connect all blasthole collars that are next
to the free face → Tie Rows → drag the box around entire blast pattern → Tie
Column → select the Initial Hole → ensure all ties are in the correct direction

Produce a Chevron Blast Sequence Using Multiple Initial Holes

Using the Tie Editor, create a blast pattern with multiple initial holes.

Multiple Initial Holes Tie tab → Tie Editor → Initial Hole → select the two center holes that are on
the row that is closest to the free face → Tie Multiple Holes → create two
lines from each initial hole towards the pit crest → Copy → highlight each
section of the tie-ins of one of the lines → Paste → drag box around entire
blast pattern → Tie Multiple Holes → create two lines originating from each
initial hole and extending towards the two edges of the cut

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Produce a Blast Sequence that Utilizes Multiple Delays and Cords

Using the Tie Editor, create a blast that uses multiple delays and cords in its design.

Multiple Delays and Tie Tab → Tie Editor → Initial Hole → select the initial hole as in the diagram be-
Cords low → Tie Multiple Holes → tie the sequence as highlighted in the diagram
below → set Delay as 50 from the dropdown in the Tie-in contextual tab →
select the 50 cord from the dropdown in the Tie-in contextual tab → set Tie
Delay & Cord → select all horizontal ties as 50 delay time → repeat proce-
dure to change all the diagonal lines to 25 delay time

Blast Animations & Firing Chart

Once the tie-ins are complete, the blast sequence can be visually validated with the use of the
firing chart and its animation capabilities. The firing chart allows users to view a time line of what
and how many holes are being detonated at a given time. It is found by clicking Firing Chart,
located at the bottom of the screen next to Message Window. The Play button allows animation
to commence, with the Pause, Rewind and Fast Forward buttons acting in their traditional format.
Users can also scroll to any point during the firing time with the blue circle just below the chart. The
animation of the blast sequence is displayed in the MineSight 3D (MS3D) viewer.

To the left of the firing chart is a panel of options that control the chart options. Enabling or
disabling the chart, changing the chart type and displaying the Axis are a few of the options
available. The number of holes being fired at any one time can also be limited to the user’s
discretion. If a firing time exceeds this amount, it will be highlighted in red in the chart.

Evaluate the Maximum Number of Holes Fired per Interval

Evaluate the blast pattern to ensure that you don’t exceed a user-defined maximum number of blasts per
interval.

Select the blast pattern created in the last exercise (Produce a blast sequence that utilizes multiple delays
and cords). Enable the Max Number Firing Per Interval and give it a value of 3. Observe the red line that is
created and the firing times that now disobey this rule.

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Two dropdown menus are located next to the Animation buttons: Display Options and Animation
Speed.
Display Options has four options available:
• Area of Influence: Displays the area of influence in 2D at the hole’s collar. These are an
example of a basic voronoi diagram where all holes have the same explosive weighting.
• Volume of Influence: Displays the volume that each individual blast hole influences. This op-
tion is visible in 3D. It starts at the collar of the hole and extends to the length of the blasthole.
These are essentially 3D voronoi diagrams, where all holes are assumed to have the same
explosive weighting.
• Timing Contours: A polyline that represents the holes detonating at the same time in the blast
sequence. They can further help the user to visualize the direction of the blast sequence with
the timings that have been inputted via delays.
• Burning Front: A polyline that represents the surface delays “hitting” each hole. This is in-
dependent of the detonator’s delay time. Therefore, the distance of the burning front will
always be significantly in front of the “timing contours” due to the detonator delay times, as
seen below. This is vital for users of HxGN Blast as its imperative that explosions don’t cut the
surface delays causing a misfire.

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EVALUATING TIE-IN DESIGNS

The Bad Tied Holes and the Un-Tied Hole’ options underneath the Tie tab are useful tools when
establishing a blast sequence. Ensuring that both options have been turned on enables the user to
visually validate their design whilE they are designing it. All un-tied holes will be displayed with two
orange circle displayed around the collar of the hole. The picture below displays all the blastholes
of a bench before they have been tied-in.

