Introduction to MineSight®
©2007 Dr. B.C. Paul
{Note – The Name MineSight® and the Program described are property of
Mintec Inc – Tucson, Arizona}
What is MineSight®?
 MineSight® is a suite of mining tuned computer
programs
– Heart is a 3D CAD graphics program called
MineSight®
– Has a wide array of mining calculations programs that
link production planning to the graphics functions in
the 3D CAD program
 MineSight® development started with first
computer routines in the 1970’s and list has grown
since
– Collection includes everything from old fortran
routines to modern python program language routines
MineSight’s ® Visually Linked
Calculation Routines
 MineSight ® Compass
– A windows like user interface built over a bunch
of old Dos, Fortran and Unix Programs
– Collection of over 400 routines
– Have the feel of old mainframe batch programs
 That’s because they are old mainframe routines and
subroutines with a modern windows like graphical
interface to feed them
– Looks new but has you do some things to set
up runs that are like old mainframe batch
routines
New Kids on the Block
 Built a Suite of New Programs that run in Python
visual language
– Economic Planner
 State of the Art Open Pit Metal Mining Optimization and
integrated together
– Activities Planner
 Microsoft Projects Gant Charts set up for Mining
– Data Analyst
 Ore Reserves Statistics and Geostatistics
– Interactive Planner
 Link between databases and 3D graphics for planning
– Strategic Planner
– Other procedures constantly being prepared
Editorial Commentary
 Lack of Consistency
– A 40 year collection and operating systems have run in fundamentally
different ways over the years
– Made to look windows like but can’t always hide the architecture
underneath
 Has bugs in it
– Most bugs are triggered by assuming people will input in a certain way –
and you don’t
– Mining has lots of local terms in it so wording can encourage you to do
unexpected things
– Most bugs are operator “error” triggered but it is rather unforgiving
– Very computer and graphically intensive
 Pushes hardware and designs to the limit and a lot of hardware and system
components misbehave when they are at their limit
 Its wonderful to have so much integrated power and routines all in one
semi-coherent package
Specialized Software
 Mintec is about 9 full time programmers, 12 technical
support and training people and a collection of dreamers,
secretaries and administrators
 This is not a world wide Microsoft Operating system like
windows
 Does provide 24/7 Tech support (and the program is
powerful and quirky enough that you need it)
– Ie – if you figure out how to steel the program and then go look
for “MineSight for Dumbies” at 7-10 BookStore you are in for an
unpleasant surprise.
 This program updates in response to client needs and bug
fixes and is much more fluid than Microsoft Word (and not
as fluid as an anti-virus program)
One of a Limited Set of Programs
 MineSight® – (master of the open pit metal mine)
– Probably most overall advanced and complete
 Vulcan – (very good 3D CAD for hardrock
underground)
 Gemcon/Mincom
 Serve CAD / Carlson
– Really an autocad add on for graphics and design
– Quite popular with underground applications not
demanding heavy 3D visualization and manipulation
 Well liked in coal
Lets Start this Puppy Up!
If Used Often MineSight ® has an icon that says
“MS3D” (ie MineSight ® 3 D)
Can Also Do A Menu Fishing
Start
#3- Find MineSight®
And Highlight it until
A side menu pops out
#4- Click on the
MS3D icon
(note you do have
Icons for some of
The other routines
I mentioned).
#1 -Click Start
#2- Pick All Programs
Look for the Desktop Icon for MS3D
and Click on It
Ok – I Don’t Have One Cause I Don’t Start
That way – but some people do.
As Program Starts Microsoft Says It
Doesn’t Know Who Mintec Is (Don’t
Worry about Billy Boy not knowing everyone on
the block)
Programs Front Icon Opens
Mines or designs
Are kept as
Projects –
It can default
Start where the
Program lives
Or be sent to
Where you store
A project
If you have a
Project or design
Already you can
Have it loaded
And ready to go.
