Copyright 2012Gemcom Software International Inc.

(Gemcom)
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Product
Gemcom Whittle 4.5
Last modified: Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Table of Contents
Getting started

Requirements

Task: Starting Whittle

Running a Whittle project and examining nodes

Task: Perform a complete run of the project.

Basic Slope Set

Task: Change the slope angle of the pit

Basic Data for Pit Shell Generation node

10

Task: Change values to get different pit shells

Operational Scenario node
Task: Changing operation costs
Pit by Pit Graph node
Task: Change the pushbacks that are selected
Schedule Graph nodes
Task: Examining the schedules
Bench Schedule node
Task: Examining the bench schedule
Conclusion

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Getting started

Getting started
This tutorial is designed to give you an overview of the capabilities of Whittle. In this tutorial, you will
run a full open-pit optimisation on a sample set of data. You will then have the opportunity to
examine the initial results, modify parameters of the project, and produce outputs.
When you are ready to learn about the full capabilities of and achieve maximum results from Whittle,
contact your local Gemcom support office for information about our training program.

Requirements
Before proceeding with this tutorial you need:
l
l

the most recent version of Whittle installed

if you have a single-user licence, your dongle plugged into a USB port on your computer
or, if your company has network licences, the name or IP address of the network
licence server
the Marvin data set, which is installed with Whittle

Task: Starting Whittle

1. Double-click the desktop icon to run Whittle.

2. If your company has network licences, select File > Licence Validation, select Network,
and enter the name or IP address of the network licence server.
3. In the Project Select dialog box, select the option to open the existing project, marvin1.fxp.
4. Expand the project tree in the left panel by clicking the + button.
Each level of the tree inputs data to the design of the pit.
5. For each level (or node), examine the Description tab on the right side.

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Getting started

The Description tab explains the objectives of each node.

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Running a Whittle project and examining nodes

Running a Whittle project and examining nodes

Task: Perform a complete run of the project.
1. Choose Node > Run All in the main menu.
Note: It can take several minutes for Whittle to finish running all the nodes. However,
you can continue using this tutorial, and work with the nodes that have finished running.
An icon appears beside each node to show whether Whittle has finished processing that
node.
This icon...

shows that the system...

has completed processing this node.
is currently processing this node.

2. After the run is complete, examine the contents of each node.

a. Click the + button to expand nodes on the left side of the screen.
b. On the right side you can find the results for each node by selecting the Output, Report, and Messages tabs.
3. Specifically examine the graph of the net present value (NPV) values and ore/waste tonnages from multiple pit shells.
a. To see this graph click the Pit by Pit Graph node of on the left side of the main
Whittle window, and, in the pane on the right, select the Graph tab.
The Graph tab becomes available after you have run the node. You have
already run the node by selecting the Run All command.

The graph shows the tonnages of ore and waste (the coloured yellow and grey
bars respectively). In addition, the NPV results for each pit are displayed as

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Running a Whittle project and examining nodes

lines. The NPV for the 'best case' schedule is shown in blue, the worst case is
the red line, and a specific case based on a defined pushback sequence is
shown in green.
Note: For more information about best, worst, and specified case
schedules see the Analysis Schedule Tab topic in the Help.
b. Click Display graph detail (the magnifying glass icon) to see these results in
more detail.

The tonnages and NPVs shown on the graph are each for a specific pit shell
(each pit shell is associated with a unique revenue factor). NPV and tonnages
are measured in the Y-axis. The X-axis shows the pit number. The results that
you see on the graph are explained in more detail on the Description tab of
the Pit by Pit Graph node.
c. When you have finished examining the graph, click OK.
4. Click the first two nodes in the project, Marvin Copper and Marvin block model.
These two nodes describe the project and the block model you are using. You will not
change these nodes in this tutorial.

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Basic Slope Set

Basic Slope Set

Task: Change the slope angle of the pit
1.
2.
3.
4.

Select the Basic Slope Set node.

Click the Profiles tab.
Click the Add Profile button.
Enter in the following information for the new "Profile 1".
a. Bearing 0; Slope 46.
b. Click Add to add another bearing and slope: Bearing 90, Slope 42.
c. Add two more rows: Bearing 180, Slope 41; and Bearing 270, Slope 38.
d. In the Slope Regions section, change the slope profile from Default to Profile1.

5. Click Accept in the lower right, and then click Yes to apply the changes.
Notice that the check marks underneath Basic Slope Set disappear. Because you have
changed some of the input data, specifically the pit slope, the results you generated are
no longer valid. Whittle removes the green check marks to show you that the results are
no longer valid.

