vtk_reserves

ore body reserve report using geological block model, topographical surfaces and region solids

📌 Description

This is a complete standalone toolchain to calculate ore body reserves from a geological block model, topographical surfaces and region solids.
Its intended for high level use, with no required knowledge of programming or python.
While there are many software packages that enable this calculation, this is a fully open source sollution. Free, auditable and extendable.
It integrates multiple mature python modules to handle each step of this complex process.
The modules used include:

• pyvista (geometry operations and visual rendering)
• pandas (number crunching)
• tkinter (graphical interface)

📏 Maturity

This solution is feature complete but still under active development.
Its intended for academic purposes, reserve comparison with mature tools and as a technological demonstrator of solving the required steps.
Its not yet suited for production use.

Installation Instructions

Install a Python Distribution

A python distribution such as WinPython is required. Version must be >= 3.7. Version 3.8.x recomended.
Do not use the installer from Python.org because it will lack countless required modules. Distros exist for a reason!
After Python is installed you can test its really working by using the following command:
python -V
Only one required module is not included by default in WinPython and other mainstrean distros:

• pyvista

Install using this folowing command in the WinPython Command Prompt (not the Python Interpreter!):
pip install pyvista

Install vtk_reserves

Download this complete repository as a zip and extract to a local folder.
The folder must have execute permissions. On Windows this means a folder outside the user directories, because locations such as Downloads, Documents, Desktop, etc do not allow .cmd files to run.

Run

The simplest way to run is to execute (double click on windows explorer) the supplied vtk_reserves.cmd file. This batch script shoud detect a WinPython distribution and use it automatically to call the main py file (vtk_reserves.py). For other distributions, manually call the main script by using the following command in the distro eqivalent of Python Command Prompt (not any kind of Python Interpreter!):
python vtk_reserves.py
Either way the user interface should appear:

Preparing Data

The included converter tool bm_to_vtk.py can be used to convert data to the supported formats. For instance, it can convert Vulcan block models (BMF) to VTK or CSV. It can also convert between multiple supported triangulation formats. See next section.

Usage

The block model must be in one of the supported formats:

• csv file, containing x,y,z of each block and variables.
• vtk file with a UniformGrid object type and the variables as cell_arrays.

The surfaces and solids can be in those supported formats:

• csv (ASCII, with x,y,z and faces)
• obj (wavefront)
• msh (leapfrog)
• vtk (containing PolyData Mesh object types).

Regions are used to split the report by the areas within closed solids. Each area/region will have the same name as the file.
Mine exclude and mine include are used to "mine up" or "mine down". Usualy topographies are "mine up" (include) and mining pit are "mine down" (exclude).
Output can be in one of those formats:

• csv
• xlsx

Output

The result is a reserves report split by lithology, region and possibly other classificatory variables.
It will also contain volume, mass and weighted mean of numerical variables such as grade.

region	lito	grade mean	density mean	volume sum	mass
vox_region1	high			0.0	0.0
vox_region1	low			0.0	0.0
vox_region1	medium			0.0	0.0
vox_region2	high	69.53446163437245	87.6740902065477	28468000.0	2495906000.0
vox_region2	low	21.11175785797439	79.5	17180000.0	1365810000.0
vox_region2	medium	45.963415442028904	81.37556154537286	44520000.0	3622840000.0
vox_region3	high	69.4	84.5	7500000.0	633750000.0
vox_region3	low	21.64715704429221	78.52418911489829	7276000.0	571342000.0
vox_region3	medium	44.76301545763373	77.48488664987406	15880000.0	1230460000.0

If the display checkbox is ticked, a 3d window should appear showing the data used:

🧊 Test Data

std_voxel_vtk.zip
std_voxel_vtk.csv

Auxiliary tools

• bm_to_vtk.py: convert between file formats. Note: Converting from/to Vulcan proprietary file formats is only possible when the script is executed using the File > Python Script menu within Envisage.
• tri_decimate.py: reduce mesh complexity to allow for faster testing

💎 License

Apache 2.0
Copyright Vale 2022