The Code Model tab allows you to code your model directly from a MineSight® solid, which is specified in the Geometry tab.
The first window allows you to specify whether to code an integer (CODE) item or a PERCENT item, or both. Coding an integer or CODE item assigns the model code (set on the Object Properties Material tab) from the solid to the specified CODE item in the model (set in the next section of this tab). You can set a threshold percentage for model coding in the window below the code assignment window. This is useful for coding the block model with geological surfaces that represent different rock types or zones. Coding a PERCENT item is used to update a selected quantitative item such as ORE% with the volumes of the selected closed surfaces. For each closed surface, the percent of each block that lies within that surface will be computed and stored in the selected "ORE%" item. Both PERCENT and CODE items can be updated in the same operation. If you have a model with multiple ore zones you can select up to four percent and code items.
The next window allows the specification of coding precedence; codes are assigned either by majority block owner or a user specified order. By default, the percent and code will be assigned based on which ore zone is the majority block owner. To set a user specified order, you must define model code priorities in the Object Properties Materials tab.
The next window allows you to specify the threshold percentage of the block that must fall within the coding solid to code that block when using the CODE item based on % solid in block option. The default is to not code any block that has less than 1% solid within it.
There are also two checkboxes:
The first checkbox forces coding to be performed on the entire model; the default is to code only the part of the model defined by the Range tab of the Model View Properties window.
Select the second checkbox to reset the chosen model items before coding; if for some reason you are doing multiple coding passes with different closed surfaces you may want to disable this switch after the first update.
When the Reset checkbox is selected, the reset values input fields are activated. Optionally input the reset values for the CODE (integer) and/or PCT items. The default reset value for the CODE item is a dash (blank) and 0 for the PCT item.
In the next section, specify the model items to be coded. Use the checkbox option at the bottom of this section to specify that Ore Percent items are to be coded as a remainder (100 - item%). This option is useful for coding mined out areas in an underground mine, for example.
The bottom section of the dialog allows you to specify a normalization calculation for the items to be coded. Normalization will guarantee that the sum of all percentage items in a block is not greater than 100%. Percentages totaling more than 100 can occur if the solids being used in the model update overlap or intersect. (This could be due to errors in digitizing, or to purposeful overlapping due to complex solids.) The items can be normalized proportionately or by user-specified priority. The final precision is based on that of the lowest precision PERCENT item.
Note: Model coding writes information to the msAudit.txt file, such as what item is being coded, the name of the geometry object used, if the reset option is used and the rows, columns, and levels included.
Normalization Examples Simple Overlap of Two Solids:
Two overlapping zones Rock 1 and 2 overlap by 10% Rock 1 = 40% of Block Rock 2 = 70% of Block
The total block percent is 110% before normalization.
• None
If coding just zones into the model, or when coding percentages and when the zones being coded are not near each other, you do not need to select any normalization.
• Proportionally
If the sum of the zone percentages is greater than 100% in a block, then Proportional normalization will downgrade all the percentages equally.
Rock 1 = (40/110)*(100) = 36.4 % Rock 2 = (70/110)*(100) = 63.6 % • By Priority
In this case, the normalization will remove the excess percentage from the lowest priority material. The priorities are defined in the Object Properties Materials tab.
Percentage Results - if Priority of Rock 1 > Rock 2 Rock 1 = 40 %
Rock 2 = (70 - 10) = 60 % Normalize against item
Instead of normalizing the block against a default value of 100%, you can choose to normalize the block against an existing item in the model. A typical example would be to normalize the block against TOPO%, so that the zone percentages do not sum to greater than the TOPO in the block. Tolerance
In some cases, you may wish to force the sum of the zone percentages in a block to equal 100%. This can occur if there are gaps between adjacent solids. The tolerance value will let you force a total percentage of 99% to be 100% - in this case specify a tolerance factor of 1%. The tolerance is a percentage of the normalization value (which may be less than 100%) as opposed to an absolute percentage. The limits on this tolerance value are from 0% to 20%.
The tolerance may be added Proportionally, or by a User-defined Priority. The final precision is based on that of the lowest precision Percent Item.
Two adjacent zones with a gap between
The gap is 10% of the block Rock 1 = 40% of Block Rock 2 = 50% of Block
The block percent is 90% before tolerance adjustment
• Proportional Tolerance
The percentage to add is divided proportionally between the solids in the block, based on their original percentage.
Percentage Results
Rock 1 = (40/90)*(100) = 44.4 % Rock 2 = (50/90)*(100) = 55.5 % • Priority defined Tolerance:
The percentage to add is added only to the highest priority solid, based on the priority defined in the Object Properties Materials tab.
Percentage Results - if Priority of Rock 1 > Rock 2 Rock 1 = (40 + 10) = 50 %
Coding Enclosed Solids
Normally, when using solids in MineSight ® to code a 3D block model with codes and/or percentages, the solids should be rationalized (not overlapping). This is best done using Intersect Solids. There are some cases where this is not possible, especially where one solid lies entirely within another. The Intersector will not recognize this case, as the solids must touch each other for a correct result to be obtained. If not properly prepared, one solid lying entirely within another solid will cause 3D block model percentages to total greater than 100 percent.
Totally enclosed solid (colored in) to be used for coding the model.
The solution to this is:
Copy the smaller internal solid into the same object that contains the larger surrounding solid. (Select it, use Selection=>Copy to object to put it into the same object as the larger solid, then unselect the smaller solid.) In turn, select the two components (exterior, interior) in the object that contains both of the solids. Merge them into one solid with Surface=>Merge selected.
Run the Code Model function, selecting the object that contains the smaller solid and the object that contains both the larger and smaller solids.
Enclosed solid and enclosing solid, merged into single solid element.
The Code Model function will recognize the smaller solid as both a void inside the larger solid and a separate solid, and will update the model with correct codes and percentages.
Resulting model slice showing coding with the enclosed solid.