Bad Tied holes are displayed with two red circles around the collar of the blasthole, and they can
appear due to several scenarios.
• The tie-in display can be completed, but all the blastholes will be highlighted as Bad Tied
holes, as seen below. The addition of an initial hole will solve this issue.

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• When using the tie-in tools that HxGN Blast offers, human error can allow for mistakes in the
design stage. Having the Bad Tied Holes and the Un-Tied Holes highlighted allows for the user
to identify and correct this. As seen in the picture below, when a hole is tied badly all the
holes that are connected to that specific hole will also be highlighted as badly tied.
In the image below, the holes that have been highlighted as badly tied haven’t been tied
to any previous holes. This is noticeable as the intervals between the arrows aren’t consistent
with the blast hole intervals. To solve this issue, the user must delete the ties that have missed
the highlighted blast holes and tie them again correctly.

• Badly tied holes can also be caused by holes that are tied in the wrong direction. Reversing
the direction of the tie will eradicate this error.

Decks
HxGN Blast offers the ability to add decks to its blastholes, this essentially splits the blasthole into dif-
ferent sections. Decks allow blast engineers the ability to take into consideration seams of different
natures, such as coal. Decks can therefore have more than one detonator in them, thus they can
be timed independently of one another. This is achieved by assigning different decks to sub-shots,
which will be discussed in more detail later.

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Create decks
Create two decks, as seen in the picture below

Create Decks Project Configuration → Hole Options → Decks → Click on the + button to add
Deck 1: Name=1 → Set color to YellowGreen → Click on the + button to add
Deck 2: Name=2 → Ok

2 Decks added on the Deck dialog

Add decks to charging template

Add decks to a charging template, as seen in the picture below

Project Configuration Templates → Charging Template → Recreate the charge template as in the
image below (using electronic detonators) and remember to select two dif-
ferent decks down the hole.

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Electronic Detonators
HxGN Blast allows the user to produce a tie-in design using electronic detonators and their respec-
tive hardware. Hexagon mining has worked closely with industry leaders such as; Dyno-Nobel,
Davey-Bickford and Advanced Initiating System Ltd (AIS) to ensure that users can recreate their
site specific needs in HxGN Blast. Therefore the nomenclature used with regards to electronic
detonation within HxGN Blast is generic, to add ease of use to users.

Electronic Detonator Consumables

Within the Blast Project Configuration tab users are able to edit consumables that are used in their
blasting operations, as mentioned above the nomenclature is generic and once a detonator has
been identified as electronic the relevant hardware can be configured.

There are different approaches to being able to define your blast pattern as electronic. The first
exercise provides instructions of how to define the individual detonator as electronic, which will
only define the blast pattern as electronic if the electronic detonator is used in every blast hole.
Whereas the second exercise will define a how pattern can be changed from non-electronic
detonators to electronic detonators

Define detonator as electronic

Define a specific detonator as electronic.

Define detonator Project Configuration → Consumables → Detonator → Check Electronic

Define pattern as electronic

Set an overall blast patten as an electronic blast.

Define pattern Highlight new Blast Pattern → Properties → Under charging set Electronic
Blast=True

A ’Blast unit’ is the control unit for the blast and is connected to ’channels’ which are rows of
connected detonators. Typically a ’Blast Unit’ can only accept a limited amount of ’channels’,
and these ’channels’ have a limited number of detonators of which they can accept. Channels
can be given a color palette to help visualize when designing the blast pattern.

Create Blast Unit

Create a Blast Unit required for electronic detonation, as seen in the picture below. Make sure to add a color
palette to the channels.

