GEMS62 Foundation PDF

Foundation Manual
Version 6.2
January 2009
Gemcom Software International Inc. Tel +1 604.684.6550

1066 West Hastings Street, Suite 1100 Fax +1 604.684.3541
Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 3X1 www.gemcomsupport.com
Copyright © 2009 Gemcom Software International Inc.
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Gemcom Software International Inc.
Suite 1100 – 1066 West Hastings Street Tel: +1 604.684.6550
Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 3X1 Fax: +1 604.684.3541
Web site: www.gemcomsupport.com
Gemcom, the Gemcom logo, combinations thereof, and GEMS are trademarks of Gemcom Software
International Inc.
Revision date: 2/27/2009
Table of Contents
Course Overview ...................................................................................................................... 10
Course Structure Flow ............................................................................................................................ 11
Introduction............................................................................................................................... 14
Data Objects ........................................................................................................................................... 14
Data Display Operations......................................................................................................................... 15
Viewing Data in GEMS ........................................................................................................................... 15
3D Projections...................................................................................................................................... 17
2D View Planes ................................................................................................................................... 18
Spatial Filtering in 3D........................................................................................................................... 19
Getting Started.......................................................................................................................... 20

System Requirements ............................................................................................................................ 20
Window Layout ....................................................................................................................................... 21
Menu Bar ............................................................................................................................................. 22
Toolbar ................................................................................................................................................. 23
Project View Area ................................................................................................................................ 23
Status Bar ............................................................................................................................................ 24
Shortcuts................................................................................................................................................. 24
Using the Mouse and Keyboard .......................................................................................................... 24
Using the Keyboard ............................................................................................................................. 25
3D Graphics Interface............................................................................................................................. 26
Lab Exercise: Opening Data in GEMS ................................................................................................... 28
Lab Exercise: Viewing Data in GEMS .................................................................................................... 29
Review .................................................................................................................................................... 30
Appendix: Toolbar Buttons ..................................................................................................................... 31
Project Data Management ........................................................................................................ 38

Starting GEMS ........................................................................................................................................ 38
Project Databases .................................................................................................................................. 38
Creating a New Project........................................................................................................................... 38
Backing Up Data ..................................................................................................................................... 41
Lab Exercise: Creating and Opening GEMS Projects ............................................................................ 42
Review .................................................................................................................................................... 43
Workspace Concepts ............................................................................................................... 44

Inside a GEMS Workspace .................................................................................................................... 44
Workspace Tables ............................................................................................................................... 44
Workspace Records ............................................................................................................................ 44
Workspace Fields ................................................................................................................................ 45
Workspace Structure ........................................................................................................................... 45
Workspace Limits ................................................................................................................................ 46
Data Types........................................................................................................................................... 46
Special Values for Fields and Records ................................................................................................ 48
Selecting a Workspace ........................................................................................................................... 49
Creating and Modifying Workspaces ..................................................................................... 50

Minimum Workspace Structures............................................................................................................. 50
The Workspace Structure Editor ............................................................................................................ 50
The Menu Bar ...................................................................................................................................... 51
Toolbar ................................................................................................................................................. 52
Creating a New Workspace .................................................................................................................... 53
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Table of Contents
A Standard or Custom Workspace ...................................................................................................... 53

Copy the Structure of an Existing Workspace ..................................................................................... 55
Modifying an Existing Workspace .......................................................................................................... 57
Workspace Level ................................................................................................................................. 57
Table Level .......................................................................................................................................... 58
Field Level............................................................................................................................................ 58
Deleting a Workspace ............................................................................................................................ 58
Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Workspaces ............................................................................... 60
Review .................................................................................................................................................... 62
Profiles and Profile Groups ..................................................................................................... 63

What are Profiles? .................................................................................................................................. 63
Commonly Required Profiles ............................................................................................................... 63
Profile Dialog box ................................................................................................................................. 64
What are Profile Groups? ....................................................................................................................... 66
Setting up Profile Groups..................................................................................................................... 66
Lab Exercise: Defining Colour Profiles ................................................................................................... 69
Lab Exercise: Defining Point Area Display Profiles ................................................................................ 71
Lab Exercise: Defining Line Display and Status Line Profiles ................................................................ 72
Lab Exercise: Defining Rock Code Profiles............................................................................................ 73
Lab Exercise: Defining and Modifying Profile Groups ............................................................................ 74
Review .................................................................................................................................................... 75
Editing Data............................................................................................................................... 76

The Workspace Editor Window .............................................................................................................. 76
Selecting and Editing Data ..................................................................................................................... 77
Rearranging and Sorting Data ................................................................................................................ 77
Using the Mouse .................................................................................................................................. 78
The Menu................................................................................................................................................ 79
File ....................................................................................................................................................... 79
Edit ....................................................................................................................................................... 80
Goto ..................................................................................................................................................... 82
View ..................................................................................................................................................... 82
Options................................................................................................................................................. 83
Importing Data .......................................................................................................................... 85

Importing GDE 4.x Workspaces ............................................................................................................. 85
Importing Drillhole Data .......................................................................................................................... 85
Import Drillhole Data ............................................................................................................................ 86
Defining Import Profiles ....................................................................................................................... 87
Importing Point Data (ASCII or Extraction File) ................................................................................... 90
Importing Polyline Data .......................................................................................................................... 92
Importing Polyline Data (ASCII, DXF, or DWG) .................................................................................. 93
Importing Triangulation Data .................................................................................................................. 95
Importing Triangulations (ASCII, DXF, or DWG) ................................................................................. 95
Importing Triangulations (BT2) ............................................................................................................ 97
Lab Exercise: Importing Drillhole Data ................................................................................................. 100
Lab Exercise: Importing Point Data ...................................................................................................... 101
Lab Exercise: Importing Polyline Data ................................................................................................. 102
Lab Exercise: Importing Triangulation Data ......................................................................................... 103
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 104
Validating Data........................................................................................................................ 105

Validating Drillhole and Traverse Data ................................................................................................. 105
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Table of Contents
Checking Duplication of Field Data ...................................................................................................... 106
Reports .................................................................................................................................... 109

Quick Workspace Report...................................................................................................................... 109
Workspace Status Report..................................................................................................................... 110
Workspace Record Status Report ........................................................................................................ 111
Workspace Structure Report ................................................................................................................ 112
Working with Drillholes .......................................................................................................... 113

Opening Drillhole Data ......................................................................................................................... 113
Open Drillholes .................................................................................................................................. 114
Re-Open Drillholes ............................................................................................................................ 114
Close Drillholes .................................................................................................................................. 114
Selecting Drillhole Intersects ................................................................................................................ 115
Select and Snap Settings .................................................................................................................. 115
Displaying Drillhole Data ...................................................................................................................... 116
Lab Exercise: Defining Drillhole Display Profiles.................................................................................. 118
Lab Exercise: Opening Drillholes ......................................................................................................... 119
Lab Exercise: Selecting Drillholes ........................................................................................................ 120
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 121
Data Manipulation................................................................................................................... 122

Simple and Conditional Manipulation of Fields .................................................................................... 123
Syntax ................................................................................................................................................ 123
Cross-Table Transfer of Data ............................................................................................................... 123
Linear Interpretation of Field................................................................................................................. 125
Format String Field ............................................................................................................................... 125
Co-ordinate Transformation.................................................................................................................. 126
Desurvey Tables of Data ...................................................................................................................... 127
Special Drillhole Data Process ............................................................................................................. 127
Lab Exercise: Simple Manipulation ...................................................................................................... 129
Lab Exercise: Conditional Manipulation ............................................................................................... 130
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 131
Filters and Key Indices .......................................................................................................... 132

Select Record to Process Dialog Box ................................................................................................ 132
Using Filters .......................................................................................................................................... 133
GEMS Filters...................................................................................................................................... 133
SQL Filters ......................................................................................................................................... 135
Using Key Indices ................................................................................................................................. 136
Key Indices ........................................................................................................................................ 137
Creating and Modifying Key Index Filters .......................................................................................... 137
Lab Exercise: GEMS Filters ................................................................................................................. 139
Lab Exercise: SQL Filters ..................................................................................................................... 140
Lab Exercise: Key Indices .................................................................................................................... 141
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 142
View Profiles ........................................................................................................................... 143

Vertical Section ..................................................................................................................................... 143
Looking North/South/East/West ........................................................................................................ 143
From Endpoints ................................................................................................................................. 144
Select from List .................................................................................................................................. 144
Select Graphically .............................................................................................................................. 145
Define Vertical Sections..................................................................................................................... 145
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Table of Contents
Inclined Section .................................................................................................................................... 146

Select from List .................................................................................................................................. 146
Arbitrary Plane ................................................................................................................................... 147
Plane Through 3 Data Points............................................................................................................. 147
Define Inclined Sections .................................................................................................................... 147
Plan View .............................................................................................................................................. 148
Looking Down .................................................................................................................................... 148
Select from List .................................................................................................................................. 148
Define Plan Views .............................................................................................................................. 149
Ending Sectional Views ........................................................................................................................ 149
Create Sections .................................................................................................................................... 150
Parallel Sections ................................................................................................................................ 150
Along Line .......................................................................................................................................... 151
From Current View ............................................................................................................................. 151
Lab Exercise: Defining Plan Views ....................................................................................................... 153
Lab Exercise: Defining Vertical Sections.............................................................................................. 154
Lab Exercise: Defining Inclined Sections ............................................................................................. 155
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 156
Extracting Data ....................................................................................................................... 157

Desurveying Data ................................................................................................................................. 157
Point Workspaces .............................................................................................................................. 157
Traverse Workspaces ........................................................................................................................ 157
Drillhole Workspaces ......................................................................................................................... 159
Polygon Workspaces ......................................................................................................................... 161
Cross-Referencing Data ....................................................................................................................... 161
Creating the Point Area ........................................................................................................................ 164
Workspace Tab .................................................................................................................................. 164
Data Tab ............................................................................................................................................ 165
Location tab ....................................................................................................................................... 166
Filter Tab ............................................................................................................................................ 166
Viewing the Point Area ......................................................................................................................... 167
Using the Point Area ............................................................................................................................. 167
Drillhole Compositing ............................................................................................................ 168

Compositing Calculation .................................................................................................................... 168
Treatment of Data Types ................................................................................................................... 169
Treatment of Special Values.............................................................................................................. 169
Compositing Existing Workspace Data (Drillhole-only Compositing) ................................................... 169
Drillhole-Solid Compositing .................................................................................................................. 169
Before Calculating Composite Values .................................................................................................. 170
Drillhole Workspace ........................................................................................................................... 171
Validating Intervals ............................................................................................................................... 171
Compositing Profiles............................................................................................................................. 171
Preparing the Composite Table ............................................................................................................ 173
Calculating Composites ........................................................................................................................ 173
Updating the Composite Table .......................................................................................................... 174
Thickness Calculation........................................................................................................................... 174
Assigning Grades to Solids from Drillholes .......................................................................................... 175
Lab Exercise: Compositing High Grade Intersects............................................................................... 177
Lab Exercise: Compositing Drillhole/Solid Intersects ........................................................................... 179
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 180
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Table of Contents
Working with Point Data ........................................................................................................ 181

Using Points.......................................................................................................................................... 181
Point-area vs. Point Workspaces ......................................................................................................... 181
Displaying Points .................................................................................................................................. 182
Displaying Control Stations................................................................................................................ 183
Add the Workspace .............................................................................................................................. 184
The Point Menu .................................................................................................................................... 184
Data ................................................................................................................................................... 184
Create ................................................................................................................................................ 184
Edit ..................................................................................................................................................... 186
Select ................................................................................................................................................. 187
Display ............................................................................................................................................... 188
Lab Exercise: Working with Points ....................................................................................... 189

Basic Polyline Tools............................................................................................................... 191
Types of Polylines ................................................................................................................................ 191
Rules for Creating Polylines (for Solid Creation) .................................................................................. 192
The Project View .................................................................................................................................. 192
Opening/Closing Polylines ................................................................................................................. 193
Saving Polylines ................................................................................................................................ 193
Copying and Pasting Polylines .......................................................................................................... 193
The Polyline Menu ................................................................................................................................ 193
Data ................................................................................................................................................... 194
Create ................................................................................................................................................ 194
Vertex................................................................................................................................................. 195
Line .................................................................................................................................................... 196
Multiline .............................................................................................................................................. 197
Select ................................................................................................................................................. 197
Display ............................................................................................................................................... 198
Utils .................................................................................................................................................... 198
Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Polylines .................................................................................. 199
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 201
Basic Surface Modelling ........................................................................................................ 202

Surface Features .................................................................................................................................. 202
Surface Creation Data Elements ....................................................................................................... 202
Opening Surfaces ................................................................................................................................. 202
Creating Surfaces ................................................................................................................................. 203
Forcing Triangulation Edges .............................................................................................................. 203
Surface Boundary Trimming .............................................................................................................. 204
Creating Surface from Active Data .................................................................................................... 204
Creating Surface using Laplace Gridding .......................................................................................... 204
Laplace Gridded Surfaces Versus Surfaces Created from Active Data ............................................ 205
Laplace Gridded Surfaces ................................................................................................................. 206
Displaying Surfaces .............................................................................................................................. 207
Display Overrides .............................................................................................................................. 207
Properties........................................................................................................................................... 207
Checking Solid/Surface Validity............................................................................................................ 208
Reporting Surface Volumes.................................................................................................................. 208
Lab Exercise: Creating Basic Surface .................................................................................................. 209
Lab Exercise: Creating Surface Representing a Hanging Wall............................................................ 210
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 211
Basic Solid Modelling ............................................................................................................ 212
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Table of Contents
Types of Solids ..................................................................................................................................... 212

Geology Solids ................................................................................................................................... 212
Excavation Solids .............................................................................................................................. 212
Solid Creation Guidelines ..................................................................................................................... 213
Components of a Solid ......................................................................................................................... 214
Creating Solids ..................................................................................................................................... 215
Create Solid from Tied Polylines ....................................................................................................... 215
Extrude Active Centrelines into Solid ................................................................................................ 216
Extrude Active Closed Polylines into Solid ........................................................................................ 216
Create Solid from 2 Non-Intersecting Surfaces ................................................................................. 216
Displaying Solids .................................................................................................................................. 217
Show Solid/View Intersection Polyline Only ...................................................................................... 217
Show Solid/View Shadow Projection ................................................................................................. 217
Edit Solid/Surface Attributes .............................................................................................................. 217
Checking Solid/Surface Validity............................................................................................................ 217
Reporting Solid Volumes ...................................................................................................................... 218
Lab Exercise: Creating Solids from Tied Polylines............................................................................... 219
Lab Exercise: Creating Solids from Extruded Centrelines ................................................................... 220
Review .................................................................................................................................................. 221
Plotting in GEMS .................................................................................................................... 222

Plane Types .......................................................................................................................................... 222
Plane Plots on Surfaces .................................................................................................................... 222
Plane Plots on Plan Views ................................................................................................................. 222
Plane Plots on Vertical Sections ........................................................................................................ 222
Plane Plots on Inclined Sections ....................................................................................................... 223
Types of Plane Plots .......................................................................................................................... 223
Supported File Types......................................................................................................................... 223
Legends ................................................................................................................................................ 224
Drillhole Plotting Concepts ................................................................................................................... 224
Drillholes on Plan Views .................................................................................................................... 224
Drillholes on Vertical and Inclined Sections....................................................................................... 224
Projections ............................................................................................................................................ 225
Procedures for Plotting ......................................................................................................................... 225
Plotting All Displayed Data ................................................................................................................ 226
Plotting Drillholes Directly from Workspace ....................................................................................... 228
Plotting Points Directly from Workspace or Extraction File ............................................................... 230
Plotting Structure Maps from the Workspace .................................................................................... 232
Plotting Grid and Contour Maps ........................................................................................................ 235
Plotting Topographic Intersections .................................................................................................... 239
PlotMaker ................................................................................................................................ 241

Window Layout .................................................................................................................................. 241
Viewports ........................................................................................................................................... 241
Inserting Drawings, Bitmap Graphics, and OLE Objects ..................................................................... 242
Vector Drawings ................................................................................................................................ 242
Bitmap Graphics ................................................................................................................................ 243
OLE Objects....................................................................................................................................... 243
Adding Grids, Scale, and Scale bar ..................................................................................................... 244
Adding a Scale Bar ............................................................................................................................ 244
Creating a Grid .................................................................................................................................. 244
Editing a Grid ..................................................................................................................................... 246
Adding Text, Lines, and Shapes........................................................................................................... 246
Text .................................................................................................................................................... 246
Lines and Shapes .............................................................................................................................. 246
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Table of Contents
Formatting Viewports............................................................................................................................ 246

Managing Objects with Layers ............................................................................................................. 247
Creating Templates .............................................................................................................................. 247
Lab Exercise: Plotting Using PlotMaker ............................................................................................... 249
Appendix: Toolbar Buttons ................................................................................................................... 250
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Course Overview
The Gemcom GEMS Foundation course is a comprehensive three-day course designed for new users. It
covers basic database management concepts; data entry and editing; drillhole, point, polyline, and
triangulation display; report generation; and data manipulation, filtering, and validation techniques. In
addition to plot generation on plans and sections, other common tasks encountered in an exploration or
mining environment, such as data analysis and surface creation, will also be briefly covered. GEMS
courses are designed to provide theory through lecture-style classes, augmented by hands-on exercises.
Course Prerequisites
Before taking this course, you require the following:
• Knowledge of Windows 2000, XP, or Vista Operating System.

• Knowledge of file management.
• Knowledge of ASCII format files and MS Excel.
The GEMS menu structure and graphical user interface (GUI) is similar to most windows based
packages, and, therefore, you need basic knowledge of the Windows operating system and environment.
Expected Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to accomplish the following:
• Create a new project in GEMS.

• Customise your graphical area to suit your working needs.
• Create, add, and modify workspaces.
• Set up profiles for all parameters in the system.
• Add and modify section views.
• Load and display drillholes into the graphical work area.
• Filter data from the workspace.
• Manipulate data in the workspace.
• Perform Univariate and Multivariate Analysis of the data.
• Extract Points from drillhole data.
• Create Points and Polylines.
• Plot all displayed data.
• Use PlotMaker to define specific plot styles.
• Perform Batch Plotting of the data.
• Use drillhole data to create basic surfaces.
• Digitize simple 3D rings from interpreted drillhole data and use to create a solid.
• Generate reports.
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Course Overview Course Structure Flow
Course Structure Flow

Concepts Topics
Day 1
Morning
General Procedures for Getting Started Opening a project
Opening/saving/closing data into the graphical work
area
Using the view position toolbar
Viewing data properties
Creating a new project in GEMS
Break
GEMS Workspace Basics What is a workspace?
Creating workspaces for drillholes
Importing drillhole data into a workspace
Manually entering data into the workspace
Adjusting the format of the data editor
Validating the drillhole data
Afternoon
Working with Drillholes Creating Sections and Planviews
Defining colour profiles and drillhole display profiles
Opening Drillhole data into the graphical area
Viewing data on section and planview
Break
Working with point data Creating a point area workspace
Importing points into a point area workspace
Defining the point display profile
Opening points the graphical area
Working with polyline data Creating a polyline workspace
Importing polylines from DXF or ASCII Files into a
polyline workspace
Defining the polyline display profile
Opening polylines into the graphical area
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Concepts Topics
Day 2
Morning
Review
Compositing Drillholes Compositing methods
Modifying the workspace to accommodate composite
results
Calculating the composite
Performing a thickness calculation
Displaying drillholes with the calculated composites
Break
Filtering Data Working with GEMS Filters
Working with SQL filters
Manipulating data Defining manipulations for 8 different methods, some of
which include simple manipulation, conditional
manipulation, cross table transfer and de-surveying a
table
Afternoon
Reporting data Creating a workspace structure report
Generating a quick report
Preparing a user defined report
Break
Analysis Data Extraction from the workspace
Univariate Statistics
Multivariate Statistics
Surface Modeling Creating a workspace for the surface
Selecting the drillhole intersects for the surface
Preparing the surface from active data
Preparing the surface using Laplace gridding
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Concepts Topics
Day 3
Morning
Review
Plotting Data Creating drillhole plots from displayed data
Creating symbol plots from displayed data
Creating a grid and contour plot
Create a structure plot
Batch plotting
Break
Plotmaker Defining Plotstyles
Creating extra viewports
Creating title blocks and graphical images
Saving images into catalogues
Defining grid transformations
Afternoon
Solid Modeling What are the basic polyline types and uses
Digitizing new polylines
Making polyline modifications
Defining 3D rings on section or plan
Break
Solid Modeling (cont’d) Using tie lines to connect 3D rings
Basics rules for the creations of rings and tie lines
Grooming the 3D rings
Creating the solid from rings and tie lines
Plotting the solid on section
Updating the drillhole workspace with the solid
intersections
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Introduction
GEMS is an integrated software system for data management and analysis, solids modelling, and mine
production planning. It lets you to manage, manipulate, and view data from all phases of the mineral
exploration and mining process.
Using GEMS, you can store, manage, report, display, and analyse, both statistically and geostatistically,
any type of spatial data combined with any qualitative or quantitative data. GEMS provides extensive
graphical editing facilities and other practical tools to make all aspects of geological and ore reserve
modelling, and open pit and underground mine planning and design, fast, flexible, and easy to
understand.
GEMS is available in several configurations. Licencees with extended performance packages will have
access to additional utilities and/or specialised tools.
Common to all GEMS installations is a 2D (two-dimensional) and 3D (three-dimensional) graphical
environment where you can display, edit, and model data from a variety of sources. The powerful viewing
capabilities of GEMS provide an ideal environment for looking at your data in overview or in detail.
This chapter covers the following topics:
• Data objects
• Data Display Operations
• Viewing Data in GEMS
Data Objects
In GEMS, you can view several types of 2D and 3D data objects. Among other functions, GEMS lets you:
• Display drillholes and use downhole intersections to interactively create geological interpretations
and surfaces.
• Display block-model data in several different forms.
• Display and use points from point workspaces or extraction files.
• Display, create, edit, and manipulate polyline data. Polylines can be used to define surface or sub-
surface contour lines, feature lines, or rock code boundaries that can be used for surface
triangulation or solids modelling.
• Create a surface using a triangulated irregular network (TIN) from combinations of drillhole
intersects, points, and polylines.
• Perform surface-to-surface and surface-to-polyline intersections.
• Contour surfaces, smooth contours.
• Create solid models using three-dimensional triangulation. Sophisticated tie line technology allows
complex solids to be created.
• Perform solid-to-solid and solid-to-surface intersections.
• Contour solids.
• Update block models from solids, polygons, or points.
• View drillholes, block models, points, polylines, surfaces, and solids in three dimensions using
either a wire-frame mode, or colour-rendered mode with hidden line and surface removal.
• Quickly switch between 3D viewing and 2D vertical and inclined sections, and plan views.
• Use powerful data-selection tools to select items by virtually any attribute.
• Produce colour-rendered hard-copy output direct to raster plotters using HPGL/2 or Postscript.
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Introduction Data Display Operations
Data Display Operations

Data that resides on a disk must go through several steps before it can be viewed or usefully
manipulated. There may be up to three steps in this process.
Process Description
Opening and Closing Data When you open data, GEMS brings the data from the workspace (or other
source) into the current work session. This is the environment in which the
project data you selected and wish to study resides, along with all the particular
settings you have chosen to best view the data.
Some opening operations leave the data inactive or hidden; others activate or
display it immediately. You can usually close all data or all active data at any
time, and there are many options for filtering the data you wish to open, or
specifying particular classes of data you wish to close.
Activating and Deactivating You can only manipulate or use active data for most operations. To activate an
Data inactive data object or deactivate an active one, you use a select command.
Sometimes, you choose a deselect command to deactivate an object. Other
times, you can apply a select operation to an object that is currently active.
Inactive points and polylines, when visible, are often drawn in a fainter colour
than active data. Surfaces and solids are never visible unless active.
Displaying and Hiding Data You can choose to display or hide most kinds of active or inactive loaded data.
Hiding does not unload or deactivate the data, GEMS simply makes it invisible.
Conversely, visible data is not necessarily active or available for certain
operations.
Viewing Data in GEMS

GEMS features an interactive graphical environment designed to offer data viewing, editing, and
modelling in either three or two dimensions.
The three-dimensional viewing function provides you with two different viewing modes--wireframe and
rendered--each of which can be viewed in two different projection modes--orthogonal and perspective.
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Introduction Viewing Data in GEMS
Viewing Mode Description

Wireframe (normal) mode This mode is the usual viewing mode used for data editing and modelling operations.
Data is shown with no hidden line or hidden surface removal, and all facets of
triangulated surfaces (surface models or solid models) are completely transparent.
The nodes of all polylines are shown with small symbols.
Solid Rendered (Z-buffer) This mode is most commonly used for data display and hard copy purposes. All data
mode is shown using full hidden line and hidden surface removal. All triangulated surfaces
(surface models and solids models) are rendered in full colour in 2D and 3D using
configurable light sources at user-definable locations. Rendering is conducted by the
software and is extremely fast.
In both cases, view directions are assigned using the concept of a camera position, which is the
viewpoint, and a target position, which is used as the centre of the view. The field of view is defined using
a focal length for an imaginary lens that you are looking through. You can interactively modify all the view
Page 16 of 257
parameters by spinning the view around with the mouse, by picking camera and target positions with the
mouse, or by explicitly defining view parameters.
3D Projections
In 3D-viewing mode, you can use one of two standard data projections:
Data Projections Description

Orthometric view In this mode, all vertical lines appear parallel, and all horizontal lines appear parallel.
All dimensions of displayed objects are scaled equally.
Perspective view In this mode, vertical and horizontal lines tend towards vanishing points on the
horizon. The amount of perspective distortion that is applied to the projection is
dependent on the view position and the focal length that you have defined. Closer
objects appear larger.
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The default viewing mode for GEMS is a perspective view using a wire-frame mode. Data projection can
be set in Window > Set Display Area Options > Camera tab.
2D View Planes
GEMS allows you to use 2D view planes as an added method of looking at your data. Two-dimensional
view planes consist of vertical sections, inclined sections, or plan views. You can quickly toggle between
a 3D view and a 2D view with a single keystroke.
You can use view planes for data management and modelling, as all polylines and contours are tagged
with an associated view plane as an attribute. Therefore, you can select data for modelling on the basis of
the view plane as well as other attributes.
Selecting the 2D view planes is a simple and quick process, with a variety of selection methods available
for each type of plane.
Vertical Sections
You can define vertical sections

with the section line oriented in any
direction.
These types of sections can be
defined with the section line
oriented in any direction. To select
or define a vertical section, you
can:
• Pick the section interactively

with the mouse from a series
of section lines displayed in
3D.
• Interactively use the mouse
to digitise the section
endpoints.
A vertical section view plane shown in 3D
• Interactively use a “slider” to locate the section plane, looking towards the north, south, east, or
west.
• Use section definitions from other GEMS projects.
Inclined Sections
As with vertical sections, inclined

sections can be defined with the
section line oriented in any direction.
To select or define inclined sections
you can do the following:
• Fit a plane through three data

points by interactively selecting
the points with the mouse.
• Fit a plane through three
explicitly defined points.
• Define a plane using an origin
location and angles.
• Use section definitions from
other GEMS projects.
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An inclined section view plane shown in 3D
Plan Views
Plan views are horizontal slices through

the data, and can be selected or
defined by doing the following:
• Pick the plan view interactively

with the mouse from a series of
plan view lines displayed in 3D.
• Interactively use a “slider” to
locate the plan view.
• Use plan view definitions from
other GEMS projects.
A plan view plane shown in 3D
Spatial Filtering in 3D
You can perform sophisticated spatial filtering on your data while in 3D viewing mode. The spatial filters
that you can apply use the definitions of the view planes that are defined in the previous section.
In addition to the parameters used to define the location and extent of the plane in space, each view
plane definition has a “towards” and an “away” projection distance that is used to define a spatial filter on
each side of the plane. These spatial filters permit only data falling within the projection distances to be
displayed.
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Getting Started
• System Requirements
• Window Layout
• Shortcuts
• 3D Graphics Interface
• Appendix: Toolbar Buttons
System Requirements
In order to use GEMS to its full potential, you should have the recommended hardware and software, as
well as some optional peripherals for graphical input and output:
End User Server (for GEMS SQL Version)

Description Recommended Recommended
Operating System Windows XP Professional Service Windows 2003 Server Service Pack 1 (or
Pack 2 (or higher) higher)
Memory 2 GB 4 GB
Processor/Motherboard Pentium 4 3.4 GHz Dual Pentium 4 or Xeon 3.2 GHz
256kb L2 cache 800 MHz FS bus 1MB L2 cache 800 MHz FS bus
Hard drives Serial ATA EIDE controller 160GB Ultra3 SCSI Hot Swap RAID 5
ATA/100 7200 RPM HDD 3.5" FDD 250 GB (usable)
(Optional)
24x IDE CD ROM
Monitor 21" CRT 22mm dot Generic
Graphics adapter OpenGL 256 MB RAM Generic 800 x 600
32 bit colour
1024 x 768 SVGA (or greater)
Network 100/1000 mbps 100/1000 mbps
Plotter Any Windows supported device N/A
Digitiser Any Windows supported device N/A
(WinTAB)
Tape drive (for backups) N/A DLT 40GB (internal or external)
RDBMS N/A Microsoft SQL Server 2000**
(Service Pack 3a or higher)
or
Microsoft SQL Server 2005
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Getting Started Window Layout
Window Layout
The GEMS window is divided into the following areas:
Area Description
Title Bar The Title Bar at the top of the window contains the name and version of the application and
the name of the project. The Minimise, Maximise, and Close command buttons are located
at the far right.
Menu Bar The Menu Bar lists the available pull-down menus enabled in your GEMS configuration. You
can choose menus and menu commands with the mouse or keyboard. Choosing a
command usually triggers an action or displays a dialog box.
Custom Menu Bar Custom menus are expanded menus or submenus that enable you to access a set of
commands by descending through fewer levels than using the main Menu Bar. They also
group commands from various menus in a way that fits your needs.
You can drag a floating Custom Menu Bar to a screen location where it will not interfere with
your data or with existing menus. Custom Menu Bars behave like the regular Menu Bar in all
other ways. Choose Options > Toolbar > Custom Menu to select from a list of Custom
Menu Bars.
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Area Description
Toolbar This row of buttons underneath the menus provides a convenient way to access some of the
most common operations. In general, each button corresponds to an existing menu
command.
A toolbar button can be quickly selected with the mouse. Each button is identified by a
symbol; you can also hover your mouse pointer over the button to display the button name.
Graphical Work This area displays your data and the current session. Initially, this area surrounds the extent
Area of the data, but you can also cover other areas by panning this window or you can cover
areas in more detail by zooming the window. A minimal set of co-ordinate grid lines is often
displayed so you can see the location and extent of the work area.
You can graphically select most data objects one at a time by clicking on the object you
want. You can also deselect the selected object by clicking a second time.
Note: You cannot select drillhole data objects in the graphical work area.
Project View Area This area contains an Objects tab and a Profiles tab that you use to view the structure of
your project (in folder trees) and quickly review all of your GEMS profiles. Use the Project
View Area button on the toolbar (or choose Window > Show Project View Area) to hide or
show the Project View Area.
Status Bar The status bar displays user prompts and messages, and information about the current
operation and your data.
The Menu Bar, Toolbar, Project View Area, and Status Bar are covered in more detail in the following
sections.
Menu Bar
GEMS menus are organised in a pull-down style that appears across the top of the window. To select a
menu and its command, click the menu name or use single key or key combination shortcuts.
Method to Access Menus Description

Accessing Menus with the Mouse To access the pull-down menus using the mouse follow these steps.
1. Move the mouse cursor from the graphics area to the desired menu on
the menu bar.
2. When the cursor changes from a cross to an arrowhead, click the
mouse to “pull down” a list of commands.
3. Move the pointer to the desired menu command, and click the mouse to
select it.
Accessing Menus with the Instead of using a mouse, there are designated keys on your keyboard that
Keyboard you can press to access the menu system.
1. To select a menu on the menu bar, press both the ALT key and the
underlined letter (accelerator key) in the menu name.
2. Then, to select an individual menu command, press the underlined letter
in the command name.
There is also a set of shortcut keys (single keys and key combinations) that
you can use to access some of the menu commands. These appear next to
the command names on the menus.
Use the underlined letters when you are within a pull-down menu; use the
shortcut keys when you are not in a pull-down menu.
Menu Conventions
The following symbols may appear beside commands on the pull-down menus:
• A checkmark (9) next to a command name means that the command is toggled on. When you
reselect the command to toggle off the command, the checkmark will vanish.
• A triangle arrow (4) next to a command name indicates that choosing the command will open a
submenu listing additional commands.
• A dimmed menu command is not available in the current mode.
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Toolbar
The toolbar is located directly below the menu bar and consists of buttons that you can use to perform
some of the more common menu functions.
To see what a particular button does without activating it, allow the mouse cursor to hover briefly over the
button. After a couple of seconds, a small box showing the name of the function will appear directly under
the mouse cursor.
Note: There are other customisable buttons that can be shown/hidden on the toolbar. These can be found by choosing
Options > Toolbar.
For a list of many of the toolbar buttons, see the Appendix: Toolbar Buttons.
Project View Area

You can use the Project View Area button on the toolbar (or Window > Show Project View Area) to hide
or show the Project View Area. This area contains an Objects tab and a Profiles tab. By using these
tabs, you can see the structure of your project (in folder trees) and quickly review all of your GEMS
profiles.
Objects Tab
A folder tree for your current project appears on this tab. Data object
types are identified by unique icons (Drillholes, Blocks, etc.).
Folder Tree
In the folder tree, click any icon containing a plus sign [+] to expand the
associated project or folder, revealing its contents. Clicking a box
containing a minus sign [-] will collapse the associated item.
An “eye” alongside an object workspace, indicates that some or all of the
data in the workspace is open and displayed in the work area. A “greyed
eye” alongside an object workspace, indicates that some or all of the data
in the workspace is open, but hidden (not visible) from the work area.
Caution: Use caution when deleting active data from a workspace

with hidden data because you will also delete the hidden
data. Once you delete the data, you will not be able to undo
the action.
A small black “checkmark” atop an icon, indicates that it is the default.
If the object workspace name is shown in red*, this indicates that changes have been made to the data in
memory only, and have not yet been saved back to the workspace.
You can perform the following actions using the folder tree:
• To open data, do one of the following:

♦ Right-click a workspace icon, and select Open.
♦ Drag and drop a workspace icon into the graphical work area
• To close data, right-click a workspace icon, and select Close.
• To Save Data (if the workspace name is red), right-click the workspace icon, and select Save.
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Getting Started Shortcuts
Profiles Tab
This section of the project view lists all available profile groups.
GEMS indicates the default profile group with a checkmark.
Expanding the default profile group shows a list of all available
profile types as folder icons. Expanding the folders shows the
profiles available in that profile type.
To review a profile:
• Expand a Profile Group to show the list of available

profiles, and then click the “+” sign beside a particular
profile to show its contents. In some cases, you can
right-click a particular profile to see its Properties.
Status Bar
The status bar displays user prompts and messages, and information about the current operation and
your data.
Prompts/Messages Description
User Prompt Prompts and messages appear at the left of the status bar.
Operation Status The current operation appears at the centre of the status bar.
Data Identification GEMS identifies whether you are in 2D or 3D mode and the name of the current plane.
World Co-ordinates The world co-ordinates of the current cursor location within the graphical work area
appear at the right of the status bar. The co-ordinates change as you change the
position of the cursor. If you are in 2D, the values are the local 2D co-ordinates and in
3D, they are the true 3D co-ordinates.
After selecting a menu command, refer to the status bar for information on what action you need to
perform. For example, if you select a command to draw a polyline, the status bar will provide a user
prompt on what action you need to do and how to finish your action.
Shortcuts
GEMS provides many mouse and keyboard and keyboard-only shortcuts to accomplish various
commands.
Using the Mouse and Keyboard

You can use the keyboard keys in conjunction with the mouse to accomplish the following zoom positions
and pan actions:
Zoom Position Mouse-Keyboard Combination

Zoom in or out CTRL+drag in the graphic window.
Rotate the mouse wheel.
Press PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN.
On the toolbar, click Zoom In or Zoom Out.
Zoom to a location ALT+drag to select a location in the graphic window.
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Getting Started Shortcuts
Zoom Position Mouse-Keyboard Combination

On the toolbar, click Resize , and then drag to select a location in the graphic window.
Zoom to fit On the toolbar, click Zoom to Extents.
Choose View > Zoom to Reference Image Extents.
Spin the scene In 3D view mode click in the graphical work area and drag the cursor to spin the data in
that direction around the view target.
Move or pan Use SHIFT+drag in the graphic window to pan in any direction
On the toolbar, click one of the scroll buttons to pan vertically or horizontally
Note: To reset your position in the graphics area, choose View > 3D Home. You will see the total extent of the data
displayed, and can then zoom and pan that graphic.
Using the Keyboard

GEMS provides the option for users to use the following shortcut keys:
Shortcut key Command/Function Menu

