DumpSolver Technology

DumpSolver is a block modelling application, and block (or cell) data are stored in indexed Microsoft Access tables.  The Access database was chosen as the backbone of the DumpSolver application due to its wide acceptance within the mining industry and powerful development environment.

DumpSolver are not about re-inventing wheels so we use established technologies where available, such as Access data management sorting routines.  The graphical user interface is developed using Visual Basic.  The DumpSolver application itself is copyright protected using a Hardlock device.

Since data are largely stored in Access tables, it is a relatively simple task to prepare custom queries either directly in the Access environment or using simple Visual Basic applications for site-specific requirements.  Indeed, the Visual Basic modules form a useful library which can be freely distributed with the project database once the project has been completed.

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XYZ co-ordinate data are generally input to DumpSolver in SURPAC string format.  SURPAC strings are widely used throughout the mining industry and being ASCII are relatively simple.  Co-ordinate data from most of the other popular mine planning packages (Datamine, Vulcan, AutoCAD etc) can be converted to string format using SURPAC's data conversion plug-ins.

For visualisation of results, DumpSolver exports block centroid and dump profile data as SURPAC strings.  The input process can be reversed and output data can be converted back to the client's mine planning package format.

Production data, such as material quantities and swell factors are presently entered via a forms interface.  Software development in the pipeline will enable array-type data to be input via Excel spreadsheet.  This will save time, be more transparent and reduce the possibility of introducing errors.

DumpSolver will provide a checklist of data required to complete the DumpSolver project.

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