Create Blast Unit Project Configuration → Consumables → Blast Unit → Name: ’Shot Box’ → Num-
ber of Channels: 12 → Color Wheel: Add a palette → Detonators per Chan-
nel 250 → Detonators per Unit → 3000

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The Blast Unit ’Shot Box’ as defined on the Consumable Configuration dialog

Sub-Shots and Timing Operations

Sub-shots are a set of detonators within the blast pattern that will be timed independent of one
another. A single blast pattern can have multiple sub-shots, if holes are charged with decks then
a sub-shot will have a deck assigned to it. Sub-shots are defined by selecting holes in the viewer,
with a polygon or by selecting blast holes from the grid view. Sub-shots are added and subtracted
within the ribbon menu once a blast pattern has been established and the ’Timing’ tab has been
clicked. There are a variety of ways to assign decks to a sub-shot; through selecting a range of
polygons on the viewer, drill holes within a polygon or selecting the drill holes from a table.

Once a sub-shot has been established, timing op-

erations of the sub shot can be defined. The timing
handle (in pink on right) allows the user to orientate
the direction of detonation, as well as the relief at
the same time. The relief (space between any two
lines) is measured in milliseconds, and depicts the
direction of detonating holes, it is altered by drag-
ging the handle up or down in the viewer.

The sub shot name, relief and azimuth direction

are all shown on the timing handle. The initial

70 | Tie-in of Blast Patterns An example of a sub-shot pattern with a

timing handle
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

hole is automatically determined by the orienta-

tion and relief. Alternatively, the user can pick from
predetermined timing options such as; V forma-
tion/Chevron, Rectangle, Oval and Diamond, and
adjust their orientation and relief as well.

Define sub-shots in a blast pattern

Create two sub-shots of a blast pattern. Apply a uni-directional design for one sub-shot and diamond pattern
for the other, as seen in the below image

Create sub-shots Select blast pattern → Electronic contextual tab → Timing tab → Sub-Shot →
’Add’ two sub-shots

Sub Shot 1 Select blastholes → Timing Editor → Edit in Viewer

Sub Shot 2 Select blastholes → Timing Editor → Diamond Pattern

The Timing Editor dialog along with an example of the Diamond timing option

Connection
Once the timing of a blast pattern has been completed then the pattern can have a Blast Unit(s)
assigned and the appropriate number of channels used to tie the pattern together. Tying in a
blast pattern that utilizes electronic detonators is almost identical as previously explained in the
NONEL tie-in section; however, it is important to note that unlike NONEL connecting an electronic
detonator, blast pattern will not affect the timing. The one variation being that channels have a
predetermined number of detonators available, meaning that numerous channels can be used
in one drill pattern.

Connect Blast Pattern

Connect holes by channel in a previously created sub-shot. Utilize the previously created blast unit ’Shot
Box’. It is worth noting that if you have multiple decks/dets in a blast hole this affects the amount of blast
holes connected per channel.

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Connect Blast Pattern Select blast pattern → Electronic contextual tab → Connection tab → Con-
nection Editor → Channel 1 → Connections: Choose how to connect holes
→ Repeat for all holes in shot

Exporting Electronic Detonator Blast Design

HxGN Blast should enable the blast engineer to design the most effective blast possible, but the
design then needs to be exported to the correct hardware so that it is usable. HxGN Blast exports
to all electronic detonator vendors that are willing to integrate. Currently HxGN Blast is able to
export to the following vendors output format; Dyno-Nobel, Davey-Bickford and AIS AXXIS. When
setting the export configuration it is important to select ’Blast Pattern’ to ensure that the above
vendors output format is available. Each of the three vendors outputs differ, and thus so does the
’Export Configuration’ dialog box when one is selected.

AIS AXISS
The AIS option exports to a CSV file. This CSV file can then be altered, dependent on the users dis-
cretion, with regards to what data is stored in what column before it is uploaded to the hardware.