2 2D planar view mode View
3 3D perspective view mode View
SHIFT + 2 Return to last 2D view from 3D mode
SHIFT + 3 Return to last 3D view from 2D mode
F3 Zoom In View > Position
F4 Zoom Out View > Position
J Scroll Left View > Position
K Scroll Right View > Position
I Scroll Up View > Position
M Scroll Down View > Position
\ Resize View > Position
F7 Previous View View > Position
SHIFT + F7 Next View View > Position
C Set projection distances View
L Set large projections View
CTRL + N Select next plane View
CTRL + P Select previous plane View
R Redraw picture View
CTRL + R Re-Align Text View
? Gemcom settings Help
/ About GEMS Help
SHIFT + > Auto-rotate (Enter Vertical and Horizontal steps)
• Use the SPACEBAR to bring up a list of active solids/surfaces for selection during solid/surface
operations.
• Right-click the mouse button anywhere in the graphical work area to bring up the Express Menu
(command recall) of your 10 (or more) most recent commands
• Right-click the mouse button anywhere in the graphical work area and select View Settings
command or select the menu View > View Settings for the same option. This command allows
you to change show/hide toggles for data display.
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Getting Started 3D Graphics Interface
3D Graphics Interface
This section describes GEMS’ behaviour in the 3D graphics interface and customizations you can make .
Customisation Description
3D Reference Axis When you are viewing data in 3D, you can display 3D reference axes so that you
can spatially reference your data. These reference axes show the northing,
easting, and elevation directions, as well as a bounding box that surrounds the
extents of your data. Commands for axis display are found on the Window
menu.
Graphics Cursor
By default in 3D mode, the graphics cursor appears as a cross with
circular arrows in the lower right corner for rotating the view. In 2D, the
cursor appears as an arrow. When a command is prompting for
graphical input the graphics cursor appears as a crosshair.
Choose Options > Set Snapping Parameters > Set Pixel Tolerance
for Snapping to define the pixel tolerance of the cursor. This command
indicates the “snapping” tolerance when you pick points. The cursor is
moved by the mouse and is used for all graphical operations such as
digitising points, picking points, picking surfaces, picking solids, etc.
When the cursor moves off the graphics area onto the Menu Bar or onto a
pull-down menu, its shape changes to an arrow. When the arrow cursor is
displayed, it can only be used for selecting menu commands.
Snapping
To aid in making lines connect precisely, the graphics cursor offers a
"snapping" function. Click the mouse anywhere within the snapping
radius of an existing data point to move the cursor exactly to the
co-ordinates of that point. You can adjust this radius using a command
from the Options menu. The snap function works in any viewing mode.
Moving the Graphics Cursor

in 3D Mode When data is displayed in 3D mode, the location of the graphics cursor
is projected onto the active 2D view plane at the true 3D co-ordinates of
the projected location of the cursor. As you move the cursor, these
co-ordinates are updated along the bottom edge of the screen.
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Getting Started 3D Graphics Interface
Customisation Description
Moving the Graphics Cursor
in 2D Mode When you move the graphics cursor around the screen, the location of
the cursor appears in local 2D coordinates at the bottom of the screen.
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Getting Started Lab Exercise: Opening Data in GEMS
Lab Exercise: Opening Data in GEMS

In this lab, you will practice the skills you learned to open data in GEMS.
1. Choose Windows Start Menu > All Programs > GEMS > GEMS to open GEMS.
2. In a multi-user environment, you may be asked to select a seat. Choose one, and click OK.
3. If you have not previously opened GEMS, you will be asked to Set up a new project, or Open an
existing project. Select Open an existing project. Otherwise, GEMS will automatically open the
last opened project. In this case, wait for GEMS to open, then choose File > Open > Project.
4. Browse for the training project indicated by your instructor, and select the corresponding *.GPR file.
5. In the Project View Area, select a workspace, right-click on the workspace name, and choose
Open.
For drillholes:
a. In the Open Drillholes dialog box, select a Display Profile and Loading Profile. In this lab,
select Automatic for the Loading Profile.
b. In the Select Records to Process dialog box, choose All, and click OK. What do you notice
about the workspace icon?
For all other data objects:

a. In the Open Workspace, click OK.
b. In the Specific Records (Detailed) dialog box, select the records to open, and click OK. Or if
your instructor asks you to open all records, click Select All, then click OK. What do you
notice about the workspace icon?
6. After you have looked at the data in class, close the data. In the Project View Area, right-click the
workspace and select Close.
Time to complete: 15 minutes
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Getting Started Lab Exercise: Viewing Data in GEMS
Lab Exercise: Viewing Data in GEMS

In this lab, you will practice the skills you learned to view data in GEMS.
1. With data open in the Graphical Work Area, use the zoom and pan tools on the toolbar to view your
data. Experiment with the different visualization tools such as 3D versus 2D views, and
solid-rendered versus wireframe modes.
To zoom into data from a particular workspace*:

2. In the Project View Area, right-click on the open workspace, and choose Zoom to Fit. In 2D, you
will notice that the Graphical Work Area window has zoomed to the extents of data from that
workspace. In 3D, you will notice that the bounding box has resized to fit the data.
* With the exception of drillholes.
To zoom to all data extents:

3. On the toolbar, click Zoom to Extents.
To hide data from a particular workspace:

For drillholes:
4. In the Project View Area, right-click on the open workspace, and choose Display Overrides.
5. In the Show or hide (Hiding overrides all display profiles) section, deselect Show the drillholes.
6. For all other data objects:
7. In the Project View Area, right-click the open workspace, and choose Hide.
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Getting Started Review
Review
Use this review to test your knowledge on what you just learned.
1. From what area of the GEMS’ GUI (graphical user interface), can you open, close, and save all of
your data objects?
2. Which zoom button will allow you to see ALL of the data open in the work area?
3. How can you zoom into data from ONE particular workspace?
4. What is the meaning of “wireframe” and “solid rendered” mode? How are they different?
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Getting Started Appendix: Toolbar Buttons
Appendix: Toolbar Buttons

The following tables list the toolbar buttons as they appear in the Options > Toolbar menu.
Standard toolbar
Button Name Menu Description

New Project File Opens the Add Project Wizard
Open File Opens the Open Workspace dialog box
Save File Opens the Save Workspace dialog box
Undo File Undoes the most recent action

Redo File Redoes the most recent undone action
Reset/Clear Undo File Resets the list of actions that you can
undo.
Wireframe Displays the graphic in the graphics area
in wireframe mode
Solid Rendered Displays the graphic in the graphics area
in solid rendered mode
Show/hide text Show or hide text labels
Show Triangulations As Provides the following display options:

Draw as triangulations
Draw as polylines
Draw as projections
Measure Distance Provides the following measuring options:
Measure distance
Measure along line
Large Projection View Shows entire data set, when you have set
project distances
Revert View Reverts from large projection distances to
previously defined projection distances
Lock corridor distance View Locks the distance between view planes
to one you define
End Section View View Ends the plane view and returns to
regular viewing mode
Previous Section View Moves your plane view to the previous
section
Next Section View Moves your plane view to the next section
Plot Visible Data Opens PlotMaker
Plot Multiple Planes Opens the Plot dialog box
Project View Area Window Shows or hides the Project View Area
Start Data Editor Workspace Opens the Data editor
Start Image Registration Tools Enables you to open a GEMS registration

Editor file
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Visual Basic Editor Tools > Macro Opens the Visual Basic Editor
Layer Group toolbar

Layer Group Format Opens the Layer Group dialog box
Vertex toolbar (used for polylines)

2D Move Polyline > Vertex Moves a single vertex in 2D view mode
3D Move Polyline > Vertex Moves a single vertex in 3D view mode
2D Move All Polyline > Vertex Moves all vertexes in 2D view mode
Delete Polyline > Vertex Deletes a single vertex
Delete inside clipbox Polyline > Vertex Deletes all vertexes inside a clipping
boundary
Insert Polyline > Vertex Inserts a vertex in the middle of the selected
segment
Append Polyline > Vertex Appends an existing polyline to a new vertex
Fillet Polyline > Vertex Smoothes a polyline corner
Extend Polyline > Vertex Extends a polyline a specified distance
View/Edit Real Coordinates Polyline > Vertex Enables you to view and edit the real co-
ordinates of any vertex
Line toolbar (used for polylines)

Delete Entire Polyline > Line Deletes an entire polyline
Delete Segment Polyline > Line Deletes a line segment within a polyline
Subdivide Segment Polyline > Line Subdivides a line segment within a polyline
Close Polyline > Line Closes an open polyline
Morph Polyline > Line Morphs the selected polyline to create a new
polyline
Expand Between Polyline > Line Expands a portion of any polyline to create a new
Points polyline
Expand Between Polyline > Line Expands between a point on a polyline and a
Points and Distance segment indicating direction to create a new
polyline
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Create Ramp Segment Polyline > Line Enables you to create a ramp segment (usually for
one bench height) from a polyline
Move Line Between Polyline > Line Moves all points on a line that fall between any tow
Points selected points on the selected line
Delete Line Between Polyline > Line Deletes all points on a line that fall between any two
Points selected points on the selected line
Copy Into Scrap Polyline > Line Copies the selected line to the clipboard
Paste From Scrap Polyline > Line Pastes the clipboard to the graphic area
Move Polyline > Line Moves the selected line to another location
Show Line Information Polyline > Line Opens a dialog box that displays information for the
selected line
Digitise Clipping Edit > Clip Enables you to create a clipping boundary in the
Boundary graphics area
Multiline toolbar (used for polylines)

Expand Polyline > Multiline Expands the selected polylines into new lines
that parallel to the originals
Join Polyline > Multiline Joins two separate polylines (of the same
type) by appending a segment between their
endpoints
Flyby Polyline > Multiline Animates (“flies”) the camera along a polyine
to get a unique view of the data
Close Polyline > Multiline Closes all open polylines
Delete All Polyline > Multiline Deletes all lines in the selected data
Delete Active Polyline > Multiline Deletes all active lines
Delete inside clip box Polyline > Multiline Deletes all lines that lie inside or intersect a
2D clip box
Move Active Lines Polyline > Multiline Moves all active lines a specified distance
Press Onto Surface Polyline > Multiline Interpolates elevations for one or more
polylines by “pressing” them onto a surface
triangulation
Drillhole toolbar

Display Drillhole Drillhole > Display Opens a dialog box that displays the selected
Intersect Information drillhole information
Display Drillhole Trace Drillhole > Display Opens a dialog box that displays the selected
Information drillhole trace information
Display Drillhole Linked- Drillhole > Display Enables you to view the linked files for the
File selected drillhole
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PCBC Setup toolbar

General Parameters PCBC > Project Opens the Block-Caving Properties dialog
box where you create block-caving profiles
Mixing Parameters PCBC > Project Opens the Block-Cave Mixing dialog box
where you create mixing profiles
XY Curves PCBC > Project Opens the Block-Caving Curve dialog box
where you create curve profiles
Rock Codes Format > Other Profiles Opens the Rock Codes dialog box where you
can create rock code profiles
Grade Names Format > Other Profiles Opens the Grade Names dialog box where
you can create grade name profiles
Draw Point Types PCBC > Project Opens the Draw Point Type Profile Editor
dialog box where you create profiles
Production Blocks PCBC > Project Opens the Production Block Profile Editor
dialog box where you create profiles
Advanced Profile PCBC > Project Opens the Block-Caving Advanced dialog
box where you create advanced profiles
Colour Format > Other Profiles Opens the Colour dialog box where you can
create colour profiles
Show Currently PCBC > User Tools Displays currently loaded parameters of the
Loaded Parameters footprint area
Start Data Editor Workspace Opens the Data editor
Write Workspace PCBC > User Tools > Displays all workspace details in Excel
Summary to Excel Other
Set Dates PCBC > CMS > Set Up Opens the CMS dates dialog box where you
set dates
PCBC Runtime toolbar

Run Footprint Finder PCBC > Applications > Opens Footprint Finder
with Specified Surface Footprint Finder
Bucket Transfer Tool PCBC > Buckets Transfers bucket data from Excel to PCBC
Register Bucket Data PCBC > Buckets Registers the buckets into a List Workspace
Block-Caving Display PCBC > Display Opens the Block-Caving Display dialog box
Profile where you create profiles
Draw Point Display PCBC > Display Enables you to select or activate the display
OPtions profile and change information to display in
draw point or column format
Run Production PCBC > Planning Runs Production Scheduler
Scheduler
Sample Trend Applications > LSQ Runs LSQ
Estimation for LSQ
Edit Last Generated Tools > Other Utilities Opens the last report generated, for
Report File example a Production Scheduler report
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Show Excel System Tools Opens Excel
Redraw Picture View Updates the screen by redrawing the active

data elements
Run Daily CMS PCBC > CMS Runs CMS
Routine
PCBC Slice Tools toolbar

Initialize Slice File PCBC > Slice File Initialises the slice file
Compute Block PCBC > Slice File Computes the block fractions
Fractions
Transfer Blocks to PCBC > Slice File Opens information from the block models,
Slice File combined with the block fractions, and
stores it in a slice file
Pre-Compute Vertical PCBC > Slice File > Pre-computes pre-vertical mixing
Mixing Mixing
Write Selected Slice PCBC > Slice File > Slice Creates a report and displays in Excel
File Info to Excel File Utilities
Current To Save PCBC > Slice File > Slice Save the slice file currently being worked on
File Utilities to PCBCSAVE
Save To Current PCBC > Slice File > Slice Restores slice file from PCBCSAVE to
File Utilities PCBCCURR
Assign New Slice File PCBC > Slice File > Slice Restores specific slice file to PCBCCURR
as Current File Utilities
Find the Best HOD PCBC > Planning Calculates Best HOD
Best HOD with Haircut PCBC > Planning > Calculates Best HOD by trimming or
Planning Utilities smoothing best HOD values
PCBC Selection toolbar

Select None PCBC > Select Draw Deselects all selected draw points
Points
Select All PCBC > Select Draw Selects all draw points
Points
Select Points Inside PCBC > Select Draw Selects all draw points within a clipping
Clipping Boundary Points boundary
Edit Selected Draw PCBC > Select Draw Enables you to edit selected draw points
Points Points
Selection Status PCBC > Select Draw Opens the Draw Points Selection Status
Points dialog box
Using Mouse PCBC > Select Draw Enables you to select draw points using the
Points mouse
Define Selection PCBC > Select Draw Enables you to define draw point selections
Points
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Create Clipping Edit > Clip Enables you to create a clipping boundary in
Boundary the graphics area
View Options PCBC > Select Draw Opens Define Viewed Draw Points dialog
Points
View Position toolbar

3D View View Enables you to view your graphic in 3D
mode
2D View View Enables you to view your graphic in 2D
mode (select a plane view before
selecting this option)
Zoom In View > Position Zooms in on the graphic image
Zoom Out View > Position Zooms out from the graphic image
Pan Left View > Position Moves your graphic image left
Pan Right View > Position Moves your graphic image right
Pan Up View > Position Moves your graphic image up
Pan Down View > Position Moves your graphic image down
Resize View > Position Enables you to resize and zoom in on you
image
Previous view View > Position Returns to the previous view
Next View View > Position Returns to the next view
Zoom to Extents View > Position Zooms the image to fit the graphics area
Target position Window > Target/Camera Enables you to select a new target
Position Option position that acts as the centre
Camera/Target position Window > Target/Camera Enables you to select a new target
Position Option position that acts as the centre
Block Model toolbar

Auto-select Blocks by Block > Select Provides a drop-down list from which you can
Current View choose a selection option
Needle Intersections Block > Display Temporarily makes block-model integration appear
more accurate for needle integration
Change Needle Provides a drop-down list from which you can
Integration select a different needle integration
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Tunnel toolbar

Create Tunnel Tunnel Digitises a tunnel
Create Feature Tunnel > Feature Enables you to create a tunnel feature
Edit Feature Tunnel > Feature Enables you to edit a tunnel feature
Move Feature Tunnel > Feature Enables you to move a tunnel feature
Delete Feature Tunnel > Feature Enables you to delete a tunnel feature
Intersect Tunnels Tunnel Fillets the curve of an intersection
As Built Tunnel Associate a tunnel feature with its as-built

information
Create Intervals Tunnel Create tunnel intervals
Draw All Intersections Tunnel Draw all tunnel intersections to calculate the
intersection geometry
Display Overrides Tunnel Control the display of a tunnel
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Project Data Management
You need to perform several steps at the beginning of every GEMS project. After starting GEMS, you will
want to assign a name and description to your project, plus you should define many of the profiles you
will need to be able to view, display, and plot the data in a clear and informative manner.
This chapter describes how to create a new project and get a GEMS session up and running.
• Starting GEMS
• Project Databases
• Creating a New Project
• Backing Up Data
Starting GEMS
When you start GEMS, there are two different strategies for setting up and maintaining project
information:
• Start GEMS from within the Windows Start menu or by using the GEMS desktop icon. GEMS will
automatically default to the last project used.
• Start GEMS from within a GEMS project directory (commonly under the /GemcomProjects
directory), by double-clicking the GEMS Project file (*.GPR).
The decision is one of personal preference. If you are working on different projects on an ongoing basis,
you may prefer the second method.
Project Databases
Each project is stored on a hard drive in its own root directory that contains the project databases (in the
case of GEMS Desktop) and other files associated with the project. This root directory is also sub-divided
into a collection of multi-level sub-directories that are generally used to store files exported from GEMS.
GEMS creates 3 databases for each project. They are:
GS_YourProjectName which refers to the site
GP_YourProjectName which refers to the project
GD_YourProjectName which refers to the data
The bulk of your project data is stored in the datagroup database (GD_YourProjectName), where it is
divided into workspaces based on user requirements and the data type. The data stored in the
workspaces of the datagroup database is then used to generate the working data that you will create and
use during your exploration and solids modelling procedures.
In the case of GEMS (SQL), your database is stored on the SQL server.
Creating a New Project

Choose File > New > Project to create a new
project using the Project Wizard, which will
guide you through the process of creating a
new project.
Page 38 of 257
Project Data Management Creating a New Project
To create a new project, follow these steps.

1. Choose File > New > Project to open the
Add Project Wizard.
2. Select Express Setup.C
3. Click Next.
4. Enter a name for your project. By default,

GEMS will save the project in the
/GemcomProjects folder, which is
generally stored in your root drive.
Click Browse if you need to change this.
5. Click Next.
6. Enter a description for your project, and

select a co-ordinate system.
7. Click Next.
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Project Data Management Creating a New Project
8. Select the database type.

To create a project stored on a SQL
Server, select a SQL Server 2000 or
2005 database type. Then, locate the
server for the project.
9. Click Next.
10. Select GEMS default template to create

a project using sample workspaces and
profiles.
If you do not want any sample
workspaces or profiles, select No
template.
If you are creating your project on a
SQL Server, you will not see this
screen.
11. Click Next.
12. Click INSERT to add grades to your

project.
13. Click Next.
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Project Data Management Backing Up Data
14. Click Test to test the database

connection. You can also review your
project information at this point.
If you need to make any changes, click
Back to the page in the wizard to where
you need to make the change.
15. Click Finish to complete the process.
SQL Server Project
To connect to an existing project that is

stored on a SQL Server, but has no GPR
file, follow these steps after step 9 of the
previous instructions for Creating a New
Project.
1. Select the database type.
2. Click Next.
3. Locate the site database corresponding
to the existing project.
4. Click Next.
5. Continue from step 15 of Creating a
New Project.
Backing Up Data
To minimize the consequences of a disk failure or an inadvertent removal of data, you should take
frequent advantage of back-up facilities in Windows to save your projects to floppy disks or a network
drive. See your Windows documentation for instructions.
For optimal security, back up the entire project folder on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This will offer
you the most flexible role-back options.
For GEMS (SQL) users, your database administrator will have a database maintenance plan in place, as
part of the GEMS (SQL) implementation.
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Project Data Management Lab Exercise: Creating and Opening GEMS Projects
Lab Exercise: Creating and Opening GEMS Projects

In this lab, you will practice the skills you learned to create and open projects in GEMS. Where no value
is specified, accept the default values.
1. Choose File > New > Project.
2. Using the Express set-up, create a new project called GEMS Foundation.
3. Enter a description for the project, and for the co-ordinate system, select the Metres.
4. For the project database, select Jet 4.
5. Select No template for this project.
6. Add the following grade elements:
Grade Decimals
AU 3
CU 3
7. Finish adding the project using the Add Project Wizard.

8. Close GEMS.
9. Open Windows Explorer.
10. Find the project folder /GEMS Foundation, and review its contents.
11. Double-click the file named GEMS Foundation.gpr to start GEMS, with GEMS Foundation as the
default project.
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Project Data Management Review
Review
Using Windows Explorer, what file can you double-click to execute GEMS, with a specific project as the
default project?
Of the three databases that GEMS creates for each project, which one stores the bulk of your data?
If starting GEMS from the Start menu, which project will GEMS default to?
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Workspace Concepts
A GEMS workspace is a set of data within a project that is grouped together on the basis of its general
type. Typical types of data are point data, drillhole data, polyline data, polygon data, and triangulation
data (solids and surfaces). Workspace types are identified by unique icons that are visible in the Project
View.
Because of this logical data organisation, the workspace (and not the entire project database) is the main
working unit within GEMS.
This chapter will cover the following topics:
• Inside a GEMS Workspace

• Selecting a Workspace
Inside a GEMS Workspace

A GEMS workspace contains the following elements:
• Workspace Tables
• Workspace Records
• Workspace Fields
• Workspace Structure
• Workspace Limits
• Data Types
• Special Values for Fields and Records
Workspace Tables
GEMS workspaces are organised into tables containing data within the database. Each workspace must
have at least one or two tables depending on the type of workspace, and can have an unlimited number
of tables.
Each table can be viewed as a grid consisting of rows and columns, in which the rows are called records
and the columns are called fields. Within each table, every field has its own field name and set of
attributes. Data is entered at the intersection of a row (record) and column (field). GEMS (Desktop)
workspaces can contain a maximum of 30 tables. GEMS (SQL) has no limit on the number of workspace
tables.
Workspace Records
Each row in a workspace table is
called a record. Each record consists
of a number of fields.
Workspace records do not have any
special attributes, while workspace
fields have a few attributes. Records
are created when you add data to the
workspace using any of the
workspace management tools for
entering data. Records can be added
to or deleted from the workspace at
any time.
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Workspace Concepts Inside a GEMS Workspace
Workspace Fields
Each column in the workspace is called a field. Each workspace table can contain a maximum of 255
fields. Data is entered into the workspace at the intersection of each record and field. Each field exists in
every record in the table, even if data has not been entered into the record or field. Fields are given a set
of attributes that define the type and range of data that can be entered into the field.
Data values for all the records in a table for a particular field must fit all the attributes that have been
defined for that field:
Field Attributes Description

Field name Each field within a table must be given a unique name that is used to reference the field
during applications. Field names can be up to 10 characters in length and must consist of
standard printable characters and spaces that can be entered from the keyboard.
Note: GEMS does not allow you to use invalid characters in field names (e.g., an asterisk “*”).
Data type Each field contains a specific type of data. GEMS can accommodate several data types,
which are described in more detail in the next section.
Minimum value This value is the lowest value that can be entered into a field. You can set GEMS to check an
entered value against this minimum value. Any entered value that is less than this minimum
value will be rejected. In certain cases, this value can be used as the lower detection limit.
Maximum value This value is the largest value that can be entered into a field. You can set GEMS to check
an entered value against this maximum value. Any entered value that is greater than this
maximum value will be rejected. In certain cases, this value can be used as the upper
detection limit.
Default value This value is automatically inserted into a field when a record is first created and before any
data is entered into the field. You can set the default value to any number or text string up to
four characters in length. Customising default values help you to avoid entering recurring
data. In most cases, you can set the default value to the special value "NE" for "not entered".
Workspace Structure
Workspaces consist of one or more
tables. In workspaces with more than
one table, the tables are related to
one another.
The relationship is restricted to a
one-to-many relationship in a simple
hierarchical or tree structure. The
tree structure is limited to one table
(called the header table or primary
table) that acts as the trunk of the
tree and subtables that act as the
branches (called secondary tables).
This means that there is a single
controlling table, called a header
table or key table, with many records
in it. Each record in this table is
linked to many records in other One-to-many workspace hierarchy
tables:
GEMS uses primary and secondary keys to determine how records in secondary tables relate to records
in the header table. Each record in the header table has a unique identifying field called the primary key.
The primary key is a field with a string data type and a specific name: drillhole workspace key fields are
usually called HOLE-ID; point workspace key fields are POINTS-ID; polygon workspace key fields
POLYGON-ID; and traverse workspace key fields TRAVERSE. Although key fields can have any name,
using the suggested default will avoid compatibility problems with other applications.
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All secondary table records also have a primary key. This is the field that will be used to link secondary
table records with the header record that “owns” them. Thus, while no two records in the header table can
have the same primary key, any number of secondary table records can be assigned the same primary
key, as long as they all relate to the associated header table record.
Each secondary table record also has a unique identifying field called the secondary key. No two records
within the same secondary table can have the same secondary key. Again, GEMS provides
recommended names for secondary keys; in most cases, they will be called FROM, DISTANCE, or
PCX_SEQ_NO, depending on the type of table.
Workspace Limits
There are very few restrictions on workspace size, provided you organise your data in an effective
manner and have adequate space on your hard drive. For example, you can handle unlimited numbers of
geochemical sample points, drillholes, samples, and assays. Tables can be linked together to give data
storage and management capabilities for even the largest and most complex exploration projects.
Data Types
GEMS can accommodate the following data types in workspace fields:
Data Type Description

String String fields are used to store any printable characters that can be entered from the keyboard.
This includes upper and lower case letters, symbols, blank spaces, and international
characters. String fields have a maximum length that you define when you first create the
workspace. It can range from 1 to 256 characters. Each character requires 1 byte of storage
space in the workspace. String fields do not allow the entry of special values.
Memo Memo fields are used to store bulk text of unlimited length. The memo field can store the same
type of data as the string field. As well, it can store simple formatting characters such as tabs,
line feeds and carriage returns.
You can only enter data into memo fields by importing an external file to the workspace, or
using the Data Editor (see chapter on Editing Data for details). Pressing CTRL + E in the Data
Editor while the active cell is a memo field opens the Memo Editor window. Each character
(including formatting characters) in the memo field of a record requires 1 byte of storage in the
workspace. Memo fields do not allow the entry of special values.
Integer An integer is a number that does not have decimal places. Integers can range in value from
-2,000,000 to +2,000,000. Each integer field requires 4 bytes of storage space in the
workspace. Special values can be entered into integer fields.
Real A real number is a low precision number that can have decimal places. Real numbers are
accurate up to six significant digits and can have up to nine decimal places. If you enter
numbers that have more than six significant digits, you will lose precision on the least significant
of those digits (for example, 0.123456789 will be stored as 0.12345, 123456789.0123456 will
be stored as 123456000.000, etc.).
Each real field requires 4 bytes of storage space in the workspace. Special values can be
entered into all real fields except DISTANCE fields in distance format tables, and FROM fields
in interval format tables.
Double A double number is a high precision number that can have decimal places. Double numbers are
accurate up to 12 significant digits and can have up to nine decimal places. Each double
number field requires 8 bytes of storage space in the workspace. Special values can be entered
into all double fields except DISTANCE fields in distance format tables, and FROM fields in
interval format tables.
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Co-ordinate Co-ordinate data types consist of either two or three double data types linked together,
representing the X, Y, and, optionally, Z components of a right-handed orthogonal co-ordinate
system. Co-ordinate data types require either 16 or 24 bytes of storage space in the workspace.
There are two main coordinate data types:
2D Coordinate and 3D Coordinate: These co-ordinate data types are used for recording
locations in the form of either a user-defined co-ordinate system with an arbitrary origin,
such as a project or property co-ordinate system, or a global co-ordinate system such as
the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) system.
2D Coordinate with angle and 3D Coordinate with angle: These co-ordinate data types are
used for recording locations in the form of latitude and longitude (degrees, minutes, and
seconds).
Special values can be entered into all types of coordinate fields.
Date and Time There are four date and time data types available. Of these four, three are combined data types
and consist of date (day, month, and year), time (hour, minutes, and seconds); or date and
time. Each of these three types of fields requires 4 bytes of storage space in the workspace.
There are a total of nine different formats:
Date: Date only. There are four different date-only formats available.
Canadian format: This is a day/month/year format and is entered in the form
dd/mm/yy.
United States format: This is a month/day/year format and is entered in the form
mm/dd/yy.
Generic format: This is a year/month/day format and is entered in the form
yy/mm/dd.
System format: This ensures that GEMS uses the date format as defined by
Windows. For more information on system date formats refer to your Windows
documentation.
Time: Time only. This is a single standard hour/minute/second format and is entered in the
form hh:mm:ss.
Date and time: There are four different date and time formats available.
Canadian format: This is a day/month/year and hour:minute:second format and is
entered in the form dd/mm/yy hh:mm:ss.
United States format: This is a month/day/year and hour:minute:second format
and is entered in the form mm/dd/yy hh:mm:ss.
Generic format: This is a year/month/day and hour:minute:second format and is
entered in the form yy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss.
System format: This ensures that GEMS uses the date and time formats as
defined by Windows. For more information on system formats refer to your Windows
documentation.
Date, Time, and Date and Time fields do not allow the entry of special values.
Geological Time The fourth type of time data type is the geological time field. This is a numeric field that you can
use to record the relative age of a deposit, for example, dating from a specific reference point in
time. Only the special values NC (not calculated) and NE (not entered) can be entered into
Geological Time fields.
Angle An angle data type is a low precision number that can have decimal places and represents
angle measurements. Each angle field in the workspace requires 4 bytes of storage space.
Angles can be entered as degrees (in one of four formats), as gradients, or as radians:
Degrees, minutes, seconds. Entered in ddd:mm:ss format.
Degrees, minutes, decimal seconds. Entered in ddd:mm:ss.ss format.
Degrees, decimal minutes. Entered in ddd:mm.mm format.
Decimal degrees. Entered in ddd.dd format.
Gradients. Entered in ggg.gg format.
Radians. Entered in rrr.rr format.
Angle fields allow the entry of two special values: NC (not calculated) and NE (not entered).
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Boolean Boolean fields contain single characters that represent either true or false conditions. A Boolean
field is displayed as a checkbox in the Workspace Editor. Boolean true is entered by activating
the checkbox (:); Boolean false by deactivating the checkbox ( ). Boolean fields require 1 byte
of storage in the workspace and do not allow the entry of special values.
Special Values for Fields and Records

You can enter special values that assign particular conditions to certain fields and records, instead of
entering normal data values. Special values can only be entered into certain types of fields. To determine
whether a particular field type allows special values, refer to the preceding section Data Types.
These special values, which are also called system constants, are described as follows:
Database GEMS Workspace Editor

Special Value Name Field Value ex Field_Special Value Display
Not Entered 0 6 <Blank>
Not Sampled 0 4 NS
Insufficient Sample 0 5 IS
Below Detection Limit 0.01 1 <0.01
Above Detection Limit 999 2 >999.00
Not Calculated 0 3 NC
Error 0 7 ERR
Special Values Description

Not Entered (NE) Not Entered indicates that no data has been entered into a field. In most cases,
it should be used as the default value when a workspace structure is first defined
so that when a new record is created (either in the editors or in the import and
merge operations), the field has this special value.
The special value is entered as NE or as a blank. The value is shown on the
screen and appears on reports or plots as entered.
Not Entered values are not processed by all GEMS applications.
Not Sampled (NS) Not Sampled indicates that no sample has been taken, but a value has been
entered into the workspace.
The special value is entered as NS. The value is shown on the screen and
appears on reports or plots as entered.
Not Sampled values are not processed by all GEMS applications.
Insufficient Sample (IS) Insufficient Sample indicates that a sample has been taken, but it was
insufficient to perform a reliable analysis.
The special value is entered as IS. The value is shown on the screen and
appears on reports or plots as entered.
Insufficient Sample values are not processed by all GEMS applications.
Below Detection Limit Below Detection Limit indicates that a sample has been taken, but the data
(<0.001) value was so small that it was less than the sensitivity of the analysis equipment
being used.
The special value is entered as the less than (<) sign, followed by any numeric
value. The value appears on reports or plots in the same manner.
Above Detection Limit Above Detection Limit indicates that a sample has been taken, but the data
(>1000) value was so great that it was greater than the sensitivity of the analysis
equipment being used.
The special value is entered as the greater than (>) sign, followed by any
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Workspace Concepts Selecting a Workspace
Special Values Description

numeric value. The value appears on reports or plots in the same manner.
Not Calculated (NC) Not Calculated indicates that no value was calculated for this field during one of
GEMS' data manipulation or data analysis functions.
The special value can only be entered by the system during a data manipulation
operation. It is shown on the screen and appears on reports or plots as NC.
Not Calculated values are not processed by all GEMS applications.
Error (ERR) Error indicates that no value was calculated for this field during one of GEMS’
data manipulation or data analysis functions because an error occurred during
the calculation. Typical errors would occur as the result of an illegal mathematical
operation such as a divide by zero, or the log of a negative number.
The special value can only be entered by the system during a data manipulation
operation. It is shown on the screen and appears on reports or plots as ERR.
Error values are not processed by GEMS applications.
Selecting a Workspace
When working with many of the profiles available in GEMS, you must select a workspace in order to
create the profile. All applicable workspaces will be available in a drop-down within the profile dialog box.
See the following Drillhole Plot example:
To select a workspace when creating a drillhole plot profile, follow these steps.
1. Choose Format > Plot > Drillhole Plot.
2. Select the desired workspace from the list of available workspaces.
3. Modify other settings as needed.
4. Click Apply.
5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 to create other profiles.
6. Click OK.
GEMS keeps track of the active workspace in your profile; thus, when the profile is used the parameters
will be applied to the correct workspace.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces
Before entering data into a GEMS project, you must first create a workspace. You can change the
structure of the workspace any time after you have created and entered data into it. Creating a
workspace involves the following steps:
1. Selecting the workspace type: This depends on the type of data that you want to enter and the
format that you use to collect the data.
2. Designing the workspace structure: This must be done according to the way the data was
collected and organised, as well as the type of workspace selected. When you design the
workspace structure using the Workspace Wizard, the minimum workspace structure requirements
are already set up for you.
3. Defining the workspace structure: This can be done from scratch by defining the tables, fields,
and field attributes; by loading and then modifying a workspace template; by copying and modifying
an existing workspace; or by using the Workspace Wizard, which will guide you through the
process of creating a workspace.
4. Entering data: This can be done using any of the workspace management tools provided in
GEMS. These include the Data Editor, digitising facilities, and file import and merge tools.
• Minimum Workspace Structures

• The Workspace Structure Editor
• Creating a New Workspace
• Modifying an Existing Workspace
• Deleting a Workspace
Minimum Workspace Structures

GEMS provides extensive features for storing, manipulating, and graphically displaying spatial data. To
ensure that all of these facilities have sufficient data to operate, you must incorporate certain minimum
workspace structures into each workspace. All the applications within GEMS check to see if the
appropriate structures are present, and will not work if they are not. Fortunately, the Workspace Creation
Wizard automatically creates the minimum tables and fields required for most operations. In some cases,
like drillhole compositing, additional fields need to be created manually.
The Workspace Structure Editor

In GEMS, you can modify workspace structures at all three levels:
the workspace level, the table level, and the field level.
Choose Workspace > Create or Modify Workspace to open the
workspace Structure Editor. The Structure Editor enables you to
create and modify GEMS workspaces by creating, modifying or
deleting the tables and fields that form them. With GEMS 6.2, you
also now have the option to rename workspaces.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces The Workspace Structure Editor
The following screen image shows the Structure Editor’s main areas.
Area Description
Title bar The title bar displays the name of the program (Structure Editor). It also
contains the Minimise, Restore (or Maximise), and Close buttons.
Menu bar This area contains the menus you use to manipulate and edit the workspace
structure. The menu bar is explained in more detail later in the following
section.
Toolbar This area contains the buttons you use to manipulate and edit the workspace
structure. The toolbar is explained in more detail the following section.
Workspace modification pane This area shows the tables that make up the workspace. To edit a workspace,
you can add a new table or delete an existing table.
Note: The currently selected table is marked by a triangular arrow in the small
box to the left of the table name.
Table modification pane This area shows the fields contained in the table highlighted in the workspace
modification pane. To edit a table, you can add a field or delete an existing
field.
Note: The primary key field is marked with a key icon and the currently
selected field is marked with a triangular arrow in the small box to the
left of the table name.
Field modification pane This area displays the properties of the field highlighted in the table
modification pane. To edit a field, you can modify the properties of that field.
Status bar The status bar displays the current status of the Structure Editor. If one of the
toolbar buttons or menu commands is selected, or if the mouse cursor is
placed on one of the toolbar buttons, the function of that button or command
will be displayed in the status bar.
The Menu Bar

The Structure Editor has its own distinct menu bar, separate from the GEMS menu bar:
Menu Description
Workspace The commands in this menu allow you to create a new workspace, open an existing workspace
structure, save and print the current workspace structure, and exit the Structure Editor to return to
the GEMS graphical work area.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces The Workspace Structure Editor
Menu Description
Edit The commands in this menu allow you to perform various editing functions on the structure of the
loaded workspace.
Insert The command in this menu allows you to insert rows in the grids displayed in the workspace and
table modification panes.
View The commands in this menu allow you to define whether or not the toolbar and status bar are
displayed, and to move the cursor location from pane to pane.
Help The commands in this menu allow you to access the GEMS Help either through the table of
contents or the search function. Also, you can access About Structure Editor.
Toolbar
The Structure Editor has the following buttons:

