The first pre-requisite for resource estimation is a model of the geology. Since almost all resource estimation is now done by computer, this requires a computer model. There are a variety of different approaches to this problem, each with advantages and disadvantages. I am writing this article after a dinner conversation with Bill Hatton, formerly with Maptek and now head of Information Systems at the British Geological Survey.

• Seam models
• Fractional-block models
• Sub-block models
• Quadtree/Octree modeling

Reference: Harbaugh J.W. and Bonham-Carter, G. 1971: Computer Simulation in Geology. Wiley, New York, 575pp.

NOTE:  The full text of this article is available from the Silicon Dale Web site.

The world of e-commerce in relation to the mining industry is changing rapidly. The latest happenings with the expanding Web sites and advancement of e-commerce and e-procurement are summarized here.

MineDepot, Inc. has signed a Letter of Intent with Coeur d’Alene Mines Corporation (NYSE:CDE) for a guaranteed minimum amount of transaction volume for mining supplies, services and equipment on MineDepot’s marketplace over a three-year period. Coeur d’Alene Mines has also agreed to invest an undisclosed amount in MineDepot in exchange for Common and Preferred Shares. ... For more information about MineDepot, visit www.minedepot.com. Contact: Mitchell Krebs at (800) 883-3809 or e-mail info@minedepot.com.

The Dock website is live. Thousands of service providers and almost a billion dollars of equipment are listed on the site. The Dock's community will continue to grow as equipment is uploaded. To gain access, visit The Dock at http://www.thedock.com and register at no charge. You can set up a Private Office by filling out the Profile form. If you register as a service provider, spaces are provided to fill in a general description for each service offered. This gives potential customers detailed information about a company and its capabilities.

MIM Holdings, an Australian-based mining and minerals processing company, has joined Quadrem. MIM is the first buyer to join who does not have an equity position. ... Quadrem will be opening offices in Dallas in February 2001, with regional offices in Australia, Europe, North America, Southern Africa, South America, and South East Asia.

Penoles, a Mexican-based company has joined Quadrem. Founded in 1887 and quoted on the Mexican Stock Exchange since 1968, Industrias Penoles ranks as one of Mexico's leading industrial groups. ... For more information about Quadrem, visit: www.quadrem.com.

Classroom learning is how most of us spend our educational years. As we mature we also discover that much of our learning takes place outside the classroom, interacting with the world. Some things we learn as we do them, but also discover that we need to return to the classroom to learn new products, equipment, or modern techniques to keep up with the demands of increasingly high-tech jobs.

The modern alternative to attending a class in person is taking courses on-line. ,,,

Autodesk e-Learning brings together online courses, e-courseware, and virtual classroom training in a one-stop website. Besides courses on using Autodesk software, more than 2,600 courses are offered on operating systems, database, network administration, programming, strategic planning, communications, management, and more.

EduMine on Info-Mine. The education service on Info-Mine is a relatively new platform for continuing education, training and technical development. Current offerings range from a grass-roots course on mining methods to grinding, flotation, maintenance, risk management, geotechnics, geostatistics and environmental topics. A goal is to increase the number and variety of course offerings.

Recently, The Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum began partnering with EduMine to provide online continuing education for professionals in mining and the geosciences. CIM has compiled an extensive library of courses, seminars and workshops, developed and peer-reviewed by CIM members, and sponsored and promoted by CIM within the Professional Development Program.

The first CIM-sponsored course, "Maintenance Management in Mining" authored by Ken Musgrave, is already available through EduMine and another six courses are planned for delivery in first quarter 2001, with more to follow.

The agreement also provides for revenue sharing, reciprocal promotion of services, special benefits to CIM members, and royalty opportunities for CIM authors. EduMine will introduce reduced enrollment fees for CIM members and opportunities for CIM certification of course participants early in 2001.

For further information, please contact: Simon Houlding at (604) 683 2037 or houlding@infomine.com.