Davey-Bickford
Exporting to Davey-Bickford hardware requires a blast unit to be configured with an Alpha channel
naming format. Once the user wishes to export the blast design from HxGN Blast they will be
prompted to enter the programming unit’s (PU) number, the export file format is .BPD.

Dyno-Nobel
Dyno-Nobel’s export file format is also a CSV file with specific formatting. The exported CSV is then
uploaded into the Dyno-Nobel software before being transferred to their taggers.

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Attributes, Coverages and Sample

Importing
Items and coverages can be configured inside of
HxGN Blast to accommodate sample information. LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Drill and blast holes can both be attributed
with sample information via the ’import hole Add attributes, define coverages, and
actuals’ importer. Sample items and coverages store downhole interval information for
need to be configured to requirements before various attributes using interval templates.
information is imported, this is easily accomplished
via the hole options of the backstage
configuration area. Coverages allow downhole
information to be stored with independent interval
information and are identical to coverages
used in MineSight Torque. Interval information can
be imported or created inside of HxGN Blast using
interval templates. Sample information can also
be imported and stored against the drillhole collar.

Configure Attributes
Attributes can be configured at any stage but are required before sample information can be
imported. Items such as grade, lithology, rock hardness, water height can all be created to store
required drillhole sample information. On creating attributes the type of data being stored needs
to be configured for example ’date’, ’small real’ or ’enumeration’ is selected from the data type
and unit being applied where required.

Configure new samples attrbiutes

Configure 4 samples attrbiutes for ’Copper’, ’Moly’, ’WaterHeight’ and ’DateDipped’, as seen in the table
below.

Confgire attributes Project Configuration → Hole Options → Select the ’Downhole Coverages and
Attributes’ → Attributes tab → Select the green ’+’ button → Add 4 new
attributes

ATTRIBUTES
Attributes Date Type Description Unit

Copper Small real Main grade item for GC samples Grams/Tonne

Moly Small real Secondary grade item for GC samples Grams/Tonne

WaterHeight Small real Water table depth where applicable Meter

DateDipped Date time string Date hole was surveyed for water height Name

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The Downhole Coverage and Attributes Configurations dialog

After adding the above attributes, selecting OK will save the changes to the plan. Samples then
need to be assigned to coverage. The purpose of coverages allows samples to be stored at the
same drill or blast hole whilst maintaining different intervals. For example the water table
information may be sampled at 1 meter intervals whereas grade information would be sampled
on an entire downhole interval basis.
In this project two coverages will be introduced, one to store water table related information and
the other to store grade and lithological information. Samples are collected as part of the grade
control workflow and the information will influence blast design. For example, harder material will
be blasted differently to soft material and the same is true for wet and dry holes. The location of
ore and waste material will also have an impact on the blast sequencing strategy used.
Coverages are configured from inside of the Downhole Coverages and Attributes option in the
backstage area. Coverages can be added, deleted or edited and attributes selected as
outlined in the exercised below.

Configure project coverages

Create 2 project coverages, ’Assays’ and ’Watertable’, and add attributes previously created.

Assays Project Configuration → Hole Options → Select the ’Downhole Coverages and
Attributes’ → Coverages tab → Select the green ’+’ button → Add new cov-
erages called ’Assays’ → Select coverage type ’Assay’ → Add ’Copper’ and
’Moly’

Watertable Project Configuration → Hole Options → Select the ’Downhole Coverages and
Attributes’ → Coverages tab → Select the green ’+’ button → Add new cov-
erage called ’Watertable’ → attributes to ’Assays’ coverage → Add ’Water-
Height’ and ’DateDipped’ attributes to ’Watertable’ coverage

You can easily delete a coverage by clicking the red minus sign in the interface.

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The two types of coverages, either assay or point allow different types of information to be stored.
Conventional ’Assay’ type coverages allow intervals and samples to be populated into the
coverage whereas ’DownholePoints’ type coverages support point information and are free of
intervals and only store downhole depth information.