New Workspace > New Opens the Workspace Wizard for creating a new
workspace structure.
Open Workspace > Open Enables you to open a workspace from a list of
existing workspaces.
Save Workspace > Save Saves your changes.
Cut Edit > Cut Cuts the row in which you have placed the mouse
cursor from the modification pane and puts it on the
clipboard.
Copy Edit > Copy Copies the row in which you have placed the
mouse cursor, and puts it on the clipboard.
Paste Edit > Paste Pastes content from the clipboard below the
selected row in which you have placed the mouse
cursor in the modification pane.
Insert Rows Insert > Rows Inserts a row above the highlighted row in the
modification pane.
Delete Row Edit > Delete Rows Deletes the highlighted row(s).
About About > About Opens a dialog box with information on Structure
Structure Editor Editor.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces Creating a New Workspace
Creating a New Workspace

The following are the general steps for
creating a new workspace.
7. Choose Workspace > Create or
Modify Workspace to open the
workspace Structure Editor.
8. Click New to open the Workspace
Wizard. The Workspace Wizard will
take you through all of the steps
involved in creating a new workspace
and adding tables and fields to it.
In this first page, you can decide
whether to create a single workspace,
or to create group of workspaces in
one step.
If you choose to create a single workspace, you have the option to create a standard workspace,
and add tables and fields to it manually; to copy an existing workspace structure, or to create a
new workspace structure based on a pre-defined template.
9. Edit the fields as needed, and click Next when you have completed each page of the wizard.
10. When you arrive at the last page, click Finish.
The following sections describe creating a new workspace using the following methods:
• A Standard or Custom Workspace

• Copy the Structure of an Existing Workspace
A Standard or Custom Workspace

Follow these steps if you are creating a new empty workspace:
1. In the first page of the wizard, select Create a standard or custom workspace, and click Next.
1. Enter the following parameters on the
next page of the wizard:
♦ What kind of workspace is
this? Select the workspaces
type you want to create from
the drop-down list (e.g.
Drillhole, Polyline, Tunnel
etc…).
♦ Workspace subtype: In some
cases, you will be prompted to
select workspace subtypes
(e.g. for Polylines, you can
select Standard, Geological
Modelling, etc…).
♦ With: For Workspace subtype
equal to Polyline or Tunnel,
you will be prompted to select
the location data.
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♦ Name the workspace: Enter a name (maximum 12 characters) for the workspace. No
spaces or special characters.
♦ Describe the workspace: Enter a workspace description (maximum 24 characters) if
desired.
♦ Restrict user access: Select one of three options to allow full access to all users at all
times, allow full access to one user at a time, or allow published data only.
Note: This option is only available in GEMS (SQL) version.
2. Click Next.
3. On the next page, enter the following
parameters:
♦ What do you want to use as
the primary key for the
workspace? Enter the name of
the field from the header table
that will be used as the primary
key field for all the tables in the
workspace. The suggested
default name for the type of
workspace you are creating is
already entered for you.
♦ How many characters do you want to save in your primary key? Enter the number of
characters to allow for the primary key field. All primary key fields must be string (character)
fields. The default number of characters key is already entered for you, and in some cases,
is not editable. Do not enter a number lower than this suggested default.
♦ What type of surveys will the workspace be using? (drillhole workspaces only):
− Intervals: If you select this option, the Survey table will contain numeric double fields
named FROM and TO for survey data entry.
− Distance: If you select this option, the Survey table will contain a numeric double field
named DISTANCE for survey data entry.
− Points: If you select this option, the Survey table will contain a 3D co-ordinate field
named LOCATION and numeric integer field named PCX_SEQ_NO for survey data
entry.
♦ What type of traverses will this workspace be using? (traverse workspaces only):
− Length: If you select this option, the Header table will contain a 3D co-ordinate field
named LOCATION and two numeric double fields named LENGTH and AZIMUTH.
− Length and Dip: If you select this option, the Header table will contain a 3D
co-ordinate field named LOCATION and three numeric double fields named LENGTH,
AZIMUTH and DIP.
− Location: If you select this option, the Header table will contain two 3D co-ordinate
fields named LOCATION-1 and LOCATION-2.
♦ Do you want to create any other tables in this workspace? Choose Yes or No. If you choose
No, click Next and go to the last step.
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4. Click Next. If you elected to create

additional tables within this workspace,
the Workspace Wizard will open a page
to Add or modify the tables for the
workspace.
You will notice that one or two tables
have automatically been added by the
Structure Editor, depending on the
minimum requirements for the type of
workspace you are creating.
a. To add another table, click Add,
to open the Add/Edit Table
dialog box, and enter the
following parameters:
− Table name: Enter a
name for the table.
− Table type: Select one of the following options to determine the minimum structure for
your table:
Interval Data: Select this option to create a table with the primary key field as
well as numeric double fields named FROM and TO as the
minimum structure.
Distance Data: Select this option to set up a table containing the primary key field
as well as a numeric double field named DISTANCE as the
minimum structure.
Point Data: Select this option to set up a table with the primary key field as
well as a 3D coordinate field named LOCATION as the minimum
structure.
User Data: Select this option to set up a table containing only the primary key
field as the minimum structure.
You can manually add other fields to any of these tables once the Workspace Wizard has
finished creating the workspace.
c. Highlight a table, and choose Edit to edit any of the tables you added.
d. Highlight a table, and choose Delete to delete any of the tables you added.
Note: GEMS does not allow you to edit or delete the default tables it added.
5. When you have finished adding, editing or deleting tables, click Next.
6. Click Finish.
7. Save
Copy the Structure of an Existing Workspace

Follow these steps if you elected to copy the structure of an existing workspace:
2. In the first page of the wizard, select Copy the structure of existing workspace(s), and click
Next.
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8. In the next page, select the

workspaces from which you wish
to copy the structure. To select a
workspace from a different project,
click Browse, and select the
appropriate *.GPR file.
9. Click Next.
10. In the next page, select the tables

you wish to copy to your new
workspace. If you want all tables
copied to the new workspace, click
Select All.
11. Click Next.
12. In the Copy to: field, enter a name

and, if you wish, enter a
Description for your new
workspace.
13. Click Next.
14. Click Finish to complete
workspace creation.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces Modifying an Existing Workspace
Modifying an Existing Workspace

You can modify workspace structures can be modified at three levels: the workspace level, the table
level, and the field level. These levels correspond to the three modification panes in the Structure Editor.
• To modify a workspace, you can either add a new table or delete an existing table in the
workspace modification window.
• To modify a table, you can either add a field or delete an existing field in the table modification
window.
• To modify a field, you can edit the properties of that field in the field modification window.
To open a workspace, follow these steps.
3. Choose Workspace > Create or Modify Workspace to open the Structure Editor.
4. Choose Workspace > Open to open the Select Workspace dialog box.
5. Click the workspace you want to edit, and click Select. The workspace will load in the Structure
Editor.
Workspace Level
At the workspace level, you can modify a workspace by adding a new table or deleting an existing table.
Adding a Table
Follow these steps to add a new table to the selected workspace.
1. Click the cell in the last row and column of the workspace modification pane and press ENTER or
TAB to add a new row to the grid.
2. Enter the following parameters for the table you wish to create:
♦ Table Name: Enter a name for the table. You can enter your own name, or you can select
from among the default names in the list provided. The table names available on the list will
depend on the type of workspace you are modifying.
♦ Table Type: Select one of the types listed. The table types available will depend on the type
of workspace being modified.
♦ Description: Enter a brief description for the table, if desired.
3. The key field will have automatically been added to the table modification pane. If you selected
either the Point or User table type, a PCX_SEQ_NO field will also have been added to facilitate
record sorting.
4. Save the workspace.
Deleting a Table
To delete a table, follow these steps.
1. In the workspace modification pane, select the table that you wish to delete by clicking to the left of
the table name in the grid. The row will be highlighted, and a triangular arrow will appear to the left
of the selection.
2. Click Delete Row.
Caution: If you delete a table, all associated fields, along with any data entered into them, will also
be deleted. Once you have deleted a table and saved the workspace structure, you will not
be able to recover this data.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces Deleting a Workspace
Table Level
At the table level, you can modify a table by adding a new field or deleting an existing field.
Adding a Field
To add a new field, follow these steps.
1. In the workspace modification pane, select the table to which you wish to add a field by clicking to
the left of the table name in the grid. The row will be highlighted, and a triangular arrow will appear
to the left of the selection.
2. Click in the cell in the last row and column in the table modification pane and press ENTER or TAB
to add a new row to the grid.
3. Enter the following parameters for the field you wish to create:
♦ Field Name: Enter a name for the new field. For many GEMS functions, specific field names
must be assigned in specific tables. You can enter your own name or select a name from the
default names on the list provided. The names available will depend both on the type of
workspace and the type of table you are modifying.
♦ Field Type: Select the type of field you wish to create from the drop-down list.
♦ Description: Enter a description for the field, if desired.
4. In the field modification pane, define the properties for the field.
Deleting a Field
To delete a field, follow these steps.
4. In the table modification pane, select the field that you wish to delete by clicking to the left of the
field name. The row will be highlighted, and a triangular arrow will appear to the left of the selected
row.
5. Click Delete Row.
Caution: If you delete a field, any data that has been entered into the field will also be deleted.
Once you have deleted a field and saved the workspace structure, you will not be able to
recover this data.
Field Level
To modify a workspace at the field level, you can edit the properties of a selected field.
1. In the table modification pane, select the field whose properties you wish to edit. The properties of
that field will appear in the field modification pane.
2. Make any desired changes to the field property parameters. The parameters available for field
properties will depend on the type of field selected.
Deleting a Workspace
You can delete an entire workspace from your active GEMS project.
Caution: Use this command with extreme caution! If you delete a workspace, all associated tables
and fields, along with any data entered into them, will be lost. You will not be able to undelete
this workspace!
Follow these steps to delete a workspace:

1. If you have the Structure Editor open, close it.
2. In GEMS, choose Workspace > Delete Workspace to open the Delete Workspace dialog box.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces Deleting a Workspace
3. Select the workspace that you wish to delete, and click Delete.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Workspaces
Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Workspaces

The following lab demonstrates how to use the Workspace Wizard to create various workspaces of
differing types. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. Choose Workspace > Create or Modify Workspace.
1. Create a new drillhole workspace, with the following criteria:
Set up one workspace Create a standard or custom workspace
Workspace Type Drillhole
Workspace Subtype Normal
Name DDH1
Description Diamond drillholes
Add table: Name Assay
Table type Interval Data
Add table: Name Litho
Table type Interval Data
2. Create a new point area workspace, with the following criteria:

Workspace Type Point area
Name PointArea
Description Surface Spot Height Surveys
Set up extra fields for extraction data 9
Set up a field for real numbers 9
(RVALUE)
Set up a field for integers (IVALUE) 9
Set up a field for strings (SVALUE) 9
3. Create a new polyline workspace, with the following criteria:

Workspace Type Polyline
Workspace Subtype Standard
Storage Type Compressed
Name Geology
Description Geological Outlines
Create other tables? No
4. Create a new polyline workspace, with the following criteria:

Set up one workspace Copy the structure of an existing
workspace
Workspace Type Geology
Select the tables you would like to copy Select All
Name Survey
Description Survey lines
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Workspaces
5. Create a new triangulation workspace, with the following criteria:

Workspace type Triangulation
Name GeoSolids
Description Geology Solids
6. Create a new triangulation workspace, with the following criteria:

Workspace type Triangulation
Name EngSolids
Description Engineering Solids
7. In the Structure Editor, choose Workspace > Open.

8. Select the DDH1 workspace.
9. In the HEADER table, add the following fields:
CORE_SIZE String
LOGGED_BY String
COMMENT String
10. In the ASSAY table, add the following fields:

AU(OZ/T) Real
CU(%) Real
LENGTH Real
SAMPLE_NUM String
SG Real
11. In the LITHO table, add the following fields:

ROCK_CODE Integer
ROCK_TYPE String
DESCR String
12. Save your work.

13. Close the Structure Editor.
14. In Project View Area, in the Objects, right-click on the following workspace icons, and select Add
Workspace*:
♦ Point areas - Add PointArea
♦ Polylines - Add Geology and Survey
♦ Triangulations - Add GeoSolids and EngSolids
*Drillhole workspaces are automatically added to the Project View window.
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Creating and Modifying Workspaces Review
Review
2. Which menu option must you select to create a new workspace, or make changes to the structure
of an existing one?
1. What field-type must a field type be in order to store values such as 100.67, 234.83, and 22.0?
What about “DDH-02” or “Test”?
2. What table-type must a table be in order to store FROM-TO information (e.g. for drillhole assay
information).
3. What are the meanings of the special characters, NE and NS? How are they different?
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Profiles and Profile Groups
This chapter will cover the following topics:
• What are Profiles?

• What are Profile Groups?
What are Profiles?

Since all of GEMS’ data objects are stored in the
central database, and because GEMS is as much a
graphical tool as it is a database management
system, you must define how GEMS will display
your data.
You can define many profiles specifically for one
type of object, for example, drillhole display
profiles. Other ‘system-wide’ profiles, such as
colour profiles or vertical section profiles, are not
object specific, and can often be used to control
how other profiles display objects.
In the Project View Area, click Profliles tab to
access a list of all profiles you defined. From the
Format menu, you can define most of the
commonly used profiles, while you can find the
more object-specific profiles from their
corresponding menus.
Profiles are sorted by series in the project treeview
in the way sections are categorized by series.
Commonly Required Profiles

The appearance of your data objects in the graphical work area will depend on the profiles you’ve defined
for each specific object. The following table lists some of the required profiles to view commonly used
data.
Object Profile
Drillholes Drillhole Display

Colour (optional)
Point Point Display
Colour (optional)
Polyline Status Line
Line Display
Colour (optional)
Rock Code (optional)
Triangulations Rock Code (optional)
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Profiles and Profile Groups What are Profiles?
Profile Dialog box

When you create a profile, you
will see a variation of the Profile
Editor dialog box. The screen
image on the right is the Colour
profile editor dialog box.
Each time you enter a Profile
Editor dialog box, the first profile
in the list will be selected (this will
be indicated at the bottom left-
hand corner of the window).
To access the Profile Editor
dialog box, choose Format to
open a Profile Editor dialog box.
The command from the format
menu depends on the type of
profile you want to create.
Add a Profile
To add a profile, follow these steps.
3. In the Profile Editor dialog box, click New Profile.
4. Enter a profile name, and click OK. You will be placed in the first field.
5. Edit the fields as needed.
6. Click Apply to save the changes.
7. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to add more profiles.
8. When you are finished, click OK.
Edit or View an Existing Profile

To edit or view an existing profile, follow these steps.
1. In the Profile Editor dialog box, click a profile name to highlight it. The defined values will appear on
the right-hand-side.
1. Click in the field you want to edit, and make the changes.
3. Repeat steps 1 to 3 to view or modify more profiles.
If you click on a different profile after making changes to the previous profile, you will be prompted
to save or ignore your changes.
Depending on the profile, if you edit the settings, the changes take effect immediately. In some cases,
you will need to close then re-open the data before you can see the changes.
Copy a Profile
To make a copy of the current profile, follow these steps.
2. In the Profile Editor dialog box, click a profile name to highlight it.
3. Click Save Profile As.
4. Give the profile a new name, and click OK.
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Profiles and Profile Groups What are Profiles?
Delete a Profile
To delete a profile follow these steps.
1. In the Profile Editor dialog box, click a profile name to highlight it.
2. Click Delete.
Delete Multiple Profiles
To delete more than one profile in a single action, follow these

steps.
1. In the Profile Editor dialog box, click Delete Multiple Profiles
to open the Delete Multiple Profiles dialog box.
2. Highlight the profiles you want to delete. Use the SHIFT and
CTRL to highlight multiple profiles.
3. Click OK.
Copy a Profile from another Project
To copy a profile from another GEMS project, follow these steps.

1. In the Profile Editor dialog box, click Import from GEMS to open
the Open dialog box.
2. Select the *.GPR file and click Open. The Import Profiles dialog
box opens.
3. From the list of profiles, select the profiles you want, and click Add>>.
4. When you are finished copying profiles, click OK to return to the Profile Editor dialog box.
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Profiles and Profile Groups What are Profile Groups?
What are Profile Groups?

As you can probably imagine, you can easily end up with hundreds, if not thousands of profiles for a
single project. In operating mines, it is not uncommon for individuals to define hundreds of profiles on an
ongoing basis. Over time, the management of profiles across several departments can become an
organisational nightmare.
The following list reasons to organise your profiles into profile groups:
• If you share profiles with other users, you may want to decide who can create, modify, and delete
your profiles. For example, at Mine-X the junior staff members (engineering students) can view and
use the volumetrics profiles, but they cannot modify those profiles. Mine-X's profile security
ensures that only senior engineers can modify the volumetrics profiles.
To do this, the GEMS database administrator at Mine-X creates a separate database table and
sets the permissions so only senior engineers can create and modify information in the table. Then,
a senior engineer moves the volumetrics profiles into the separate database table.
• In a multi-user environment at Mine-X, surveyors and engineers may want to use colour profiles
that have the same names (so they can share data without re-formatting), but have different colour
settings (so the same lines are formatted differently on the screen for different workers).
To do this, Mine-X sets up several profile groups of colour profiles, such as COLOUR-SURVEY
and COLOUR-PLANNING. In each group, the profiles have the same names, but they are different
profiles—with different settings. When the surveyors use GEMS, they make COLOUR-SURVEY
the default. When the engineers use GEMS, they make COLOUR-PLANNING the default.
Setting up Profile Groups

Choose File > Properties > Profile Group Settings to open the Profile Groups dialog box where you
manage and define profile groups.
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The following lists two methods for switching profiles in GEMS.
Method Description
Profile groups In each profile type, you can organise your profiles in groups. You decide which profiles
GEMS uses by setting and switching the default profile groups for each type of profile.
GEMS saves all these defaults in one profile-group setting.
Profile-group For added flexibility, you can make several copies of the profile group settings, and
settings customise them. When you switch the current profile group setting, in one step GEMS
(potentially) switches the default profile group for each profile type.
This is the preferred method.
Define a New Profile Group Setting

To define a new profile group setting, follow these steps.
1. In the Profile Groups dialog box, click New Profile.
2. Enter a descriptive name (e.g. Survey), and click OK.
3. In each profile type, add groups in each of the profile types where you will require unique sets of
profiles.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to add more profile groups.
Define a Group Within a Profile Type:

To define a group within a profile type, follow these steps.
1. In the Profile Groups dialog box, in

the middle pane, click on the profile
type such that the “Standard” group
appears on the far right pane.
2. Choose File > New Group, and
type a name for the group.
3. Right-click the new group icon, and
choose Set as Default.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to define more
profile groups.
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Copy Profiles into a Profile Group:

To copy profiles into a profile group, follow these steps.
1. In the Profile Groups dialog box, in

the middle pane, click on the profile
type to highlight it and display its
profile groups in the right-hand
pane.
2. In the right-hand pane, highlight
one or more profiles from another
group (e.g. “Standard”).
3. Drag-and-drop the profiles onto the
target group in the middle pane.
4. Click Apply to save the work.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 to copy more
profiles.
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Profiles and Profile Groups Lab Exercise: Defining Colour Profiles
Lab Exercise: Defining Colour Profiles

In this lab, you will practice the skills you learned to view data in GEMS.
1. Choose Format> Other Profiles > Colour.
2. Define a New Profile, named BLACKTXT, with the following criteria:
Type Text
Text * (this is a wildcard character)
Colour Blue
3. Click Apply to save.

4. Define another New Profile, named BLACKVAL, with the following criteria:
Type Values
Lower Bound -99999
Upper Bound 99999
Colour Black

6. Select the BLACKTXT profile from the profile list, and change the colour to Black.
7. Select the BLACKVAL profile from the profile list.
8. When prompted to save, select Yes.
9. Define another New Profile, named AU, with the following criteria:
Values
Lower Bound 1 Upper Bound Colour
0 0.5 Blue
0.5 1 Red
1 999 Magenta
10. Define another New Profile, named LITH_STR, with the following criteria:
Text
Text Colour
0* Black
1* Blue
2* Light Blue
3* Cyan
4* Red
5* Light Red
6* Magenta
7* Light Magenta
8* Brown
9* Yellow
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Profiles and Profile Groups Lab Exercise: Defining Colour Profiles
11. Click OK to save and close the dialog box.

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Profiles and Profile Groups Lab Exercise: Defining Point Area Display Profiles
Lab Exercise: Defining Point Area Display Profiles

In this lab, you will practice the skills you learned to define display profiles data in GEMS.
1. Choose Format > Point Areas.
2. Define a New Profile, named RED, with the following criteria:
Workspace PointArea
Symbol Colour Red
Symbol Shape +
Symbol Height 1
In the Labels tab, click New.

Point Area Label dialog box: Get label text from area
Table Location
Field Location Z
Label Colour Red
Label Height 1
3. Click OK to close the dialog box.

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Profiles and Profile Groups Lab Exercise: Defining Line Display and Status Line Profiles
Lab Exercise: Defining Line Display and Status Line Profiles

1. Choose Format > Lines.
2. Define a New Profile, named RING, with the following criteria:
Workspace Geology
Line Colour Use the colour from the line’s rock code (from the More… option)
Point Colour Use the same colour as the line (from the More… option)

4. Define another New Profile, named CONTOUR, with the following criteria:
Workspace Survey
Line Colour Blue
Point Colour Blue

6. Choose Format > Line Types.
7. Define a New Profile, named RING, with the following criteria:
Default display profile RING
Creating triangulations from lines 9

9. Define a New Profile, named CONTOUR, with the following criteria:
Default display profile CONTOUR
Creating triangulations from lines 9

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Profiles and Profile Groups Lab Exercise: Defining Rock Code Profiles
Lab Exercise: Defining Rock Code Profiles

2. Choose Format > Other Profiles > Rock Codes.
3. Define a New Profile, named ORE, with the following criteria:
Colour Red

5. Define another New Profile, named WASTE, with the following criteria:
Rock type Waste
Colour Green

7. Define another New Profile, named AIR, with the following criteria:
Rock type Air
Colour Blue

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Profiles and Profile Groups Lab Exercise: Defining and Modifying Profile Groups
Lab Exercise: Defining and Modifying Profile Groups

In this lab, you will practice the skills you learned to define profile groups in GEMS.
1. Choose File > Properties > Profile Groups Settings.
2. Create a New Profile, and name it GEO.
3. In the middle pane, expand Plan view, such that the Standard group appears in the right-hand
pane.
4. Right-click in the right-hand pane, and choose New Group. Name it Geo.
5. In the middle pane, right-click on Geo and choose Set as Default. What do you notice about the
Geo icon?

7. Create a second New Profile, and name it ENG.
8. Click OK to save and exit.
9. In the Project View Area, click to the Profiles tab.
10. Choose View > Refresh Project View.
11. In the Profiles tab of the Project View, expand the GEO profile group. Examine its contents.
12. Expand the ENG profile group. What do you notice about the profile group icon? Examine its
contents. How is it different from the GEO profile group?
13. Click the GEO profile group, to make it the default.

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Profiles and Profile Groups Review
Review
From what menu option can most GEMS system-wide profiles be defined?
At a minimum, which two profiles must be defined to open polylines?
Which profile must you define to control the way drillholes are displayed in the Graphical Work Area?
What about points?
You don’t see a particular profile in the Profile tab of the Project View Area. List three possible reasons
why this could be.
What are some of the advantages to using profile groups?
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Editing Data
The GEMS Workspace Editor is a very versatile utility that allows you to enter data into the workspace or
to view and edit data that is already in the workspace. The data is displayed in two spreadsheets: the top
spreadsheet always contains data from the header table, and the bottom spreadsheet shows data from
any of the other tables in the current workspace.
To enter the Workspace Editor window from the main GEMS window, choose Workspace > Start Data
Editor, or press E on your keyboard to open the active workspace in the Workspace Editor window.
• The Workspace Editor Window

• Selecting and Editing Data
• Rearranging and Sorting Data
• The Menu
The Workspace Editor Window

When the Workspace Editor is activated, it replaces the current GEMS graphic work area as the active
window. The GEMS title and status bars remain visible and active within this window. The GEMS toolbar
is visible, but is dimmed and, thus, unavailable. The Workspace Editor has its own menu bar, which
replaces the GEMS menu bar.
The remainder of the window contains the two spreadsheets that display the data, as well as some
navigation buttons to help you move around the workspace data.
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Editing Data Selecting and Editing Data
There are three main areas in this window that are unique (or have commands that are unique) to the
Workspace Editor: menu bar, header table spreadsheet, and secondary table spreadsheet.
Area Description
Menu bar The menus in this area enable you to manipulate the Workspace Editor data and
control how the data is displayed. See The Menu section for more detail.
Header Table Spreadsheet This area displays the data from the header table of the current project in
spreadsheet format. Scroll bars will appear at the right and may appear along the
bottom of this area, allowing you to scroll through the data both vertically and
horizontally.
Secondary Table This area displays the data from a selected secondary table of the current project
Spreadsheet in spreadsheet format. At the right of this area is a scroll bar allowing you to scroll
through the data vertically.
Along the bottom of the area on the left-hand side are a series of tabs showing the
names of the available secondary tables. To display the data from any of these
tables, simply click the corresponding tab. If the tab for the table you wish to view
is not visible, you can click the right and left arrow buttons to the left of the tabs to
display additional tabs.
Selecting and Editing Data

To navigate and select data for editing in the Workspace Editor, use the keyboard or mouse.
Caution: Be careful when you select or edit data not to overwrite data you want to keep. If you
change data in a cell by accident, do not move the cursor from that cell. Press ESC
immediately to revert to the old entry.
As soon as you move the cursor out of a cell, any changes you made to that cell are
automatically saved to the workspace. There is no way to undo your changes or recover your
old data once it has been modified and saved.
Rearranging and Sorting Data

The Workspace Editor is very flexible in how it allows you to display the data within a table. Columns,
rows, and tables can be resized, and columns can be repositioned with respect to their neighbours. You
can even choose not to display certain fields within a table.
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Editing Data Rearranging and Sorting Data
Fields with numeric data types (integer, real, double, co-ordinate, time, date, and angle) are sorted on the
basis of data values in each record. Fields with character (string) data types will be sorted
alphanumerically (for example, A comes before B in an ascending sort; B11 comes before B2, etc.).
When you sort a workspace table, the actual order of values in the workspace will be updated to reflect
the results of the sorting operation.
Most of these functions can be performed in one of the following ways (although, some can only be done
through one method):
• Using various commands available through the menus, in particular the sorting commands
available from the View menu and the Table Options dialog box available from the Options menu.
• Using the mouse to resize and drag and drop columns as desired. You can also select the fields by
which to sort the data.
Using the Mouse

The following illustration shows some of the ways the mouse can be used to resize tables, columns, and
rows; and sort and reposition data.
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Editing Data The Menu
The Menu
The Workspace Editor has its own menu for all of your data editing requirements:
Menu Description
File The commands on this menu allow you to exit from the Workspace Editor and from the main program.
Edit The commands on this menu allow you to perform various editing functions on the data in the loaded
workspace.
Goto The commands on this menu allow you to access specific records within the loaded workspace.
View The commands on this menu allow you to determine how the records within the loaded workspace are
sorted.
Options The commands on this menu allow you to modify aspects within the data structure.
Help The commands on this menu allow you to access the help, the Gemcom Web site for additional
resources (Help Desk, Frequently Asked Questions, and Patches), and information about GEMS.
The following sections describe the commands within the menus in more detail.
File
The File menu in the Workspace Editor contains two commands, only
one of which is unique to the Workspace Editor:
Command Description
Open Choose this command to open a different workspace in the Workspace Editor.
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Command Description
Close Workspace Choosing this command will close the Workspace Editor, and return you to the GEMS
Editor Graphical Work area. Upon exiting the Workspace Editor, GEMS will create a default
configuration file to preserve your options settings.
Edit
The Edit menu in the Workspace Editor contains the following
commands allowing you to edit the data displayed in the
spreadsheets.
Command Description
Clear Subtable Records This command removes all records in the displayed secondary table. Before you
choose this command, you must select a record in the Header table by clicking the
numbered cell to the left of the record.
Cut Row This command removes the highlighted row(s) and copies it to the Windows clipboard.
Copy Row This command copies the highlighted row(s) to the Windows clipboard.
Note: Because FROM values must be unique within a table, if the original row
contains a FROM value, its corresponding value in the copy will be increased by
one. You can then adjust the FROM value as required.
Paste Row This command inserts the current selection on the Windows clipboard into a new row
at the end of the table in the active spreadsheet.
Delete Row This command deletes the highlighted row from the workspace without placing it on
the Windows clipboard.
Append Row This command inserts a blank row at the end of the current table.
Insert Row This command is explained in detail in the following section.
Fill This command is explained in detail in the following section.
Insert Row
This function allows you to insert records into

specific locations in unsorted tables for which
the order of the data is not important, such as
the Header table.
If the sequence must be maintained, say in a
subtable containing FROM and TO positions
down the trace of a drillhole, and you try to
insert a record in between a sequence, you
will see an error message (see the image on
the right).
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Because the order of the data in these tables

is important, the table records must also be
in their original (unsorted) order before you
insert a new record.
If you attempt to insert a new record after
having sorted your table, you will see an
error message (see image on the right).
To insert a record into a table with a sequence number field, follow these steps:
1. Ensure that the table into which you wish to insert the new record is unsorted by selecting View >
Unsorted.
2. Position the cursor in the record before which you wish to insert a new record. The record number
of the current record will be assigned to the new record, and all subsequent record numbers will be
adjusted accordingly.
3. Choose Edit > Insert Row. The new row will be inserted before the current record, and the record
numbers will be changed to reflect the new addition.
4. The cursor will be located in the new record. Enter the appropriate values in the individual fields.
5. Save the new record by pressing ENTER or clicking another record. If you move the cursor out of
the new record without entering any data, the Insert Row operation will be cancelled, and the
blank record deleted. You can also cancel the Insert Row operation by pressing ESC while the
cursor is still located in the new record.
Fill
This command allows you fill a selected set of fields within a range of records with identical or related
information. To use this command, follow these steps:
1. Use the mouse to highlight the field names and the records you wish to update.
1. Choose Edit > Fill to open the Fill
Columns dialog box, which displays the
name of the current table and the
range of records that you highlighted. It
also presents a grid allowing you to
enter the following parameters for each
of the fields you highlighted:
♦ Prefix: This is the first part of the
field entry and never changes. It
can be more than one character
or value.
♦ Seed: This is the value that
increases in specified
increments.
♦ Increment: This is the value that
indicates the amount of each
increase in the seed.
♦ Suffix: This is the last part of the field entry and never changes. It can be more than one
character or value.
For example: B1A, B2A, B3A
Prefix = B
Seed = 1
Suffix = A
Increment = 1
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2. When you have entered all required parameters, click OK. The data that you entered will be used
to update the highlighted fields within the range of records specified.
Goto
The Goto menu contains four commands that allow you to select
the active record (the record in which the cursor is located).
Command Description
Goto First Record Selecting this command places the cursor in the first record of the active table.
Goto Last Record Selecting this command places the cursor in the last record of the active table.
Goto Record Number Selecting this command places the cursor in the record corresponding to the number you
enter.
Find Record Select this command to bring up a dialog box in which you can enter parameters for
finding records containing particular data entry requirements.
View
The View menu contains commands that allow you to sort
and filter records in the selected table.
Command Description
Unsorted Choose this command to view the records in the order in which they were saved in the
workspace.
Sort Ascending Choose this command to view the records in the active table in ascending order according to
the field (column) in which the cursor is currently located.
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Command Description
Sort Descending Choose this command to view the records in the active table in descending order according to
the field (column) in which the cursor is currently located.
Filter None Choose this command to view the records without any filters.
Filter Quick Choose this command to quickly filter records from the header that meet the criteria you enter.
Filter Define Choose this command to define a SQL filter that you can use to filter the records.
Filter Select Choose this command to select a SQL filter to sort the records.
Options
The Options menu contains commands that allow you to
customise how you view data.
Command Description
General Choose this command to set up
limit check and deletion options.
Table Choose this command to change

the order of the columns in your
spreadsheet view and to set up
automatic field binding and
numbering options for data entry.
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Command Description
Load Choose this command to select a view configuration from previously saved configurations.
Configuration
Save Choose this command to save your preference to a .cfg file.
Configuration
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Importing Data
When you have your workspace structures in place, you have several options for populating them with
data. You can input data directly in the Data Editor, use the various data import commands from the File
menu, or in some cases, import data from an older GDE 4.x workspace. Each data object type presents
itself with different data import options. When importing data, ensure you import the header table first.
The following table summarises from what sources, data objects are commonly imported:
Object Source Menu

Drillholes ASCII
Points ASCII, MEX
File > Import
Polylines ACSII, Status Map, DXF, DWG
Triangulations ASCII, DXF DWG, BT2
• Importing GDE 4.x Workspaces

• Importing Drillhole Data
• Importing Polyline Data
• Importing Triangulation Data
Importing GDE 4.x Workspaces

Importing workspaces from a GDE 4.x project is easy provided you have a valid session file
(GEM4WIN.GES) in the project folder.
To import one or more GDE 4.x workspaces into GEMS, follow these steps.
1. Choose File > Convert >

Workspaces.
2. Select the project from which you want
to import workspace(s).The Import
Workspace dialog box opens,
displaying the source workspaces
available for import.
3. Check the workspaces you want to
import, and click OK. GEMS will
display a progress bar to indicate what
has been imported.
Upon completion of the import,
GEMS will display a log file to warn
you of any potential problems
encountered during data import.
Importing Drillhole Data

Choose File > Import to select form various options that allow you to import and modify drillhole or
traverse data directly from ASCII text files, or to import drillhole or traverse data from other commonly
used geological software packages.
• Import/Modify Data – You can import or modify drillhole or traverse data directly from text files
that are either in column aligned format (flat file) or delimited format. File formats can be defined
and then stored in profiles for multiple uses.
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Importing Data Importing Drillhole Data
Importing files appends data to an existing workspace by creating new records in the workspace.
Modifying files matches data values to existing records in the workspace based on the contents of
selected key fields and fills in missing fields or updates existing fields in these records.
• Advanced Import Data – GEMS also allows you to import data from other commonly used
geological software packages. Currently, supported systems include LOG II, MICROMINE,
GEOLOG, GEOSTAT Systems International, and MEDSYSTEM. You can also perform batch
merging and importing functions using this submenu.
Import Drillhole Data

To import drillholes, follow these steps.
1. Choose File > Import to open a file selection dialog box that prompts you to select a file.
2. From the Data of Type drop-down list, select Drillhole (*.*), highlight the file name, and click Open.
The Import Wizard opens.
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3. In Workspace, select the

drillhole workspace into which
you want to import the data.
4. Click Next.
5. In the next screen, select an

existing Import Profile, or click
Browse to define a new profile.
If you click Browse to open
the Import dialog box for
defining profiles. See the
following section Defining
Import Profiles for details.
6. Click Next.
7. In the last screen, review the

information, and click Finish.
If any of the information is
incorrect, click Back to make
changes.
Defining Import Profiles

For each uniquely formatted file that you are importing, you need to define a new import profile (e.g.
header files, assay files, lithology files). For this reason, it is a good idea to name the profiles according to
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the file-type it is associated with (i.e. an import profile called “HEADER” to use when importing header
records).
In step 5 of importing drillholes, if you clicked Browse to define a new import profile, follow these steps.
2. In the Import dialog box, click

New Profile.
3. Type a name for the profile, and
click OK.
4. In Use this profile for files that
are, select the file format you are
importing. In this example, select
Delimited ASCII.
5. Click Modify to continue.
6. In the next screen, select how

GEMS will import the data, new
data only, modified existing data
records, or both.
7. Click Next.
8. In the next screen, select which

table in the drillhole workspace
you will be importing data into. If
the import file contains both
HEADER and some other
sub-table information, select the
third option (both HEADER and
sub-tables).
9. Click Next.
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10. In the next screen, select the

column delimiter.
11. Click Next.
12. In the next screen, click the

check box if the file contains a
header row.
This will allow GEMS to
automatically map the columns
to the appropriate fields in the
workspace, IF the column names
and workspace field name are
identical.
13. Click Next.
14. In the next screen, click on the

column that contains the primary
workspace key (usually the
Hole-ID).
15. Click Next.
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16. In the next screen, click on

individual columns to match
them to appropriate fields in the
workspace (or choose Skip to
ignore these columns).
17. When complete, click Finish.
18. Review the import profile, then click OK to save and close the dialog box, and return to the Import
Wizard. When you return to the wizard you can continue with step 5 of importing drillholes.
Importing Point Data into a Point Area Workspace

You can import point data from ASCII, or extraction (MEX) files. As with any other object, you must first
have a point area workspace defined (with the appropriate structure in place) into which you will import
the data.
Importing Point Data (ASCII or Extraction File)

When importing ASCII point data, you must first determine the format of the import file. For free-formatted
files (columns separated by spaces, commas, etc.), you must map which columns in the file correspond
to the system fields in your workspace.
To import point data, follow these steps:
20. From the Data of Type drop-down list, select Points (*.*), highlight the file name, and click Open.
The Import Wizard opens.
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21. In Workspace, select the point

area workspace into which you
want to import the data.
22. Click Next.
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Importing Data Importing Polyline Data
23. In the next screen, select an existing Import Profile, or click Browse to define a new profile.
If you click Browse to open the Import dialog box for defining profiles. See the section Defining
Import Profiles for details.
24. Click Next.
25. In the last screen, review the information, and click Finish. If any of the information is incorrect,
click Back to make changes.
Importing Polyline Data

Polyline data can be imported from STATUSLN.DAT, 3DR, ASC, DXF/DWG, or ABP files. The GEMS
polyline import process is designed to recognise ASCII files in the following tab delimited format:
PLANE ROCK CODE (or LINETYPE) Y X Z
If you are importing polylines in an ASCII file format other than this, you must use File > Classic Import
to import these polyline files.
As with any other object, you must first have defined a workspace (with the appropriate structure in place)
into which to import the data.
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Importing Polyline Data (ASCII, DXF, or DWG)

To import polyline data, follow these steps.
2. From the Data of Type drop-down list, select Lines (StatusLn.dat, *.3dr, *.asc, *.dxf, *.dwg),
highlight the filename, and click Open.
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If you are importing DXF or DWG files, do the following.

a. Choose which of the AutoCAD
Layers to import, and map the
Line Type (for Status Lines),
Rockcode (for 3D Rings), and
Plane (all line types).
To preview the lines on screen
prior to importing, click Preview.
b. To save the import settings, click
Save Settings. (Optional) To
reload the settings in the future,
click Load Settings.
c. Click OK.
Otherwise:
3. Select the Workspace and type in the

name of a Tag (optional). The tag may
be used as a unique identifier in order
to open the set of lines from the
workspace.
4. Click OK. GEMS will load the lines in
the graphical work area.
5. In the Project View Area, right-click the

workspace, and choose Save to save
the lines to the database permanently.
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Importing Data Importing Triangulation Data
Importing Triangulation Data

You can import triangulation data from ASCII, BT2, DXF, or DWG files. As with any other object, you
must first have defined a workspace (with the appropriate structure in place) into which to import the data.
Importing Triangulations (ASCII, DXF, or DWG)

To import triangulations from ACDII, DXF, or DWG files, follow these steps.
2. From the Data of Type drop-down list, select Triangulations (*.tri, *.dxf, *.dwg), highlight the
filename, and click Open.
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3. If you are importing from a TRI

file, select the type of
triangulation you are importing
(i.e. surface or solid).
4. Click OK.
5. If you are importing data from

a DXF or DWG file, select the
active layers. Click OK.
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6. In the Triangulation Properties

dialog box, select the
destination Workspace. Give
the triangulation up to three
names (each has a maximum
of 10 characters), and assign
the appropriate solid attribute.
Click OK.
7. In the Project View Area, right-click the workspace, and choose Save to accept the data import or
choose Close to remove the triangulation(s) from memory.
Importing Triangulations (BT2)

To import triangulation data from BT2 files, follow these steps.
2. From the Data of Type drop-down list, select Triangulations (*.bt2), highlight the filename, and
click Open.
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3. In the Select Workspace dialog box,

select the triangulation workspace into
which you will be importing the
triangulations. Click Select.
4. In the Browse for Folder dialog box,

select the source folder containing the
triangulation files.
In most cases, it is not necessary to
browse to the exact location of the BT2
file. GEMS will search the contents of
the root folder, and return all files with
the extension BT2.
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5. If required, map the grade element

fields for the triangulations for which
there is a grade. Click OK.
6. In the Project View Area, right-click the workspace, and choose Save to accept the data import or
choose Close to remove the triangulation(s) from memory.
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Importing Data Lab Exercise: Importing Drillhole Data
Lab Exercise: Importing Drillhole Data

The following lab demonstrates how drillhole data can be loaded from text data, which may have been
exported from a third-party system. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. Choose File > Import.
2. In Data of Type, select Drillholes (*.*), and select the file DDH_Header.txt. Then click Open.
3. Select the DDH1 drillhole workspace, and click Next.
4. Click Browse to define a new import profile.
5. Define a New Profile, named HEADER, with the following criteria:
Import Table HEADER
File Format Comma Delimited
Column Parameters HOLE-ID
LOCATION (Axis: X)
LOCATION (Axis: Y)
LOCATION (Axis: Z)
LENGTH
CORE_SIZE
LOGGED_BY
COMMENT
6. Click OK to save changes and close the import profile window.

