Training Manual
Trademarks
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Europe: 44-115-947 2000
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Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 : Introduction............................................................1
Chapter 2 : Database Management.............................................2
Design Format......................................................................... 3
Library Dictionary................................................................3
Headered Template...............................................................3
ODBC Design.......................................................................4
Creating a Design (Datasheet)..................................................4
Importing Data........................................................................ 8
Chapter 3 : Geology Drilling......................................................9
Introduction............................................................................. 9
Loading Drillholes....................................................................9
Opening a drillhole database.................................................9
Loading Drillholes By Name.................................................10
Loading Drillholes By Section..............................................11
Loading Drillholes By Polygon..............................................11
Load Drillholes By Sel File (selection file)..............................12
Load Drillholes By Extent....................................................12
Load Drillhole Collar Positions.............................................13
Modelling a structure logged by drilling..................................13
Onscreen Drillhole Analysis....................................................15
Identifying Drillholes..............................................................16
Labelling Drillholes................................................................17
Changing the Colour of Drillholes...........................................17
Interactive Composite Display.................................................18
Chapter 4 : Legends................................................................. 20
Creating a new Legend...........................................................20
Editing a Legend Schema.......................................................22
Deleting a Legend...................................................................22
Chapter 5 : Features................................................................23
Creating a Feature..................................................................24
Modifying a feature.................................................................25
Deleting Features...................................................................26
Chapter 6 : Compositing..........................................................27
Generating Composite Parameter Files....................................28
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Contents
v
Chapter 1: Introduction about lithology, bleaching,
structure and assays. A
simulated geological
This manual introduces you to interpretation has been
some of the skills required and performed on some of the
tools available to complete available lenses. These lenses
geological tasks in VULCAN. are labelled TQ1 through to TQ3.
These tasks include creating
databases, importing data into
Refer to Appendix 1 for an
databases, generating
explanation of the files within
composited files from drillhole
the course directory.
databases and producing
geological interpretations.
1
Chapter 2: Database flexible naming routines. When
Management both of the above types of
databases are generated, a
database index file is
Databases are managed using automatically generated.
the Isis Database Editor. Isis
replaces the previous database
The type of data contained in a
editor called Dbeute.
database is denoted by the data
type suffix i.e. <----->.suffix.
Data used in VULCAN is This is the Design Name
managed using the ISIS - (referred to as Datasheet Name
Database system. The following in previous versions) <dsn>. File
terms are used throughout: prefixes are made up of the
Project Code <proj> and an
Optional Dataset Identifier <odi>.
VULCAN Databases
As the name suggests, the
dataset identifier is optional, and
VULCAN uses two broad types of is designed to allow the user to
databases, namely, those easily distinguish between
containing data originating from databases, particularly those
a source external to VULCAN, containing the same types of
and those generated by VULCAN. data. Therefore database names
An example of the first type of take the form:
database might be a Drillhole <proj> <odi>.<dsn>
Database. The second type of
database is typically a Design
Database containing spatial For user-defined designs
information (<proj><name>.dgd (formerly datasheets) it is a good
and <proj><name>.dgx). idea to use a set of standard
design (datasheet) names
depending on the type of
In the first case, the external information in the database.
source databases have a flexible These names are not mandatory
database structure that is but provide for more convenient
defined by the user, and are usage. The names commonly
flexible in how they are named. used include:
The second type of database has
dhd - drillhole database
a rigid structure, with less
geo - lithological database
2
asy - assay database Design Format
anl - analytical database
phy - geophysical database Three design formats can be
srv - survey database used in VULCAN:
tek - geotechnical database Library dictionary
Headered template
(N.B. All geotechnical databases ODBC design
must use tek as the datasheet
name.)