Interval Templates
Intervals can be created inside
of HxGN Blast or created when importing sample
attributes. To create intervals for drill or blast
holes an interval template needs to be created.
Interval template allows the user to configure an
interval design including a naming strategy. The
template is required in order to create intervals for
drill or blast holes. Intervals can be designed to be
a fixed length or based on a number of intervals.
The template can then be applied
to drill and blast holes where necessary via the
template tab. Once applied intervals will appear
and can be supplied with sample information.
In the downhole visualizer
intervals can be displayed using the ’intervals’
button which will open a grid view displaying
ordered intervals. The visualizer removes the need
to check MineSight Torque to ensure attribute
have been populated. Intervals can be added
The downhole visualizer displaying intervals
and adjusted using the ’add intervals’ option.
from the Assays coverage

Create and apply interval template

Create an interval template for the ’Assay’ coverage and apply to a blast pattern.

Create template Project Configuration → Templates → Interval Templates → Select the green ’+’
button → Add a new template called ’Entire Length’ → Select the coverage
type ’Assay’ → Select the method as ’Number of intervals’ → Select number
of intervals as ’1’ → Leave interval naming options as default → OK

Apply Template Select a drill or blast pattern → Templates tab → Select ’Entire length’ interval
template → Apply → Verify a blasthole in the downhole visualizer

Importing sample information such as grade or lithological values follows the same process as
importing actual information. Using the Import hole Actuals dialog users can ’import updated
survey information’, ’import only attributes’, ’import on properties’ or ’import everything’. This
allows users to create flexible import configurations that can be reused for different patterns thus
improving works flows. Data can be imported from either a text file or database connection.
Attribute and as built information can be removed at any time by right clicking on a pattern and
selecting the option to clear actuals.

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Configure and run an import actuals template

Configure and run an import actuals ’Survey and Attribute’ type template in order to populate ’Cu’ and
’Mo’ attribute values.

Configure Template Home tab → Import Hole Actuals → Import Configuration → Click he ’+’ button
→ Name=’Import attributes’ → Import Type=Survey and Attribute → Under
Survey Import set Data Source=CSV → CSV File= ’Actuals&Attribute.csv’ →
Check First line is header → Map Columns → Under Attribution Import set
Data Source=CSV → CSV file=’Actuals&Attribute.csv’ → Check First line is
header → Map Columns →

Import Actuals Select a drill pattern → Import Hole Actuals → Select Import Hole Actuals →
Configuration=’Import attributes’

The Blast Import Configuration dialog setup for the ’Import attributes’ template

Once imported, attributes and intervals can be easily displayed and manipulated inside of HxGN
Blast, the simplest way to validate the import and to check intervals imported correctly is to view
the intervals using the downhole visualizer . After selecting a drillhole the visualizer will display the
downhole profiles, by selecting the ’intervals’ tab the down intervals will be displayed in a grid
form. These samples can be ordered, filtered and edited. Different coverages can also be
displayed using the dropdown coverage selector.

In some cases, attributes may be recorded for the entire drillhole and not be particular to an
interval or a point of the hole such as: date drilled, drill rig or company name, logging and
charging information. Such attributes can be imported alongside interval and point data or
independently. As the collar properties relate to global properties they are added and
configured via the properties dialog in the backstage area. The properties will need to be
configured before creating the new template.

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Add user define properties

Add the user properties listed in the table below. We will populate the properties in the next exercise.

