System and method for creating, ranking, integrating and implementing plans in a mining and production process

1 . A computer-implemented system for a mining and production process of natural resource and reserve with mining technical equipment for use with disparate expert technical systems and applications to integrate geometries and attributes at any specific spatial location in such natural resource or reserve to reasonably describe a collective, multi-disciplinary technical perspective of the resource or reserve in relation to a specific spatial location or to allow tracking over time of changes in a logical status or a physical state of the resource or reserve at a respective location, the system comprising:

a first sub-system for use with the disparate expert technical systems and applications to integrate the geometries and attributes at any specific spatial location in such natural resource or reserve to reasonably describe a collective, multi-disciplinary technical perspective of the resource or reserve in relation to such spatial location and allow tracking over time of changes in the logical status or physical state of the resource or reserve at the respective location, the first sub-system having:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions;

at least one common, integrated, spatially-referenced database configured to retain spatially indexed, technical geometries and attributes of a specific spatial location therein;

a non-transitory computer accessible extractor configured to extract disparate, technical data, defining technical discipline spatial geometries and attributes of a specific spatial location in a natural resource or reserve from disparate expert technical databases of such technical systems and applications without a common spatial reference; and

a common spatial index, with a specific level of granulation and spatial location, configured to enable integration of the geometries and attributes of the resource or reserve from such disparate expert technical systems and applications in relation to a specific spatial location and a description of the collective technical perspective of the resource or reserve in relation to the respective location;

a non-transitory computer accessible amalgamator configured to amalgamate and integrate the technical data, including computer developed or generated data, into the spatially-referenced database to track changes in the logical status or physical state of the resource or reserve over time at such granular, spatially indexed level in relation to the respective location; and

a non-transitory computer accessible translator configured to translate the amalgamated, integrated and spatially-referenced technical data, and translate synthesized technical and financial controls, regulatory codes and generally accepted best practices by means of a set of business rules for optimal exploitation of an asset into attributes of inventory or stock within a resource inventory;

a second sub-system for creating and exploring extraction plans for a given information about a specific resource or reserve automatically and within a job scheduler, the second sub-system having

means for automatically creating possible extraction plans based on a specific resource or reserve;

means for automatically ranking the plans within a specific extraction operational context;

means for automatically integrating the ranked plans as an essential part of the technical mining and production; and

means for automatically implementing such plans as an essential, intermediate and integrated part of the mining and production process with the use of associated mining technical equipment; and

a third sub-system for planning, controlling and executing multi-facet technical activities over extended time periods, including mining technical activities and enterprise support processes, including costs, concurrently with the execution of such technical activities, in a mining operation at the natural resource or reserve, including a mineral deposit, with the use of the disparate, expert technical systems and applications, and the disparate technical data therefrom, including the extracted disparate technical data and the tracked changes in the logical status or physical state of the resource or reserve at such locations due to such technical activities and specific, measurable parameters resulting therefrom, at least semi-continuously in a direct, substantially real-time manner during such operation, the third sub-system having:

means for creating a work breakdown structure defining a specific work place location and specific technical activities to be executed at the specific work place location, represented at least partially in spatial geometries at a level of three-dimensional detail with preselected granularity in accordance with the planning and timeframe of the operation;

means for codifying in accordance with the work breakdown structure a corresponding cost code structure of substantially equivalent granularity;

means for executing, by control of a computer, at least one specific technical activity with associated mining technical equipment, at the specific work place location in accordance with the work breakdown structure; and

means for updating the work breakdown structure responsive to an output of the means for generating inventory transactions reflecting the change in the physical state and status of the workspace corresponding to the specific location responsive to the specific technical activity executed;

wherein the spatially-referenced database is usable by an inventory management system or application and the translated technical data constitutes inventory and stock items and transactions manageable within the inventory management system or the application that track over time the change in the logical status or physical state of the resource or reserve at such granular, spatially index level in relation to that location, and the spatially-referenced database and the translated technical data retain the spatially indexed, technical geometries and attributes at such spatial location enabling:

the integration and amalgamation of such data into a single spatially-indexed data structure encapsulating the spatial, design, descriptive and quantification attributes related to the source data, providing a multi-collective, multi-disciplinary technical perspective of a given spatial location in the resource or reserve, and

interoperability between the technical systems and applications, by allowing extraction and reconstitution of such integrated and amalgamated spatial and attribute data from the spatially-referenced database into a file format and structure required by the technical systems and applications and the inventory management system.

2 . The system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a computer-implemented system for a mining and production process of depletable mineral resources and reserves, wherein:

the first sub-system is for use with disparate expert mining technical systems and applications to integrate the geometries and attributes at any specific spatial location in a mineral resource or reserve to reasonably describe a collective, multi-disciplinary technical perspective of the mineral resource or reserve in relation to such spatial location and allow tracking over time of changes in the logical status or physical state of the mineral resource or reserve at that location;

the second sub-system is for creating, ranking, integrating and implementing possible mine plans for a given information about a specific mineral ore body automatically and within a job scheduler; and

the third sub-system is for planning, controlling and executing multi-facet mining technical activities with associated mining technical equipment over extended time periods, during life of mine from concept and pre-feasibility assessment to mine closure, and enterprise support processes, such as costs, concurrently with such mining technical activities, in a direct substantially real-time manner, based on such ranked and integrated mine plan.