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Basic Slope Set

6. With Basic Slope Set selected, click Run to the selected node from the trunk

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Basic Data for Pit Shell Generation node

Basic Data for Pit Shell Generation node

The initial constraints of mining, processing, and selling costs are set on the Basic data for pit shell
generation node.
Revenue factors, which are used to define pit shells, are also entered in at this level. The next task is
to change some of the inputs to get different pit shells.

Task: Change values to get different pit shells

1. Select the Basic data for pit shell generation node.
2. The mining cost is defined as the cost of mining one tonne of material. Change the mining
cost:
a. Click the Mining tab.
b. Change the Reference Mining Cost from 0.9 to 1.00.
At this stage you could also change the mining recovery factor or dilution
factor (either for the entire deposit, or for each rock type). You could also
input varying cost adjustment factors (CAF) depending on the rock type.
c. Click Accept.
d. When you see the prompt to copy the changes to child scenario nodes, click
Yes.
The cost of processing specific rocks or elements (such as Au) is recorded on the
Processing tab. The processing recovery is also specified here.
3. Add an element-specific processing cost to the MILL PM process for both gold and
copper.
a. Click the Processing tab.
b. Under MILL PM, change the processing cost of Au from 0 to 0.05
c. Change the cost of Cu from 0 to 0.2.
d. Still under Mill PM, change the processing recovery of Cu from 0.88 to 0.8.
e. Click Accept.
f. When you see the prompt to copy the changes to child scenario nodes, click
Yes.

Both the price and the selling cost of your elements are specified on the Selling tab.
4. Do the following:
a. Click the Selling tab.
b. Change the Au price from 12.00 to 13.00.
c. Change the Cu price from 0.907 to 1.10
d. Click Accept.

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Basic Data for Pit Shell Generation node

e. When you see the prompt to copy the changes to child scenario nodes, click
Yes.

The Optimization tab is used to produce nested pit shells. Pit shells are created for each
revenue factor that you have entered in the Output area.
5. Change the revenue factors to get fewer nested pit shells (the original run would have
produced 54 pits).
a. Click the Optimization tab.
b. In the Output section, select the set of fixed factors named 0.5 to 0.9 using 41
fixed factors, and click Edit.
c. In the Range Revenue Factor form, change the step size from 0.01 to 0.015,
and click OK.
A pit will be produced for 27 revenue factors instead of 41.
d. Click Accept.
6. Right-click on the Basic data for pit shell generation node in the left panel, and select
Run To.
7. When the run is complete, examine the Output tab.
The tonnages and the ore/waste distributions for each revenue factor (each pit) are
displayed in the table.

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Basic Data for Pit Shell Generation node

8. To get an idea how these pits appear in 3D, highlight the Basic data for pit shell generation node, and click Start Three-D viewer

a. In the Select data to display form, leave all of the options selected, and click
OK.
When the model file is loaded, the 3D viewer opens.
b. To see the outlines of the different pits, select the Show Pit option.
c. Click Invert to show the 3D pit with a white background, instead of a black
background.

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Basic Data for Pit Shell Generation node

d. To view all the pits sequentially, use the up and down arrows under Show Pit.
e. To change your viewing perspective, click the pit, hold down the mouse button, and drag.
f. When you are finished viewing, close the 3D Viewer.

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Operational Scenario node

Operational Scenario node

On the Operational Scenario node you record any changes that you must account for over the life of
mine. You also specify capital costs, and mining and processing limits, on this node.

Task: Changing operation costs

1. Select the Operational scenario node.
2. On the Mining tab, change the mining cost for different periods of production.
a. On the right side of the Reference Mining Cost box, click the Period variation
icon

beside Reference Mining Cost.

b. Click Add, and enter a cost of $1.10 starting in year 7 (in this project, year 7 is
equivalent to period 7).

c. Click OK.
3. On the Time Costs tab, alter the initial capital cost and the discount rate for the project.
a. Change the Initial Capital Cost to $3000000 (that is 3 million).
b. Change the discount rate of the project to 4%.
c. Click Accept.

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Operational Scenario node

d. When you see the message to copy the changes to child scenario nodes, click
Yes.

4. On the Limits tab, change the mining and processing limits over the life of the mine.
a. Change the processing method limit for the Mill process to 25,000,000.
b. Click Accept.
c. When you see the message to copy the changes to child scenario nodes, click
Yes.