Define User Properites Project Configuration → Properties → User Properties → Using the ‘+’ button to
add → Ok

Properties

Name Scope Data Type Derived Type

Drill_Rig Drillhole Integer no check

Drill_time Drillhole Double no check

Date_sampled Drillhole DateTime no check

Driller Drillhole String no check

Explosive Drillhole String no check

LITHO Drillhole Integer no check

Configure and run an import actuals template

Configure and run an import actuals ’Properties Only’ type template in order to populate the new user
properties

Configure Template Home tab → Import Hole Actuals → Import Configuration → Click he ’+’ button
→ Name=’Collar attributes’ → Import Type=Properties Only → Under Survey
Import set Data Source=CSV → CSV File= ’Collar-Attri.csv’ → Check First line
is header → Map Columns

Import Actuals Select a drill pattern → Import Hole Actuals → Select Import Hole Actuals →
Configuration=’Collar attributes’

The Blast Import Configuration dialog setup for the ’Collar attributes’ template

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Reporting on Attribute Values

ARC functionality allows graphs and reports to be created and utilized to view sample
information. In the exercise below sample information is used to create charts and reports. Easy
filtering and drag and drop functionality can be used to create highly customizable and
dynamic charts.

An example of a pivot type report in ARC.

Create pivot report on attributes

Create a pivot grid report in ARC and add the various attributes fromthe Field list.

Create report Reporting tab → Pivot → Intervals

Add attributes Field list → Move ’Drillhole Name’ and ’Interval name’ into the Row area section
→ Move both grade items ’CU’ & ’Mo’ into the Data area section → Highlight
the grade items for the chart preview to display

Calculated fields can be created to help identify economic intervals or any other relevant
sample calculation. Normal ARC functionality allows charts and graphs to be adapted. A
multitude of export formats such as *.csv, *.xls and *.pdf let the data be easily exported.

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Import Point Data

Sample information can also be imported as downhole point data, storing only a downhole
depth and associated attribute, such information is useful where a complete reporting of the
drillhole is not necessary and only one point or a level is required. The exercise below imports
water table information which can be used in conjunction with conditional charging, charging
with a surface expression and generation using RBF surfaces. Different types of sample
information are stored in different coverage and are displayed separately. Once the template
has been setup, it can be reused for multiple imports.

Import point information

Import point information into drillholes to populate ’WaterHeight’ attribute values.

Configure Template Home tab → Import Hole Actuals → Import Configuration → Click he ’+’ but-
ton → Name=’Water height’ → Import Type=Attribute Only → Under Attri-
bution Import set Data Source=CSV → CSV File= ’Pointdata.csv’ → Cover-
age=Watertable → Map Columns

Import Actuals Select a drill pattern → Import Hole Actuals → Select Import Hole Actuals →
Configuration=’Water height’

Once the downhole point data has been successfully imported, the downhole visualizer and in-
tervals tab can be checked to verify the import. Note that point data has been imported into a
different coverage so the displayed coverage will need to be changed.

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Surface Generation
HxGN Blast also includes the ability to generated
Radial Bias Function surfaces (RBF), similar to those LEARNING OBJECTIVE
generated in MineSight Implicit Modeler. Surfaces
can be instantly produced from interval or point Generate a surface that represents the
data and configured inside of reproducible tem- water table described by point data.
plates. Surface generation can be easily applied Generate a surface that represent ore ar-
to any selected drill or blast designs where appli- eas using interval data.
cable. Surface generation is invaluable in many
blasting scenarios where levels or subsurface hori-
zons needs to be defined and will influence designs.

To generate a surface from a blast design a surface template needs to be configured. The benefit
of configuring a template is it reproducibility, allowing the same surface logic to be applied across
multiple patterns.
Templates can be independently named to help identify their function, intercept method config-
ured inside of the template help define the surface of interest (the first or last sample interval). The
source of data is defined by selecting the coverage, and a logic statement if generating surfaces
from interval data.
Surface options allow the surfaces to be adjusted during or post creation; surface cube size defines
the resolution of generated surfaces. Smaller cube sizes will define a higher resolution surface but
consequently will take longer and generate a much larger file. It is important to match the cube
size to a suitable value supported by the sample data. Other options allow surfaces to be trimmed
where there is not any supporting data and the ability to use data from outside of the current
pattern to help influence the generated surface. Advanced output instructions help detail the
destination of the generated surface, its name and any materials settings. The created surface is
supported by the use of tokens which can be used to vary the names depending on the selected
pattern.