3 . The system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second sub-system has automated

means for:

creating all possible mine plans based on a specific mineral resource or reserve;

ranking such plans within a specific mining context;

integrating the ranked plans as an essential part of the mineral mining and production process; and

implementing such plans as an essential, intermediate and integrated part of the computer-implemented mineral mining and production process with the use of associated mining technical equipment on a commercial basis.

4 . The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the automated means for creating, ranking, integrating and implementing mine plans comprises:

a variational engine, for generating numerous schedule variations automatically;

a computational infrastructure, for supporting the variational engine; and

a set of at least one library, selected from a group comprising:

a first library, containing all possible SOPs applicable to a specific ore body; and

a second library, containing information pertaining to possible relationships among people, assets, cost and materials available; and

a third library, containing possible three dimensional trajectories of excavation, selected from a group containing stopes, levels, shafts, storage, tailing ponds and other infrastructure components;

wherein the variational engine comprises a set of algorithms to provide at least one resulting mine plan, including:

a first algorithm, configured to assess the library of SOPs and, based on some conditions or constraints, taken from the library of relationships, to choose those SOPs that are relevant for the given conditions or constraints, such as desired tonnage, planned grade, time of year, market outlook;

a second algorithm, configured to combine the chosen SOPs in different combinations to create different resulting schedules; and

a third algorithm, configured to rank the resulting schedules, based on preselected operational context.

5 . The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the automated means for creating, ranking, integrating and implementing mine plans includes a set of three libraries, comprising:

a first library, containing all possible SOPs applicable to a specific ore body;

a second library, containing information pertaining to possible relationships among people, assets, cost and materials available; and

a third library, containing possible three dimensional trajectories of excavation, selected from a group containing stopes, levels, shafts, storage, tailing ponds and other infrastructure components;

to provide at least one resulting mine plan with custom sequences and corresponding schedules for each trajectory.

6 . An automated, computer-implemented mining technical system for creating and exploring all possible mine plans and executing at least one specific technical activity with associated computer-controlled mining technical equipment in accordance with such mine plans, for a given information about a specific ore body within a mine and within a job scheduler during mineral mining and production on a commercial basis, the system comprising:

a first sub-system for use with a disparate expert technical systems and applications to integrate geometries and attributes at any specific spatial location in ta natural resource or reserve associated with the mine to reasonably describe a collective, multi-disciplinary technical perspective of the mine in relation to such spatial location and allow tracking over time of changes in the logical status or physical state of the natural resource or reserve at the respective location, the first sub-system having:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions;

at least one common, integrated, spatially-referenced database configured to retain spatially indexed, technical geometries and attributes of a specific spatial location therein;

a non-transitory computer accessible extractor configured to extract disparate, technical data, defining technical discipline spatial geometries and attributes of a specific spatial location in the natural resource or reserve from disparate expert technical databases of such technical systems and applications without a common spatial reference;

a common spatial index, with a specific level of granulation and spatial location, configured to enable integration of the geometries and attributes of the natural resource or reserve from such disparate expert technical systems and applications in relation to a specific spatial location and a description of the collective technical perspective of the natural resource or reserve in relation to the respective location;

a non-transitory computer accessible amalgamator configured to amalgamate and integrate the technical data, including computer developed or generated data, into the spatially-referenced database to track changes in the logical status or physical state of the natural resource or reserve over time at such granular, spatially indexed level in relation to the respective location; and

a non-transitory computer accessible translator configured to translate the amalgamated, integrated and spatially-referenced technical data, and translate synthesized technical and financial controls, regulatory codes and generally accepted best practices by means of a set of business rules for optimal exploitation of an asset into attributes of inventory or stock within a resource inventory; and

an having automated means for:

generating all applicable trajectories of excavation in three dimensions for a specific ore body with the use of a library of possible trajectories;

generating all possible variations of SOP sequences for each trajectory with the use of a library, containing possible SOPs applicable to such ore body, and a library, containing information pertaining to possible relationships among people, assets, cost and materials available;

generating all possible schedules for such SOP sequences, using attributes of SOPs, for such ore body;

generating all possible mine plans, comprising such SOP sequences with the associated schedules and trajectories of excavation, for such ore body; and

ranking such mine plans by ranking the associated schedules according to a predetermined set of common attributes, such set comprising at least one common attribute and a combination of at least two common attributes,

wherein the spatially-referenced database is usable by an inventory management system or application and the translated technical data constitutes inventory and stock items and transactions manageable within the inventory management system or the application that track over time the change in the logical status or physical state of the natural resource or reserve at such granular, spatially index level in relation to that location, and the spatially-referenced database and the translated technical data retain the spatially indexed, technical geometries and attributes at such spatial location enabling:

the integration and amalgamation of such data into a single spatially-indexed data structure encapsulating the spatial, design, descriptive and quantification attributes related to the source data, providing a multi-collective, multi-disciplinary technical perspective of a given spatial location in the natural resource or reserve, and

interoperability between the technical systems and applications, by allowing extraction and reconstitution of such integrated and amalgamated spatial and attribute data from the spatially-referenced database into a file format and structure required by the technical systems and applications and the inventory management system.

