Micromine 2016 Feature Highlight – Block Model Assign

Have you ever tried to generate a block index for a sub-blocked or rotated block model?

For years block indices were the only way to transfer information from a block model to another Micromine file such as a drillhole interval file. You generated a pseudo-spatial index for the block model and then applied the same indexing rules to the target file. You then used the index values as key fields to merge the block model attributes into the target.

This information exchange is important for resource estimation at both the exploratory level (for example, cell declustering using a statistical block model) through to block model validation (swath plots, Q-Q plots etc.) But until now it could be frustrating: you only got parent block indices for a sub-blocked model and you weren’t able to index a rotated model at all. (Incidentally, statistical models can now be rotated, too.)

Micromine 2016 does away with block indices altogether and provides a much simpler and more streamlined way to pass block model information to another file: Block Model Assign, via the Modelling | Block Model Tools | Assign menu option.

With this new function you simply assign the relevant block model attributes directly into the target file. It’s much like wireframe assign if you imagine each block as a tiny wireframe solid.

A rotated and sub-blocked model, coloured by resource category. Grey drillhole cylinders are as-yet unassigned

Block Model Assign completely honours rotation and sub-blocking. No more generating indices and no more merging files. Any points falling within a given block are assigned, and you can assign any number of relevant attributes to the target file: grade, dimensions, density, classification, or whatever. It’s fast too!

Assigning the resource category (CLASS) and block ID (RID) to the interval file

Of course you can still generate a block index by simply adding a “Block ID” field to the model, sequentially numbering each block, and assigning this number to the target file. It won’t be pseudo-spatial like the old method but it will still give you a key field value.

Drillhole cylinders coloured by block model resource category with classification and block ID shown in the Properties window

And best of all it won’t be tripped up by rotation or sub-blocks.