PRESS RELEASE: Panel, or block caving, is widely considered the ‘new frontier’ as mining operations move towards underground methods.

Maptek CaveLogic is designed to allow engineers to more effectively plan and reduce the financial risk associated with this subsidence mining method that involves massive volumes of material and large investment.

“The Maptek solution quickly and easily simulates multiple scenarios for identifying the best option,” said VP, Maptek South America, Marcelo Arancibia, who previewed the new tool at the recent South America Users Conference in Viña del Mar, Chile.

“Dynamic analysis using CaveLogic considers the economic environment and generates practical production plans quickly, easily, accurately and interactively.

“The point of difference with the Maptek approach is the flexibility for handling project complexity and individual customer needs.”

He explained that CaveLogic incorporates operational and geotechnical constraints and takes dilution into account by generating multiple scenarios for assessment. Unlike other panel caving systems, he claimed, results are readily visualised for determining sequencing and are auditable for confident decision support.

“Because the projected promised economic value is associated with realistic plans, operations will also benefit from tighter integration between planning and operational areas,” he added.

“Importantly for users, the calculations in CaveLogic are transparent. The planning engineer is in total control of tracking all of the variables and processes. This leads to better strategies with direct implications for improving business outcomes.”

According to Maptek, this development references globalised environmental values and targets the natural trend toward underground mining, where automation is the key to unlocking productivity, safety and efficiency. The system works directly with Maptek Vulcan mine planning systems.

CaveLogic is applicable to greenfield and brownfield projects. It can also guide management decisions at open-pit operations, where feasibility studies are required to evaluate the transition to underground mining.