7. In the Import Wizard, click Next, and then Finish to complete the data import process. If any errors
are encountered, click Save Text as File and review the error messages.
8. In the Project View Area, right-click the DDH1 workspace, and choose Save.
9. Repeat steps 1 through 8 for the remaining import files (DDH_Assay.txt, DDH_Survey.txt,
DDH_Litho.txt, with corresponding error files: Assay.err, Survey.err, and Litho.err, respectively).
Remember to match the proper columns of the ASCII file to the fields in the workspace.
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Importing Data Lab Exercise: Importing Point Data
Lab Exercise: Importing Point Data

The following lab demonstrates how point data can be loaded from text data, exported from a third-party
system. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
9. In Data of Type, select Points (*.*), and select the file POINTA_Survey.txt, and click Open.
10. Select the PointArea workspace, and click Next.
11. Click Browse to define a new import profile.
12. Define a New Profile called POINTS, and click Modify.
13. Select Only add new data, and click Next.
14. Select Both the Header…, and click Next.
15. Verify that the delimiter is set to comma, and click Next.
16. Select Yes for the header row, and set the value to 1. Click Next.
17. Select My data file has the name…, and click Next.
18. Choose the first column as the workspace key. Click Next.
19. Select Automatically generate a value”, and click Next.
20. Import the columns (from left to right) into the following fields in the LOCATION table, and click
Finish.
Columns POINTS-ID
NORTHING
EASTING
ELEVATION
RVALUE
IVALUE
21. Click OK to save the import profile and close the window.
22. In the Import Wizard, click Next to verify the settings, and then Finish to complete the import
process.
23. In the Project View Area, right-click the workspace, choose Save, and then Close.
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Importing Data Lab Exercise: Importing Polyline Data
Lab Exercise: Importing Polyline Data

The following lab demonstrates how polyline data can be loaded from text data, which has been exported
from GEMS. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
2. In Data of Type, select Lines, and select the file Geology_Rings.3DR. Click Open.
3. Select the Geology workspace, and insert a value of Geology_Rings into the TAG field. Click OK.
4. Review the lines on screen (zoom to extents if needed). In the Project View Area, right-click the
workspace, choose Save, and then Close.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for the file Survey_Topo.asc, and import the lines into the Survey
workspace (with the TAG value Survey).
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Importing Data Lab Exercise: Importing Triangulation Data
Lab Exercise: Importing Triangulation Data

The following lab demonstrates how triangulation data can be loaded from DXF data, exported from a
third-party system. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
2. In Data of Type, select Triangulation (.tri, .dxf, .dwg ), and select the file Eng_Stopes.dxf. Click
Open.
3. In the following window, choose to import the triangulations as Multiple solids, and click OK.
4. In the Triangulations Properties window, input the following parameters:

Workspace: EngSolids
Name 1 Stopes
Category Excavation
Display Use classic formatting
5. In the Project View Area, right-click the workspace, click Save and then Close.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 for the following import files: Eng_Lev11A.dxf, Eng_Lev11B.dxf,
Eng_Lev11C.dxf (with the corresponding NAME 1, LevA, LevB, and LevC, respectively).
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Importing Data Review
Review
1. Describe two ways to entering the Data Editor view.
1. What method can be used to delete all of the sub-table records for a particular subset of header
records?
2. How do you close the Data Editor window to return to the main GEMS work area?
3. True or False? Deleting a record in the Data Editor can be undone from the Data Editor menu.
4. In the Data Editor, what effect does double-clicking a column header have?
5. Explain the difference between importing and modifying drillhole data.
6. Prior to importing any external data into GEMS, what are some of the settings you must first have
in place?
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Validating Data
GEMS has two commands that allow you to validate the data in your active workspace.
Command Description
Validate Drillhole or Traverse Data This command allows you to verify the validity of data in any drillhole or
traverse workspace by checking data for inconsistencies, duplication, and
missing values.
Check Duplication of Field Data This command allows you to check any type of workspace for duplicate
data. The validation process will produce a record-by-record report of all
inconsistencies. The report may be directed to the printer, to the screen, or
to a text file
Caution: The validation process will not try to correct any inconsistencies. You have to edit the
workspace manually to resolve any problems that are reported.
It is a good idea to validate data on a regular basis if you are making frequent changes to the data,
because problems with the data could affect the results of a number of GEMS functions, especially
statistical and other analyses. Also, before you try to calculate any composites from a workspace, you
should validate the intervals in the source tables that you intend to use.
• Validating Drillhole and Traverse Data

• Checking Duplication of Field Data
Validating Drillhole and Traverse Data

Choose Workspace > Validate Data >
Validate Drillhole or Traverse Data to verify
the validity of data in any drillhole or traverse
workspace. Validating tables will check for the
following:
• Any interval, length, or distance that is

less than or equal to zero. This occurs
when the TO value in a given record is
less than or equal to the FROM value
in the same record, or when the
LENGTH or DISTANCE values are
negative or zero.
• Any interval that is out of sequence. This occurs when the value in the FROM or the TO field is less
than the corresponding value in the previous record, or when the FROM value in a given record is
less than the TO value in the previous record.
• Any portion of a drillhole that does not have an interval defined. This occurs when the FROM value
in a given record is greater than the TO value in the previous record.
• Any interval or distance that is greater than the hole length. This occurs when the TO or
DISTANCE value is greater than the hole length.
• DISTANCE, FROM, TO, LENGTH, and co-ordinate fields that do not have values entered.
Follow these steps to validate drillhole or traverse workspace data:
1. Choose Workspace > Validate Data > Validate Drillhole or Traverse Data, to open the Select
Workspace dialog box.
2. Select the workspace you want to validate, and click Select.
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Validating Data Checking Duplication of Field Data
3. In the Select Records to Process dialog box, select an

option, and click OK.
4. In the Select tables to be checked dialog box, select

the table(s) that contain the data that you wish to
validate
5. Click OK.
6. In the Validation Tolerance dialog box, enter the

smallest number for which you want to ignore errors.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Yes or No in response to the prompt asking whether you want only the error messages printed.
9. The Drillhole Data Validation status window will appear, displaying the progress of the validation
process. When the data validation is complete, click OK to clear the window from the screen. The text
editor specified by GEMS will be used to display the report.
Checking Duplication of Field Data

Choose Workspace > Validate Data >
Check Duplication of Field Data to test
any workspace for duplicates of any field
within key (header) tables, or duplicates of
spatial data (coordinate fields, etc.) in any
other tables.
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To check for duplicates of field data, follow these steps.

1. Select Workspace > Validate Data > Check Duplication of Field Data, and select the workspace
you want to validate.
2. In the Select Records to Process dialog box, select an option, and click OK..
3. In the Select Method for Checking dialog box,
select one of the following methods:
♦ Check Duplicate on Header Table
♦ Check Spatial Duplicate on Any
Table
4. Click OK.
Check Duplicate on Header Table
5. If you selected Check Duplicate on Header

Table, follow these steps:
In the Select Field for Checking Duplication
dialog box, select the field in the header
table that you wish to check for duplicates,
and click OK. Only one field can be chosen
at a time.
GEMS will perform the data validation. The
report will be processed, and a window will
appear displaying the report status.
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Check Spatial Duplicate on Any Table
6. If you selected Check Spatial Duplicate on

Any Table:
In the Select Table for Checking Duplication
dialog box, select the table that contains the
data you wish to check for duplicates, and
click OK. Only one table can be chosen at a
time.
If you select the header table, you will also
be asked to select a field. Select the
desired field, and click OK.
7. In the Define Checking Parameter dialog box,

set the Reference Position.
The values in the Reference Position field
depend on the structure of the selected
table. Select one of the following options:
♦ Use FROM: Select this option to use
the value in the FROM field.
♦ Use MIDDLE: Select this option to use the mid-point between the values in the FROM and
TO fields.
♦ Use TO: Select this option to use the value in the TO field.
8. Enter a Tolerance (distance apart) level. Any distances less than this tolerance level will be
reported as spatial duplicates.
9. Click OK. GEMS will perform the data validation. The report will be processed, and displayed
on-screen using the default text editor.
If no duplicates were found, a message indicating this will be displayed in the status window, and
no report will be created.
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Reports
Choose Workspace > Report
Data to access commands that
allow you to create basic reports
from the active workspace.
You can use reports to view data
on the screen, to print data, and
to create text files for export to
other systems.
• Quick Workspace Report

• Workspace Status Report
• Workspace Record Status Report
• Workspace Structure Report
Quick Workspace Report

GEMS includes a tool for creating basic reports quickly and easily, from lists of available data and all the
tables and fields in the active workspace. You can apply simple selection criteria to the selected fields
when you pick them.
To create a basic report of your workspace data, follow these steps:
1. Choose Workspace > Report Data > Quick Workspace Report to open the Quick Report dialog
box.
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Reports Workspace Status Report
2. In the Quick Report dialog box, select the

Workspace for which you want to create
the report.
3. All the fields in each table will be listed.
Enter the following parameters (as
applicable) for each of the fields that you
wish to include in your report:
♦ Use: Click in this column to
indicate that you wish to have
the data in this field listed in your
report.
♦ Minimum and Maximum: If the
field you have chosen is a
numeric field, define a range of
values to report by entering a
lower bound and an upper
bound. Any records containing
values outside of these bounds
will not be included in the report.
♦ Match String: If the field you have chosen is a character field, enter the desired
alphanumeric string that you wish to match. You can use the wildcard characters ? and *.
The default is set to *, which will match all strings.
4. When you have entered all the applicable information for all fields you wish to include, click OK.
5. In the Select Records to Process dialog box, select a record option, and click OK.
6. To respond to the prompt asking whether to create a macro with the filters you defined above, click
Yes or No.
7. The Generate Report status window will appear, displaying the progress of the report creation
process. When completed, click OK to clear the window from the screen.
The report will be displayed now using an ASCII text editor. When you have finished with the
on-screen report, close the editor window.
8. To respond to the prompt asking whether you want to save the macro to create the report again, click
Yes or No. If you click Yes, you will be asked to enter a name for your new macro file.
If you choose to create the macro, you will be able to use the Define/Modify Report Format
Macro command and the reporting language to modify the macro as required.
Workspace Status Report

Choose this command to create a report on the current status of the workspace. This report will display
the project name, workspace type and description, and the total number of records in each table and in
the workspace as a whole. It will also display the following information for each of the fields in each of the
tables:
Field Information Description

Field Name This displays the name of the field.
Axis This shows whether the axis is X, Y, or Z (co-ordinate fields only).
Minimum Value This displays the minimum value for the entries in this field, if one was set. This applies to
fields with numeric values only.
Maximum Value This displays the maximum value for the entries in this field, if one was set. This applies to
fields with numeric values only.
Valid Entries This displays the number of records in the field that contain valid entries.
Not Entered This shows the number of records in the field with the special value Not Entered.
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Reports Workspace Record Status Report
Field Information Description

ADL Entries This shows the number of records in the field with the special value Above Detection
Limit.
BDL Entries This shows the number of records in the field with the special value Below Detection
Limit.
IS Entries This shows the number of records in the field with the special value Insufficient Sample.
NS Entries This shows the number of records in the field with the special value Not Sampled.
NC Entries This shows the number of records in the field with the special value Not Calculated.
ERR Entries This displays the number of records for which the entry in this field generated an error.
To run this report, follow these steps:

2. Choose Workspace > Report Data > Workspace Status Report to open the Select Workspace
dialog box.
3. Select a Workspace, and click Select. The GEMS Workspace Status Report status window will
appear, displaying the progress of the status reporting function. Depending on the size of your
workspace, this function could take some time.
4. Click OK to view the report.
Workspace Record Status Report

Choose this command to create a report on the current status of a record or set of records in the
workspace.
1. Choose Workspace > Report Data > Workspace Record Status Report to open the Select
2. Select a Workspace, and click Select.
3. In the Select Records to Process dialog box, select an option, and click OK.
4. In the Reference Field dialog box, select the
reference field you wish to use, and click OK.
5. The Generating Record Number Status Report
status window appears, displaying the progress
of the reporting function. Click OK to view the
report on the screen.
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Reports Workspace Structure Report
Workspace Structure Report

Choose this command to create a report detailing the structure of the current workspace. The report will
display the workspace file name and the following information for each table in the workspace:
• Table Number
• Table Name
• Number of Fields
The report will also include the following information for each field in each of the tables:
• Field Name
• Field Number
• Field Type
• Minimum Value
• Maximum Value
• Default Value
1. Choose Workspace > Report Data > Workspace Structure Report to open the Select Workspace
dialog box.
2. Select the workspace from the list, and click Select.
3. The Workspace Structure Report Status window will appear, displaying the progress of the reporting
function. Click OK to view the report on the screen.
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Working with Drillholes
A drillhole workspace holds information that is collected along lines in three
dimensions. Drillholes are defined by a single co-ordinate at one end of a line and
by directional data (for example, dip angles and azimuths) measured at intervals
along the line. Information is located along the line, either at points defined by
distance measurements along the line, or in intervals defined by starting and ending
distances along the line. Drillhole data is always three-dimensional.
You can use the commands in the Drillhole menu to display data from drillhole or traverse workspaces.
Drillholes and traverses are displayed as trace lines. Data from any of the tables in the workspace can be
displayed in a variety of ways at the collar location of each drillhole or traverse, or along the trace of each
drillhole or traverse.
• Opening Drillhole Data

• Selecting Drillhole Intersects
• Displaying Drillhole Data
Opening Drillhole Data

In the Project View Area, right-click on a drillhole
workspace icon to access commands for opening, re-
opening, closing, or editing data, and for setting the
display settings (when drillholes are already open).
From the Project View Area, you can open more than
one workspace at a time. If you have two or more
workspaces open, selecting commands from the
Drillhole menu will present you with a list of the
opened workspaces. Otherwise, the commands
operate on the selected workspace (or are dimmed if
no workspaces are open).
When you open drillhole data, you are making a copy
of selected records in selected tables and fields in
computer memory. Therefore, changes to the drillhole
data in the workspace (for example, in the Data editor)
will not be reflected on the screen unless you re-open
your data.
Before GEMS can open any drillhole data, you must set up and select the following profiles:
Profile Description
Drillhole Display profile This profile specifies how you want to display the drillhole data including the fields you
wish to see displayed down the drillhole trace, such as rock code, and grade values.
Choose Format > Drillholes to define display profiles.
Drillhole Loading profile This profile specifies the data tables and fields that you want to load into memory. You
can simply select the Automatic load profile when opening drillholes to have the
program extract the necessary fields to load from those specified in the display profile.
Or, if necessary, choose Drillhole > Data > Loading Profiles to define the profile.
Page 113 of 257

Working with Drillholes Opening Drillhole Data
Open Drillholes
To open drillhole data, follow these steps:
1. In the Project View Area, right-click on a drillhole workspace and select Open to open the Open
Drillhole dialog box.
2. In Display profile, select the desired
display profile from the dropdown list.
3. In Loading profile, select the desired
loading profile, or select <Automatic> to
have the program load the necessary
data as specified in the display profile, or
you may select a previously defined
loading profile. Only profiles that are valid
for the selected workspace will be listed.
If you need to define a loading profile,
click Browse.
4. Click OK.
5. In the Select Records to Process dialog box, choose a method for selecting a subset of records to be
loaded.
Note: You can use SQL filters when opening drillhole data, which are much faster than GEMS
filters.
6. Click OK.
7. GEMS unloads existing data in the current workspace first. Then GEMS displays a status dialog box
indicating the number of holes and records being processed. To stop the loading process, press
ESC. GEMS will ask you to confirm that you want to terminate loading. Click Yes to show all drillholes
opened so far, or No to continue opening drillholes.
To open another drillhole workspace, repeat steps 1 to 6.
Re-Open Drillholes
Choose this command to re-open drillhole data using the same loading and display profiles, but a
different record selection option. This command is useful if you wish to look at different subsets of the
same drillhole workspace using the same profiles. The previously used loading profile, and display profile
are automatically selected for you. If no drillholes have been loaded, this command is not available.
To re-open drillhole data, follow these steps:
1. In the Project View Area, right-click on the open drillhole workspace, and select Re-Open to open
the Select Records to Process dialog box
2. In the Record Selection Options list, select an option for which records to process, and click OK.
Close Drillholes
Choose this command to remove all drillholes from the work session and close the workspace. If no
drillholes have been loaded, this command is not available.
To close drillhole data, in the Project View Area, right-click on an open drillhole workspace, and select
Close.
Page 114 of 257

Working with Drillholes Selecting Drillhole Intersects
Selecting Drillhole Intersects

Choose Drillhole > Select to access a list
of commands that allow you to select and
deselect drillhole intersects from among the
set of drillholes loaded in the workspace.
There are also commands for specifying the
location and appearance of drillhole
intersect points, and for saving active
intersects to an extraction file. Drillhole
intersects are points used for many
operations, such as surface creation.
A drillhole intersect can be any of the
following:
• A position down a drillhole defined in a DISTANCE field

• A position down a drillhole defined in a LOCATION field
• A position down a drillhole defined in a FROM field
• A position down a drillhole defined in a TO field
All Select submenu commands are additive. Each time you choose a Select command, you increase the
number of active intersects. Be sure to deselect intersects when appropriate. You can also select or
deselect all intersects in the current drillhole workspace.
Select and Snap Settings

Choose Drillhole > Select > Select and Snap
Settings to control the location and appearance
of drillhole intersect points for all selection
commands and snapping operations. Because
you can have fields from multiple tables
displayed, you must specify which table and
field to use to determine the location of the
intersect symbols. Generally, when an intersect
is activated, the symbol at the active location
changes from a dot to a cross. However,
instead of having crosses displayed at the
intersect points during selection, you can
choose to have the drillhole intervals highlighted
in a specified colour. You can also control the
size and colour of the intersect symbols.
When you use this command, you control the location of drillhole intersect points and their behaviour
when you select them in the Select menu, or snap to them (in other GEMS menus). The portion of the
interval that you are highlighting on the drillhole trace is determined by the table and field (e.g. FROM,
TO, or DISTANCE) specified in this command. The one exception is the Select Drillhole Intersects by
Field Value command, which also allows you to specify the location for intersects.
Intersect points generally appear as dots when unselected and as crosses when selected. You can
specify the size and colour of the dots and crosses, or, instead of using crosses, you can choose to
highlight intervals with a specific colour when intersect points are selected.
You can assign the location of the trace symbols (as defined in the current display profile) as the location
for the intersect symbols. A dot in the specified colour will overlap each symbol when it is unselected.
When highlighted, a cross appears and the trace symbol and the cross take on the selected colour (or the
interval is highlighted in the selected colour).
Page 115 of 257

Working with Drillholes Displaying Drillhole Data
Note: There are options in the Display Overrides command that can hide intersects.
You can always snap to the drillhole collars. If multiple workspaces are open, snapping to drillholes
throughout GEMS operates as though all workspaces are simultaneously selected.
Displaying Drillhole Data

Choose Format > Drillholes to open the Drillhole
Display profile editor, where you can define profiles
to determine how you display the trace and interval
data for each drillhole.
By using Drillhole > Display > Display Overrides,
you can override the profile parameters or turn
specific components on or off. Settings in the
Display Overrides dialog box also allow you to
define distance markings down the trace and
specify how drillholes will appear in rendered
mode.
You may query drillhole data interactively by picking points on the trace with the mouse to display
detailed downhole information on-screen.
3D view of “thick” traces with annotation

There are five main elements of the drillhole display that you can customise in the display profile: the
drillhole name, the collar symbol, the trace symbols, the trace line itself, and the trace annotation. All
elements are optional, and can be displayed in any combination.
The trace of each hole can be displayed as a “thin” 3D polyline or as a “thick” trace with or without colour-
coded interval data. The drillhole name can appear at the drillhole collar or toe. In addition to a collar
symbol, you can have symbols at specific interval locations down the trace.
The trace annotation can display information from up to 16 fields, from any of the tables. You can display
the annotation on either side of the trace or place it at the top and bottom of trace intervals. This is useful
if, for example, you are displaying trace symbols without traces. You can also choose to mark trace
intervals with ticks.
The colours of the collar and trace symbols, the trace annotation, and the trace line itself can all be varied
depending on values in specified fields.
When a drillhole trace is drawn, some symbols get drawn automatically: a diamond shape appears where
the drillhole crosses the active plane; arrow pointers appear where the drillhole enters and exits the
Page 116 of 257

Working with Drillholes Displaying Drillhole Data
corridor; a short perpendicular line indicates the toe of the hole, a default Q_circle symbol indicates the
collar of the hole.
When you choose not to display any drillhole traces or collar symbols, a small green dot is drawn at the
collar location.
Page 117 of 257

Working with Drillholes Lab Exercise: Defining Drillhole Display Profiles
Lab Exercise: Defining Drillhole Display Profiles

The following lab demonstrates how to define a typical drillhole display profile. Use default settings unless
otherwise stated.
1. Choose Format > Drillholes, and choose the DDH1 drillhole workspace.
2. Define a New Profile, named TRACE, using the following criteria:
Show Collar Symbol 9
Type Circle
Size 5

4. Define a New Profile, named ASSAY, using the following criteria:
Show Collar Symbol 9
Type Circle
Size 5
(Click the Trace Tab)
Use field values to decide the colour of each trace line 9
Table ASSAY
Field AU(OZ/T)
Colour AU
Draw the trace as a thick line 9
Radius 2.0

6. Select ASSAY from the profile list, and click Save As, and provide a new name ASS_LITH, using the
following criteria in the Trace tab:
Show labels 9
(Click the New button) Text
Table Name LITHO
Field Name ROCK-TYPE
Text Colour Profile LITH_STR
Show text at Right

Page 118 of 257

Working with Drillholes Lab Exercise: Opening Drillholes
Lab Exercise: Opening Drillholes

The following lab demonstrates how to define a drillhole display profile. Use default settings unless
otherwise stated.
1. In the Project View Area window, right-click the DDH1 workspace, and select Open.
Display Profile TRACE
Load Profile Automatic
Select Records to Process All
2. Review the data on screen. If needed, click Zoom to Extents on your toolbar.
3. In the Project View Area, right-click the DDH1 workspace, and select Display Overrides.
4. In Display Profile, choose ASSAY, and click OK.
5. You will be asked to confirm the reload of data. Choose Yes.
6. Review the data on screen. Repeat steps 3 to 5, to change the display profile to ASS_LITH.
Page 119 of 257

Working with Drillholes Lab Exercise: Selecting Drillholes
Lab Exercise: Selecting Drillholes

The following lab demonstrates how the Select and Snap Settings command can be used to select
specific intersects along drillholes.
1. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select and Snap Settings, and use the following criteria:
Table ASSAY
Position From and To
Symbol Size 5.00
2. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select All Drillhole Intersects and examine the highlighted drillhole
intersects.
Page 120 of 257

Working with Drillholes Review
Review
1. Drillhole display profiles can be applied to drillholes from any drillhole workspace. True or False?
2. In 3D, your drillhole traces appear as ‘cylinders’. How can you change this so that they appear flat?
3. What setting controls which intersects your cursor can ‘snap’ to?
4. Try right-clicking anywhere down the length of a drillhole. What two express menu options do you
notice? What happens when you select them?
5. You have defined a drillhole display profile that is supposed to show assay data down the length of
the drillhole in different colours, yet no data is shown. List any possible reasons for this. (Hint: Think
back to what steps are required to display drillhole data).
Page 121 of 257

Data Manipulation
Choose Workspace > Manipulate
Data to access functions to
calculate new data values from
existing data values in the active
workspace.
The following data manipulation functions area available in GEMS:
Function Description
Simple Manipulation of Fields This option allows you to use math expressions to manipulate data in all the
records that you have selected.
Conditional Manipulation of Fields This option allows you to use two sets of math expressions to manipulate
data in records that are selected using a logical expression.
Cross-Table Transfer of Data This option allows you to transfer data from a field in one secondary table to
a field that has the same data type in another secondary table.
Linear Interpretation of Field This option allows you to fill in any missing data values within a series of
consecutive records in a selected field.
Format String Field This option allows you to format string (alphanumeric character) fields in
GEMS tables and to create new string fields by concatenating two existing
string fields.
Co-ordinate Transformation This option allows you to transform location information from one
co-ordinate system to another.
Desurvey Tables of Data This option allows you to calculate the location of data stored in interval and
distance formats in drillhole or traverse type workspaces.
Special Drillhole Data Process This option allows you to manipulate drillhole data that you have imported
from another system so that it meets the requirements of the GEMS format.
• Simple and Conditional Manipulation of Fields

• Cross-Table Transfer of Data
• Linear Interpretation of Field
• Format String Field
• Co-ordinate Transformation
• Desurvey Tables of Data
• Special Drillhole Data Process
Page 122 of 257

Data Manipulation Simple and Conditional Manipulation of Fields
Simple and Conditional Manipulation of Fields

You can define sets of expressions to act on data in the active workspace and calculate new values that
are inserted into the workspace. The following are two ways you can use expressions to manipulate data:
• Simple manipulation uses math

expressions to manipulate data in all
the records that you have selected.
• Conditional manipulation uses two

sets of math expressions to
manipulate data in records that you
selected using a logical expression.
The first set of math expressions is
used when the conditions specified by
the logical expression are true. The
second set of math expressions is
used when the conditions specified by
the logical expression are false.
Conditional manipulation takes the
following form:
IF <Logical Expression> is TRUE
THEN Result = <math expression 1>
ELSE Result = <math expression 2>
The results of both simple and conditional manipulations are inserted into fields in the tables being
manipulated. These fields must already exist in the table.
Caution: You can insert the result into fields that already have data in them or into fields that do
not have data. Be very careful when you do this because it is easy to overwrite data by
mistake. If you do this, you can never recover the original data.
Syntax
For information on the syntax available for data manipulation, view the GEMS Help topic Using
expressions for GEMS filters and data manipulation.
Cross-Table Transfer of Data

You can transfer data from a field in one secondary table (the source table) to a field in another
secondary table (the target table) that has the same data type. Data is only transferred when a
relationship is established between two records in the source and target tables. This relationship is based
on the position of the records within the respective tables. The position is defined either by the contents of
the FROM-TO fields, or the contents of the DISTANCE fields.
Page 123 of 257

Data Manipulation Cross-Table Transfer of Data
The following are different methods of determining the relationship between records in the source and
target tables:
• first interval
• mid-point of the target interval
• exact match
• nearest match
• nearest mid-point
• longest interval
• majority rule by length
• majority rule by frequency
The applicability of the methods and the results depend on the combination of the types of source and
target tables.
Page 124 of 257

Data Manipulation Linear Interpretation of Field
Linear Interpretation of Field

You can use this function to fill in any missing
data values in a selected field and create any
missing records in a series of consecutive
records. This process uses the valid data in
the records immediately preceding and
following the records without values. The new
values for these “empty” records are
determined using linear interpolation based
on the mid-point of the FROM-TO values, or
the average of the DISTANCE values of the
affected records.
Format String Field

You can use this command to format string
(alphanumeric character) fields in GEMS tables.
You can also use this command to import data into
a string field by combining (concatenating) the data
from two other string fields in the same table.
Page 125 of 257

Data Manipulation Co-ordinate Transformation
Co-ordinate Transformation
GEMS can express co-ordinates in one of two co-
ordinate systems. These systems are the alternate
system (such as the UTM or NTS system) and the
local system (such as a property or mine system).
Co-ordinate Transformation diagram

You can transform location information from one co-ordinate system to another:
• Alternate to local transformation – This transformation should be used when an alternate

co-ordinate system is to be transformed to a local co-ordinate system. You will know the
co-ordinates of the origin of the local system in terms of the alternate system, and the rotation
angle between the local system and the alternate system. The following formulae are used:
( N a − N o ) × COS ( Ro ) − ( E a − E o ) × SIN ( Ro )
N1 =
Sh
( N a − N o ) × SIN ( Ro ) + ( E a − E o ) × COS ( Ro )
E1 =
Sh
(Z a − Z o )
Z1 =
Sy
Page 126 of 257

Data Manipulation Desurvey Tables of Data
Where
N a , Ea , Z a are the northing, easting, and elevation co-ordinates of the point being
transformed, defined in the alternate co-ordinate system.
N o , Eo , Z o are the northing, easting, and elevation co-ordinates of the origin of the local
grid, defined in the alternate co-ordinate system.
N l , El , Z l are the northing, easting, and elevation co-ordinates of the point being
transformed, defined in the local co-ordinate system.
Ro is the local grid offset orientation angle measured in degrees clockwise from the
local grid north to the alternate grid north.
Sh , S y are the horizontal and vertical scale correction factors for the geodetic alternate
co-ordinate system in the area of the local grid. If these scale factors are
unknown they should be set to 1.0.
• Local to alternate transformation – This transformation should be used when a local co-ordinate
system is to be transformed to an alternate co-ordinate system. You will know the co-ordinates of
the origin of the local system in terms of the alternate system, and the rotation angle between the
local system and the alternate system. The following formulae are used:
N a = N o + S h × [ N l × COS( Ro ) + El × SIN ( Ro )]
Ea = Eo + S h × [− N l × SIN ( Ro ) + El × COS( Ro )]
Z a = Zo + Sh × Zl
Where the variables are the same as for the formulae for alternate to local transformation.
Desurvey Tables of Data

You can calculate the location (X,Y,Z) of data
stored in interval and distance format in either
drillhole or traverse type workspaces using a
process known as desurveying. This process
uses all the available location and survey data
that define the start and path of drillholes and
traverses to calculate the co-ordinates of the
centre of each sample.
Only tables that meet all of the following
conditions can be desurveyed:
• It must be a secondary table in the workspace.

• It must be in either interval or distance format.
• It must have a co-ordinate field, which can have any name.
Special Drillhole Data Process

Use this command to manipulate drillhole data that you have imported from another system so that it
meets the requirements of the GEMS format. You may need to relocate certain data, or you may need to
deduce new fields from the data. Specifically, the following conditions may exist:
Page 127 of 257

Data Manipulation Special Drillhole Data Process
• The azimuth and dip measurement at downhole distance zero for each drillhole may appear in the
header table instead of the survey table. Since this information is required in the GEMS survey
table, the data must be copied from the header to the survey table.
• The downhole data that describes intervals may be in distance format, and it needs to be
converted to interval format for use in GEMS. To do this, you will first need to modify the structure
of your workspace by renaming the DISTANCE field to either FROM or TO, and creating a new
(blank) field named TO or FROM. You can then use the appropriate field binding option to convert
the distance data to interval format.
• The values for drillhole length may be missing from the GEMS header table. This problem can
occur when importing historical data. Since the drillhole lengths must appear in the GEMS header
table, the information must be copied in from other tables.
Page 128 of 257

Data Manipulation Lab Exercise: Simple Manipulation
Lab Exercise: Simple Manipulation

The following lab demonstrates how to calculate new values in the workspace using Simple
Manipulation of Fields. The first part of the lab illustrates how to calculate the length of individual Assay
intervals, while the second part of the lab illustrates how to calculate grades in g/t from those in oz/t. Use
default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. In the DDH1 workspace’s ASSAY table, create a field named AU(G/T) (of Field type, Real) (refer to
the chapter on Creating and Modifying Workspaces for more information), and save your changes.
2. Choose Workspace > Manipulate Data > Simple Manipulation of Fields to open the Simple Data
Manipulation dialog box.
3. Select the DDH1 workspace as the active workspace.
4. Use the following criteria:
Table to manipulate ASSAY
Field name for result LENGTH
Expression to be used “ASSAY:TO” – “ASSAY:FROM”
5. Review the results in the Data Editor.

6. Choose Workspace > Manipulate Data > Simple Manipulation of Fields.
Field name for result AU(G/T)
Expression to be used “ASSAY:AU(OZ/T)” * 34.2857
9. Review the results in the Data Editor.

Page 129 of 257

Data Manipulation Lab Exercise: Conditional Manipulation
Lab Exercise: Conditional Manipulation

The following lab demonstrates how to calculate maximum cut-off grade assay values using Condition
Manipulation of Fields. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. In the DDH1 workspace, in the ASSAY table, create a field named AU(CUT) (of Field type, Real
(refer to the chapter on Creating and Modifying Workspaces for more information).
2. Choose Workspace > Manipulate Data > Conditional Manipulation of Fields to open the
Conditional Manipulation of Fields dialog box.
Evaluate the data using this condition “ASSAY:AU(OZ/T)” GT 2.00
If TRUE then set the value in this field ASSAY:AU(CUT)
TO 2.00
If FALSE then set the value in this field AU(CUT)
TO “ASSAY:AU(OZ/T)”
5. Review the results in the Workspace Editor.