Operating the Starting Prompt
If you pull down the
Menu it will show
You were up to the
Last 10 projects
Worked on were
Stored.
You can also
Trigger a Windows
Explorer style
Pick using a
Browse function.
The strange looking
X symbol is
MineSight’s ®
Delete command.
It has typical Windows Options for Oking or Canceling
MineSight Opens ® (sometimes it
will prompt you to do something first)
Looks a little like
An Autocad for
Windows
It has a 3D display
Area similar to
Autocad.
Data Manager is
A two tiered
Windows
Exploring
Down below it
Has a message
And info window
Two Tiered Windows Exploring
Has two Levels
Top Level Shows You
The Folders
Bottom Level Shows
You the Files in a folder
(as a 3D geometry program
Has a variety of different
File types that support
The program logic – no
You probably won’t understand them on sight).
The X Box
You can close the
Whole program
The little red
X box closes
Things.
You can close
The “Windows
Explorer” like
Data Manager
You can close a 3D
Visualization
window
Driving Options
Uses the familiar
Drop down menus
Of a windows
Program
(some options do
Appear on more than
One drop down)
Also has a huge
Collection of icons
(They are short-cuts
To the most
Popular functions.
You also will only
Learn what these
Funny symbols stand
For by experience)
General Quirks and Observations
 MineSight ® does not have an “escape” key function
– You right click to finish a function which gets you out of it (but might also
finish a goof)
 MineSight® has a more enforced save structure
– Some drawing functions will not let you move on until you save you last
“group” of edits
 It is not consistent in when this happens but if the program stops taking
orders a right click to finish what ever it thinks your doing and then a save is
a good guess.
 MineSight® has limited “Undo” functionality
– You can save the lest set of edits and then go back and undo it.
– It does not keep a step by step undo list that lets you go back and undo
the last 20 things one at a time
– Undo function often requires you to save before it becomes available
– If you really goof it keeps back-up copies of everything and you can go
in and fetch a back up copy of what you screwed up.
Some Rigidity in Menu and Icon
Structure
 Microsoft Office allows you to pick groups of
icons, call them toolbars and “dock” your
favorites in a certain position
– Vulcan has created some tool bar dockability
– MineSight ® has not
 MineSight ® does allow you to right click
and pull up an on the spot menu of recently
used and custom chosen functions
So Why Should I Learn
MineSight®
 CAD like mine design packages are rapidly
becoming an industry standard – knowing one
increases your marketability
 There is enough similarity in packages that
knowing one will allow you to learn any other with
greater ease (in case your employer didn’t make
the same choice for basic package as we did – or
if your employer changes his/her mind later).
 We are using it in this class and you don’t want to
even think about life without it.
Why Did We Pick MineSight
 The Alumni Connection and Free Educational
Service
 Anytime one says one package is better than
another will have get in fights
– All packages have fans or someone would be out of
business
– A conservative industry – once someone learns
something they resist change
 That said now I’ll tell you why MineSight ® is best
Comparison
 ServeCAD by Carlson Software is an AutoCad
overlay
– It has the advantage of a widely used CAD platform
 Of course this can mean needing two software licenses
 It also means other larger disciplines drafting needs will
likely trump yours.
– AutoCad is a 2D drafting tool with some forced 3D
functionality
 MineSight and Vulcan are ground up 3D drafting tools
 ServeCAD can work well on 3D objects that are usually
drafted and visualized in 2D
– Popular in coal mines were workings in a single seam can be
represented 2D even when there is lots of 3D action.
 Ultimately ServeCAD is limiting over the range of the
Mining Industry as a whole
The 3D Mining Models
 Gemcom just doesn’t have the tools or versatility
of its competitors
 Vulcan is excellent 3D
– Great underground capacity
– Arguably better 3D underground drawing
 Will loose out on surface drawing – especially in metal
mining where MineSight ® was born
 MineSight® has an unmatched set of planning and
design and calculation tools all in one package
– Add ons allow one package to be used for support of
more courses and functions