Practical Geostatistics is one of the courses available on EduMine. It is an introductory course and application reference for students and practicing geoscientists concerned with 3D characterization of subsurface conditions. It provides sufficient knowledge and background to allow useful application of geostatistics to geoscience, whether these include evaluation of a mineral deposit or oil reservoir, assessment of subsurface contamination, or characterization of geotechnical conditions. The course emphasizes the practical application of geostatistics and limits the presentation of geostatistical theory to the level required for a basic understanding of the techniques involved.

ESRI On-Line Campus. ESRI (ARC/Info GIS software) provides self-paced courses in GIScience, GIS Technology, and GIS Applications. Courses in GIScience focus on the theory of GIS and discuss conceptual reasons for having a GIS in place.

The courses in GIScience are still in development, and include the following:

• Planning for a GIS. ...
• Protecting Your Investment in Data with Metadata. ...
• Understanding Geographic Data. ...
• Understanding Map Projections and Coordinate Systems. ...

For more information go to campus.esri.com on the Web.

This is a full-featured deposit modeling and mine planning system. The latest version runs under Windows-95/98 or Windows NT-4.

The software is specifically geared towards the exploration and evaluation stages of mineral property evaluation. It contains modules for data entry, surface modeling, rock modeling, compositing, 3-D grade modeling, open pit design, grade-thickness calculation, and file management. It is well suited for reconciliation studies comparing blasthole results to original block model values. ...

PolyMap for Windows-95/98/NT is a geologic modeling and interactive pit design system. It provides an interactive graphical input and display capability for both geologic data and open pit mine design. Although MicroMODEL has a basic set of digitizing programs that are sometimes sufficient, PolyMap adds powerful interactive graphics capabilities. ...

Opcog/Sched for Windows-95/98/NT is a mine scheduling and cutoff optimizer. This series of programs allow the user to interactively schedule a sequence of mine phases into a paper mining schedule, and then, optionally, optimize the project NPV through a variable cutoff strategy. SCHED allows the user to create a paper mining schedule. OPCOG allows the user to optimize cutoff strategy. OPCOG and SCHED must be used interactively to converge on an optimum feasible solution. ...

For more information contact Randall K. Martin & Associates, Inc. 8985 W. Jefferson Ave. Denver CO 80235. 303-989-3455. E-mail: sales@rmkassoc.com. Web: www. rmkassoc.com

This library includes product specification sheets and information on support services and technology updates—including a MineStar® overview. There is also information on mine safety and education initiatives.

The equipment specification library is extensive and lists all the available Caterpillar equipment with horsepower, operating weight, and other essential information about equipment. Information about surface and underground mining equipment is included. ...

Bulk-OnLine A new series of forums are being restructured on the http://www.bulk-online.com  website. 

Mining Journal Group www.mininginformation.com 

Americans for Balanced Energy Choices - www.BalancedEnergy.org 

Quarry News - http://www.quarrynews.com/ 

Microscopy - http://www.cmtaylor.cjb.net 

The textbook Practical Geostatistics 2000 (by Isobel Clark and Bill Harper) is being adopted for teaching purposes in many Universities and Colleges. The "book" itself is available as traditional hardcopy and as CD (hypertext). The CD also includes a demo copy of the software used for geostatistical analysis which operates with files for 15 data sets discussed in the main text. The data sets and software can also be downloaded free of charge from http://uk.geocities.com/drisobelclark/PG2000_demo  ...