Page 130 of 257

Data Manipulation Review
Review
1. True or False: The Manipulate Data commands can only be used on the active workspace.
2. During Simple Manipulation processes, what syntax would be used to identify the FROM field in the
LITHO table?
3. Which command from the menu can you use to calculate the 3D location of a drillhole intersect?
Page 131 of 257

Filters and Key Indices
Many of the workspace management
tools and applications in GEMS let
you work with subsets of data from
the workspace. You can define these
subsets of data in two ways:
• Filters – Filters are sets of

logical expressions that you
can define and store, then
apply to the active workspace.
GEMS supports two types of
filters: GEMS filters and SQL
filters.
• Key indices – A key index is an external index to the workspace that contains a list of record
names (key fields) from the header table. You can create a key index by using filters, by using
other key indices, or by manually selecting specific records. Also, you can create a key index by
using any combination of these three methods.
Select Record to Process Dialog Box

When you load the contents of a workspace into a
session, you will frequently encounter a Select
Records to Process dialog box, providing several
methods for choosing which workspace records to
load.
• Choose Specific Records, to manually pick

records based on the contents of a particular
data field.
• Choose Range record numbers, to load
records based on record number.
• Choose Key index to load records based on
a previously defined key index file. You then
select the key index filter in the dialog box
that appears.
• Choose GEMS filters to load records based
on previously defined GEMS filters. You then
select the filter to use for each table in your
workspace.
• Choose SQL filters to load records based on defined SQL filters. SQL filters are recommended
over GEMS filters and key indices as a significantly faster way to load data. You then select the
filter to use for each table in your workspace.
• Choose All to load data records without any of the above restrictions.
• Using Filters
♦ GEMS Filters
♦ SQL Filters
• Using Key Indices
♦ Key Indices
Page 132 of 257

Filters and Key Indices Using Filters
Using Filters
Filters are used by many of the workspace tools and all the GEMS applications that directly process data
from the workspace. Filters are used to select subsets of data from the workspace, and in the case of
GEMS filters, can also be used to create key indices.
You can use a different filter on each of the tables in the workspace. After you have defined and stored a
filter, you can use it by referring to it by name whenever you are given an option of selecting data using a
filter.
When you are using a filter on a table, the application will check the data values defined in the filter
against the conditions defined by the logical expression. This is done on a record-by-record basis. If the
result of the expression is true, even for one sub-record of a header table record, the application will use
all the data from the record. If the result of the expression is false, the application will not use any of the
data from the record.
For example, you have set up a GEMS filter for a drillhole workspace that is designed to pick up all assay
records in which gold is greater than 0.02% (“ASSAYS:AU%” GT 0.02). A given drillhole, HOLE-ID
AN-6657, has six assay records with the following values in the AU% field:
Assay Record Number Field Value (AU%)
1 0.015
2 0.018
3 0.021
4 0.019
5 0.010
6 0.009
The filter will select the drillhole AN-6657, even though 5 out of its 6 assay records do not meet the filter
requirements.
You can create the following types of filters in GEMS: GEMS filters and SQL filters.
GEMS Filters
GEMS filters are sets of logical expressions that you can define and store. They are most commonly used
to create key indices, and share the same syntax as most data manipulation tools in GEMS. In GEMS,
you can apply filters to any table in the workspace when using some of the workspace management tools
and in all the applications that directly access data in the workspace. The following examples illustrate
some common types of GEMS filters and the data they are intended to select.
GEMS Filter Description

"assays:copper" ge 0.25 This means that the filter will only pick up records with values greater than or
equal to 0.25 in the COPPER field of the ASSAYS table.
"lithology:rocktype" eq ‘KZ’ The filter will only pick up records in which kz is entered as the value in the
ROCKTYPE field of the LITHOLOGY table.
("header:length" ge 100) and The filter will only pick up records with values between 100 and 300 (i.e. greater
("header:length" le 300) than or equal to 100 and less than or equal to 300) in the LENGTH field of the
HEADER table.
Page 133 of 257

Creating GEMS Filters

Choose Workspace > Filter Data > GEMS Filters to create new or modify existing GEMS filters. To
create a new filter, follow these steps:
1. Choose Workspace > Filter Data >

GEMS Filters to open the GEMS Filter
dialog box.
2. Click New Profile. Then type in a name
for your filter, and click OK.
3. Select the Workspace that will be used
to build the filter
4. Enter a Description of the filter, if
desired.
5. In the Filter editing area, type the body of
the filter. You can do this either by typing
in the filter using the syntax outlined at
the beginning of this section, or you can
use the five buttons below the Filter area.
These buttons allow you to select field names, system constants, and operators from lists rather
than having to remember the syntax and manually enter them.
Field: Use this button to enter a field name as a Descriptor. Clicking it brings up a list of
available tables. Select the table that contains the field you wish to use, and then
select the field from the next list. Click OK to enter the selected field name into the
Filter editing area at the current cursor location.
Constant: Use this button to enter one of the seven pre-defined system constants as a
descriptor. Clicking this button brings up a list of the system constants, select the
desired constant, and click OK to enter the selected system constant into the Filter
editing area at the current cursor location.
Operator: Use this button to enter a mathematical or logical operator by selecting from a list
of operators (such as +, -, or /). Select the desired operator, and click OK to enter it
into the Filter editing area at the current cursor location.
F( ): Use this button to enter trigonometric functions and selected mathematical

operators into the Filter editing area (such as COS, or TAN). Select the desired
operator, and click OK to enter it into the filter editing area at the current cursor
location.
Alternatively, you can highlight the descriptor(s) or expression to which you want to
apply the function, and click the desired operator to have it automatically applied to
the highlighted selection.
Undo: Use this button to undo your last edit to the logical expression displayed in the filter
editing area.
Page 134 of 257

SQL Filters
SQL filters are generally more versatile than GEMS filters, and can filter virtually any attribute from your
workspaces. Choose Workspace > Filter Data > SQL Filters to create new SQL filters or modify existing
SQL filters. These filters are similar to GEMS filters except that they have their own unique syntax, and
use the following SQL command as the filter for your data:
SELECT <list> WHERE <where>
The <list> clause is the set of tables and fields that will be used when the program is loading data. It
includes fields from the loading and display profiles, and some fields from the header and survey tables.
You can only affect the <list> by adding fields to the loading or display profiles.
In the SQL Filter dialog box, you enter the WHERE clause that will limit which records are loaded.
The following examples illustrate some common types of SQL filters and the data they are intended to
select. The workspace name is DDH.
Note: In SQL, the % is used as a wildcard, similar to the * in GEMS filters.
Operator Example
Equal DDH_HEADER.[HOLE-ID] = "10A-1"
This would select only the 10A-1 drillhole
Like DDH_HEADER.[HOLE-ID] Like "10A%"
This would select all holes that started with 10A (e.g. 10A-1, 10A-2, etc.)
Greater than DDH_HEADER.[LENGTH] > 100
This would select drillholes with a length value greater than 100
Greater and equal DDH_HEADER.[LENGTH] >= 100
This would select drillholes with a length value greater than or equal to 100
Less than DDH_HEADER.[LENGTH] < 100
This would select drillholes with a length value less than 100
Less and equal DDH_HEADER.[LENGTH] <= 100
This would select drillholes with a length value less than or equal to 100
Not equal to DDH_HEADER.[LENGTH] <> 100
This would select drillholes with a length not equal to 100
Between DDH_HEADER.[LENGTH] between 30 and 100.
This would select all drillholes with a length greater than or equal to 30 and less than or
equal to 100.
Not Between DDH_HEADER.[LENGTH] not between 40 and 100
List (In) DDH_HEADER.[CORE_SIZE] in ("AQ", "BQ")
This would select Drillholes with a Core_Size label of AQ or BQ
List (Not In) DDH_HEADER.[CORE_SIZE] not in ("AQ", "BQ")
Is Null DDH_HEADER.[CORE_SIZE] is null
Is Not Null DDH _HEADER.[CORE_SIZE] is not null
Page 135 of 257

Filters and Key Indices Using Key Indices
Creating SQL Filters

To create a new SQL filter, follow these steps:
1. Choose Workspace > Filter Data >

SQL Filters to open the SQL Filter
dialog box.
2. Click New Profile. Then type in a name
for your filter, and click OK.
3. Select the Workspace that will be used
to build the filter
4. Enter a Description of the filter, if
desired.
5. Enter the WHERE clause of the filter in
the Filter editing area. You can do this
either by manually typing in the field
information using the appropriate SQL
syntax, or you can use the button
below the Filter editing area.
♦ Field: This button allows you to enter field information from lists and have the appropriate
SQL syntax automatically applied to the field.
From the lists, select the necessary table from the available tables, the desired field in that
table, and if necessary, an axis for co-ordinate fields. Click OK to enter the selected field into
the Filter editing area at the current cursor location. The Workspace name is used as a prefix
in the new field name.
♦ Undo: Click this button to undo your last edit in the filter editing area.
Using Key Indices

Key indices are used by many of the workspace management tools and all the GEMS applications that
directly process data from the workspace. Key indices are used to instruct the application to process only
the records listed in the index. All other records will be ignored.
When you use records defined in a key index, the application will process all the records in any
secondary tables that are “owned” by the header table records listed in the key index.
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Key Indices
A key index is a list of record names (key fields) for
the key (header) table of a workspace. You can
create as many key indices as you want for each
workspace, giving each one a user-defined file
name.
Choose Workspace > Filter Data >
Create/Modify Key Index Filter to select a key
index to modify or create a new index in the Key
Index Editor dialog box
Creating and Modifying Key Index Filters

Follow these steps to create or modify a key index:
1. Choose Workspace > Filter Data > Create/Modify Key Index Filter to open the Key Index Filter
dialog box.
2. Select the name of an existing key index filter, or select <New Key Index> to create a new Index.
3. Click OK to open the Key Index Editor dialog box.
4. Select the Workspace that will be used to build the filter.
5. If you are creating a new key index, do the following:
♦ In Name of this key index, type a name for the new key index.
♦ In Description, type in a brief description.
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♦ The Available records in the workspace area lists all header records from your selected
workspace. Create the key index by selecting the desired records from the list and move
them to the Records in this key index list using the right and left arrow buttons between the
two lists.
You can select records manually by using the mouse and the SHIFT or CTRL keys to select
individual or multiple records, or you can use the selection buttons below each list to select specific
groups of records.
6. Click OK to save the key index.
To create a key index using another key index, follow these steps.
1. Below the Available records in the workspace area, click Key Index
2. In the dialog box that appears, select the name of the key index on which you wish to base your
new key index.
3. Click OK.All records selected by the chosen key index will be highlighted.
4. Click the right arrow button to move these records to the selected records list.
To create a key index using a GEMS filter follow these steps:
1. Below the Available records in the workspace area, in the You can apply a GEMS filter to
either list drop-down list, select the GEMS filter that you wish to use.
2. Highlight all records to which you wish to apply the filter. To apply the filter to all unselected
records, below the Available records in the workspace area, click Select All. All the records in
this listing will be highlighted.
3. Below the Available records in the workspace area, click GEMS Filter. All records within the
highlighted range that conform to the filter will remain highlighted. All records that do not conform to
the filter are not highlighted.
4. Click the right arrow button to move these records to the selected records list.
To create a key index of all records not selected by a filter, follow these steps:
1. Below the Available records in the workspace area, in the You can apply a GEMS filter to
either list drop-down list, select the GEMS Filter that you wish to use.
2. Below the Available records in the workspace area, click Select All button to highlight all
records.
3. Below the Available records in the workspace area, click GEMS Filter. Only the records that
conform to the filter are highlighted.
4. Below the Available records in the workspace area, click Inverse to invert the highlighting so
that the records that do not conform to the filter are highlighted, and all those that conform to the
filter are not highlighted.
5. Click the right arrow button to move these records to the selected records list. You can then use
other selection tools to add or remove records from the selected records list as required to create
the key index you want.
6. When the selected records listing shows all the records you wish your key index file to select, click
OK to save the key index.
When you sort a key index, only the order in which the records are read by the key index is changed. The
actual order of records in the workspace does not change.
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Filters and Key Indices Lab Exercise: GEMS Filters
Lab Exercise: GEMS Filters

The following lab demonstrates how to define a GEMS filter used to highlight drillholes based on values in
the sub-tables. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
2. Choose Workspace > Filter Data > GEMS Filters.
3. Define a New Profile, named 10B, using the following criteria:
Description 10B drillholes

Filter “HEADER:HOLE-ID” EQ ‘10B*’

5. Open the drillhole workspace DDH1. In the Select Records to Process dialog box, select GEMS
Filters, and choose the 10B filter beside the HEADER table. Examine the results on screen.
6. Close the drillholes.
7. Choose Workspace > Filter Data > GEMS Filters.
8. Define a New Profile, named ROCK10, using the following criteria:
Description Rock-code 10 intersects

Filter “LITHO:ROCK_CODE” EQ 10

Page 139 of 257

Filters and Key Indices Lab Exercise: SQL Filters
Lab Exercise: SQL Filters

The following lab demonstrates how to define a SQL filter used to highlight drillholes based on values in
the sub-tables. Use default settings unless otherwise stated
2. Choose Workspace > Filter Data > SQL Filters.
3. Define a New Profile, named 10A, using the following criteria:
Description 10A drillholes longer than 100 metres
[DDH1_HEADER].[HOLE-ID] LIKE “10A%” AND
Filter [DDH1_HEADER].[LENGTH] > 100

5. Open the drillhole workspace DDH1. In the Records to Process dialog box, select SQL Filters, and
choose the 10A filter beside the HEADER table. Examine the results on screen.
7. Choose Workspace > Filter Data > SQL Filters.
8. Define a New Profile, named ROCK9, using the following criteria:
Description Rock-code 9 intersects
Filter [DDH1_LITHO].[ROCK_CODE] = 9

10. Open the drillhole workspace DDH1. In the Records to Process dialog box, select SQL Filters, and
choose the ROCK9 filter beside the LITHO table. Examine the results on screen.
Page 140 of 257

Filters and Key Indices Lab Exercise: Key Indices
Lab Exercise: Key Indices

The following lab demonstrates how to combine GEMS filters in the creation of key indices. In this
example, drillholes intersecting a particular rock code will be highlighted.
1. Choose Workspace > Filter Data > Create/Modify Key Index Filter, using the following criteria:
Key Index Filter <New Key Index>
Workspace DDH1
Name ROCK10
Description Drillholes that intersect rock code 10
GEMS Filter (picklist) ROCK10
2. Below the Available records in the workspace area, click Select All to highlight all records.
3. Then, click GEMS Filter, to apply the GEMS filter to the selection.
4. Click the right arrow button to move the filtered records to the selected records pane.
6. Open the drillhole workspace DDH1.
7. In the Records to Process dialog box, select Key Index, and choose the ROCK10 filter.
8. Examine the results on screen. How do these results differ from those in previous lab on SQL filters?
Page 141 of 257

Filters and Key Indices Review
Review
1. True or False: GEMS filters and SQL filters use the same syntax.
2. What do the GEMS expressions ‘LT’ and ‘EQ’ stand for? What are their SQL syntax equivalents?
3. What will be the result of applying the following GEMS filter? “header:hole-id” eq ‘10*’
4. A task requires that you use a specific subset of header records each time. What is the most efficient
filter to use in this instance?
Page 142 of 257

View Profiles
GEMS allows you to view data in three dimensions or two, to define planes for 2D projections, and to
define sections for dividing and organising your data set. Each section definition is assigned a unique
Series and Sequence number that allows GEMS to toggle through the sections in a specific order when
using the Next Section and Previous Section buttons on the toolbar.
• Vertical Section
• Inclined Section
• Plan View
• Create Sections
Vertical Section
Vertical sections are vertically oriented planes with specific locations. You can view the section looking
North, South, East, West, or at any oblique angle.
Choose View > Vertical Section to

access a list of commands that allow you
to define or select a vertical section.
Looking North/South/East/West
Choose any one of these commands to define a section parallel to the direction indicated. This command
only works in 3D mode.
To use this command, follow these steps.
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View Profiles Vertical Section
1. Choose View > Vertical Section > Looking North/South/East/West. A data entry field showing the
co-ordinate of the section line (on the relative axis) will appear on the status bar. The location of the
section will be graphically displayed as a rectangle around the bounding box of your data. If you have
projection distances defined, these will appear as parallel rectangles flanking the section.
2. To define the location of the section, you can slide the rectangle by pushing the mouse away from or
towards you, or you press BACKSPACE to explicitly type in the co-ordinates on the status bar.
3. Click the mouse to fix the section location.
4. Click Yes to accept the setting, or No to reset the position. At this point, you may wish to choose
other commands to view the section in 2D mode or set new projection distances.
From Endpoints
Choose this command to define a vertical section location by specifying the section endpoints with the
mouse. This command only works in 3D mode.
To use this command, follow these steps:
1. Choose View > Vertical Section > From Endpoints.
2. In the graphics area, move your mouse cursor to position the left-hand endpoint of the desired
section.
3. Click the mouse to set the endpoint. The specified point will be projected along the view vector onto
the base of the bounding box around your data.
4. In the graphics area, move your mouse cursor to position the right-hand endpoint of the desired
section. The cursor will drag a reference line defining the vertical plane.
5. Click the mouse to set the endpoint.
6. The point that you specify will be projected along the view vector onto the base of the bounding box
around your data and the new plane will be drawn. The view direction onto the section will be based
on the left endpoint and right endpoint locations. At this point, you may wish to choose other
commands to view the section in 2D mode or set new projection distances.
Select from List

Choose this command to activate a vertical section from the list of previously defined vertical sections.
This command works in both 2D and 3D modes.
1. Choose View > Vertical Section > Select From List to open the Vertical Sections dialog box.
2. Highlight the name of the section you wish to activate.
3. Click OK to activate the section. The screen will be redrawn to show only data falling within the view
corridor for the selected section. At this point, you may wish to choose other commands to view the
section in 2D mode or set new projection distances.
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View Profiles Vertical Section
Select Graphically
Choose this command to graphically select a previously defined vertical section. This command only
works in 3D mode.

1. Choose View > Vertical Section > Select
Graphically. The locations of the section
lines will be displayed on the base of the
bounding box around your data.
2. Click on the section that you want to
activate. The screen will be redrawn to
show only data falling within the view
corridor for the selected section. At this
point, you may wish to choose other
commands to view the section in 2D
mode or set new projection distances.
Define Vertical Sections

Choose this command to open the Vertical
Section Editor dialog box, where you to add,
modify, and delete vertical section profiles
and copy them from other projects. Once a
vertical section profile has been added, you
can use the Vertical Section Editor to modify
or delete it. You may also import vertical
section profiles from other GEMS projects.
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View Profiles Inclined Section
Inclined Section
Choose View > Inclined Section to
access a list of commands that allow
you to define or select an inclined
section. An inclined section is a plane
with horizontal top and bottom edges,
which is inclined in a specified direction
at a specified angle at a specified
location.
You can choose the inclined section
you want in one of the following ways:
• enter co-ordinates or specify data points that uniquely define the plane
• use the mouse to define the section endpoints interactively
• select a predefined section from the list of available sections
Select from List

Choose this command to activate an inclined section from the list of previously defined inclined sections.
This command works in both 2D and 3D modes.
1. Choose View > Inclined Section > Select from List to open the Inclined Sections dialog box.
2. Highlight the name of the section you wish to activate.
3. Click OK to activate the section. The screen will be redrawn to show only data falling within the view
corridor for the selected section. At this point, you may wish to choose other commands to view the
section in 2D mode or set new projection distances.
Select Graphically
Choose this command to graphically select a previously defined inclined section. This command only
works in 3D mode.
1. Choose View > Inclined Section >

Select Graphically. The locations of
the inclined section reference vectors
will be projected onto the base of the
bounding box around your data.
2. Click on the section that you want to
activate. The screen will be redrawn to
show only data falling within the view
corridor for the selected section. At this
commands to view the section in 2D
mode or set new projection distances.
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View Profiles Inclined Section
Arbitrary Plane
Choose this command to define an inclined
section when you know the co-ordinates of three
points that lie in the plane of the section. This
command works in both 2D mode and 3D mode.
1. Choose View > Inclined Section >
Arbitrary Plane to open the Arbitrary Plane
Editor.
2. Enter the co-ordinates.
3. Click OK.
Plane Through 3 Data Points

Choose this command to define an inclined section when you can select the location of three data points
on the section plane. This command only works in 3D mode.
1. Choose View > Inclined Section > Plane Through 3 Data Points.
2. In the graphics area, one-by-one, click the three points.
Define Inclined Sections

Choose this command to open the Inclined
Section Editor, where you can add, modify, and
delete inclined section profiles and copy them
from other projects. Once an inclined section
profile has been added, you can use the
Inclined Section Editor to modify or delete it.
You may also import inclined section profiles
from other GEMS projects.
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View Profiles Plan View
Plan View
Choose this View > Plan View to
access a list of commands that allow
you to define or select a plan view. A
plan view is a horizontal plane with a
specified elevation. You can choose a
plan view in one of the following ways:
• view the plan view looking down

• select a predefined plan view
from the list of available plan
views
• enter parameters that explicitly
define the plane
Looking Down
Use this command to define a plan view when you
want to view it from the top, looking down.
Plan view looking down
1. Choose View > Plan View > Looking Down. A data entry field showing the elevation of the plan
view will appear on the status bar.
2. The location of the plan view will be graphically displayed as a rectangle around the bounding box of
your data. If you have projection distances defined, these will appear as parallel rectangles above
and below the plan view. To define the location of the plan view, you can use the mouse to slide the
rectangle up or down, or press BACKSPACE to explicitly type in the elevation on the status bar.
3. Click the mouse to to fix the plan view elevation.
4. Click Yes to accept the setting, or No to reset the position. At this point, you may wish to choose
other commands to view the section in 2D mode or set new projection distances.
Select from List

Use this command to activate a plan view from the list of previously defined plan views. This command
works in both 2D and 3D modes.
To select a plan view from a list, follow these steps.
1. Choose View > Plan View > Select from List to open the Plan View dialog box.
2. Highlight the name of the plan view you wish to activate.
3. Click OK to activate the plan view. The screen will be redrawn to show only data falling within the
view corridor for the selected plan view. At this point, you may wish to choose other commands to
view the plan view in 2D mode or set new projection distances.
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View Profiles Ending Sectional Views
Select Graphically
Use this command to graphically select a previously defined plan view. This command only works in 3D
mode.
To select a plan view graphically, follow these steps.
1. Choose View > Plan View > Select

Graphically.
2. The location of the plan view lines will be
displayed on the side of the bounding box
around your data. Click on the plan view that
you want to activate. The screen will be
redrawn to show only data falling within the
view corridor for the selected plan view. At this
commands to view the plan view in 2D mode or
set new projection distances.
Define Plan Views

Use this command to open the Plan View
Editor were you can add, modify, and delete
plan view profiles and copy them to and from
other projects. Once a plan view profile has
been added, you can use the Plan View
Editor to modify or delete it. You may also
import plan view profiles from other GEMS
projects.
Ending Sectional Views

To revert back to the dynamic plan view, you must end the current sectional view. To end a sectional
view, choose View > End Section View, or you can click the End Section View toolbar button ( ).
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View Profiles Create Sections
Create Sections
Choose View > Create Sections to
access a list of commands that
enable you to create sections for
viewing your data.
Parallel Sections
Use this command to create a set of parallel planes (i.e. vertical sections, inclined sections, plan views).
When you use this command to create a set of parallel planes, the current active view plane is used as
the first plane in the series, and all subsequent planes are parallel to that view plane. You must,
therefore, ensure that you have correctly defined your current view plane before using this command.
To create parallel sections, follow these steps.
1. Set a view plane as your starting plane.

2. Choose View > Create Sections> Parallel
Sections.
3. When GEMS prompts you to Confirm,
select Yes to open the Parallel Section
Creation dialog box.
4. Complete the dialog box as needed. See the
example to the right.
5. Click OK.
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Along Line
Use this command to create a series of sections along a line. To create a section from the current view,
follow these steps.
1. Choose View > Create Sections > Along

line to open the Sections tab in the Project
View Area.
2. In the graphical area, select a line.
3. Then select the end location or direction
along the line.
4. Determine the Spacing between sections
and the number of sections to create.
5. Complete the other fields in the Naming,
Dimensions, and Angles and Corners tabs
as needed.
6. Click Preview to preview the sections you
have created.
7. Click Save to save the work.
8. Click Close to close the Sections tab in the
Project View Area.
From Current View

Use this command to create a section view from the current section or plan view. To create a section
from the current view, follow these steps.
1. Load your data.
2. Set a view plane (vertical section, inclined section, or plan view).
3. Choose View > Set Projection Distances to set the towards and away distances for the view
corridor.
4. Choose View > Create Sections >From Current View to open the Plane from Current View dialog
box.
Page 151 of 257

5. Type a Plane name.

6. Click OK. GEMS will process the command and display a status box when complete.
7. Click Close to exit the status dialog box.
Page 152 of 257

View Profiles Lab Exercise: Defining Plan Views
Lab Exercise: Defining Plan Views

This lab demonstrates how to define single parallel plan views, each with 24 metre ‘corridors’, using the
View > Plan View commands in GEMS. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. In GEMS, switch to a 3D view.
2. Choose View > Plan View > Looking Down.
3. Move your mouse forward and back – you will notice a square moving up and down in the 3D
bounding box (with an arrow indicating the direction of the view). You will also notice that the easting
of the square is updated automatically on the Status Bar (bottom left-hand corner of your screen).
4. Stop using the mouse and on the keyboard press BACKSPACE. Notice on the Status Bar that the
elevation is being deleted one number at a time.
5. Keep pressing BACKSPACE until the elevation is blank, and type the elevation 4234.0. Press
ENTER on your keyboard.
Note: If you start moving the mouse again, this will cause GEMS to reset the scroll elevation and cancel your
input. You will need to press BACKSPACE again to manually enter the elevation.
6. Choose Yes when prompted to confirm the setting.
7. Choose View > Create Sections > From Current View, and name it 11A.
8. Choose View > Plan View > Define Plan Views.
9. Select the 11A plan view from the list of profiles, and enter the following criteria:
Lower Elevation Limit 4222.0
Upper Elevation Limit 4246.0

11. Repeat steps 2 to 7 for plan view creation of 11B (Reference Elevation 4263.0), and 11C (Reference
Elevation 4290.0); while determining your own lower and upper bounds for each of these plan views.
12. In the Project View area, switch to the Profiles tab, and expand the Plan Views icon to show the
three plan views.
Page 153 of 257

View Profiles Lab Exercise: Defining Vertical Sections
Lab Exercise: Defining Vertical Sections

This lab demonstrates how to define multiple parallel vertical sections, each with 25 metre ‘corridors’,
using the View > Vertical Section commands in GEMS. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. In GEMS, switch to a 3D view.
2. Choose View > Vertical Section > Looking East.
3. Move your mouse forward and back – you will notice a square moving west to east in the 3D
bounding box (with an arrow indicating the direction of the view). You will also notice that the easting
of the square is updated automatically on the Status Bar (bottom left-hand corner of your screen).
4. Release the mouse, and using the BACKSPACE key on your keyboard, delete the easting displayed
on the Status Bar, and type in the easting 10700.0. Press ENTER on your keyboard.
5. Choose Yes when prompted to confirm the setting.
6. Choose View >Create Sections > From Current View to save the plane with the name 10700E.
7. Select the sections that have been saved under View > Vertical Section > Select from List.
8. Choose View > Create Sections > Parallel Sections, and enter the following criteria:
Number of Sections 9
Spacing Between Sections 25
Starting Section Name 10700
Naming Increment 25
Section Name Extension E
Series Number 0
Starting Sequence Number 0
Include Current View Yes
Place Reference Plane In the middle of the plane corridor
9. In the Project View Area, switch to the Profiles tab, and expand the Vertical Sections icon to show
the nine vertical sections.
10. Right-click on any one of the sections, and select Properties. What do you notice about the Series
and Sequence numbers?
Page 154 of 257

View Profiles Lab Exercise: Defining Inclined Sections
Lab Exercise: Defining Inclined Sections

This lab demonstrates how to define a single inclined section through 3 data points. Use default settings
unless otherwise stated.
1. Open the DDH1 workspace using the following criteria:
Load Profile <Automatic>
2. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select and Snap Settings, use the following criteria:
Table LITHO
Position From
3. Choose Drillhole > Select > Deselect All Drillhole Intersects. Review the results on screen.
4. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select Drillhole Intersects by Field Value, using the following criteria:
Table Name LITHO
Field Name ROCK_TYPE
Text 9b
Position From
Occurrence First
5. Choose View > Inclined Section > Plane through 3 Data Points.
6. Click on any three drillhole intersects.
7. Choose View > Create Sections > From Current View and name the section 9B.
Page 155 of 257

View Profiles Review
Review
1. What are the three types of view definitions you can define in GEMS? How do they differ?
2. How can you tell what is the active section?
3. What are ‘series’ and ‘sequence’ numbers?
4. How can you override (not overwrite) the ‘corridor thickness’ of a section definition?
Page 156 of 257

Extracting Data
Some functions within GEMS require the creation of a subset of point data. This dataset is normally
stored in a point area workspace, as a unique point area. Point areas are used in GEMS for the following
functions:
• Univariate statistical analysis.

• Three-dimensional semi-variogram analysis.
• Grid creation.
The extraction data can also be used for surface topography modelling and block model creation.
The extracted data only contains point information. Therefore, data that is stored in other workspace
types (such as traverse, drillhole, or polygon workspaces) must be converted into point form when the
data is extracted from the workspace. This conversion process in traverse and drillhole workspaces is
called desurveying as it involves converting the survey data into co-ordinate form. Desurveying takes
place automatically when you extract data.
The extraction data can contain the co-ordinates of each point extracted and data from any sub-table.
Each record in the point area contains data from one record in the workspace. Data can be extracted
from the workspace provided that it satisfies a set of selection criteria. There is no limit to the number of
points that may be stored in a point area. Records in the workspace that do not contain data in all of the
specified extraction fields will not be extracted.
You can create as many point areas as you want, by giving each point area a unique name.
This chapter contains the following topics:
• Desurveying Data
• Cross-Referencing Data
• Creating the Point Area
• Viewing the Point Area
• Using the Point Area
Desurveying Data
When you extract data from any workspace, the location of the record being extracted will be determined.
This location is either determined from the contents of a co-ordinate field in the table being extracted, or it
is calculated by desurveying a combination of data in other workspace tables.
Point Workspaces
If you are creating a point area from a point workspace, the location of the sample in the point area
comes directly from the contents of a co-ordinate field called LOCATION. This field must be in the table
being extracted.
Traverse Workspaces
Traverse workspaces are used to describe data located along straight lines in two- or three-dimensional
space. These lines can be defined using a starting co-ordinate, a traverse length, and an azimuth and
optional dip angle; or a starting and an ending co-ordinate. Samples are stored in the header table in
length, length and dip, or location format.
• Data in the header table: All the data stored in this table describes the traverse as a whole. When
extracting data from this table, one point is extracted per traverse. The co-ordinate of this point is
obtained directly from a co-ordinate field called LOCATION.
If your traverse workspace has secondary tables, data will be extracted from these tables as described
follows:
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Extracting Data Desurveying Data
• Secondary table data in distance format: This format is used to describe data at points along the
traverse line. The value stored in each record in the DISTANCE field defines the distance of the
point sample from the start of the traverse. Each record in this table will create one point in the
point area.
The co-ordinate of each point is determined by simple geometry, using the starting point of the
traverse, the direction of the traverse, and the distance along the traverse to the sample.
Traverses in distance format
• Secondary table data in interval format: This format is used to describe data that is recorded for
intervals along each traverse line. The value stored in each record in the FROM field describes the
distance from the starting point of the traverse to the start of the interval. The value stored in the
TO field describes the distance to the end of the interval. Each record in this table will create one
point in the point area.
The co-ordinate of each point is determined by simple geometry, using the starting point of the
traverse; the direction of the traverse; and either the FROM value (the start of the interval), the TO
value (the end of the interval), or the average of the FROM and TO values (the mid-point of the
interval).
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Traverses in interval format
• Secondary table data in point format: This format is used to describe data at points along the
traverse line. The value stored in each record in the LOCATION field defines the 2D or 3D
co-ordinates of the point sample. Each record in this table will create one point in the point area.
Drillhole Workspaces
Drillhole workspaces are used to describe data that is located along surveyed lines. These lines are
located in three-dimensional space by a starting point with a known location (generally the collar of the
drillhole) and survey data consisting of azimuth and dip angles measured at intervals along the drillhole.
Samples are stored in the header table or in secondary tables in distance, interval, or point format.
• Data in the header table: All the data stored in this table describes the drillhole as a whole. When
extracting data from this table, one point is extracted per drillhole. The co-ordinate of this point is
obtained directly from a co-ordinate field called LOCATION.
• Secondary table data in distance format: This format is used to describe data at points along the
drillhole. The value stored in each record in the DISTANCE field defines the distance of the point
sample from the start of the drillhole. Each record in this table will create one point in the point
area.
The co-ordinate of the point in the point area is obtained by calculating a complex
three-dimensional line, using the collar of the drillhole, the survey data, and the distance along the
drillhole to the sample. This three-dimensional line undergoes smoothing to ensure a gradual curve
is introduced between each survey point.
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Drillholes in distance format
• Secondary table data in interval format: This format is used to describe data that is recorded for
intervals along each drillhole. The value stored in each record in the FROM field describes the
distance from the collar of the drillhole to the start of the interval. The value stored in the TO field
describes the distance from the collar of the drillhole to the end of the interval. Each record in this
table will create one point in the point area.
The co-ordinate of the point in the point area is obtained by calculating a complex three-
dimensional line. This requires the collar of the drillhole; the survey data; and either the FROM
value (the start of the interval), the TO value (the end of the interval), or the average of the FROM
and TO values (the mid-point of the interval). This three-dimensional line undergoes smoothing to
ensure a gradual curve is introduced between each survey point.
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Extracting Data Cross-Referencing Data
Drillholes in interval format
• Secondary table data in point format: This format is used to describe data at points along the
drillhole. The value stored in each record in the LOCATION field defines the 2D or 3D co-ordinates
of the point sample. Each record in this table will create one point in the point area.
Polygon Workspaces
Polygon workspaces are used to describe data that refers to polygons as complete entities. For this
reason, data in polygon workspaces is generally not appropriate for point areas, which store data for
individual points.
Cross-Referencing Data
When working with drillhole or traverse workspaces, you can extract data from secondary tables other
than the table being extracted. You can also define selection criteria for one field in one table other than
the table being extracted. This is done by cross-referencing to another table.
There are two relationships between records in different secondary tables:
• Through the header table: Each record in a secondary table is “owned” by a record in the header
table. This is done through the one-to-many relationship defined by the hierarchical nature of the
workspace. A record in one secondary table can only be related to a record in another secondary
table if they are both “owned” by the same record in the header table.
• Through the location of the records: The data in each record in a secondary table defines a
unique location along the traverse or drillhole. These locations are defined by the values in either
the DISTANCE fields (distance format) or in the FROM and TO fields (interval format). A record in
a secondary table is only related to a record in another secondary table provided that they are
“owned” by the same header record and one of the following conditions is met:
♦ Both secondary tables are in interval format: The average of the FROM and TO values in
the first table lies between the FROM and TO values in the second table.
♦ The first table is in distance format and the second table is in interval format: The
value in the DISTANCE field in the first table lies between the FROM and TO values in the
second table.
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♦ The first table is in interval format and the second table is in distance format: The
value in the DISTANCE field in the second table lies between the FROM and TO values in
the first table.
♦ Both tables are in distance format: The value in the DISTANCE fields in both tables must
be equal.
Cross-referencing between tables

If cross-referencing is being used to define the data to be extracted, the values in the various fields in one
record in the point area will be obtained from the cross-referenced records in the workspace. This is
illustrated in the following example.
Table to be extracted ASSAYS

Real value to be extracted ASSAYS:GOLD
Integer value to be extracted LITHOLOGY:ROCK-CODE
String value to be extracted HEADER:HOLE-ID
In this case, the ASSAYS table is the controlling table. The cross-reference table is the LITHOLOGY
table. Each record in the point area will come from each record in the ASSAYS table. The real value in
the point area will come directly from the value in the GOLD field in the ASSAYS table. The integer value
in the point area will come from the integer field called ROCK-CODE in the LITHOLOGY table, using the
record whose FROM and TO values are less than and greater than the average of the FROM-TO values
in the ASSAYS table.
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Example of cross-referencing
If cross-referencing is being used to define selection criteria, the values in the cross-referenced record
and field will be used to determine whether the record in the table being extracted will be selected or not.
Using the same example as previously, the following cross-reference selection criteria has been added:
Cross-reference table LITHOLOGY

Cross-reference field ROCK-TYPE
Matching string PY*
In this example, records from the ASSAYS table will only be extracted when the string value in the
ROCK-TYPE field in the LITHOLOGY table for cross-referenced records starts with the characters PY. If
the string in the ROCK-TYPE field starts with any other character combination the ASSAYS table record
will not be extracted.
Example of cross-referencing with selection criteria
Page 163 of 257

Extracting Data Creating the Point Area
Creating the Point Area

To create a point, follow these steps:
Choose Workspace > Extract Points to open the Extract Points dialog box.
This dialog box contains the following tabs:
• Workspaces: Complete the fields in
this tab to specify the source/target
workspaces, and point area name for
the extracted data.
• Data: Complete the fields in this tab to
define the tables and fields from which
the data is to be extracted.
• Location: Complete the fields in this
tab to limit the data extracted to a
specific area in space.
• Filter: Complete the fields in this tab to
limit the data extracted using specific
parameters.
Each of these tabs have a number of
parameters that must be entered, as
explained in detail in the following sections.
When all appropriate parameters have been entered, click OK.