Library Dictionary
Databases generated by VULCAN
have the following datasheet
The library dictionary design is a
names:
standard Isis design and
dsr - downhole survey consists of the files:
dgd - spatial (design) <env><dsn>.ilb Design library
rsv - reserve inventory <env>dd.ilb Index to library
Headered Template
3
the design information includes
The headered template design is a flag indicating the design is for
an optimised Isis design that can use with external ODBC
be used for drillholes, samples, compliant databases such as MS
geotechnical and compositing Access or MS Excel. External
information (not for design data). ODBC compliant databases are
It consists of a single file: accessed within VULCAN
through a temporary database
<name>.dsf Design file that
that contains a copy of all the
stores all the information on
VULCAN data in the external
the design
database. Work is performed on
the copy and when finished is
The design information includes written back to the external
tables, records, keys, synonyms, database.
desurvey information, validation
checks and the version of the
Headered and ODBC databases
headered data system used in
do not require desurveying.
the creation of the design.
These database types desurvey
on the fly.
Once a database has been To create a new Headered
created, the design information Database, first we must create a
becomes part of the database Database Design.
(placed at the start of the
database, hence the name
headered). Any future access to
the database will be via the
database.
Creating a Design (Datasheet)
VULCAN V4.0 and later uses, by
default, the headered design A design (referred to as a
setup. datasheet in previous versions)
specifies the structure of a
database. Within the design you
ODBC Design can set the number of tables
(formerly referred to as records),
fields, field lengths, synonyms,
The ODBC design is identical to default values etc.
a headered design, except that
4
To check field contents and Designs and databases are
length specifications when displayed as either a Notebook or
creating the design, we as multiple floating windows.
recommend that you open an You can change the display
existing database or the tables method by using the View >
from which the data will be Preferences option. However, the
imported. In this case, open (in display of open designs and
Excel) the four ASCII files, databases is not affected.
Cscollar.asc, Csassay.asc,
Cssurvey.asc and Csgeol.asc.
5. In the Design Properties
section of the design enter,
Exercise 1-1 Create database or select from the drop-down
lists, the following
In this exercise you will create a
information. Bold text
standard drillhole database.
indicates the field in which
1. Left click on the VULCAN to enter the information.
Workbench Start button and
select ISIS.
2. Cancel the Open Database
panel.
3. Select the File > New Design a. Description
option. Exploration Holes
Tip!
5
Figure 1-1 Design with one table
6
7. In the Table Properties Tip!
section of the panel enter, or There are four possible types:
select from the drop-down text, integer, single and double.
lists, the following Use Text for fields that contain
information. Bold text any alphabet characters, Integer
indicates the field in which for fields that contain integer
to enter the information. values (i.e. the positive and
a. Name Collar negative whole numbers), Single
for fields that contain numeric
b. Description borehole
data with fewer than seven (7)
ids and location
significant figures and Double
c. Synonyms for fields that contain numeric
HoleId,Location data with seven (7) or more
significant figures.
You will need to enter
manually the Location
synonym. Be sure to 9. To add the Key to the BHID
place a comma (but no field, right click on the cell to
space) between the the left of the Name field
synonyms. and select Primary Key.
8. Fill in the Collar table as
shown in the table below. The Field Properties section of
Use the Cscollar.asc file as a the table panel (lower right hand
guide. corner) varies with each field. To
access the properties for a
particular field, left click in the
Name Type Description
Name cell. Steps 10 and 11
BHID Text drillhole name
below set the field properties for
EAST Double collar easting
location
the BHID field.
NORTH Double collar northing 10. Left click in the BHID cell.
location
11. In the Field Properties
RL Single collar
elevation section of the panel enter, or
DEPTH Single total depth select from the drop-down
lists, the following
Table 2-1 Data required to information. Bold text
complete Collar table. indicates the field in which
to enter the information.
a. Length Use your 15. In the Table Properties
Cscollar.asc file to section of the new table
determine the length of enter, or select from the
this field. drop-down lists, the
b. Required Yes following information. Bold
text indicates the field in
c. Synonyms HoleId which to enter the
Tip! information.