A separate volume has also been issued, Practical Geostatistics 2000: Answers to the Exercises. This volume is almost 400 pages in its own right and contains full worked answers for every exercise (and more) in PG2000. This will only be available in hardcopy format and is complimentary to teachers who use PG2000 as a recommended text for a class (minimum 6 copies!).  ... More information can be obtained from http://geoecosse.hypermart.net  (Web purchasing and US dollar orders) or from http://geoecosse.bizland.com  (for Sterling and Euro orders). Any technical questions, comments and criticisms can be sent to Bill Harper (WHarper@otterbein.edu ) or Dr. Isobel Clark (drisobelclark@yahoo.co.uk) http://uk.geocities.com/drisobelclark 

Autodesk offers free online seminars to show the capabilities of this new 3D visualization and presentation software. The seminar is conducted completely over the web. Each demonstration includes a product demonstration and 15 minutes of live Q&A with the presenter. ... For more information contact an Autodesk representative or visit the Web site at www.autodesk.com

Whittle Technology has released a new addition to its range of mine optimization software. The new program is a front-end for Whittle’s existing Four-X mine planning package which enables companies to produce detailed mine planning scenarios based on a range of different economic and geological parameters. ... For more information contact Whittle Technology Ltd., Level 4, 1013 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill, Victoria 3128 AUSTRALIA. Phone: 61 3 9899 3799. Fax: 61 3 9899 3755. E-mail: info@whittle.com.au. Web: www.whittle.com.au

A major upgrade of Grapher scientific graphic software from Golden Software is available. New graph types include bubble plots, floating bar charts, rose diagrams, ternary diagrams and box-whisker plots. ... The price for the software is $299. An upgrade from any previous version is $99. The program runs on Windows 95/98/2000/NT. For more information contact Golden Software, 809 14^th St., Golden CO 80401-1866. 800-972-1021. 303-279-1021. Fax: 303-279-0909. Web: www.goldensoftware.com.

P3e is comprehensive, multiproject planning and control software, built on Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server relational databases for enterprise-wide project management scalability. P3e can stand alone for project and resource management, or it can be used in conjunction with other Primavera products, such as P3 and SureTrak, to consolidate decentralized project plans for ongoing cross-project analysis and insight. A complete picture of all your projects is provided, from summaries by cost account and global resource breakdown structures, to proactive control of project issues and risks. Analysis and reporting capabilities are complemented by an extensive Project Website and companion products for making visible the progress made on your projects. ... 

SureTrak Project Manager is for resource planning and control on small-to medium-sized projects. ...

For more information contact Evans Technology, ETI - Corporate Office, 1335 Northmeadow Parkway, Suite 110, Roswell, Georgia 30076 USA 770-751-9950 770-751-9619 fax. General Information: info@evanstech.com

Z Slice works with SURPAC and enables the user to take slices in any orientation through the drillhole database, solids or dtm’s string files and the block model in one step with one function. A Default Management System (DMS) allows you to specify data once and all entries are stored and recalled as needed. An unlimited number of defaults can be stored for later use. It can be used to assist in grade control, complex 3D modeling and mine planning.

Z Sched automates the life of mine long term scheduling and supplies interactive graphical tools for short term scheduling. It produces graphical output for later use in the general mining package and spreadsheet report output. Output is in spreadsheet format and completely user-defined. The information is placed in tables including information such as time parameters, block model parameters, materials, quality, production, and location. Period production data can be reported for individual mining locations and for any combination of mining locations. Additional calculations can be carried out in the spreadsheet.

For more information contact Digital Mining Services, P O Box 3377, Rivonia, 2128 Johannesburg SOUTH AFRICA. Telephone +27 11 807 5151. Fax +27 11 807 5199 E-mail: info@digitalm.co.za. Web: http://www.digitalm.co.za/

HOUNDware software uses bar code and scanner technology to control and monitor assets such as tools, equipment, consumables, and other assets in real time. The software can be purchased for installation in in-house computers or used interactively on-line with the Internet. ... For more information contact Software Integration Services Ltd., 14944 - 121 A Avenue, Edmonton AB CANADA T5V 1A3. Phone: 780-454-3001. Fax: 780-454-3096. 800-387-8665. E-mail: info@sisltd.com. Web: www.HOUNDware.com

Modular Mining products are designed to maximize the productivity of mining operations by tightly integrating all phases of production. The systems use state of the art information, GPS, and communications technology. Visit the company Web site, www.mmsi.com,  for excellent information about GPS (global positioning system) and how it works in mining. For more information contact Modular Mining Systems, Inc. (MMSI), 3289 E. Hemisphere Loop, Tucson, Arizona 85706-5028. Phone: (520) 746-9127 Fax: (520) 889-5790