7 . The automated mining technical system as claimed in claim 6 having automated means for:

analysing distributions of ranked mine plans to assess the risk associated with the execution of a specific mine plan;

integrating the best ranked mine plans within an ERP system;

creating new features with the use of at least two other features in ADS;

creating new models for KPIs with the use of at least two other features in ADS;

performing preselected health checks for data, features and models; and

integrating, visualizing and updating the current state of mine, recommended group of mine plans, points of action and mine wide alert systems within a preselected dashboard.

8 . The automated mining technical system as claimed in claim 7 comprising an essential, intermediate and integrated part of the computer-implemented mineral mining and production process with the use of associated mining technical equipment on a commercial basis and, more preferably with the implementation of such ranked mine plans.

9 . An automated, computer-implemented mining technical system for creating and exploring all possible mine plans and executing at least one specific technical activity with associated computer-controlled mining technical equipment in accordance with such mine plans, for a given information about a specific ore body within a mine and within a job scheduler during mineral mining and production on a commercial basis, the system comprising:

a first sub-system for use with a disparate expert technical systems and applications to integrate geometries and attributes at any specific spatial location in ta natural resource or reserve associated with the mine to reasonably describe a collective, multi-disciplinary technical perspective of the mine in relation to such spatial location and allow tracking over time of changes in the logical status or physical state of the natural resource or reserve at the respective location, the first sub-system having:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions;

at least one common, integrated, spatially-referenced database configured to retain spatially indexed, technical geometries and attributes of a specific spatial location therein;

a non-transitory computer accessible extractor configured to extract disparate, technical data, defining technical discipline spatial geometries and attributes of a specific spatial location in the natural resource or reserve from disparate expert technical databases of such technical systems and applications without a common spatial reference; and

a common spatial index, with a specific level of granulation and spatial location, configured to enable integration of the geometries and attributes of the natural resource or reserve from such disparate expert technical systems and applications in relation to a specific spatial location and a description of the collective technical perspective of the natural resource or reserve in relation to the respective location;

a non-transitory computer accessible amalgamator configured to amalgamate and integrate the technical data, including computer developed or generated data, into the spatially-referenced database to track changes in the logical status or physical state of the natural resource or reserve over time at such granular, spatially indexed level in relation to the respective location; and

a non-transitory computer accessible translator configured to translate the amalgamated, integrated and spatially-referenced technical data, and translate synthesized technical and financial controls, regulatory codes and generally accepted best practices by means of a set of business rules for optimal exploitation of an asset into attributes of inventory or stock within a resource inventory;

a variational engine, for generating numerous schedule variations automatically;

a computational infrastructure, for supporting the variational engine; and

a set of at least three libraries, wherein:

a first library, containing all possible SOPs applicable to a specific ore body;

a second library, containing information pertaining to relationships among people, assets, cost and materials available; and

a third library, containing possible three dimensional trajectories of excavation; and wherein the variational engine comprises a set of algorithms, including:

a first algorithm, configured to assess the library of SOPs and, based on some conditions or constraints, taken from the library of information pertaining to relationships, to choose those SOPs that are relevant for the given conditions or constraints, such as desired tonnage, planned grade, time of year, market outlook;

a second algorithm, configured to combine the chosen SOPs in different combinations to create different resulting schedules; and

a third algorithm, configured to rank the resulting schedules, based on preselected operational context, and to present the best ranked sequence and corresponding schedules as a mine plan.

10 . The automated, computer-implemented mining technical system as claimed in claim 9 comprising an essential, intermediate and integrated part of the computer-implemented mineral mining and production process with the use of associated mining technical equipment on a commercial basis and, more preferably with the implementation of such ranked mine plans on a substantially real-time basis.

11 . The automated, computer-implemented mining technical system as claimed in claim 9 characterised in generating all applicable mine plans and therefore a distribution of mine plans that can be ranked on at least one attribute, wherein the distribution of possible plans allows a mine to assess and anticipate risk, stress and capacitance of production, operations and management correctly.

12 . The automated, computer-implemented mining technical system as claimed in claim 9 characterised in achieving near real-time by creating various factors selected from the group comprising the direction of planning, shifting calculations from storage to memory, employing adequate data structure, using the variational engine, and fully automatic process of creating mine plans, auditing its process of creation and improving its process of creation.

13 . The automated, computer-implemented mining technical system as claimed in claim 12 characterised in integrating a variational principle on levels selected from the group comprising the creation of space variations for ore body, resulting in trajectories, the creation of path variations for trajectories, resulting in sequences of SOPs, the creation of schedule variations for sequences, resulting in plans, and the reaction of operational variations or business strategies from plans.