In the Field Properties panel, if a. Name Survey
you select Yes in the Required b. Description survey
field, then data in the associated
data
field in your relevant ASCII file
must be complete. All key fields c. Synonyms Survey
should be required. Also, only 16. Enter the field properties for
use a synonym if you can find each field (follow steps 10 to
the match for your field. 13).
Tip!
To remove drillholes from the
screen select
Geology>Drilling>Remove.
Tip!
This option will not work if the
screen has been set to a view
using
View>Change>View>Section.
Exercise 3 - Loading drillholes By To view the name of a drillhole
Name onscreen hover the cursor over
the drillhole trace.
1. Select Geology>Drilling>Load
By Name. Loading Drillholes By Section
2. In the panel enter the
drillhole name required or
use wildcards, i.e. enter *, This option allows you to load
Figure 3-2. drillholes by a distance from a
given section line. A section line
must be created before using
this option. Only those
drillholes whose collars are
within the bounds of the section
line will be loaded.
1. Select >Files>Design
Files>List Layers.
2. Select OK.
Figure 3-3 Drillhole colour 3. Select the layer named
schema SECTION. This will load a
layer of drill section strings.
4. Cancel.
4. The drillholes will then be
loaded onscreen. To remove 5. Select Geology>Drilling>Load
the name panel select By Section.
Cancel. 6. Select the section line.
Tip!
7. Enter the section width in
the panel, i.e. enter 100, 1. Select >Files>Design
Figure 3-4. Files>List Layers.
2. Select OK.
3. Select the layer named
POLYGON. This will load a
layer of drill selection
polygons.
Figure 3-4 Enter the section 4. Cancel.
width 5. Select Geology>Drilling>Load
8. Select the colour schema to By Polygon.
load drillholes by, i.e. select 6. Select the polygon.
LITH. 7. Select the colour schema to
9. The drillholes whose collars load drillholes by, i.e. select
fall within the designated LITH.
area will then be loaded. 8. The drillholes whose collars
fall within the designated
Tip! polygon will then be loaded.
4. Cancel.
other parameters if required,
Figure 3-10.
7. Select OK when finished.
Identify a drillhole.
Figure 3-12 Naming the Step through and display
triangulation and setting each record for a drillhole.
properties Label drillholes by any field.
Reload a drillhole by another
colour schema.
13. The structure will then be
displayed as a grid and a Interactively composite a
triangulation. drillhole.
To use these options you must
load a drillhole database 1. Position the screen in a
onscreen. section view with the
drillholes displayed.
It is a good idea to change view 2. Select
into a sectional view to avoid Geology>Drilling>/Identify.
cluttering the screen. To do this 3. Select the drillhole to
select >View>Create Section, and identify.
select the method to change your
4. The drillhole will be
view, i.e. select by points and
highlighted and labelled with
indicate two points in the plane
its identifier. The COLLAR
of a drill section, Figure 3-13.
information will then be
displayed in the Envisage
report window and a confirm
box will appear, Figure 3-14.
1. Select
Geology>Drilling>Label On.
2. Select the selection criteria
to label holes, i.e. select by
object. This will label only
the selected hole. Figure 3-16 Labelling
3. Select the drillhole to label. drillholes on screen.
hole is recoloured using the CU
schema.
Changing the Colour of
Drillholes
1. Select Analyse>Display By
Legend. Lets create a new test legend for
2. Select the type of schema to the CU field in our
view, i.e. select DRILL. thordemoa.dhd database.
3. Select the legend to view, i.e.
select CU. Exercise 15 Creating a new
4. The following legend will schema (legend)
then be displayed,
Figure 4-1.
1. Select Analyse>Legend
Edit>Create.
2. Select the type of legend to
create, i.e. select DRILL.
3. Enter the legend identifier,
i.e. TEST, Figure 4-2. If
required you could select the
Use other colour table as
default option. This would
allow you to copy another
legend. For now ignore this.
1. Select Analyse>Legend
Edit>Modify.
2. Select the Schema type to
modify, i.e. select DRILL.
3. Select the legend to modify,
i.e. select TEST.