The company offers expertise in providing solutions to data management and analytical quality control issues led to the development of turnkey Laboratory Information Management Systems or LIMS, addressing specific laboratory needs. ... For more information contact Telecation, Inc.; 7112 W. Jefferson Avenue, Suite 307; Lakewood, CO 80235. Phone: 800-584-9964 / 303-987-0980 FAX: 303-987-0984 EMAIL: sales@telecation.com Web: www.telecation.com.

XPAC - Autoscheduler

XPAC AutoScheduler is the tool for studying the long term implications of alternative strategies in complex organizations, including: grade, material and ore type control; balancing development and production resources; impurity and backfill control; real world cut off grade assessment. ... For more information contact Runge Pty Ltd. G.P.O. Box 2774, Brisbane, Qld. Australia 4001 Ph: (07) 3221-1883 (Australia) Fax: (07) 3229-3756 E-mail, Linda Young: lyoung@runge.com.au

SEDCAD is an event based, rainfall-runoff, erosion control, and predictive stormwater and sediment model. The software can be used to design utilities such as channels, culverts, retention ponds, and plunge pools. A storm hydrograph and other rainfall data is used to design sediment basins that can handle maximum rainfall storage. Sed-ACAD can accept design information for producing drawings.

SedPrePro 1.0 is a pre-processor for SedCad. It has a customized graphical user interface that operates primarily within the ArcView desktop GIS environment. ... For more information contact Civil Software Design, P.O. Box 706, Ames IA 50010. 515-592-4115. Web: www.civilsoftwaredesign.com

The Millennia-DX Monitoring System from Rel-Tek is a renovated and enhanced version of the already powerful and easy to use version of the EZ-Trol/DX TM real time monitoring and control software. The company provides complete systems of monitoring equipment, computer, and software integrated into a package. The systems include safe sensors and barriers along with advanced data acquisition telemetry and computer logging.  ... For more information contact Rel-Tek, 610 Beatty Road Monroeville, PA 15146 Phone: (412) 373-6700 Fax: (412) 373-6703 Email: sales@rel-tek.com. Web: www.rel-tek.com.

RockWare has published a new catalog containing over 200 affordable computer programs for geology, environment, hydrology, and other earth science applications. The Geochemist’s Workbench is one of the newest additions to the catalog and includes calculations for redox kinetics and catalysis, enzymes and biotransformation, ion exchange, and many others. The RockWorks software has many new features. For more information and a free catalog, contact RockWare, 2221 East St., Golden CO 80401. 303-278-3534. Fax: 303-278-4099. Web: www.rockware.com.

CAMESE has a new Compendium of Mining Suppliers. The 164-page book contains useful information about the dynamic suppliers that keep Canadian mines efficient. Profiles of over 230 suppliers of equipment and services are included as well as an index for cross referencing. Much of the material in the Compendium is also available on the Internet at the association'’ web site at www.camese.org. For more information contact CAMESE at 101 345 Renfrew Drive, Markahm, ONT CANADA L3R 9S9. 905-513-0046. Fax: 905-513-1834. E-mail: minesupply@camese.org.

Data-Maxx EnterpriseMobile system uses light-weight, paper-sized mobile scanners and bar coded job/task and employee cards to provide supervisors with an easy, automated method of collecting and processing daily job site information. The system automates the collection of task, equipment used, time and labor cost data and transfers it into a PC. The data can then be moved into the payroll system. It can track time and attendance, schedule employees, track jobs, provide security, and other functions. For more information contact Bill Phillippe, Data-Maxx Software Systems, 16601 Old US Highway 41, Fort Myers, Fl 33912. 800-562-3750. 941-482-8200. Fax: 941-482-8288. E-mail: bill@data-maxx.com. Web: www.data-maxx.com