In the Select Records to Process dialog box, select an option, and click OK. A status window will
appear, displaying the progress of the point area creation.
When the process is complete, click OK.
Workspace Tab
In the Workspace tab, specify the target
workspace and name of your point area. Enter
the following parameters:
• Workspace: All point areas are saved in a

point area workspace. Use the drop-down
list to select the appropriate workspace.
• Point area: Enter a name for your point
area.
If you wish to overwrite or append data to
an existing point area, you can select from
the drop-down list or click Browse.
• Description: Enter a brief description of
your point area, if desired.
• Display Profile: You may, optionally,
choose a point area display profile to
display the extracted data.
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Data Tab
In the Data tab, define which data is to be
extracted. Enter the following parameters:
• Data to be extracted from table: Select

the name of the table that contains the
data to be extracted. This table controls
how the locations of each point in the
point area are calculated.
For example, in a drillhole workspace,
you may define the ASSAYS table as
the table being extracted. This means
that each point in the point area will
consist of a single record from the
ASSAYS table.
• Cross reference to table: Select the
name of the table (if any) to which you
wish to cross-reference extraction data.
• Reference position: If the workspace is
a drillhole or traverse type of workspace,
you can control the location of the point
being extracted within the sample.
Select one of the following three options:
♦ Use FROM: Select this option to use the value in the FROM field for each record.
♦ Use Middle: Select this option to use an average of the values in the TO and FROM fields
for each record.
♦ Use TO: Select this option to use the value in the TO field for each record.
• Occurrences to be extracted: If the workspace is a drillhole or a traverse type, you can control
the number of occurrences of samples within each drillhole or traverse. Select one of the following
options:
♦ First Occurrence: Select this option to extract the first sample from each drillhole or
traverse.
♦ Last Occurrence: Select this option to extract the last sample from each drillhole or
traverse.
♦ All Occurrences: Select this option to extract all samples from each drillhole or traverse.
♦ Nth Occurrence: Select this option to extract the nth sample from each drillhole or traverse.
If you select this option, you will also have to enter the following parameter:
• Occurrence Number: Enter a number to determine which sample along each drillhole or traverse
will be extracted.
• Extraction data table: Assign values from fields in the source table to corresponding fields in the
destination table.
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Location tab
In the Location tab define upper and lower
bounds for the Easting, Northing, and
Elevation co-ordinates for extracted data. In
this way, you can limit the data extracted to a
specific location in space.
If upper and lower bounds are left at their
default values of 99999999.00 and
-99999999.00, data from all locations will be
extracted, subject to any filtering restrictions
set under the Filter tab.
Filter Tab
In The Filter tab, you can filter extracted data
by specifying selection criteria for any of the
fields in the Header table and the tables
selected under the Data tab as the extraction
table and the cross-reference table (if
indicated). Only data from records meeting
these selection criteria will be extracted to the
file.
If the parameters under this tab are left blank,
data will be extracted from all records (subject
to any spatial restrictions set in the Location
tab).
Enter the following parameters as required for
each field you wish to use to filter the
extraction data.
Note: The fields selected here do not have to be
the fields that contain data to be extracted.
• Field: Select the name of the field that
contains the data you wish to use to
limit data extraction.
• Axis: Select X, Y, or Z if you specified a co-ordinate field above.
• Lower Bound and Upper Bound: If the field you specified is any type of field other than a
character or logical field, you can specify lower and upper bounds for the data. Any records
containing data in the field that fall outside of these bounds will not be added to the point area.
• Matching String If the field you specified is a character or logical field, you can specify a character
string that the field must contain in order for data from that record to be extracted. You can use the
wild card characters * and ? in matching strings.
Page 166 of 257

Extracting Data Viewing the Point Area
Viewing the Point Area

To view or print a GEMS point area, in the Project View Area, right-click a Point Area workspace and
choose Open.
Using the Point Area

You can use the point areas to define subsets of data that will form input for the following functions:
Function Description
Symbol plots You can prepare plots with symbols at each point, annotated with values
from any of the fields in the point area on plan views, vertical sections,
inclined sections, or surface maps.
Univariate statistical analyses You can calculate univariate statistics, frequency distribution analyses,
prepare histograms, cumulative frequency graphs, and probability plots
from any of the numeric fields in the point area.
Three-dimensional semi-variogram You can calculate up to 12 three-dimensional experimental
analyses semi-variograms on the point elevation, the real field, or the integer field of
the point area.
Grid creation You can create gridded surfaces on plan views, vertical sections, inclined
sections, or surfaces from the points and values in any numeric field in the
point area.
Polygonal reserves You can use the point data in a point area to create polygons containing
ore reserves data.
Create three-dimensional block The point area is used as input for grade modelling functions. Block models
models are created from assay or composite data extracted from drillhole
workspaces.
Create surface topography models As an alternative to creating the surface topography models in GEMS, you
can create surface topography models using a variety of gridding
techniques.
Create layer models Layer or seam models can be created using information about geological
contacts between layers extracted from drillhole workspaces.
Create other gridded models The two-dimensional grid creation and manipulation tools in GEMS use
point areas as input.
Page 167 of 257

Drillhole Compositing
Compositing is the process of combining individual samples of short lengths into longer lengths using
weighted average techniques. You can composite data in either traverse or drillhole workspaces from any
secondary tables that have data in intervals defined with the FROM and TO format.
You can take data from as many tables as you want and create as many tables with composite values as
you want. The tables that you take data from for calculating composite values are called source tables.
The tables containing the calculated composite intervals and values are called composite tables. You can
use composite tables in exactly the same way as you use any other tables. That is, these tables can be
used for functions such as reporting, extracting, manipulating, plotting planes, and accessing other GEMS
applications.
GEMS provides you with a set of very flexible compositing tools to perform two main types of
compositing:
• Compositing Existing Workspace Data (Drillhole-only Compositing)

• Drillhole-Solid Compositing
• Compositing Existing Workspace Data (Drillhole-only Compositing)

• Drillhole-Solid Compositing
• Before Calculating Composite Values
• Validating Intervals
• Compositing Profiles
• Preparing the Composite Table
• Calculating Composites
• Thickness Calculation
• Assigning Grades to Solids from Drillholes
Compositing Calculation
The general formula for calculating composite values is:
composite =
∑ Vi * Li * Wi + ∑ Bk * Lex i * Wi + ∑ Bk * Limi * Wbk
∑ Li * Wi + ∑ Lex i + ∑ Limi
Where
Vi Value from source field
Li Length of source interval in composite
Wi Value from weighting field (default = 1)
Bk Background value
Wbk Background value for weighting field
Lexi Length of explicit missing sample in composite
Limi Length of implicit missing sample in composite
∑ The sum of the values
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Compositing Existing Workspace Data (Drillhole-only
Drillhole Compositing
Compositing)
Treatment of Data Types

You can composite all data types except the co-ordinate data types and the memo data type. The various
data types are used as follows:
Data Type Used in this way

Integer These are used directly in the compositing formula. Any decimal places
determined during the calculation are rounded to the nearest integer.
Real These are used directly in the compositing formula.
Double These are used directly in the compositing formula.
Date, Time, and Date and Time Before compositing, dates and times are converted to their internal storage
format (integer days since January 1st, 1970, and seconds forwards or
backwards from 12 noon). Then they are converted back after compositing.
Angle These are treated the same way as real data types.
String (text) The source record that has the longest interval within the composite interval will
be directly transferred to the composite field. If the source field is longer than the
composite field, the character string will be truncated to fit the composite field.
Treatment of Special Values

The special values that denote Below Detection Limit and Above Detection Limit are treated as the
workspace minimum value and the workspace maximum value respectively. These are the minimum and
maximum values that you defined when you first created the workspace.
Compositing Existing Workspace Data (Drillhole-only

Compositing)
The following steps demonstrate how to combine samples from one or more source tables into a
composite table. The process is divided into the following main steps.
1. Validating intervals: GEMS checks intervals in the secondary table being composited for
correctness.
2. Defining a compositing profile: This allows you to define the parameters for a given compositing
process.
3. Creating composite intervals: GEMS provides nine methods for defining the composite FROM and
TO from workspace data. This step initialses the composite table with the interval lengths but does
not calculate the composite values.
4. You may want to validate your intervals again at this point to ensure that the composite intervals you
have created are correct.
5. Calculating composite values: This is a separate step that lets you take data from more than one
source table to calculate the composite values. You can calculate composites in a single pass
through this function, or you can make multiple passes through the function.
6. Thickness Calculation: This menu command allows you to calculate true, horizontal and vertical
thicknesses. This calculation can be used as a weighting factor in the composite table.
7. Assigning grades to solids: This step assigns grades to solids from drillhole data stored in the
composite or assay tables.
Drillhole-Solid Compositing
GEMS allows you to perform a specific method of compositing where composite limits (FROM-TO
downhole distances) are based on the entry and exit point of drillhole traces through solids and surfaces.
The program calculates the intersection of each drillhole with the solid(s) or surface(s) and allows you to
save the results to user-specified fields of a workspace (or to an ASCII file). In general, the entire drillhole
Page 169 of 257

Drillhole Compositing Before Calculating Composite Values
length inside each solid will be composited into one interval. GEMS will save the FROM values (the
downhole distance to the entry point into a solid) and the TO values (the downhole distance to the exit
point from a solid). Each new interval can then be assigned a composite value.
The main functions of this type of compositing include the following:
• Assigning grad values to solids based on length-weighted drillhole assays or composites.

• Calculating intersections of solids/surfaces with drillhole traces and storing the FROMs, TOs, or
distances either back to a drillhole workspace or ASCII file.
In practice, these tools may be used in the following situations:
• Drillhole grade data may provide an alternative estimate (or a useful check) of a solid’s grade. It
may also be used in the preliminary stages of project evaluation to quickly estimate an in-situ
resource (just as the polygonal resource method may be used when modelling 2D planes).
• If no rock type information was logged and stored in a workspace table, the solid intersections can
be used to populate a rock type field in a workspace table.
• It may be necessary to constrain drillhole compositing operations within certain domains (for
example, within certain rock types or mineralised zones). By intersecting drillholes with solids,
these domains (the actual drillhole length inside the domain) can be automatically calculated and
the workspace updated with this new information.
• In cases where GEMS is used for underground mine planning, drillhole-solid compositing may be
used for visual inspection of the relationships between drillholes and other objects (such as
stopes), and for calculating exact points of intersection (for example, where a drillhole may pass
though an access tunnel).
If you want to create composite intervals from drillhole-solid intersections, but do not want to update the
composite table in the workspace, you can use the Drillhole > Compositing > Create ASCII File of
Drillhole/Solid Intersections command to store the drillhole-solid composite information in an ASCII file
instead.
Before Calculating Composite Values

Before you calculate any composite values, you must make sure that your workspace structure is
suitable. The structure must contain the following key elements in order to be able to calculate and store
composites:
• The minimum drillhole or traverse workspace structure must be present.

• The table in which you want to store the composites must have FROM and TO fields.
• The composite table must have a field called COMP-ID with a string (character) data type and a
length of at least 10 characters. This field is filled when the composite intervals are created. For
plane composites, the plan view name is written into this field. For all other types of composites, a
composite sequence number is written into the field.
• Fields in the composite table must have appropriate data types for the values to be composited.
• A field in the composite table to store the calculated composite length. This field is optional, and
you can name it whatever you want. It should have a real or double data type.
Note: The composite length can only be calculated during the compositing process and is not necessarily the
same as the total length of the composite interval, depending on the method selected.
In order to perform drillhole-solid compositing, the following additional requirements must be met.
• If you plan to update your workspace with the FROM-TO (and, optionally, rock type) information
resulting from the drillhole/solid intersection process, you must make sure there are fields allocated
within the workspace table structure to store this information. If these fields were not defined when
the workspace structure was created, you will need to add them.
• You must have prepared a drillhole loading profile that specifies which elements will be used for
the drillhole compositing. You must also have defined a drillhole display profile for the drillhole
data. As well, you should create loading and display profiles that will be suitable for viewing the
new composite data after creating it.
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Drillhole Compositing Validating Intervals
• You must have defined rock codes and grade elements for your project.
• You must have created one or more solid or surface that will be used for the drillhole-solid
intersection calculation.
Drillhole Workspace
The commands in the Drillhole >
Compositing submenu use the
selected workspace, except for the
commands Assign Grades to
Solids from Drillholes and Update
Workspace with Drillhole/Solid
Intersections.
For these two commands, the
drillhole data must be loaded from
the workspace. If multiple
workspaces are open, these
commands operate as though all
workspaces are simultaneously
selected.
Validating Intervals
Before you try to calculate any composites from a workspace, you should validate the intervals in the
source tables that you intend to use. Validating these tables will check for the following possible
problems:
• Any intervals that have a length less than or equal to zero. (The length is the value in the TO field
minus the value in the FROM field.)
• Any interval that is out of sequence. This occurs when the value in the FROM or the TO field is less
than the corresponding value in the previous record.
• Any portion of the hole that does not have an interval defined.
The validation process will produce a record-by-record report of all inconsistencies. The report may be
directed to the screen, to the printer, or to a text file.
To validate your data prior to preparing composite intervals, choose Workspace > Validate Data >
Validate Drillhole or Traverse Data.
Compositing Profiles
Before you can composite any data, you will have to define a compositing profile. A compositing profile
stores the compositing parameters, the source table and field names, the target composite fields names,
the weighting method, and treatment of missing samples. Each profile is given a name, and you can
define as many profiles as you want. When you want to calculate some composite values, you select the
profile that you want to use from a list or by entering its name.
Follow these steps to define a compositing profile.
Page 171 of 257

Drillhole Compositing Compositing Profiles
1. Choose Drillhole > Compositing >

Compositing Profiles to open the
Composite Profile Editor dialog box.
2. Click New Profile, and type in a name for
your profile.
3. Click OK.
4. Enter the following parameters:
♦ Workspace: Select the workspace
that will be used for the composites
♦ Description: Enter a brief
description of the compositing
profile, if desired.
♦ Composite table: Select the target table that will contain the field for calculated length and
composites.
♦ Length field: Select the target field for the calculated composite length. The calculated
length is determined by the sum of the lengths of all accepted intervals in the source table
that you define. This may or may not be equal to the total length of the composite interval,
depending on the number of missing samples in the source table.
♦ Minimum sample length percentage: You can set a threshold value on the calculated
composite lengths as a percentage of the total composite length. If the calculated length of a
composite is less than this threshold, you can optionally delete the composite interval from
the composite table.
♦ Delete composite intervals where sample length percentage is less than Minimum: If
this option is selected, calculated lengths shorter than the threshold specified above will be
automatically deleted from the composite table. If it is not selected, the Minimum sample
length percentage parameter is ignored.
♦ Use background value for explicit missing samples: An explicit missing value is a value
for which the interval in the source table is defined by values in the FROM and TO fields (in
other words, there is a record present in the source table for the interval); however, there is
no value present in the source field. This will be indicated by a special entry: Not Entered,
Not Samples, Insufficient Sample, Not Calculated, or Error.
If this option is selected, the background value specified for the field will be substituted for the
missing special value and the length of the interval will be obtained from the values in the
FROM and TO fields. If the option is not selected, the composite will be calculated without
using the missing sample.
♦ Use background value for implicit missing samples: An implicit missing sample is one
for which the interval (in other words, the record) does not exist in the source table.
If this option is selected, the background value defined for the field will be used, together with
the calculated length of the missing record. This length is defined by the distance between
the end of the preceding record and the start of the following record. If the option is not
selected, the composite will be calculated without using the missing sample.
♦ Composite Parameters: For each field that contains data you wish to composite, enter the
following parameters, as applicable:
− Destination Field: Select the name of the target field for the composite data.
Destination fields must have the same data type as source fields.
− Source Table: Select the name of the table containing the field from which the data to
be composited will be taken.
− Source Field: Select the name of the field containing the data to be composited.
Source fields must have the same data type as destination fields.
− Source Background: Enter a background value to be substituted for missing values,
if desired.
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Drillhole Compositing Preparing the Composite Table
− Weighting Field: The standard weighting factor is the length of the original sample
interval. However, another method of weighting is to multiply the length of the original
sample by a value found in another field (thickness calculation or specific gravity, for
example) in the same source table. This value is known as the weighting factor.
Select the name of the field that contains the weighting factor, if you are using one.
− Weighting Background: Enter a value to use if the value in the weighting field is
missing. If no extra weighting is required, then the default value for weighting is set to
1.
5. Click Apply to save your profile definition.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 to add more profiles.
Preparing the Composite Table

The composite table holds the calculated intervals that will be used to calculate the actual composite
values. This application prepares the composite table for composite calculations performed using data
from an existing workspace table.
You can define the composite intervals along the length of the drillholes using any of the following
methods:
Method Description
By plan view The composite intervals are determined from the intersection of the
drillhole or traverse with plan views.
By equal length You can define a constant length that will be used for each composite.
By length within intervals from This method combines the intervals from another table with the length
another table method. Composite intervals are first determined by directly transferring
the intervals from any other table in interval format. The intervals are then
subdivided further into intervals of constant length, starting either at the
beginning or the end of the previously defined intervals.
By intervals from another table The composite intervals are determined by directly transferring the
intervals from any other table in the workspace that is in interval format.
By merging intervals from two The composite intervals are created by combining the FROM and TO fields
tables from two source tables.
By a single cut-off value The composite intervals are obtained from combined intervals (in a source
table) whose values (in a selected field) are greater than a specified cut-off
value.
By multiple cut-off values The composite intervals are created based on two cut-off values (waste
and ore-waste) and a strip ratio. The waste cut-off value determines the
initial waste layer. The ore-waste cut-off value determines the subsequent
ore and waste layers.
By grouped similar values The composite intervals are created by grouping records that contain
similar consecutive values to form new FROM and TO intervals. The
grouping fields can be either numeric or string formats.
By optimal value This method is similar to the single cut-off value method, except that waste
material can be “carried” in order to meet the minimum composite length.
The command you select to prepare the composite table will normally depend on the morphology of your
ore body, and the type of resource calculation that is ultimately required. For more information on these
various compositing methods, see the GEMS Help topic Preparing the composite table.
Calculating Composites
Once you have created the composite intervals in the composite table you can calculate the actual
composite values. Each composite value can come from a separate source table and can be calculated
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Drillhole Compositing Thickness Calculation
using an individual weighting method and treatment of missing samples. You can composite up to 25
separate fields in a single pass, and you can make as many passes as you want.
Updating the Composite Table

When you calculate composites, only the fields that have been defined in the compositing profile are
updated.
Follow these steps to calculate composite values:

Calculate Composites to open the Select
2. Select a workspace, and click Select to open
the Select Compositing Profile dialog box.
3. Select the compositing profile you wish to
use.
4. Click OK. The Select Records to Process
dialog box opens.
5. Select an option, and click OK.
The Composite Calculation status dialog box
appears, displaying the progress of the
calculation process. When the process is
complete, the status window will disappear
from the screen. You can cancel the process
at any time by clicking Cancel.
Thickness Calculation
Choose Drillhole > Compositing > Thickness Calculation to calculate true, horizontal, and vertical
thicknesses based on a specified strike and dip angle. You can perform thickness calculations on drillhole
or traverse workspaces. The calculations are based on an average planar surface that is located relative
to an interval of a drillhole or a traverse. The orientation of the plane is defined by the average strike and
dip angle. The true, horizontal and vertical thicknesses are calculated for selected intervals in a drillhole
or traverse workspace by computing the angle differences between the drillhole interval and the average
dip and strike angles.
To calculation thickness, follow these steps.

Thickness Calculation to open the
Composite Thickness Calculation dialog
box.
2. In the dialog box, complete the fields with
the required data.
3. Click OK. The Select Records of Process
dialog box opens.
4. Select an option.
5. Click OK.
The Calculating Thickness status dialog
box appears, displaying the progress of
the calculation process. When the process
is complete, the status window will
disappear from the screen. You can cancel
Page 174 of 257

Drillhole Compositing Assigning Grades to Solids from Drillholes
the process at any time by clicking Cancel.
Assigning Grades to Solids from Drillholes

Choose Drillhole > Compositing > Assign Grades to Solids from Drillholes to assign one or more
grades to active geology class solids based on length-weighted intervals of all drillholes that pass through
each solid. These grade values can be used as an alternative to block models when solid grades are
required for reserves reporting.
The image to the right shows the

sectional view of drillholes intersecting a
geology solid. The length-weighted
grades of all intervals inside the solid are
used to calculate a grade for the entire
solid.
The image to the left shows a

sectional view of a geological solid
intersected by a single drillhole. No
background value is used, so the
missing assays of the drillhole inside
the solid are ignored.
The following image shows a sectional view of the same solid and drillhole (as the previous image), but
the background option is used. In this image, the missing assay lengths and background values are
included in the solid grade calculation, effectively reducing it from 6.0 to 3.86.
Page 175 of 257

Drillhole Compositing Assigning Grades to Solids from Drillholes
Page 176 of 257

Drillhole Compositing Lab Exercise: Compositing High Grade Intersects
Lab Exercise: Compositing High Grade Intersects

The following lab demonstrates how to composite high-grade drillhole intersects. Use default settings
unless otherwise stated.
1. Choose Workspace > Create/Modify Workspace.
2. In the Structure Editor, open the DDH1 workspace.
3. Create a New Table named COMPOSITE, of type “Interval Table”.
4. In the COMPOSITE table, create the following fields:
AU(OZ/T) Real
C_LENGTH Real
COMP-ID (select from picklist) String
NAME1 String
NAME2 String
NAME3 String
ROCK_TYPE String
5. Save and Exit the Structure Editor.

6. Choose Drillhole > Compositing > Compositing Profiles.
7. Define a New Profile, named AU, with the following criteria:
Composite Table COMPOSITE

Length C_LENGTH
Destination Field1 AU(OZ/T)
Source Table1 ASSAY
Source Field1 AU(OZ/T)

9. Choose Drillhole > Compositing > Prepare Composite Table, and use the following criteria:
Select the workspace from the list DDH1

Select Table for Composite COMPOSITE
Method for Creating Composite Single Cut-off Value
Intervals
Controlling Table ASSAY
Cut-Off Field AU(OZ/T)
Cut-Off Value 0.5
Max. Inclusion Length 1.0
Min Composite Length 2.0
10. Choose Drillhole > Compositing > Calculate Composites, and use the following criteria:
Select the workspace from the picklist DDH1

Select Compositing Profile AU
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Drillhole Compositing Lab Exercise: Compositing High Grade Intersects
11. Review the results in the Workspace Editor.

12. If time permits, define a drillhole display profile that displays the newly calculated composite data.
Page 178 of 257

Drillhole Compositing Lab Exercise: Compositing Drillhole/Solid Intersects
Lab Exercise: Compositing Drillhole/Solid Intersects

The following lab demonstrates how to composite the intersection of drillholes through a solid. Use
default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. Import the DXF file Zone.dxf, and extract TIN data to the GeoSolids triangulation workspace, using
the following criteria:
Name 1 Zone
Category Geology
Geological Code ORE
2. Open the GeoSolids workspace in the Graphical Work Area. Select all records.
3. Choose Drillhole > Compositing > Update Workspace with Drillhole/Solid Intersections.
4. In the Update Workspace with Drillhole/Solid Intersections window, map the following fields:
Table for Intersects COMPOSITE
Field for Solid Name1 Name1
Field for Rock type ROCK_TYPE
AU AU(OZ/T)
5. Create an error report file named SolidIntersect.err.

6. When prompted to overwrite composites, click Yes.
Page 179 of 257

Drillhole Compositing Review
Review
1. What are the five key things that you should have in place prior to compositing?
2. Explain the difference between ‘implicit’ and ‘explicit’ missing samples.
Page 180 of 257

Working with Point Data
In GEMS, a point is defined as a location in 3D (three-dimensional) space defined by co-ordinates. Each
3D point is defined by northing, easting, and elevation co-ordinates.
You can load and display point data that is stored in GEMS point, point-area, and control station (survey)
workspaces. All loaded points are active until unloaded or deselected.
When displaying points, you can specify how you wish the points to display:
• Select a colour profile.

• Specify the point (field) variable to be displayed.
• Specify the display type (symbols or text).
• Specify the text or symbol size.
Using Points
In GEMS, you can use point data to do the following:
• Validate data: You can load points from a point or point-area workspace. You can also assign
colour profiles to any of the fields in the workspace tables. This lets you visually check the data and
spatial validity of any fields prior to subsequent operations (such as kriging or surface creation).
• View control stations: can view survey control station locations to check their positions relative to
other data.
• Snap to points when digitising: During all 2D and 3D digitising operations, you can "snap" onto
points to obtain an exact co-ordinate value.
• Create surfaces: You can use the information associated with points loaded from a point or point-
area workspace to create surfaces.
• Set 3D target and camera positions: You can “snap” onto points for setting both the target and
camera position. This is very useful when setting views for 3D rendering and plotting.
• Create a view plane: You can fit a view plane through any three points.
• Carry out univariate statistics and variogram modeling (point-area workspaces only).
Point-area vs. Point Workspaces

When working with point data, you can use one of two types of workspaces: point workspace or point-
area workspace.
Point Workspace
The point workspace is an older workspace type that was originally used for working with point data.
Since GEMS has evolved, the point-area workspace has become the workspace of choice for working
with point data.
Point data is stored in a single table.
Point-area Workspace
The point-area workspace is the preferred workspace type for working with point data. Point-area
workspaces have greater flexibility than the point workspace by providing more features, such as:
• More formatting options.

• The ability to specify the label position.
• More colour options using RGB (in the point workspace, you are limited to 32 colours).
• The ability to carry out univariate statistics and 3D semi-variogram modeling.
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Working with Point Data Displaying Points
The point-area workspace also contains "groups" of points that you save to point areas and consists of
two tables (generally, a HEADER table containing information relevant to each group of points and a
LOCATION table containing information relevant to each individual point).
Because of these features, it is recommended that you use the point-area workspace when working with
point data. The remainder of this chapter only refers to the point-area workspace.
Displaying Points
When you display points, you must create the following:
• A colour profile for the data you want to display (see the chapter on Profile and Profile Groups for
more information).
• A point-area profile that defines how to display each point. This includes:
♦ The field variable(s) to display.
♦ The colour, symbol/shape, and size of each point.
♦ The text label size, colour, and number of decimal places (if applicable).
Creating the Point-area Display Profile

Choose Format > Point areas to open the Point Area Display Settings dialog box where you can edit
options for displaying points.
In the Points tab, you can format the colour

and height of the symbol you wish to use to
represent the point.
Page 182 of 257

Working with Point Data Add the Workspace
For additional options for formatting the

colour and height of the symbol, click More
to display the Point area Point Format dialog
box. You can use the field values to
determine the colour and height of each
point.
In the Labels tab, you can select to display

text values from the selected point field at
the location of each point.
Displaying Control Stations

When you display control station locations, each location is displayed using the point-area profile to which
you assigned to the control station workspace.
Page 183 of 257

Working with Point Data Add the Workspace
Add the Workspace

Before you can begin working with point data, you need to create a point-area workspace and then add it
to the Project View Area. To add the workspace, follow these steps:
1. Open your project.
2. Choose Workspace > Create or Modify Workspace.
3. Click New, and use the Workspace Wizard to create a point-area workspace. See Creating and
Modifying Workspaces for information on creating workspaces.
4. In the Project View Area, right-click the Points Areas item, and select Add Workspace.
5. Select the workspace you want to add and click Select.
You can then open the workspace by right-clicking on the workspace you added and selecting Open.
The Point Menu

The Point menu allows you to load/unload and display points from a point-area workspace or control
station workspace. The following submenus provide the following operations:
Submenu Description
Data Enables you to close all or selected points or to create a new point area.
Create Enables you to create new points.
Edit Enables you to modify existing points.
Select Activates and de-activates points and control stations.
Display Defines how points and control stations are displayed on-screen.
Data
Choose Point > Data to view a submenu
containing commands that enable you to close
points or create a new point area within the same
workspace
Create
Choose this command to create points. When you select this command GEMS opens a Create tab to the
left of the graphics area. You can then digitise new points using your mouse in the graphics area or using
a digitiser tablet.
Note: To be able to create points, you must select a view plan and be in 2D mode.
Creating Points
To create points follow these steps:
1. Open the point-area workspace that you want to use.
2. Select a view profile.
3. Switch to 2D viewing mode.
4. Choose Point > Create to open the Create tab to the left of the graphics area.
Page 184 of 257

Working with Point Data The Point Menu
5. In the tab, select the Workspace, the

Point area Name, and the Display
profile.
If you want to use a point area that does not
appear in the list, you need to create a new area
using Point > Data > New Area, and then close
and reopen the Create tab to refresh the
options.
6. When creating points you can use one of
the following methods:
♦ Manually enter the co-ordinates in
the Location table.
Note: If you manually enter the
coordinates, you must click
Create after you enter the
location and attributes to save
each point.
♦ Click the mouse in the graphics
area for each point.
♦ Use a digitiser tablet.
Note: When you start creating points the
workspace fields are dimmed and you
cannot modify them.
7. If adding Attributes, select the Autofill
Rule that satisfies your needs: Input
required, From previous,
Autoincrement, or Property default.
8. Click Create to save your point data.
9. Repeat steps 5 to 8 to create more points
in the same workspace and point area or
you may select a different point
workspace and/or point area.
10. When you are finished creating points,
click Close to close the tab.
Note: If you click the "X" in the upper right of
the pane, you will close the whole
Project View area.
11. Save your workspace.
Page 185 of 257

Edit
Choose Point > Edit to view a submenu
containing commands that enable you to edit,
delete, or move point data. The commands in
this menu also allow you to work with point data
with surfaces or block models.
Choose Point > Edit >Edit Selected Points or

Edit Point to open the Edit tab to the left of the
graphics area.
If you choose Edit Selected Points, you can
edit common properties for all selected (active)
points.
If you choose Edit Point, you can edit all the
properties for a single point.
Page 186 of 257

Select
Choose this command to view a submenu containing commands for selecting and deselecting points in
the graphics area.
When you first load a point, it is active. Select and deselect commands are all accumulative—selecting
one set of points will not deselect another set of points that are already active.
Before using a solid or surface as a point selection boundary, you must load it, and it must be active in
the session.
The following table provides a description for each select command.
Use this command … To …

Select Points From List Activate points where the field values fall within ranges that you
define
Select Points Manually Select or deselect individual points with the cursor.
Select Points Inside Clipping Boundary Activate all points within a previously created clipping polygon. All
clipping polygon operations work relative to the current view plane.
Deselect Points Inside Clipping Boundary Deactivate all points within a previously created clipping polygon.
All clipping polygon operations work relative to the current view
plane.
Select Points Outside Clipping Boundary Activate all points outside a previously created clipping polygon.
plane.
Deselect Points Outside Clipping Boundary Deactivate all points outside a previously created clipping polygon.
plane.
Select Points Between Surfaces Activate all points located above one surface and below another
(in terms of real elevation.). It is important that both surfaces cover
the entire plan area of the points to be activated. If some points lie
outside the bounds of the surfaces, the results may be
unpredictable.
Select Points Above Surface Activate all points located above a surface (in terms of real
elevation.). It is important that the surface cover the entire plan
area of the points to be activated. If some points lie outside the
bounds of the surface, the results may be unpredictable.
Deselect Points Above Surface Deactivate points located above a surface (in terms of real
area of the points to be deactivated. If some points lie outside the
Select Points Below Surface Activate all points located below a surface (in terms of real
area of the points to be activated. If some points lie outside the
Deselect Points Below Surface Deactivate points located below a surface (in terms of real
area of the points to be deactivated. If some points lie outside the
Select Points Inside Solid Activate all points that lie inside a selected solid.
Select Points Outside Solid Activate all points that lie outside a selected solid.
Deselect Points Outside of View Deselect all points falling outside the projection limits of the active
view plane. As the view plane changes, the selected points
change.
Select All Points Activate all points.
Deselect All Points Deactivate all points.
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Display
Choose Point > Display to view a submenu
containing commands that enable you to hide
deselected points or choose Display Overrides to
scale all points using a factor making them easier
to see.
Display Overrides
You can use this command to apply a scaling factor to the points so that you can see them better.
Page 188 of 257

Lab Exercise: Working with Points The Point Menu
Lab Exercise: Working with Points

In this exercise, you will do the following:
• Create a point-area workspace and add it to the Project View area.

• Create colour and point-area display profiles to display points.
• Digitise two groups of points.
• Save and close the point area.
• Open a point-area workspace.
Use default setting unless otherwise stated.
12. Create a point-area workspace with the following criteria:
Set up workspace(s) Create a standard or custom workspace
Workspace Type Point area
Name TempPoints
Description Temporary points workspace.
13. In the Project View area, add the workspace to the Point areas item.
14. Create a colour profile for gold values with the following criteria.
Profile name AU
Description Training Gold Profile
Type Values
Use the following lower and upper bounds:
>= Lower Bound < Upper Bound Colour

0.00000 0.01000 RGB 255 255 0
0.01000 1.00000 RGB 0 0 255
1.00000 5.00000 RGB 172 0 0
5.00000 9,999.00000 RGB 172 0 172
15. Create a point-area display profile with the following criteria:

Profile name AU
Workspace TempPoints
Points tab (click More)
Colour Select Use field values to decide the colour of each point
Table Location
Field AU
Use this colour AU
Shape Select Show all points as:
Select the small diamond.
Page 189 of 257

Lab Exercise: Working with Points The Point Menu
Labels tab (click New)

Add labelling for Points in the point area
Get label text from
Table Location
Field AU
Colour Select Use field values to decide the colour of each point label
Field AU
Use this colour AU
16. Select a section view, and switch to 2D viewing mode.

17. Create a group of 5 to 10 points with the following criteria:
Name Group1
Display profile AU
In the Attribute grid, for each point enter some gold grade values.
18. Save the point-area workspace.
19. Create a second group of 5 to 10 points with the following criteria:
Name Group2
Display profile AU
Attributes grid
Tag Autoincrement
Click Browse
Prefix A
Suffix Test
20. Save the point-area workspace.

21. Close the workspace to unload the points.
22. Open the TempPoints workspace and only open the Group2 points.
23. Edit the point-area display profile to make the text larger.
24. Save the workspace when you are finished.
Page 190 of 257

Basic Polyline Tools
Polylines are one of the most important data objects in GEMS. They can represent a large variety of
different types of information, including the following:
• Topographic contour and feature lines.