4. Select OK in the Database
Field panel.
Tip!
Deleting a Legend
1. Select
Analyse>Legend Edit>Delete.
2. Select the type of legend to
delete, i.e. select DRILL.
3. Select the legend to delete.
4. The legend will then be
deleted from the colour
schema file.
using the information icon or
Chapter 5: Features Analyse>Details>Full option.
You will see that the layer name
is TQ1, its description is TQ1 ore
Features may be used to assign a zone, it belongs to the feature
set of properties to objects TQ1. We will now see that each
typically when the objects are of these properties was set in
created. This ensures that all advance in the feature TQ1.
objects of a particular type have
the same properties. A fairly
typical example of this is when Exercise 18 Viewing an existing
digitising known structures or defined feature
lithological contacts. A feature is
defined for each structure or
1. Select
contact. When that feature is
Design>Feature Edit>Modify.
used to digitise these objects we
can be assured that they will 2. Select TQ1 from the list.
have the desired properties. 3. The first panel defines the
feature description, the layer
name, TQ1, and layer
Features may also be used to aid
description, TQ1 ore zone.
in object selection for editing or
transforming. We are simply 4. Select the NEXT button to
assigning objects to sub-groups move to the next panel.
by feature name. Then when 5. The second panel defines the
selecting objects we may select object properties such as
by feature instead of object, colour, line thickness,
group or layer. grouping etc. Notice the
colour is bright green, the
line is solid and group name
In this section we will look at
is TQ1.
some existing features, see how
to create new features and 6. Select the arrow in the top
modify existing ones. right of the panel to move to
the next panel.
7. The final panel defines the
The layers which represent the
point properties such as
geological zones were all digitised
name, gradient, input mode
using features to assign unique
etc. Notice we are
properties to each layer. Load
connecting points as a
the layer TQ1 and interrogate it
string. If this is not selected,
objects will occur as non- 3. Enter the feature
connected points. description, i.e. enter TEST
8. Select Cancel to exit. FEATURE, Figure 5-2.
4. Lets ask the feature to
prompt us for a layer. Select
the prompt button under
layer Name and Description.
Type Enter Layer Name:.
5. Lets also ask the feature to
prompt us for a layer
description. Type Enter
Creating a Feature layer Description:.
6. Select NEXT.
Lets create a feature that we will
use to digitise blue polygons
filled with a diagonal line
pattern.
1. Select Design>Feature>Edit>
Create. Figure 5-27 Layer and Object
2. Enter the feature name, i.e. name for feature
POLY, Figure 5-1.
Select OK.
7. In the object attributes panel
force the layer to be blue,
with solid line type and
diagonal pattern, Figure 5-3.
8. Select the create closed
polygon option.
9. Select the create new object
Figure 5-26 Feature name
on cancel option.
panel
10. Select NEXT.
12. Select FINISH.
13. Cancel at the feature name
panel.
14. Use this feature to create
some polygons onscreen.
15. Select
Design>Create>Features.
16. Select feature POLY.
11. In the Digitising panel select In the first part of this section
connect points as string, we looked at the features used to
Figure 5-4. create the ore zones for tq1,
tq1a, tq2, tq3 and nfault. At
present if we wanted to label
each of the objects with its layer
name we would have to change
the object name for each object
from the default to the layer
name. If we had thought a little
more about how we were going to
use these objects we could have
assigned the appropriate name
on creating the objects. However
we can still do this by modifying
our original feature and then
applying the feature to the
existing layers.