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In the exercise below a water table will be generated from point data that was imported into the
drillhole data in an earlier exercise. The point data contains downhole depth information which
can be used to generate a realistic water table that will help influence future blast designs.

Configure surface template with point data

Configure a surface template using point data to generate a water table surface. The coverage ’Watetable’
already contains the imported point data.

Configure surface Home tab → Surface subsection → Configure → Click on the ’+’ button →
template Name=’WaterTable’ → Under Filter Option set Intercept Method=First, Cover-
age=Watertable → Under Surface Option set Interval Contact Point=Middle,
Cube Size=5, Trim off hole without valid attribute=No check, Reconcile Pat-
tern Surface=Check → Under Output Option set Token=Drill Pattern, File
name=’WaterLevel_{Pattern.Name}’ → Select folder to save results → Ok

The Generate Surface Configuration dialog

After creating the template, a pattern needs to be selected and the template run, this will create
the surface in the targeted folder. The generated surface displays a predicted representation
of the water table as supported by the surveyed information. Such information can be used to
influencing charging by means of a surface expression, it can also affect the overall blasting design
and sequencing strategy.

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As well as point data, attributes stored in intervals can also be used to define surfaces. The exercise
below uses the same principals of surface generation, but applies it to interval attributes. In the
example copper and molybdenum grade values are used to identify ore and waste areas inside
of the blasting area.

Configure surface template with interval data

Configure a surface template using interval data to identify ore areas. The coverage ’Assays’ already con-
tains the imported interval data.

Configure surface Home tab → Surface subsection → Configure → Click on the ’+’ but-
template ton → Name=’Copper-high-Grade’ → Under Filter option set Intercept
Method=First, Coverage=Assay → Add a filter: Copper Is greater than or
equal to 0.4 → Under Surface Option set Interval Contact Point=Middle,
Cube Size=5, Trim off hole without valid attribute=Check, Reconcile Pat-
tern Surface=No check → Under Output Option set Token=Drill Pattern, File
name=’Cu0.4_{Pattern.Name}’ → Select folder to save results → Ok

Once generated, the surface will highlight ore areas as defined by the logic in the surface tem-
plate. This can then be used to influence blast design or help creating ore/waste polygons. Sur-
face generation inside of HxM Blast allows users flexibility to instantly display horizons from point or
interval data. The use of templates also significantly reduces workflows and allows surfaces to be
easily generated for blast design.

82 | Surface Generation
 Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

NOTES

Surface Generation | 83
c 2017 Hexagon Mining

Conclusion & Future Training

We hope you will be able to use the tools covered during this MineSight software training course to
improve productivity at your mine. As you apply the concepts you have learned, please phone or
email us with questions. Our contact information is listed on the inside cover of this book and on our
website, www.hexagonmining.com. The website also gives you access to our download/upload
page, the latest updates to our software, news, seminar papers and newsletter articles about our
software.

Future Training
Whether it takes a few hours or a few days, training with Hexagon Mining’s newest tools can pay
instant dividends. Designed to fit your schedule, our mix-and-match formats support your learning
needs no matter what your expertise with MineSight software.
Spend some time using our software in day-to-day applications. When you are comfortable
working with MineSight software, contact us at training.mp.tus.min@hexagonmining.com or visit
www.hexagonmining.com to set up your next training.

Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast. V4. July 25, 2018

c
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 by Leica Geosystems AG. All rights reserved. No part of this document shall be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from Mintec, Inc.
All terms mentioned in this document that are known to be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies have been
appropriately identified. MineSight isR a registered trademark of Leica Geosystems. This material is subject to all the terms in the MineSight
End User License Agreement (EULA).

84 | Conclusion & Future Training

Designing and Managing Drill Patterns with HxGN Blast

Conclusion & Future Training | 85