• Open pit design lines.
• Lithological contacts on plans or sections.
• Geological structures such as faults on plans or sections.
• Orebody outlines on plans or sections.
• Tie lines between polylines.
• Underground development centre lines.
• Stope outlines on plans or sections.
Because of the variety of uses, GEMS incorporates some specific data management techniques to make
administration of polylines easier. Each polyline is assigned a “type”, and depending on the type, a set of
attributes.
Polylines are always stored in true 3D co-ordinates, but may be created in the 2D local co-ordinates of
the current active view plane. In this case, GEMS will automatically transform the 2D polyline into true 3D
data.
• Types of Polylines
• Rules for Creating Polylines (for Solid Creation)
• The Project View
• The Polyline Menu
Types of Polylines
GEMS supports four types of polyline:
Polyline Type Description

Status Lines Status lines are 3D polylines with several application-specific attributes. They are either
contour lines, where all points along the line have the same elevation, or feature lines, where
each point along the line has a unique elevation. Examples of status lines include toes,
crests, ramp edges, and surface contours. For example, when designing an open pit, the pit
will be constructed using exclusively status line-type polylines. In underground operations,
status lines would typically be used to represent centrelines of headings and stope outlines.
3D Rings 3D rings are used primarily in forming solids. Typically 3D rings will represent orebody
outlines on sections or plans that are subsequently tied together and meshed to create a
closed solid. Each 3D ring is individually tagged with a plane and rock code. These attributes
are used for filtering polylines for specific operations.
Tie Lines Tie lines serve the specific task of connecting 3D rings for solid creation operations. In order
for two rings to be meshed together, there must be at least one tie line connecting them. Tie
lines are also used to break 3D rings in cases where the solid splits into several pieces. Tie
lines must be assigned a linetype that is different than the 3D ring.
Page 191 of 257

Basic Polyline Tools Rules for Creating Polylines (for Solid Creation)
Polyline Type Description

Clipping Clipping boundaries are used to isolate regions of data for several operations, such as
Boundaries selecting or deselecting data objects or removing unwanted parts of polylines, solids, or
surfaces. You can use polylines and polygons as clipping boundaries, or you can
interactively create a new clipping boundary that can, (but does not have to) be saved. When
you select a polyline or polygon as a clipping boundary, it becomes temporarily activated and
can be used within a specific command.
To create a clipping boundary, choose Edit > Clip > Create Clipping Boundary and digitise
the boundary on a plane. To use an existing polyline or polygon as a clipping boundary,
choose Edit > Clip > Select Clipping Boundary. To open a clipping boundary from an .abp
file, choose Edit > Clip > Open Clipping Boundary.
Rules for Creating Polylines (for Solid Creation)

The following basic, but simple, rules for creating polylines allow you to work more efficiently. These rules
apply to almost any form of line creation, whether it’s for geological interpretation, road planning, or
surveying.
Rule
Start simple, then add detail As a rule of thumb, it is always best to start off with a very basic design,
and only then add more detail.
Avoid close vertices While GEMS does come equipped with polyline grooming tools, it is best to
avoid digitising vertices very close to one another. This will make it simpler
to make adjustments to your design early on
Avoid acute angles An acute angle may cause problems later in the solid construction phase.
To avoid this, fillet your corners with three or more vertices.
Do not criss-cross line segments
Create polylines with similar vertex This is primarily of importance when creating polylines for solid modelling.
density As a general rule of thumb, adjacent polylines ought to have similar vertex
spacing (not necessarily numbers of vertices).
The Project View

In the Project View Area, right-click a polyline
workspace to access the all open/close and save
operations.
Once you open the data in the graphic area, you
can use the commands from the Polyline menu for
further editing.
Page 192 of 257

Basic Polyline Tools The Polyline Menu
Opening/Closing Polylines
To open or close polylines stored in a particular workspace, follow these steps.
1. In the Project View Area, right-click on the

polyline workspace.
2. Choose Open or Close.
3. If you want to open all polylines from all
workspaces, follow these steps:
4. In the Project View Area, right-click on the main
Polyline icon.
5. Choose Workspaces > Open All.
Saving Polylines
To save polylines to their respective workspace, follow these steps.
6. In the Project View Area, right-click on the

polyline workspace that you just edited.
7. Choose Save.
Note: The Save command only appears if a change
has been made to the workspace.
Copying and Pasting Polylines

To copy polylines from one workspace, and paste them into another, follow these steps.
8. Open one or more polylines from a workspace using the steps outlined in Opening/Closing
Polylines.
9. In the Project View Area, right-click the opened workspace you want to copy, and select Copy.
10. In the Project View Area, right-click the target workspace, and select Paste.
Note: You can paste the polylines to open or closed workspaces. Also, the Paste command does not appear until you
have Cut or Copied polylines.
The Polyline Menu

The Polyline menu provides commands enabling you to
edit and display polylines in order to create surface and
underground mining features, surfaces, solids, etc.
The following table lists the Polyline menu commands and
describes their basic editing operations.
Command Description
Data The commands in this menu provide different options for closing polyline data.
Create The commands in this menu provide facilities for creating new polylines using the mouse or digitising
tablet.
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Command Description
Vertex The commands in this menu provide operations for editing of vertices including moving, deleting,
inserting, etc.
Line The commands in this menu provide operations that work on a single line at a time, including
deleting, moving, copying, etc.
Multiline The commands in this menu provide operations that work on many lines at once, including deleting,
moving, copying, etc.
Select The commands in this menu provide facilities for activating polylines based on their attributes.
Display The commands in this menu define how polylines are displayed on-screen.
Utils The commands in this menu provide operations to review polyline status and profiling.
These commands are described in more detail in the following sections.
Data
Choose Polyline > Data to access a list of commands for
closing your polylines for the active worspaces. You can
close all your polylines, or specific polylines (status lines,
3D rings, or tie lines).
Create
Choose Polyline > Create to access a list
of commands for creating new polylines
using the mouse or digitising tablet.
The procedure for all line creation is
essentially the same. Simply place the
cursor onto the location of the new point and
click the left button. If you are using a
digitising tablet, move the digitiser to the
desired tablet location and click a button.
When the line is complete, right click the
mouse to save the line. Press C on your
keyboard to close the line. Depending on
the line type you are creating, you may be
asked for plane/line/elevation information at
various points during the digitising process.
When using a mouse, all line creation commands support point snapping, where the exact co-ordinate
value from an existing point will be used for the new point if the cursor is within a certain tolerance of the
existing point.
When digitising polyline data in 2D mode, points are digitised in 2D co-ordinates local to the current 2D
view plane. All elevation co-ordinates (Z) are also local to this plane. Positive elevation values are in the
“towards” direction and negative elevation values are in the “away” direction, except when digitising in a
2D plan view (when elevation values are true elevations and not relative elevations). GEMS automatically
transforms all local co-ordinates into 3D co-ordinates for you.
You can use the first four commands on the Create submenu to create four main types of line:
Command Description
Contour Line These are lines of constant elevation. Only a single elevation is input for the
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Command Description
entire line.
Feature Line These lines can be of varying elevation. If the new point "snaps" onto an
existing point, the elevation of that point will be used; otherwise, the program
will prompt for an elevation value.
Constant Gradient Line These lines are created like contour lines but the varying Z value is
automatically calculated based on a given gradient value and the digitised line
length.
Feature Line From Selected These lines are created from points.
Points
After choosing any of these four commands, you will remain in Create mode until you select a different
command or press ESC. This means you can continue to create multiple contour, feature, or constant
gradient lines or clipping polygons without having to reselect the command before each line.
Tip: Tagging polylines is useful when you want to identify them as part of a group.
The final seven commands in the Create submenu are only activated after you digitise a new polyline.
Vertex
Choose Polyline > Vertex to access a list of
commands for manipulating vertices, or points on
existing polylines. These operations can be performed
on any vertex at any time; it is not necessary to first
select a line before choosing a Vertex command.
All Vertex commands work in 2D or 3D mode. All
Vertex editing modes remain in effect until you choose
a different command or press ESC.
If you select a vertex that exists on more than one line,
you can easily toggle through the lines until you have
selected the one on which you want the edit operation
performed.
For example, if a particular vertex is shared by a toe and crest line, and you select that vertex in a
Vertex > 2D Move operation, GEMS will issue a sharp beeping sound and redraw one of the lines in a
highlighted colour. Then click the mouse to select the highlighted line and precede with the edit operation
or right-click the mouse to highlight the next line containing the selected vertex. Keep right-clicking until
the desired polyline is highlighted, then click the mouse to edit the line.
When you are working in 2D-view mode, remember that co-ordinates and co-ordinate axes are measured
relative to the local plane. If, for example, you are working on a vertical section, the Z value or elevation
of a vertex refers to its distance from the plane (positive is in front of the plane, negative is behind), not to
any intrinsic height above a real world datum.
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Line
Choose Polyline > Line to access a list of
commands for performing operations entire
polylines. All Line commands work in 2D or 3D
mode and all Line editing modes remain in effect
until you choose a different command or ESC.
You can select lines either by snapping onto any
point on the desired line or snapping to any
segment of the line. If more than one line falls
within the snapping radius of an editing selection,
you can easily toggle through the lines until you
have selected the one on which you want the edit
operation performed.
For example, if a particular segment is shared by a
toe and ramp line and you select that segment in a
Polyline >Line > Delete Entire operation, GEMS
will display a record selection window highlighting
the multiple polylines. You may either continuously
right-click anywhere on screen to toggle through
the list of polylines, or manually select the polyline
from the list.
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Multiline
Choose Polyline > Multiline to access a list of
commands for performing operations on many
lines at once. Similar to the Line commands, lines
can be selected, either by snapping onto any point
on the desired line or snapping to any segment of
the line. All Multiline commands work in 2D or 3D
mode, and all Multiline editing modes remain in
effect until you choose a different command or
press ESC.
Select
Choose Polyline > Select to access a list of commands
to help you activate a subset of polylines in the work
area. It may be necessary to limit the number of polylines
that are active in the work area for the following reasons:
• You want to make a surface or solid from a subset

of the opened polylines.
• You want to limit the view to a specific plane or
series of planes.
• Visual clutter makes interactive graphics work
impossible or impractical.
GEMS provides several ways to activate/deactivate polylines based on their name attributes. When
polylines are selected using these name attributes, both the plane and the line type/rock code attribute
must be active for the line itself to be active. Inactive lines can be visible or hidden (depending on the
Page 197 of 257

current display setting found on the Display submenu), but you can never interact with them for snapping
or surface creation.
Display
Choose Polyline > Display to access a list of
commands that provide several options to
enhance the display of your polyline data.
Utils
Choose Polyline > Utils to access a list of commands
to generate report on your polyline data.
Page 198 of 257

Basic Polyline Tools Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Polylines
Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Polylines

This lab demonstrates how to use the basic CAD tool in the Polyline menu, for creating and modifying
polylines. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. From the Project View Area, open the DDH1 drillhole workspace, and use the following criteria:
Display Profile ASSAY
Loading Profile <Automatic>
2. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select and Snap Settings to highlight the “From and To” positions in
the ASSAY table.
3. Switch to a 2D view, and select vertical section 10700E as the active section.
4. Choose Polyline > Create > Contour Line. In the Polyline Creation Options dialog box, select 3D
Rings.
5. You are now in polyline creation mode (verify this by looking at the command prompt on the Status
Bar). Begin by snapping to the outer limits (either ‘footwall’ or ‘hanging wall’ side) of the high grade
zone (coloured in Red and Magenta), and continue until you have almost completely enveloped the
zone. Refer to the section earlier, Rules for Creating Polylines. See the following example.
Creating a contour line in 2D view

6. When you are almost back to the starting point of your polyline, press C on your keyboard to close it,
and the Line Properties dialog box will appear. Enter the following criteria:
Workspace Geology
Plane 10700E
Rock Code ORE
Tag 9
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Basic Polyline Tools Lab Exercise: Creating and Modifying Polylines
Text for each tag Ore

Insert the tag text in the field TAG
While digitising, use the same workspace 9
7. Repeat steps 3 to 6 for the remaining vertical sections. Since you’ve checked the final option in step 6
(While digitising, use the same workspace), GEMS will automatically use these settings for each
polyline.
8. Right-click the Geology workspace in the Project View Area, and select Save.
9. Close any open workspaces.
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Basic Polyline Tools Review
Review
1. At a minimum, what are the two profiles do you require prior to creating polylines? (Hint: both are
found in the Format menu).
2. What are the four types of polylines that you can create in GEMS? What are their uses?
3. What is the difference between a contour line and a feature line?
4. You are importing four ASCII polyline files into a GEMS polyline workspace, each of the four files
containing 3D rings representing the identical rock code. How can you differentiate which file the four
groups of polylines originated from, now that they are all stored in the same workspace?
Page 201 of 257

Basic Surface Modelling
In GEMS, surfaces can represent several types of topographic information including:
• Original topographies
• As-mined topographies
• Pit designs
• Dump layouts
• Sub-surface structures such as geological structures, faults, or lithological contacts.
In GEMS, you can create surface models using a triangulated irregular network (TIN), and then display
and manipulate the models.
• Surface Features
• Opening Surfaces
• Creating Surfaces
• Displaying Surfaces
• Checking Solid/Surface Validity
• Reporting Surface Volumes
Surface Features
Triangulated surfaces have many characteristics that differentiate them from other computerised surface
models:
• Each data input point will be used as a vertex of at least one triangle, so the surface always exactly
honours the input data.
• All polylines representing distinct surface features, such as toe and crest lines (known as
breaklines), will be honoured in the triangulation.
• Triangles will be as close to equilateral as possible while still maintaining edge integrity.
• The boundary of the surface will be a convex polygon that encompasses all input points.
• The surface will not have any holes in it, unless a clipping operation is performed after initial
surface creation.
As triangulated surfaces generally provide the best possible surface representation of topographical data,
they have many uses in mining operations.
Surface Creation Data Elements

The following are the three data elements used to create and modify surfaces:
• 3D data points, called nodes

• 3D line segments connecting two nodes, called edges
• 2D polygons that can be used to remove parts of a surface that fall inside or outside their
boundaries, called clipping polygons
Opening Surfaces
Follow these steps to open surfaces for operations in graphics mode:
1. In the Project View Area, find the triangulation workspace containing the surfaces you want to open.
2. Right-click the workspace, and select Open to open the Open Workspace dialog box.
3. Click Open to open the Specific Records (Detailed) dialog box.
4. Select the record(s) you want to open or click Select All to open all records.
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Basic Surface Modelling Creating Surfaces
5. Click OK.
6. Once surfaces have been opened in the work area, you may use the Surface >Data menu to
manage which surfaces are visible.
Creating Surfaces
GEMS lets you create surfaces using active data consisting of discrete points (such as drillhole
intersects, spot heights, or sample locations) and polylines representing breaks in slope (such as surface
contours, bench crest lines, or bench toe lines). These surfaces are created as a series of connected
triangular panels, also known as a triangulated irregular network. The surface is able to preserve all the
breaks in the feature lines used to make the triangulation. A triangulation surface gives the best
approximation of surfaces for subsequent operations such as volume calculations.
You can also create surfaces using the Laplace gridding method.
The triangulation process can operate in either the XY plane (in plan), which is the most common method
for modelling topographic data; or in a local plane fitted through the data, which is the best way to
accurately model sub-surface, near vertical, or overturned structures.
Forcing Triangulation Edges

GEMS can preserve edges (polyline segments) during the creation of a triangulation in order to give the
best possible representation of the surface. This can, however, cause problems if the polylines cross and
there is an elevation conflict at the intersection point. If you are making a surface that includes polylines, it
is recommended that you check for crossing edges and correct them using the polyline editing functions
before proceeding with the surface creation.
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Surface Boundary Trimming

GEMS will, by default, make a surface whose perimeter is the convex limits of all data points used in its
creation. There are times when this results in unsightly (and incorrect) surfaces.
Effect of triangulation boundary trimming on concave perimeter

In addition to the surface/polygon clipping commands, you can specify a maximum edge length for the
boundary of the triangulation. In many cases, this will automatically remove these long boundary triangles
and give a more realistic surface. Be careful not to make this number too small, because too many
triangulation edges may be removed and the triangulation will be unusable.
Creating Surface from Active Data

Creating a surface from active data
is often referred to as a
triangulated irregular network
(TIN). Choose Surface >Create to
access a list of commands that let
you create a surface.
Creating surface triangulations generally requires three basic steps

1. Load the node and edge data into the work session – Data can be loaded from a variety of
sources, including polylines, drillholes, and extraction files. It is sometimes useful to load data from
more than one source before making the triangulation. GEMS will only load unique edges and nodes,
so there is no danger in accidentally reloading the same dataset twice.
2. Verify that edges do not intersect each other – Edge verification is an important step when visible
errors exist in the final triangulation. GEMS attempts to resolve all intersecting edges itself,
sometimes with less than perfect results. If there are a significant number of intersecting edges that
are causing severe errors, you need to manually resolve them before you can create a proper
triangulation.
3. Create the triangulation – Assign the triangulation a name and attributes, and select the workspace
to which it will be saved.
Creating Surface using Laplace Gridding

Laplace gridding provides a very fast and effective way to create gridded surfaces in any orientation to
represent any of the following:
• Topographic surfaces (e.g. created from drillhole collars or survey data)
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• Faults (e.g. created from specific contact points on drillholes)

• Tops and bottoms of seams (e.g. using drillhole interval data)
• Grade values on a specific plane (e.g. created using the “real value” component of extraction point
data)
Features
The main features of using Laplace gridding are as follows:
• Gridding can be done on any plan. Grids on plan views, vertical sections, and inclined sections can
be handled with equal ease.
• Different types of data can be used when making a single grid (for example, drillhole collars,
contours, and control stations can all be used together to make a grid of surface topography).
• All the data used for the gridding process can be visually checked for correctness, both in 2D and
3D.
• The process is graphical so the results of the gridding can be seen immediately, both in 2D and
3D.
• The results can be saved in a number of different formats, allowing the results to be used by other
GEMS systems.
• There is no size limit to the grid; the amount of data used for gridding and the size of the grid itself
is limited only by available memory.
Data Points
Laplace gridding allows you to create a grid on the current view plane using the same active data points
as other surface creation commands, including:
• Points (e.g. control stations)

• Polylines (e.g. status lines such as toes, crests, contours)
• Drillhole points (e.g. collars or interval points)
Advantages
Laplace gridding has a number of advantages over other interpolation methods (such as inverse distance
and kriging):
• It is robust, in that a grid will be produced regardless of the input data, unless data values exist in
all grid cells or there are no data points in any grid cells.
• There is no logical limit on the number of input data points. GEMS has successfully interpolated
data points in excess of 80,000.
• The method is not particularly sensitive to the distribution of input points. Lines or clusters of points
do not give rise to any special problems.
• The time taken to create a grid does not depend significantly upon the number of input data points.
It can even turn out that the run time for creating the grid will decrease as the number of points is
increased. You can expect run times from a few minutes to a maximum of about two hours.
• The grid has a smooth appearance and produces smooth looking contours. (This may not always
be an advantage, depending upon the nature of the input data.)
• The degree of smoothing (bi-cubic spline) is user–specified.
One disadvantage, however, is that the accuracy of the resulting grid cannot (as know to date) be
quantified in statistical terms. You must study the resulting grid visually and subjectively to decide
whether you are happy with its appearance.
Laplace Gridded Surfaces Versus Surfaces Created from Active Data

GEMS provides two distinct methods of creating surfaces from point data, namely Laplace gridding and
surface creation from active data. Each method has its advantages.
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Pros Cons
Laplace gridded surfaces Easily set up to coincide with block Original data points usually not
model or seam model. preserved in final grid.
Effectively fills in areas of sparse or
missing data.
Surfaces created from Preserves the original points. Yields poor results when data points
active data are dispersed and/or irregularly
distributed. Large triangles will be
created.
Laplace Gridded Surfaces

Laplace gridding will form a grid (with user-defined size and location) and each cell of the grid will be
assigned a value (typically an elevation or grade value) based on the distribution and proximity of known
data points. The iterative method processes all cells, updating the values each time until eventually a
smooth gridded surface has been created.
Laplace gridding generally does not honour the original data points. For example, if you made a grid
using drillhole collars, it is likely that many of the grid cells will be either slightly higher or lower than the
drillhole collar points used in their creation (due to the averaging and smoothing of the Laplace
technique). This may pose problems when the drillholes and resulting Laplace grid surface are shown
together (for example, if you cut a section through the data) as the drillhole collars will not exactly
coincide with the surface. This may pose even a bigger problem when modelling faults using drillhole
intervals, where the preservation of the exact 3D points defining the fault are very important.
Create a Laplace gridded surface

Follow these steps to create a Laplace gridded surface.
1. Activate the data points to be used for the gridding process. Depending on the type of surface you
are creating, this may include any combination of drillhole, point, or polyline data.
To use point data:
♦ From the Project View Area, open point data from one or more point workspaces.
To use drillhole data:
♦ From the Project View Area, open drillhole data from one or more drillhole workspaces.
♦ Use the Drillhole >Select submenu to activate all (or part) of the data that you want to use.
To use polyline data:
♦ From the Project View Area, open polyline data from one or more polylines workspaces.
Polylines must be status lines of type “topographic feature line” in order to be used for
surface modelling purposes.
2. Determine the orientation you want your grid to follow, by choosing View > Vertical Section,
Inclined Section, or Plan View. Laplace gridding occurs relative to the current view plane.
You must select a plane to activate the desired orientation, although which plane you choose is not
important, as the plane itself is not needed by the application.
3. Change the current viewing mode to 2D.
For manual gridding, this step is optional, but may help you to define the grid parameters, which
must be specified in 2D planar co-ordinates. Decide on the extents and parameters for the grid,
considering such factors as the distance between original data points, the total number of original
data points, and the final level of density of data required. If you are also working with a surface
elevation grid, you will likely want to co-ordinate the size of the Laplace grid with that of the SEG.
4. Choose Surface > Create > Create Surface by Laplace Gridding >Define Grid Location
Manually or Define Grid Location Graphically and view the Status bar for prompts and messages
for completing the next steps.
Page 206 of 257

Basic Surface Modelling Displaying Surfaces
Displaying Surfaces
Choose Surface > Data > Select Surfaces from List to open the Active Surface/Solid dialog box where
you can activate or deactivate the display of selected surfaces.
Display Overrides
Choose Surface >Display Overrides to open the
Triangulations Display Overrides where you can suppress
the display of all surfaces and solids while showing the
polyline of intersection between the surface or solid and
the current view plane, or to permit normal display of
active surfaces and solids.
The options in the dialog box can help you display the
data in a much clearer view in cases where only the
intersection is needed (for example, viewing only the
section/surface intersection when digitising in 2D).
In the Triangulations Display Overrides dialog box, you
can enable the Draw triangulations as projections (as
if its lines are pressed onto a plane) option to display
the outlines of surfaces projected onto the current view
plane, without suppressing display of the surfaces
themselves.
Properties
Choose Surface > Properties to check or modify solid or surface attributes such as Category (Geology,
Excavation, or Surface), colour, and grade value.
Page 207 of 257

Basic Surface Modelling Checking Solid/Surface Validity

13. Choose Surface > Properties.
14. In the graphics area, select the solid or
surface to edit. The Triangulations
Properties dialog box will open.
15. Edit any of the properties as needed.
Note: You cannot the Workspace.
16. Click OK.
Checking Solid/Surface Validity

Choose Surface > Utils > Check for Errors to check the validity of solids and surfaces immediately after
you create them. Invalid edges or self intersection will almost always result in errors during intersection
operations, and will certainly introduce some error in volume calculations.
A correctly closed solid is defined as a triangulation where every edge is connected to exactly two
triangles. A correctly formed surface is defined as a triangulation that is not closed; all edges around the
perimeter of the surface will be connected to only one triangle. In cases where a solid or surface has
been incorrectly meshed, it is possible for a single edge to be connected to more triangles than allowed.
As well, triangles formed during the creation process may intersect each other (also an error condition).
Caution: If GEMS finds errors, you must check your data and modify the solid or surface if you
plan to use the surfaces for volumetrics.
Reporting Surface Volumes

You can instruct GEMS to determine the volume below a surface to a specified datum and issue a report.
For more advanced surface reporting options (including grades and tonnages), you will need to report
using Volumetrics.
17. To report the volume under a selected surface, follow these steps.
18. Choose Surface > Utils > Report Volume Under Surface.
19. In the graphics area, select the surface you want. The TIN Volume Editor will open.
20. Enter a Base Elevation for Volumes, and click OK. GEMS will perform the calculation then
display a report in the default text editor.
Page 208 of 257

Basic Surface Modelling Lab Exercise: Creating Basic Surface
Lab Exercise: Creating Basic Surface

The following lab demonstrates how to create a basic surface from active drillhole intersects. Use default
settings unless otherwise stated.
1. From the Project View Area, open the workspace DDH1, with the following criteria:

Load Profile <Automatic>
2. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select and Snap Settings, using the following criteria:
Table HEADER
Position Collar
3. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select All Drillhole Intersects. Review the results on screen.
4. On the toolbar, click Large Projection to view all the data.
5. Choose Surface > Create > Create Surface from Active Data, and use the following criteria:
6. Create Triangulation Surface From Data dialog box:
GEMS can check for potential data problems Check Now

Create on An XY plane (using global co-ordinates)
Triangulation Properties dialog box:
Workspace GeoSolids
Name1 Topo
Category Topography
Use this panel colour (in the Display section, Brown
click Modify)
7. Choose Solid > Utils > Check for Errors to verify the surface. Click on the surface to verify.
8. Right-click the GeoSolids workspace and choose Save, and Close.
Page 209 of 257

Basic Surface Modelling Lab Exercise: Creating Surface Representing a Hanging Wall
Lab Exercise: Creating Surface Representing a Hanging Wall

The following lab demonstrates how to create a surface representing a hanging wall, from active drillhole
intersects. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. Choose Drillhole > Select > Deselect All Drillhole Intersects. Review the results on screen.
2. Choose Drillhole > Select > Select Drillhole Intersects by Field Value, using the following criteria:
Table LITHO
Field ROCK_TYPE
Text 9b
Position From
Occurrence First
3. Make inclined section 9B the active section, and switch to a 2D view.

4. Choose Surface > Create > Create Surface By Laplace Gridding > Define Grid Location
Graphically. Draw a box, starting from the lower left limits of the data, ending at the upper right limits
of the data. Use the following criteria:
Row Height 10
Column Width 10
Interpolate Displayed Grid? Yes
Gemcom Grid Save Options Gemcom Surface TIN
Solid Workspace Name GeoSolids
Name1 9b
Name2 HW
Category Seam Surface
Panel Colour Green
5. Choose Solid > Utils > Check for Errors to verify the surface. Click on the surface to verify.
6. Right-click the GeoSolids workspace, and choose Save, and Close.
7. Repeat Lab Exercise: Creating Basic Surface using the Laplace Gridding method on plan view 11A.
Save the surface as “Topo2”.
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Basic Surface Modelling Review
Review
1. Compare the results from the two lab exercises. How do the two surfaces differ?
2. List three of the main benefits of using Laplace Gridding over Active Data.
3. True or False: The command Check Solid/Surface Validity will automatically fix triangulation
errors.
4. What is the effect of triangulation boundary trimming?
Page 211 of 257

Basic Solid Modelling
GEMS allows you to transform your 2D (two-dimensional) polylines into 3D (three-dimensional) solids. A
solid in GEMS is a 3D object that is created by first connecting closed polylines that define similar zones
from one plane to another using tie lines, and then by automatically constructing a 3D triangulated
surface around all the polylines and tie lines. In GEMS, you can create solids that represent orebodies or
wastebodies, underground excavations, and development such as ramps or stopes, etc.
• Types of Solids
• Solid Creation Guidelines
• Components of a Solid
• Creating Solids
• Displaying Solids
• Checking Solid/Surface Validity
• Reporting Solid Volumes
Types of Solids
The solids that GEMS uses can be separated into two classes:
Class Description
Geology solids These are solids that represent homogenous volumes of ground and have rock code
and grade attributes.
Excavation solids These are representations of voids left in the ground by mining. These solids may
represent planned mining excavations or as-mined excavations.
Once created, a solid is a collection of triangular faces that encloses a volume. Every triangle edge is
connected fully to another triangle edge. Consequently, there are no open areas or holes on the surface
of a solid. Each solid is given a series of names to uniquely identify the solid, and a set of attributes that
describes its properties.
Solids can be created as a single entity that is known as a “physical” solid, having a single name and a
single set of attributes to describe its properties. Solids can also be created as a group of like entities that
are known as “logical” solids. Logical solids are also identified by a single name and a single set of
attributes that are applied to all of the physical solids that form the logical solids. Once created, logical
solids are treated as a single entity (i.e. the same way as a physical solid).
For example, a physical solid could be a homogenous ore zone that is one complete piece. A logical solid
could be a homogenous ore zone that is broken into multiple zones, but is needed to be treated as a
single entity.
Geology Solids
Geological solids represent homogenous volumes of ground. Each geological solid is identified by a
three-part name, and is given a single rock-type attribute, and single grade values for each specified
mineral.
Geological solids are used to represent ore bodies, ore zones, dykes, sills, or any other geological zone.
Geological solids are generally constructed from combinations of 3D rings and points digitised on
sections or plan views.
Excavation Solids
Excavation solids represent voids in the ground created by mining. Each excavation solid is identified by
a three-part name, and no other attributes. Excavation solids can represent development such as shafts,
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Basic Solid Modelling Solid Creation Guidelines
haulages, crosscuts, ramps or raises, or stope designs. Excavation solids can also represent designed or
as-built excavations.
Excavation solids can be constructed from digitised centrelines and cross-section profiles, outlines
digitised on plan views, or surveyed data.
Note: Solids are commonly viewed in combination with other solid types and other data such as drillholes and block
models for a more comprehensive visualisation of data.
Combinations of data types viewed together
Solid Creation Guidelines

Solid models are created using three-dimensional triangulation that links together sets of planar and non-
planar collections of polylines. These collections of polylines can be combinations of open-ended status
lines, closed 3D rings, and discrete points from drillhole intersects or other sources. The triangulation and
solid formation takes place after you have “linked” the data elements together using three-dimensional tie
lines that may be complex polylines with multiple points. Careful use and positioning of these tie lines
allow you to apply extensive control on how splits, bifurcations, and end closures of solids are handled.
Page 213 of 257

Basic Solid Modelling Components of a Solid
Tie lines force specific points of one polyline to

connect with specific points on another
adjacent polyline. At least one tie line
connecting two adjacent polylines is required in
order for GEMS to create a mesh between
them. All tie lines will be included as edges in
the triangular mesh that forms the solid. Tie
lines, therefore, provide as much or as little
control as you like over the shape of the final
solid.
It is recommended that you start by using a
minimum number of tie lines, connecting pairs
of polylines with one or two tie lines at logically
corresponding points. Gradually, add more tie
lines as required to improve the shape of the
solid or to resolve solid errors such as Two irregular polylines connected by four tie lines
self-intersection.
Components of a Solid
The components you use to create simple solids are as follows:
Component Description
Rings A ring is defined as a 3D closed polyline. The points that form the polyline may or may
not lie on a plane. In order to be classified as a solid, an object must have at least one
ring; otherwise, the object is a surface.
Neighbouring rings can be at large angles to each other. Specifically, for any sequence
of three rings, the angle between the plane of the first ring and the plane of the third ring
must be less than 180*.
Rings must be simple circuits

Each ring must form a simple circuit when it is projected onto its best-fit plane. As the
diagram shows, a simple circuit means that the ring does not intersect itself. If it does,
the solid creation process will report an error, and it will be necessary to modify the ring
before attempting the solid creation process again.
Ties Tie lines are used exclusively for surface/solid modelling purposes. In general, the fewer
tie lines used to match adjacent rings, the better.
Centrelines (combined Centrelines are polylines that are used to extrude into three-dimensional shapes. They
with heading profiles) usually represent the centres of the floor or back of an underground drift, or the centroid
of underground raises. Once you have defined heading profiles (which represent the
cross-sectional shape of the object being designed), you can “extrude” the heading
profile along the selected centreline(s).
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Basic Solid Modelling Creating Solids
Creating Solids
Choose Solid > Create to
access a list of commands that
enable you to create a solid.
The following commands are
described in more detail:
• Create Solid from Tied

Polylines
• Extrude Active
Centrelines into Solid
• Extrude Active Closed
Polylines into Solid
• Create Solid from 2
Non-Intersecting
Surfaces
Create Solid from Tied Polylines

Choose this command to create a solid from a series of closed polygons (3D rings), open polylines, and
points that are linked together by tie lines. You can also choose commands for refining your polylines
prior to creating the solid.
In order for rings on successive planes to be linked together to form a solid, there must be at least one tie
line connecting them. There will often be cases where more geometric control is required than can be
provided by a single tie line. In these cases, you may want to add more tie lines between “matching
nodes” on the connected rings. Tie lines will always be preserved as triangle edges in the solid creation
process, so you can explicitly control the shape of the resulting solid by adding tie lines where needed.
When creating a solid, you should only activate those polylines being used to create that solid. GEMS
uses all active polylines that are connected with tie lines for this process. Typically, you will only activate
a single rock type unit at a time (if you are making a geology class solid), or a series of as mined or
design stope outlines (if you are making an excavation class solid).
Because they have no purpose on their own, tie lines are automatically deactivated if they are not
connected to an active polyline. If you change the active set of polylines (e.g. by using a Polyline >
Select command), the visible tie lines will change. Even though they are not visible, tie lines can be
saved to the workspace in the normal manner.
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Basic Solid Modelling Creating Solids
Extrude Active Centrelines into Solid

Choose this command to create a solid (usually of excavation class representing underground headings,
ramps, etc.), by “wrapping” a pre defined heading profile around a polyline. The polyline may represent
the floor or back of the solid, depending on the initial reference point of the design profile. The profile itself
is defined as a closed polygon of a user specified shape and size.
Extruding a centreline into a solid
Extrude Active Closed Polylines into Solid

Choose this command to create a solid from a series of closed polylines. This method produces a quick,
approximate solids model from 3D rings. Although not as accurate as creating a geological solid with tie
lines, this command can provide a good overview of a deposit, for example, before updating block
models.
If more than one polyline is selected, the resulting “logical” solid may consist of several “physical” pieces.
Therefore, this command has the added advantage of allowing you to check that there are no overlaps or
gaps in the model between the pieces.
Extruding closed polylines into a solid
Create Solid from 2 Non-Intersecting Surfaces

Choose this command to “stitch” together two surfaces into a closed solid. This is useful where surfaces
have been constructed that may represent the top and bottom of a geological feature (such as a seam)
and when you want to create a closed solid for plotting, volumes, reserves, etc.
Note: The surfaces that you use for this operation should be more or less parallel to each other and should not cross.
Optionally, you can add tie lines between the perimeter boundaries of the surfaces. Like normal tie lines,
these are used to provide added control when the joining mesh between the surfaces is created. These
temporary tie lines are erased after solid creation.
Page 216 of 257

Basic Solid Modelling Displaying Solids
Displaying Solids
Choose Solid > Display Overrides to open the
Triangulation Display Overrides dialog box
where you can activate or deactivate the
display of selected solids and create a GGP file
of solid attributes.
Show Solid/View Intersection

Polyline Only
In the Triangulation Display Overrides dialog
box, select Draw triangulations as polylines
to suppress the display of all surfaces and
solids while showing the polyline of intersection
between the surface or solid and the current
view plane. The other option permits the normal
display of active surfaces and solids. This
command can provide a much clearer view of
the data in cases where only the intersection is
needed (e.g. viewing only the section/surface
intersection when digitising in 2D).
Show Solid/View Shadow

Projection
In the Triangulation Display Overrides dialog
box, select Draw triangulations as
projections to display the outlines of solids
projected onto the current view plane, without
suppressing the display of the solids
themselves.
Edit Solid/Surface Attributes

Choose this command to check or modify solid or surface attributes such as class (geology, excavation,
or surface), colour, and grade value. By modifying these attributes, you affect how the solid or surface
appears.
1. Choose Solid >Properties.
2. In the graphic area, select the solid or surface to edit. The Triangulations Properties dialog box will
open.
3. In the Attributes area, edit the Category of your solid.
4. In the Display area, modify the display profile or use classic formatting.
5. In the Grade/Value table, you can edit the value for each grade if necessary.
6. Click OK.
Checking Solid/Surface Validity

Immediately after you create a solid, check the validity of the solid or surface. Invalid edges or self
intersection will almost always result in errors during intersection operations, and will certainly introduce
some error in volume calculations.
A correctly closed solid is defined as a triangulation where every edge is connected to exactly two
triangles. A correctly formed surface is defined as a triangulation that is not closed. All edges around the
perimeter of the surface will be connected to only one triangle. In cases where a solid or surface has
been incorrectly meshed, it is possible for a single edge to be connected to more triangles than allowed.
As well, triangles formed during the creation process may intersect each other (also an error condition).
Page 217 of 257

Basic Solid Modelling Reporting Solid Volumes
Caution: If GEMS finds errors, you must correct the solid or surface before you can use them for
volumetrics.
To check for errors, follow these steps.

1. Open your solids in the graphic area.
2. Choose Solid > Utils > Check for Errors.
3. In the graphics area, click on the solid you want to validate.
4. GEMS asks you to confirm the selected solid, choose Yes.
5. When finished validating, GEMS displays a status dialog box, click Close to close the dialog box.
Reporting Solid Volumes

Choose Solid > Utils to access a list of
commands to generate basic reports on
solid volumes. For more advanced solid
reporting options (including grades and
tonnages), you will need to report using
Volumetrics.
You can calculate and display the exact
analytical volume of a selected solid by
choosing Solid > Utils > Report
Volume/Size of a Single Solid. The solid
must have passed the validity test in order
for this volume to be considered valid (see
the previous section Checking Solid/Surface
Validity).
This command also reports information about the selected solid, such as number of nodes, edges, and
triangles. It is sometimes useful to check the size of certain solids in cases where memory is being
exhausted by certain operations.
Page 218 of 257

Basic Solid Modelling Lab Exercise: Creating Solids from Tied Polylines
Lab Exercise: Creating Solids from Tied Polylines

The following lab demonstrates how to create solid triangulations from 3D rings tied together with tie
lines. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. Close any open data.
2. Open the Geology polyline workspace, and select those records with tag Geology_Rings.
3. Choose Polyline > Create > Feature Line, and then Tie Lines. Begin tieing together common
features between adjacent 3D rings.
4. When complete, choose Solid > Create > Create Solid from Tied Polylines> Create Solid from
Tied Polylines, and use the following criteria:
Solid Workspace Name GeoSolids
Name1 Zone1
Category Geology
Geological Code ORE
5. Review the results on screen. Choose Solid > Utils > Check for Errors to check the validity of
your solid.
6. Right-click the GeoSolids workspace, and select Save, then Close.
Page 219 of 257

Basic Solid Modelling Lab Exercise: Creating Solids from Extruded Centrelines
Lab Exercise: Creating Solids from Extruded Centrelines

The following lab demonstrates how to create solid triangulations from 3D rings tied together with tie
lines. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. Close any open data.
2. Choose File > Classic Import > Lines from ASCII File, and select Polylines. Use the following
criteria:
Polyline Read Options Status Lines in ASCII format
File Name “Drift Centrelines.txt”
Workspace Survey
Tag each line to identify it as part of a group 9
Text for Tag Drift Centrelines
3. Save the polylines.