5. Click Run To

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Pit by Pit Graph node

Pit by Pit Graph node

The Pit by Pit Graph node shows economic factors, such as net present value (NPV) and internal rate
of return (IRR), for each of the nested pit shells produced in the upper nodes. You can also specify
some basic scheduling details for the pit by introducing pushbacks.

Task: Change the pushbacks that are selected

1. Select the Pit by Pit Graph node.
On the Schedule tab, you can enter a pushback schedule. You can enter a pushback
schedule manually or generate a schedule automatically, or semi-automatically. For this
data set, the pushback schedule was entered manually.
Note: After you have generated the schedule, you can apply advanced algorithms to
optimise for different areas of interest.
2. Change the current pushback sequence:
a. In the Specified Case Pushback Definitions section, change the schedule to
Auto, and enter 6 as the Number of Pushbacks.
With this change, Whittle will automatically generate six pushbacks at logical
stages.
b. Click Accept.
c. Click Run To
.
d. After the run is complete (the run can take several minutes) click the Output,
Graph, and Summary tabs to examine the results and find the best, worst,
and specified cases. The specified case uses the defined sequence of six pushbacks.

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Pit by Pit Graph node

The Summary tab shows the NPV, the IRR, the life of mine (LOM) and other
key indicators for each pit design.

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Schedule Graph nodes

Schedule Graph nodes

The 'Schedule Graphs' nodes (for example Push backs: 11 12 14 16 20 25 31) allow you to investigate
further the designs of pits based on a specified pushback schedule. You can enter the final pit for
your design, and you can choose to make graphs of various factors for analysis.

Task: Examining the schedules

1. Select the Push backs 11 12 14 16 20 25 31 node.
The name of each node is the text that is entered in the Description box on the
Description tab for the node. For clarity, the name includes the pit numbers that are
used as pushbacks.
2. Select the Schedule tab.
On the Schedule tab, you can choose whether to examine the best, worst, or a specified
case for your pit design. You can also enter a pushback schedule and a final pit.
3. For this example, change the Specified Case Pushback Definition from Manual to Auto,
and enter 6 as the Number of Pushbacks.
4. Click Accept.
5. Use the Run To command.
6. After the run is complete, examine the contents of the Output, Graph, and Summary
tabs.
These tabs show the cash flow and tonnages on a yearly basis for the mine, in addition to
the overall NPV, IRR, and LOM.
7. Try repeating these steps for a different pushback sequence.
Tip: To make a copy of a node, right-click the node, and choose Copy Node.

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Bench Schedule node

Bench Schedule node

The last type of analysis in this introductory tutorial is the Bench Schedule node. You can use this
node to examine the results of your design on a bench-by-bench basis.

Task: Examining the bench schedule

The Definition tab is the only item that you can change. In this tab, you can specify exactly what
information you want to see in the output.
1. Select the Bench Schedule node and the Definition tab.
Currently, the output is set to show the total tonnage, and the amount of waste mined
on each bench. However, the output would not include how many tonnes of each rock
type are mined.
2. To output these tonnages, click Add.
3. In the Data Selector form, select Material Mined, Rock, Tonnage of <rock-type> mined,
and click Add to selection list.

4. In the Spread Sheet Code Details form, choose Select all items, and click OK.

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Bench Schedule node

5. Click OK again.
6. Next in the Values to display in output list, select the three new 'Tonnage' variables (Tonnage of MX mined, Tonnage of OX mined, and Tonnage of PM mined).
7. Click Up several times so that the new variables appear under Total tonnage mined.

8. Click Accept.
9. Use the Run To command to generate output for this node.
10. After the run is complete, examine the Output tab.
The tab reports the variables you chose.

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Conclusion

Conclusion
Thank you for completing the Introductory Polymetallic tutorial. In this tutorial you performed a
preliminary open-pit optimisation.
However, in the 'Marvin1.fxp' sample project, there are additional nodes that you have not yet run.
These nodes represent additional scenarios for the block model. For each scenario, you can use
different parameters. In addition, you might consider a reblocked block model. The additional nodes
in this project involve more advanced Whittle modules, such as stockpiling options, and pushback
sequencing using the Milawa algorithm.
For more information about the functionality of Whittle, for purchasing enquiries, or to register for
an upcoming training program, contact your local Gemcom Support office. Visit
www.gemcomsoftware.com for the most up-to-date training and contact information.

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