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  Drillhole Databases In Microsoft Access

GR-FX has developed drillhole database systems in Access that allow its clients to utilise the power of the database whilst still continuing to operate the mining tools that they are used to. Systems have been setup to work closely with Surpac, Micromine and Datamine. The most common attributes of these systems are good database design, a selection of queries to test the integrity of the data, a full drillhole report, merging facilities for assay labs and exporting to the mining product. The standard data management includes sample number and depth incrementing. The users then either build their own functionality or special features are developed such as high grade intersection calculations and loading from data loggers. It is important to note that every system is developed after the database has been designed. This is the best way to get the most out of the Access environment.

These drillholes systems have been deployed in the Gobi Desert for Ivanhoe, Henty Gold Mine, Renison in Tasmania, Broken Hill for Perilya, Selwyn near Mt. Isa, RGC Thalanga, The Granites,  Queensland Magnesia, South Bulga, Furtei SGM in Italy, Triarco Minerals in Sydney, Gympie Gold in Queensland, Cadia Mine  and Menzies Gold (Indonesia). Drillhole and geochem database support has been provided at Peak in Cobar, Kundana in Kalgoorlie, Norths and AMDAD in Brisbane.  We have also developed time based environmental management software for RGC sites in Tasmania.

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Field Based Logging --
A sample of what we do

Rugged Laptop

GR-FX has developed field based logging systems for a large mine in NSW.  These systems have been developed using Microsoft Access and run on highly ruggerdised laptop computers called Hammerheads.  These are monochrome Pentium computers that will interface your local PC through a infrared port.  They are operated through a digital pen. 

The key characteristics of the software that we have developed is that the user should hardly ever use the keyboard.   This is because the keyboard is non existent. So everything must be point and click.  See demonstrations of the following systems

Blast Logging   Blast-FX ®

Face Mapping Face-FX ®   Exploration Logging Explore-FX ®

Customised Drillhole System Development  - Because of our experience in setting up Access for drillhole databases, we will provide competitive development of the user interface for your Access database whilst assisting you in the more critical design of your drillhole database.In all our drillhole systems we always check the data for geological integrity before we transfer it to the mining software. A copy of these queries which you can modify for your database can be purchased as can any other specialist help.

Whilst all jobs are different, we generally charge a small rental fee for use of the libraries and techniques that we have already developed plus the time that it takes to design/develop the database and software.   Our development is very interactive ensuring that you have good cost control of the project.

Normal a job would involve
bulletam assessment of your current data database
bulletdata entry forms for all the tables
bulletincrementing sample numbers in the assay table
bulletincrementing from/to depths in all the downhole tables
bulletfull hole renaming and deletion to complement the Access relational model
bulletintegrity queries
bulleta very basic drillhole report
bulletunload all tables to text utility
bulleta form to calculate length weighted averages for single element intersections.

In addition to that we can assist you to implementation of Combo Boxes for lookup tables in the database design and help you setup Surpac ready databases with ddb files ready to go.

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Download an Access 2000/2002/2003 drillhole database sample 

 

Drillhole Sample - Purchase the source code for the sample database  
Costs US$150

 

  Click here for an example of a drillhole data entry form   

Drillhole Demo - An alternative setup for data entry of multiple tables using the FX Toolbar

Integrity Queries Demo - Overlapping Samples, Beyond End Of Hole and Multiple Samples

Reporting - Using special functions, we can translate the codes from Surpac lookup tables and output better descriptions of geological data in a readable sentence.   This can be applied to other forms of lookup tables.  This example is from a coal project In Western Australia.

hole_id

depth_to

thickness

GeoDescription

F1001

17.26

BRIGHT BANDED (60% - 90% BRIGHT), BLACK, BRITTLE, CORE SLIGHTLY BROKEN,FINELY CLEATED IN TOP 0. 15M.,

F1001

17.54

0.28

DULL-FREQ. BRIGHT(10-40% BRIGHT), BLACK, BRITTLE, CORE BROKEN,

F1001

18.42

BRIGHT BANDED (60% - 90% BRIGHT), BLACK, BRITTLE, CORE SLIGHTLY BROKEN,BROKEN IN TOP HALF. NON ADHESIONAL CONTACT.,

F1001

18.58

0.16

CARBONACEOUS, FINING UPWARDS, GRADATIONAL BASE, TOWARDS BASE OF UNIT,

F1001

18.74

0.16

RED, BROWN,

F1001

18.9

0.16

CLAYEY, FERRUGINOUS,

The following example shows coordinates being calculated on the fly in a Access query for straight holes.  This would allow your access data to be utilised immediately in a Desktop Mapping Product such as Map Info.

hole_id

bed_id

lithology

totdepth

seam_id

thickness

DepthTop

east

north

rl

rlTop

12039B

1

UN

137.00

12.00

0.00

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

504.90

12039B

2

SH

137.00

4.00

12.00

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

492.90

12039B

3

SH

137.00

13.40

16.00

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

488.90

12039B

4

COAL

137.00

1

2.90

29.40

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

475.50

12039B

5

SH

137.00

4.50

32.30

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

472.60

12039B

6

LS

137.00

3.20

36.80

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

468.10

12039B

7

SH

137.00

3.30

40.00

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

464.90

12039B

8

LS

137.00

5.80

43.30

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

461.60

12039B

9

SH

137.00

2.90

49.10

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

455.80

12039B

10

SS

137.00

20.00

52.00

286033.69

430080.31

504.90

452.90

The following form will calculate weighted averages on any field in the assay results table.  The results shown are for Copper

 Example Weighted Average Query

MinDepthFrom

MaxDepthTo

totLenCore

cuAvg

cuWgtAvg

22

62

40

2336.65

2334.35

Following is an example of the overlaps query that can be setup for any hole in a database.  Queries like this help ensure the integrity of the database and reduce time wasted in mining packages.

HoleID

DepthFrom1

DepthTo1

DepthFrom2

DepthTo2

869

6

7

5

6.1

DD94CD13

9.8

12

8

10

Importing and Exporting is especially critical in mining packages.  The following example shows a customised exporting and reporting form that allows you to select what collars you want through the access query design interface and which tables you want to export.  Because datamine uses special custom formats for its direct table loads, these are generated using Access Basic code.  This saves the extra step to convert fixed width text files into datamine tables.   This client now runs a number of users on an Access database and this frees up the datamine workstations to run specific geological applications.

Exporting To Datamine Example

ConsultantsCustomised Drillhole Software ???

GR-FX Pty Limited is a consulting firm that has many years experience setting up drillhole systems in Relational Databases.  Our final custom Access software generally becomes a simple system that requires less than an hours training if you are experienced in using Windows Applications.  We set up our software to complement mining packages rather than compete with them.  Our systems are automatically multi user on Windows file shares and do not have any cumbersome security devices.  

Can we help you ?

 

 

 

Contact GR-FX  here