Exercise 25 Completing
Interpretation
option. System defaults are
Chapter 8: Statistics generally adequate in preparing
well proportioned statistics
reports. The Set Up option
VULCAN provides users with a allows you to establish:
convenient mechanism, via external file logging of the
ENVISAGE, to create basic
statistics session
univariate and multivariate
statistics. The statistics module the number of graphs
is part of the "core" ENVISAGE available both in the X and Y
product and can be found under directions
the main menu option ANALYSE. the height and colours of the
text headings, labels and
annotations on graphs
Essentially a user can analyse
data from a number of sources,
both ASCII or binary, both All graphs created in the
graphical or model data. The statistics option are generated in
user can select, where a special ENVISAGE window
appropriate, any number of data called "GRAPHS". The user can
items for analysis as separate interchange between a working
entities, or analyse the window and the statistics
relationship between pair-wise "GRAPHS" very easily. The
combinations. default set-up establishes the
number of graphs as being 3 in
the X direction and 3 in the Y
In this session we will look at:
direction. Hence a total of 9
the data sources available graphs can be generated. This
basic unistat features can obviously be increased or
graphics display features decreased at the users
discretion.
Bar graphs
Line graphs
Pie charts
Glossary of Terms
Design Database (dgd):
Data file: A Design Database contains
The data file contains the actual digitised information held in
database information, i.e. the points, objects and layers. The
drillholes or the design information is typically digitised
information. on screen or using a digitising
tablet. Data stored in this type
Database (DB): of database typically represents
designs, i.e. pit layouts,
A database consists of two files -
underground development,
a Data File structured according
geological interpretations, or
to the Datasheet Definition for
data imported to aid in the
that set of data, and an Index
design, i.e. digital terrain maps
File. Many different types of
(DTMs), existing designs.
data are stored in VULCAN
databases, including data from
Drillhole Database:
logging sheets and assay lab
reports stored on a drillhole A Drillhole Database contains
basis, spatial (often digitised) information held in keys, records
data and drafting (template) and fields. The data stored is
data. typically drilling information
arranged by the drillhole
Database Listing (dbl): identification number (key). The
information may have been
A Database Listing is an ASCII
imported into VULCAN from
dump of a VULCAN database.
some other source, or may have
been entered via the drillhole
Datasheet and Datasheet name
database editor (ISIS).
(dsn):
A Datasheet is the definition of a Fields:
data coding form used to
A field corresponds to a single
structure the data loaded into
entry within a coding form
the database. The user defines
record. Fields may contain
the database structure by
either numeric or non-numeric
establishing a Datasheet
information. Translations for
codes used in fields may be The optional dataset identifier is
defined in a code dictionary. an optional name given to a
database to allow the user to
Index File: differentiate different databases.
An index file stores a list of all The optional dataset identifier
the layer names or key names for may be anything the user
the related data file. chooses, however it generally has
some relevance to the data in the
database, e.g. an area or location
name, or something denoting the
ISIS Database system:
particular phase of drilling. The
An ISIS database is a proprietary optional dataset identifier is
structured indexed binary file. limited to 10 characters.
Key:
ISIS databases are divided into Project Code <proj>:
subsets of data referenced by
The project code is a sequence of
their key (indexed) field. The key
characters used to prefix all files
field is the name of a subset of
related to a particular job or
related data. For example, in a
project. The project code may
drillhole database the key field is
typically represent the deposit
normally the HOLEID (hole
name or mine site. The project
identifier) field. All other
code has a maximum length of
information related to this key
four characters.
(i.e. hole identifier) is ordered
directly below this key.
Record:
Mandatory (field): A datasheet is divided into
records, with a record
When the mandatory box is
corresponding to an entire line
selected on an EDIT FIELD
entry on a coding sheet. Each
panel, this field must contain
record is typically designed to
information. Otherwise an error
cater for a particular type of
will be posted and the
information. For example, a
importation of this key into a
COLLAR record may hold all the
VULCAN database will not
information relating to the
proceed.
drillhole collar location and
Optional Dataset Identifier <odi>: length, whereas the ASSAY
record may hold all the
information relating to the
drillhole assayed samples. Each
record is divided into fields.
Synonym:
A synonym is the VULCAN
standard name equivalent for a
specific project field name. For
example, the project name for a
field containing the drillhole
names may be BHID; the correct
synonym for this field is
HOLEID. This allows VULCAN to
treat the BHID field as if it was
named HOLEID.