4. Choose Format > Other Profiles > Heading.
5. Define a New Profile, named ARCH, using the following criteria:
Profile Type Arched
Height 5
Width 5
Radius 10

7. Choose Solid > Create > Extrude Active Centrelines into Solids, and use the following criteria:
Select Workspace EngSolids
Heading Profile name ARCH
8. Review the results on screen. Choose Solid > Utils > Check for Errors to check the validity of
your solid.
9. Right-click the EngSolids workspace, and select Save, then Close.
Page 220 of 257

Basic Solid Modelling Review
Review
1. What are the two classes of solids that can be created in GEMS, and what are their uses?
2. Describe three methods of creating solids.
3. What are the prerequisites to extruding a centreline into a solid?
4. True or False: You can only create ONE tie line between adjacent rings.
Page 221 of 257

Plotting in GEMS
Much of your work with GEMS involves projecting data onto planes or combining it with topographic data
on surfaces. These two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional data are commonly created
from detailed exploration drilling or mapping data.
• Plane Types
• Legends
• Drillhole Plotting Concepts
• Projections
• Procedures for Plotting
Plane Types
You can create plane plots from the following different types of planes:
Plane Type Description

Surfaces Surfaces are horizontal planes that have neither a specified elevation nor
upper or lower elevation limits. As there is only one surface possibility, you
do not need to enter any parameters to define it.
The co-ordinate system used for data on surfaces is the world co-ordinate
system used throughout the project.
Plan Views (Horizontal Sections) Plan views are horizontal planes with specified elevations.
Vertical Sections Vertical sections are planes with specific locations that are vertically oriented.
Inclined Sections Inclined sections are planes that have horizontal top and bottom edges and
are inclined in a specified direction at a specified angle.
Each of these types is described in more detail in the following sections.
Plane Plots on Surfaces

You can produce plane plots that will be used as surfaces. A single map is produced from all of the
records selected in the database.
You can define the name of the plot files that you create. A suffix (.GGP) is automatically added to the
name that you define. The plot file is located in the *\ PROJECTFOLDER\TOPOSRFC subdirectory.
Plane Plots on Plan Views

You can produce plane plots on sets of plan views. A single map is produced for each plan view selected.
Multiple plan views can be produced in a single operation using the same profile.
You can define the name of the plot files that you create. A single name is used for all of the plot files in
the set that you are creating; each plot file is located in the appropriate subdirectory (the
*\PROJECTFOLDER \PLANVIEW\planview_name subdirectory) for the plan view. A suffix (.GGP) is
automatically added to the name that you define.
Planview_name is the name you gave to the plan view when you defined its location.
Plane Plots on Vertical Sections

You can produce plane plots on sets of vertical sections. A single plot is produced for each section
selected. Multiple sections can be produced in a single operation using the same profile.
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Plotting in GEMS Legends
*\PROJECTFOLDER \V_SECT\section_name subdirectory) for the section. A suffix (.GGP) is

Section_name is the name you gave to the section when you defined its location.
Plane Plots on Inclined Sections

You can produce plane plots on sets of inclined sections. A single plot is produced for each section
selected. Multiple sections can be produced in a single operation using the same profile.
*\PROJECTFOLDER \I_SECT\section_name subdirectory) for the section. A suffix (.GGP) is
Section_name is the name you gave to the section when you defined its location.
Types of Plane Plots

You can create the following types of plots (images) in
GEMS:
• Plots from all displayed data

• Drillhole Plots
• Grid and Contour Plots
• Polyline Plots
• Solids Plots
• Structure Plots
• Surface Blast Design Plots
• Symbol Plots
• Topographic Surface Intersections Plots
Supported File Types

GEMS supports the following image (file) types for plotting:
• Bitmap Images (.bmp)

• Drawing Files (.dwg)
• Drawing Interchange Format (.dxf)
• GEMS Graphics Primitive (.ggp)
• Joint Photographic Experts Group – JPEG (.jpg)
• Portable Network Graphics (.png)
• Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg)
• Tag Image File (.tiff or .tif)
Page 223 of 257

Plotting in GEMS Legends
Legends
You can add a legend to most types of plane plots. The information in the legend comes from the plot
display profile that you specify.
Legends are created as part of the automatic image creation process in separate files from the plots to
which they refer, and are saved in the appropriate plane subdirectory (i.e. V_SECT, I_SECT, PLANVIEW,
or TOPOSRFC) of the current project. This allows you to bring the legend file into PlotMaker later, either
beside your data or into an individual viewport.
Drillhole Plotting Concepts

You can display data from drillhole or traverse workspaces onto surfaces, plan views, vertical sections, or
inclined sections. Drillholes and traverses are displayed as trace lines projected onto the plane, and data
from any of the workspace tables can be displayed in a variety of different formats at the collar location or
along the trace of each drillhole or traverse.
Drillholes on Plan Views

When you create a drillhole plot for a plan view, the plot will show the portion of the drillhole trace that
passes through the plan view from the upper elevation limit to the lower elevation limit. All other parts of
the drillhole will be clipped from the map. The trace will be annotated using the attributes defined in the
drillhole plot profile that you selected.
Under normal circumstances, the projection onto the plan view will be orthogonal. However, you can
define a non-orthogonal projection by entering average plunge and trend angles to modify the direction of
the projection.
Caution: If your drillholes are vertical or near vertical, the projected trace on each plan view will be
very short. Any annotation (such as assays, composites, or rock types) will be liable to suffer
from over-plotting. In addition, the orientation of the text will be based on the projected
azimuth of the drillhole trace and may not be aesthetically pleasing.
If you want to make a map showing a single symbol for the drillhole pierce point with the plan
view annotated with data from any of the tables, we suggest that you de-survey the tables
that you want to display and use the symbol mapping features of GEMS to produce the plot
files.
No co-ordinate transformation is performed on the point location so the c-oordinates in the graphics file
are the same as the co-ordinates of the points in the workspace.
Drillholes on Vertical and Inclined Sections

When you create a drillhole plot for a vertical or inclined section, the plot will show the portion of the
drillhole trace that passes through the section corridor between the towards and away distances defined
for that section. All other parts of the drillhole will be clipped from the map. The trace will be annotated
using the attributes defined in the drillhole plot profile that you selected. An optional co-ordinate reference
grid, a frame, and a plan view of the same drillhole may be produced.
Under normal circumstances, the projection onto the section will be orthogonal. However, you can define
a non-orthogonal projection by entering average plunge and trend angles to modify the direction of the
projection.
The co-ordinates of the graphics file are the local section co-ordinates.
Page 224 of 257

Plotting in GEMS Projections
Projections
Traces are projected orthogonally (in other
words, perpendicular) to all types of planes.
This means that the traces are projected
vertically onto surfaces and plan views,
horizontally onto vertical sections, and
perpendicularly onto inclined sections.
You can also adjust the projections onto plan
views and vertical and inclined sections by
defining average trend and plunge angles.
This will change the projection from an
orthogonal projection to a non-orthogonal
projection. This projection is intended to
project the data along an average planar
surface that trends and plunges in a certain
direction. These angles, defined as follows,
are illustrated in the diagram to the right.
• Trend – The azimuth of the principal

direction of the planar surface.
• Plunge – The angle from the horizontal
at which the principal direction of the
planar surface dips.
Orthogonal projection of data
The towards and away thicknesses defined for the

sections, and the upper and lower elevation limits for
plan views, form a projection corridor for the planes.
Portions of the trace and data that fall outside the
corridor are not included in the plots. The corridor for
surfaces has an infinite thickness, so the complete trace
and all data are always included.
Definition of trend and plunge angles
Procedures for Plotting

The following provide general steps for the following activities:
• Plotting all Displayed Data

• Plotting Drillholes Directly from Workspace
• Plotting Points directly from Workspace or Extraction File
• Plotting Structure Maps from the Workspace
• Plotting Grid and Contour Maps
• Plotting Topographic Intersections
Page 225 of 257

Plotting in GEMS Procedures for Plotting
Plotting All Displayed Data

All data that is displayed on screen in GEMS can be generated into a plot, for one or multiple plan views,
vertical, or inclined sections. GEMS uses the visible attributes that have been defined in the display
profiles. Examples of profiles used to display different object types are drillhole display profiles, line
display profiles, and polygon layers.
Follow these steps to plot all visible data.
1. Generate the necessary plan views, vertical, or inclined sections.
2. Load the data that you want to plot from the workspace(s). In the Project View Area, right-click the
workspace and select Open. You may open data from multiple workspaces. For example below
drillhole, solids, and surfaces are displayed.
3. To plot the current plane press P on the keyboard or from the toolbar, click Plot Visible Data. The
default style file in PlotMaker will open and the image will appear in a viewport. To customise your
plotstyle, please refer to the next chapter on PlotMaker.
4. To plot multiple planes, from the toolbar, select Plot Multiple Planes or choose File > Plot to open
the Plot dialog box.
Page 226 of 257

5. In the Images tab, select the

options as shown in the screen
capture.
To create a plot for one plane, in
the Select the planes to include
in the images section, select The
current plane option.
To create a plot for multiple planes,
select the Make images from
these planes option, and click on
Select Planes on the right of the
field to make the selection of
planes.
6. Click the Plots tab, make the

selections as show in the screen
capture.
7. Click Advanced to open the Batch
List Settings dialog box for
advanced options for plotting.
8. In the dialog box, make the

selections as shown in the screen
capture.
9. Click OK to return to the Plot
dialog box.
10. Click OK to create the files.
Page 227 of 257

Plotting Drillholes Directly from Workspace

To plot drillholes directly from a workspace, follow these steps.
2. Choose Format > Plot > Drillhole Plot to define the plot profile. For more details on drillhole plot
profiles, review the previous section on Drillhole Plotting Concepts.
Example:
3. Choose Format > Plot, > Reference Grid to

define the vertical or inclined grid options for the
plot. For more details on reference grid profiles
please review previous section on Drillhole
Plotting Concepts.
See the image on the right for an example.
4. On the toolbar, click Plot Multiple Planes or choose File > Plot to open the Plot dialog box.
Page 228 of 257

5. In the Images tab, make the

capture.
6. Click the Plots tab.
7. In the Plots tab, make the

capture.
8. Click Advanced to open the Batch-
List Settings dialog box for
advanced options for plotting.
9. In the Batch List Settings, make the

capture.
10. Click OK to return to the Plot dialog
box.
Page 229 of 257

Plotting Points Directly from Workspace or Extraction File

Before you can plot points directly from a workspace or extraction file, ensure that you set up the symbol
profiles.
To create a symbol plot profile, follow these steps.
1. Choose Format > Plot, > Symbol Plot to open the Symbol Plot dialog box.
2. In Symbol Profile based on data from, select Workspace.
3. Make the selections as shown in
the screen capture.
4. Click Apply.
5. Repeat step 2, but select

Extraction File instead.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 4 making the
selections as shown in the
screen capture for.
7. Click OK to exit the dialog box.
To plot points directly from a workspace, follow these steps.

2. Click Plot Multiple Planes to open the Plot dialog box.
Page 230 of 257

3. In the Images tab, in Type of

image, choose Symbol.
4. Complete the other fields as
specified in the screen capture.
5. Click Export a separate legend
for the images to enable this
option for creating a legend.
6. Click Legend to open the Legend
dialog box.
7. Complete the Legend dialog box as

shown in the screen capture.
box.
9. Click the Plots tab. Refer to steps 7 to 9 in Plotting Drillholes Directly from Workspace for
information on completing this tab.
10. Click OK to generate the plot.
To plot points directly from an extraction file, follow these steps.
2. Click Plot Multiple Planes to open the Plot dialog box.
3. In the Images tab, in Type of image, choose Symbol.
Page 231 of 257

4. Complete the other fields as

specified in the screen capture.
5. Click Export a separate legend for the images to enable this option for creating a legend.
6. Click Legend to open the Legend dialog box.
7. Complete the Legend dialog box as shown
in the screen capture.
8. Click OK to return to the Plot dialog box.
9. Click the Plots tab. Refer to steps 7 to 9 in Plotting Drillholes Directly from Workspace for
information on completing this tab.
Plotting Structure Maps from the Workspace

To plot structure maps from a workspace, follow these steps.
2. Choose File > Plot to open the plot dialog box.
Page 232 of 257

3. In the Images tab, complete the

fields as shown in the screen
capture.
4. In the Format area, click Browse
to open the Structure Plot dialog
box where you define the structure
plot profile.
5. Complete the Structure Plot dialog box as shown in the following screen capture.
Page 233 of 257

6. Click the Plots tab, and select applicable options as shown in the following dialog box.

The following image demonstrates how the plot file appears in GEMS in 2D viewing mode.
Page 234 of 257

The following image demonstrates how the plot file appears PlotMaker.
Plotting Grid and Contour Maps

To plot grid and contour maps, follow these steps.
1. Load data for grid and contour (for example – au values from a point area workspace).
2. Choose File > Plot to open the Plot dialog box.
3. In the Images tab, in Type of image, choose Grid and contour.
Page 235 of 257

4. In Make images for these planes, select the plane.
5. Click Next, which opens the Grids and Contours dialog box.
6. In the Grid tab, click Get by
Clicking, which enables you to
click and drag a box around your
point data in the graphics area.
7. In the graphics area, define a box around your point data starting in the lower left corner and
ending in the upper right corner. Once the area is defined, the Gridding/Contouring Grid Editor
dialog box opens.
Page 236 of 257

8. Define the grid cell row height and column width, and click OK
9. GEMS will prompt you to interpolate grid. Select Yes to continue with the process and return to the
Grids and Contours dialog box.
10. In the Interpolation tab, complete
the dialog box as follows.
Page 237 of 257

11. In the Clipping tab, if you are

contouring grade values for one
plane, select the option to Use
only points on the current plane
or in the view corridor.
12. In the Output tab, select the

graphics to create, and type in the
output file names. You can select
more than one graphic to create.
13. Click OK to complete the gridding
process.
Page 238 of 257

14. View the map in PlotMaker.
Plotting Topographic Intersections

To plot topographic intersections, follow these steps.
1. Open lines from a workspace for the topographic intersections or use Statusln.dat/.ind files.
2. Choose File > Plot to open the Plot dialog box.
3. In the Images tab, complete the
fields as shown in the screen
capture.
Page 239 of 257

4. Click the Plots tab, and click

Advanced to access the Batch-List
Settings dialog box for advanced
options for plotting.
box.
Page 240 of 257

PlotMaker
PlotMaker is a flexible plotting system and powerful utility that lets you produce professional looking plots
that includes surface maps, sections, 3D views, charts, graphs, and more. You can use PlotMaker with
mining data from GEMS and other CAD tools.
Use one of the following methods to open PlotMaker:
• Choose Start > All Programs > PlotMaker >PlotMaker.

• On your desktop double-click the PlotMaker icon.
• In GEMS, from toolbar click Plot Visible Data ( ).
Window Layout
The PlotMaker window layout has the following elements.
Name Description
a Toolbar You can move or hide the toolbars to make more space on the PlotMaker desktop,
when needed. For a detailed list of buttons see Appendix: Toolbar Buttons.
b Catalog You can add any formatted item to the catalog, and then use it again in other plots.
c Viewport This is the main working area of your plot.
d Plot On a plot you can create and arrange the objects that you want to print.
e Property Sheet Use the Property Sheet to format items by changing the appearance of an object,
change its location and orientation, move or assign it to a layer, and use it to add and
format text.
For detailed information, see the PlotMaker Help.
Viewports
A viewport is an area on your plot in which you can insert and show vector drawings and other data that
you want to plot. More than one drawing can be inserted in a viewport, and you can create more than one
viewport. Viewports may also be overlapped if needed.
Page 241 of 257

PlotMaker Inserting Drawings, Bitmap Graphics, and OLE Objects
To create a viewport, follow these steps.

From the toolbar, click Viewport.
On the plot, click and drag the mouse to create a viewport. To resize the viewport, drag the sizing
handles. Once you have a viewport on the plot, you can insert drawings or objects and format the
viewport as needed.
• Inserting Drawings, Bitmap Graphics, and OLE Objects

• Adding Grids, Scale, and Scale bar
• Adding Text, Lines, and Shapes
• Formatting Viewports
• Managing Objects with Layers
Inserting Drawings, Bitmap Graphics, and OLE Objects

In PlotMaker, you can insert vector drawings, bitmap graphics, and OLE object for reports and
presentations.
Vector Drawings
You can insert vector data files (such as .ggp, .dxf, and .dwg) from GEMS, AutoCAD, and other
programs into the viewport.
Page 242 of 257

PlotMaker Inserting Drawings, Bitmap Graphics, and OLE Objects
To insert a drawing, make sure the viewport

window is highlighted/activated, and follow
these steps.
Right-click inside the viewport, and select
Viewport Properties to open the
Viewport Propertied dialog.
Click the Images tab.
Click Insert to browse for and select the file
you want to insert.
When you’ve selected the file, click Open.
Click OK to exit the Viewport Properties
dialog, and open the file.
Click Zoom to Fit, which automatically
resizes the image so that if fits in
available space in the viewport.
Bitmap Graphics
To insert a bitmap graphic, such as a company logo, on your plot, follow these steps.
1. From the toolbar, click Bitmap.

2. In the plot area, click and drag your mouse
point to create an area where the bitmap will
appear. The Bitmap Dialog will open.
3. Click Load to find the file you want to insert.
4. Select the file, and click Open. When you are
returned to the Bitmap Dialog, the Link box is
automatically checked on.
5. Click OK to insert the bitmap.
OLE Objects
You can add linked or embedded (OLE) objects to your plot.
• An embedded object is information from another program that PlotMaker inserts into your plot.
• Linked objects are information that was created in one file and has been inserted into your plot file,
while keeping a connection between the two files. PlotMaker automatically updates linked objects.
Page 243 of 257

PlotMaker Adding Grids, Scale, and Scale bar
To create an OLE object, follow these steps.
1. From the toolbar, click OLE Object.

2. In the plot area, click and drag your mouse
point to create an area where the bitmap
will appear. The Insert Object dialog will
appear.
3. Click Create New to create a new object.
4. In Object Type, select the type of object you
want to create.
5. If you want to show the object as an icon,
select Display as Icon.
6. When the program selected opens, create
the OLE object.
To close the OLE object, click on your plot background. If you need to edit the OLE object, double-click
the object.
To insert an OLE object from an existing file, repeat the same steps as creating a new OLE object, except
in step 3, click Create from File.
Adding Grids, Scale, and Scale bar

Grids show the spatial location of drawings in a viewport. You can name each grid and set the spacing,
appearance, and labelling of the lines in a grid.
Each viewport has only one scale. A scale shows the ratio between the drawing and your plot and the
things that the drawing represents. You can choose a measurement system and which units of that
measurement system you want to use. The scale bar is a visual representation of the scale in the
viewport and is the reference standard of the measurement system that you use to display your data.
Adding a Scale Bar

Follow these steps to set up a scale bar.
1. Choose Viewport > Viewport Properties
to open the Viewport Properties dialog.
2. Click on the Scale and Scale Bar tab.
3. Enter the settings you require for the scale.
4. Click Apply to view the scale bar in the
viewport.
5. Make any additional adjustments, and click
Apply.
Creating a Grid
Grids provide context for drawings in a viewport. They can show the geographical location, the size, the
scale, or other details of the drawings in the viewport. Also, grids can show other co-ordinate systems
and different units of measure.
Page 244 of 257

PlotMaker Adding Grids, Scale, and Scale bar
To create a grid, follow these steps.

Choose Viewport > Viewport Properties to
open the Viewport Properties dialog.
Click the Grid tab.
Click Add Grid to open the Grid Properties
dialog.
In the Grid Properties dialog complete the
following fields:
♦ Name of this grid: Type a name
for your grid.
♦ Display the grid: Select the
method in which to display the grid.
♦ Grid lines area: Set the options
for how you want the grid lines to
appear..
♦ Grid labels area: Set the options for how you want the grid labels to appear.
♦ Transformation area: Click Use transformation named if you want to change to another
co-ordinate system or unit of measure. You can then select a transformation setting or
create a new one by clicking Browse to open the Transformation Settings dialog.
Click OK to close the Grid Properties dialog and return to the Viewport Properties dialog.
Make sure you select the grid you created by clicking the name and placing a check mark in the check
box.
Click Apply to view the grid in the viewport.
If you need to edit the grid, follow the steps in the following section Editing a Grid.
When you are finished, click OK.
Page 245 of 257

PlotMaker Adding Text, Lines, and Shapes
Editing a Grid
To create a grid, follow these steps.
1. Choose Viewport > Viewport Properties to open the Viewport Properties dialog.
2. Click the Grid tab.
3. Click the grid you want to edit to highlight it.
4. Click Edit Grid to open the Grid Properties dialog.
5. Make your changes.
6. Click OK to close the Grid Properties dialog and return to the Viewport Properties dialog.
7. Click Apply to view the changes in the viewport.
8. Repeat steps 3 to 7 if you need to make more changes.
Adding Text, Lines, and Shapes

You can add objects such as text, lines, and shapes to your plot.
Text
To add text to your plot, follow these steps.
1. From the toolbar, click Text.
2. In the plot area, click and drag your mouse point to create an area where the text will appear.
3. When the text box appears, you can start typing and formatting the text as needed.
4. Click on your plot background to return to your plot. If you need to edit the text, click on the text box.
Lines and Shapes

To add a line or shape, use any of the drawing tools and create various
objects to suit your needs.
Formatting Viewports
To format the appearance of a viewport, follow
these steps.
1. Right-click on the viewport, and select
Viewport Properties to open the Viewport
Properties dialog.
2. Click the General tab, and make your
changes.
3. Click Apply to view your changes.
4. To make more changes, repeat steps 2 to
3.
5. Click OK to save your changes and close
the Viewport Properties dialog.
Page 246 of 257

PlotMaker Managing Objects with Layers
Managing Objects with Layers

PlotMaker assigns each object or group to a default layer. By creating more layers, you can move or
assign similar types of objects to their own layer. Layers are transparent. If you show more than one
layer, you can see the objects on each layer.
By using layers, you can show or hide objects, and you can lock objects to protect them.
Note: You cannot select or change a locked object.
To begin working with layers, follow these steps.

1. From the toolbar, click Layers Sheet to open the Layers Sheet dialog.
2. To add a new layer, click Add, and type the Name of the new layer.
3. To lock or unlock a layer, click the Lock checkbox. A tick in the checkbox indicates the layer is
locked.
Note: You cannot select or change a locked object.
4. To hide or view a layer, click the View checkbox. A ticked checkbox indicates a visible layer, and an
eye icon will appear to the left of the layer’s name.
5. To change the order of the layers, click Up or Down.
6. To select a layer, click Select.
Creating Templates
Template are very useful when you want to ensure the layout of all your plot is consistent. In PlotMaker,
templates are saved as .sty files. To create a template follow these steps.
1. Start a new plot.
2. From the Catalog, drag and drop the Title Box to the plot area.
3. Customise the title box to meet your needs (i.e. change the company name and logo).
4. Add one or more viewport following the steps as outlined in the Viewports section. You can have
viewports for a legend, the main graphic image, etc.
5. Choose File > Save As to open the Save As dialog.
6. Navigate to the project Template folder (e.g., <Project Name>\Template).
7. Type a File name.
8. Click Save.
When you launch PlotMaker from GEMS, PlotMaker opens with the default template (default.sty). This
file is located in C\Program Files\PlotMaker. You can override the default template with the one you
created by saving your template in this location with the name default.sty.
Page 247 of 257

PlotMaker Creating Templates
When you launch PlotMaker from the Start menu or the desktop icon, no default template is used.
To use the template, follow these steps.
1. Choose File > Open to open the Open dialog.
2. Find the template you want to use.
3. Click Open.
4. Choose File > Save As to open the Save As dialog.
5. Note: On your first save, use Save As to ensure that you do not overwrite the template with the
changes from your plot. After the first save, you can then use a regular save on the file you just
created.
6. Find the folder to which you want to save your file.
7. Type a File name.
8. Click Save.
Page 248 of 257

PlotMaker Lab Exercise: Plotting Using PlotMaker
Lab Exercise: Plotting Using PlotMaker

The following lab demonstrates how users create All Displayed Data plots, showing orebody and drillhole
information on sections in GEMS, using PlotMaker. Use default settings unless otherwise stated.
1. Close all open data.
2. From the Project View Area, open the DDH1 workspace using the following criteria:
Display Profile ASSAY
Loading Profile <Automatic>
3. From the Project View Area, open the GeoSolids workspace, and open all Zone1 records.
4. Choose Solid > Display Overrides.
5. In the Triangulations Display Overrides dialog box, select the option Draw triangulations as
polylines.
6. Click Zoom to Extents.
7. Choose File > Plot.
8. On the Plot dialog box, Images tab use the following criteria:
Type of image All Displayed Data
Make images for these Planes Plane type = Vertical sections
Select sections 10700E to 10900E
Files of type GEMS graphic (*.ggp)
9. Click OK to accept the data entries and open PlotMaker.

10. In PlotMaker, in the batch list file tree, right-click on the first plot (Section.sty), and select Open in
New Window.
11. Save the plot.
Time to Complete: 10 minutes
Page 249 of 257

PlotMaker Appendix: Toolbar Buttons
Appendix: Toolbar Buttons

The following tables list the toolbar buttons.
Standard toolbar

New File Use this command to pen a new plot.
Open File Use this command to open an existing plot.
Save File Use this command to save your changes.
Cut Edit Use this command to cut any object and copy it to the clipboard.
Copy Edit Use this command to copy any object to the clipboard.
Paste Edit Use this command to paste any object from the clipboard to the plot.
Print Preview File Use this command to preview a printout of the plot.
About Help Use this command to view licence information about PlotMaker.
Object Bar toolbar

Select Use this command to enable the select mouse cursor for selecting
objects.
Line Use this command to draw a line.
Polyline Use this command to draw a polyline.
Freehand Use this command to draw freehand lines and shapes.
Border Use this command to draw a border around your plot.
Arc Use this command to draw an arc.
Ellipse Use this command to draw an ellipse.
Text Use this command to insert a text box.
Bitmap Use this command to insert a bitmap graphic
OLE Object Use this command to insert an OLE object.
Viewport Use this command to open a new viewport in your plot.
Font Bar toolbar

Font Use this command to change the font of the
selectedtext.
Font Size Use this command to change the size of the
Page 250 of 257


selected text.
Bold Use this command to make the selected text bold.
Italic Use this command to make the selected text italic.
Left Use this command to left align the selected text.
Centre Use this command to centre the selected text.
Right Use this command to right align the selected text.
PenWidth Use this command to change the width of the

selected line.
PenStyle Use this command to change the style of the
selected line.
Arrowhead Use this command to add an arrowhead(s) to the
selected line.
HatchStyle Use this command to put a pattern in the selected
object.
ShadowStyle Use this command to create a shadow effect for the
selected object.
Layout Bar toolbar

Property Sheet Use this command to show or hide the Property
Sheet toolbar.
Object Sheet Use this command to open the Object Sheet dialog,
where you can rearrange the object tab order or
delete an object.
Layers Sheet Use this command to open the Layers Sheet to add,
arrange, hide, or lock layers.
Toggle Grid View > Grid Use this command to view or hide the plot grid.
Toggle Ruler View > Ruler Bars Use this command to view or hide the plot ruler.
Zoom In Use this command to zoom in on the plot.
Zoom Out Use this command to zoom out on the plot.
Zoom 1:1 Use this command to zoom in on the plot at 100%.
Group Use this command to group two or more objects into

a single object.
Ungroup Use this command to separate one object that was
previously grouped.
Regroup Use this command to regroup the same objects that
were previously ungrouped.
Align Edges Use this command to align the edges of all selected
objects.
Centre in View Use this command to centre in the view the selected
object.
Page 251 of 257


Space Use this command to put equal spacing around an
object.
Make Same Size Use this command to make two or more objects the
same width as the smallest object in the selection.
To Front or Back Use this command to bring an object in the back to
the front, or to send an object in the front to the back.
Undo Use this command to undo the last action.
Redo Use this command to redo the action you just undid.
Viewport Bar toolbar

Insert Image Viewport > Drawings Use this command to insert a vector file.
Remove Last Image Inserted Viewport > Drawings Use this command to delete the last
vector image you inserted.
Image Inspector Viewport > Drawings Use this command to view, update, or
remove a vector image from the viewport.
Edit Image Use this command to edit the image in
Windows’ default image editor.
Zoom In Viewport > View Use this command to zoom in on the
vector image.
Zoom Rectangle Viewport > View Use this command to zoom in on the
vector image by selecting a part of the
image.
Zoom Out Viewport > View Use this command to zoom out on the
vector image.
Zoom to Fit Viewport > View Use this command to zoom in on the
image to fit into the viewport.
Pan Viewport > View Use this command to move the image
within the viewport.
Viewport Properties Viewport Use this command to open the Viewport
Properties dialog, where you can modify
the appearance of the viewport.
Page 252 of 257

Index
3D graphics, 27 objects, 14
3D projections plan views, 20
orthometric view, 17 spatial filtering, 20
perspective view, 18 vertical sections, 19
viewing objects, 15
accessing data data types
go to, 83 drillhole compositing, 166
active data special values, 49
comparison with Laplace gridding, 203 supported, 47
creating surfaces, 201 database
adding data project, 39
profiles, 65 deleting data
ASCII profiles, 66
importing points, 91 desurveying data, 154
importing polyline, 94 drillholes, 156
importing triangulation, 95, 96 points, 154
polygons, 158
bitmap graphics traverses, 154
inserting in PlotMaker, 240 displaying data, 79
BT2 drillholes, 113
importing triangulation, 95, 98 solid, 214
surface modelling, 204
centrelines drillhole
extruding into solids, 213 importing data, 86, 87
closing data plotting concepts, 221
drillholes, 111 plotting on inclined sections, 221
polylines, 190 plotting on plan views, 221
copying and pasting data plotting on vertical sections, 221
polylines, 190 drillhole compositing
course assign grades, 172
outcomes, 10 calculate values, 170
overview, 10 calculating thickness, 171
prerequisites, 10 calculating values, 167
structure flow, 11 calculation, 165
creating data create profiles, 168
point areas, 161 data types, 166
solid modeling guidelines, 210 menu commands, 168
solid modelling, 212 overview, 165
solids, 213 prepare tables, 170
surface modelling, 200 solids, 167
creating filters special values, 166
GEMS, 131 update tables, 171
key indices, 134 validate intervals, 168
SQL, 133 workspace data, 166
unselected indices, 135 drillholes
using another key index, 135 closing, 111
using GEMS filters, 135 displaying, 113
creating solids opening, 110, 111
polyline creation rules, 189 overview, 110
creating surfaces plotting from workspace, 225
Laplace gridding, 203 re-opening, 111
cross-referencing data, 158 selecting and snapping, 112
selecting intersects, 112
data DWG
2D view planes, 18 importing polyline, 94
3D projections, 17 importing triangulation, 95, 96
backing up, 42 DXF
display operations, 15 importing polyline, 94
inclined sections, 19
Page 253 of 257

conditional, 120
editing data, 77, 78 co-ordinate transformation, 123
solid attributes, 214 cross-table transfer, 120
extracting data, 154 desurvey tables, 124
extraction file drillhole
importing points, 91 special process, 124
plotting points, 228 format string field, 122
linear interpretation, 122
filling data, 82 simple, 120
filters, 129 syntax, 120
manipulationg data
GDE 4.x menu commands, 119
importing, 86 menu bar
GEMS filters conventions, 23
creating, 131 overview, 23
using, 130 modifying data
grid inserting a row, 81
adding in PlotMaker, 243 modifying filters
creating in PlotMaker, 241 key indices, 134
grid and contour maps
plotting, 232 object tab
folder tree, 24
importing data project view area, 24
drillholes, 86, 87 OLE objects
GDE 4.x, 86 inserting in PlotMaker, 240
overview, 86 opening data
points, 91 drillholes, 110, 111
polyline, 93, 94 polylines, 190
profiles, 88 re-opening drillholes, 111
triangulation, 95, 96 surface modelling, 199
inclined section
arbitrary plane, 144 plan section
defining, 144 defining, 146
overview, 143 looking down, 145
selecting from list, 143 overview, 145
selecting graphically, 143 selecting from list, 145
through 3 data points, 144 selecting graphically, 146
plane plots
key indices, 129 legends, 221
creating, 134 on inclined sections, 220
creating using another key index, 135 on plan views, 219
creating using GEMS filters, 135 on surfaces, 219
modifying, 134 on vertical sections, 219
using, 133 supported file types, 220
types, 220
Laplace gridding ploting
advantages, 202 drillhole concepts, 221
comparison with active data, 203 legends, 221
creating surfaces, 202, 203 PlotMaker
data points, 202 adding lines, 243
features, 202 adding scale bar, 241
gridded surfaces, 203 adding shapes, 243
layers adding text, 243
managing in PlotMaker, 244 creating grids, 241
legends creating viewport, 239
plotting, 221 editing grid, 243
lines format viewport, 243
adding in PlotMaker, 243 inserting bitmap graphics, 240
inserting OLE objects, 240
manipulating data, 119 inserting vector drawings, 239
managing layers, 244
Page 254 of 257

overview, 238 opening, 190

templates, 244 project view area, 189
viewport, 238 saving, 190
window layout, 238 solid creation rules, 189
plotting tools, 188
creating symbol plot profile, 227 types, 188
displayed data, 223 profile groups
drillholes from workspaces, 225 copying profiles, 69
from extraction file, 228 defining, 67, 68
grid and contour maps, 232 defining within profile type, 68
on inclined section, 220 setting up, 67
on plan views, 219 switching, 68
on surfaces, 219 profiles
on vertical sections, 219 adding, 65
overview, 219 common, 64
plane types, 219 copying, 65
points, 227 copying from project, 66
points from workspace, 227 defining, 64
procedures, 222 deleting, 66
projections, 222 deleting multiple, 66
structure maps, 229 dialog box, 65
topographic intersections, 236 editing, 65
point areas importing data, 88
creating, 161 viewing, 65
using, 164 profiles tab
viewing, 164 project view area, 25
point data, 178 project
adding a workspace, 181 creating, 39
creating, 181 database, 39
display overrides, 185 project view area, 24
display profile:, 179 object tab, 24
displaying, 179, 185 profiles tab, 25
editing, 183
menu commands, 181 rearranging data, 78
point-area workspace, 178 reports
points workspace, 178 overview, 106
profiles, 179 quick, 106
selecting, 184 record status, 108
using, 178 solid volumes, 215
points surface modeling volume, 205
importing, 91 workspace status, 107
importing ACSII, 91 workspace structure, 109
importing extraction file, 91
plotting, 227 saving data
polyline polylines, 190
importing, 93, 94 scale bar
solid intersection, 214 adding in PlotMaker, 241
polylines sectional views
closing, 190 ending, 146
copying and pasting, 190 sections
extruding into solids, 213 along line, 148
menu commands current plane, 148
create, 191 overview, 147
data, 191 parallel, 147
display, 195 selecting and snapping data
line, 193 drillholes, 112
multiline, 194 selecting data, 78
select, 194 drillhole intersects, 112
utils, 195 records, 129
vertex, 192 shapes
menu commands, 190 adding in PlotMaker, 243
Page 255 of 257

shortcuts, 25 tools
keyboard only, 26 polylines, 188
mouse and keyboard, 25 topographic intersections
showing data plotting, 236
solid intersection, 214 triangulation
solid shadow projections, 214 importing, 95, 96
solid modelling
components, 211 using filters, 130
creating, 212 GEMS, 130
creating from surface, 213 SQL, 132
creating tied polylines, 212 using key indices, 133
displaying, 214
editing attributes, 214 validating data
excavation solids, 209 solids, 214
extruding centrelines, 213 surface modelling, 205
extruding polylines, 213 vector drawings
geology solids, 209 inserting in PlotMaker, 239
guidelines, 210 vertical section
overview, 209 defining, 142
reporting volumes, 215 from endpoints, 141
shadow projections, 214 looking North/South/East/West, 140
showing intersection polyline, 214 overview, 140
types of solids, 209 selecting from list, 141
validating, 214 selecting graphically, 142
sorting data, 78 view profiles
SQL filters vertical section, 140
creating, 133 viewing data, 83
using, 132 point areas, 164
start up, 39 viewport
status bar, 25 creating, 239
structure editor formating in PlotMaker, 243
menu bar, 52 PlotMaker, 238
overview, 51
toolbar, 53 window layout, 22
structure maps menu bar, 23
plotting, 229 toolbar, 24
surface workspace
creating solids, 213 adding field, 59
surface modelling adding table, 58
active data, 201 concepts, 45
boundary trimming, 201 copy structure, 56
creating, 200 creating, 51, 54
data elements, 199 custom, 54
displaying, 204 data types, 47
features, 199 deleting, 60
forcing triangulation edges, 200 deleting field, 59
Laplace gridding, 202 deleting table, 58
opening, 199 elements, 45
overview, 199 field level, 59
properties, 204 fields, 46
reporting volume, 205 limits, 47
validating, 205 minimum requriement, 51
systems requirements, 21 modifying, 51, 58
plotting points, 227
templates quick reports, 106
PlotMaker, 244 record status reports, 108
text records, 45
adding in PlotMaker, 243 selecting, 50
tied polylines special values, 49
creating solids, 212 standard, 54
toolbar, 24
Page 256 of 257

status reports, 107 workspace editor

structure, 46 menu commands, 80
structure editor, 51 edit, 81
structure reports, 109 file, 80
table level, 59 options, 84
tables, 45 window, 77
Page 257 of 257

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Foundation Manual

Gemcom Software International Inc. Tel +1 604.684.6550

Getting Started.......................................................................................................................... 20

Project Data Management ........................................................................................................ 38

Workspace Concepts ............................................................................................................... 44

Creating and Modifying Workspaces ..................................................................................... 50

A Standard or Custom Workspace ...................................................................................................... 53

Profiles and Profile Groups ..................................................................................................... 63

Editing Data............................................................................................................................... 76

Importing Data .......................................................................................................................... 85

Validating Data........................................................................................................................ 105

Checking Duplication of Field Data ...................................................................................................... 106

Reports .................................................................................................................................... 109

Working with Drillholes .......................................................................................................... 113

Data Manipulation................................................................................................................... 122

Filters and Key Indices .......................................................................................................... 132

View Profiles ........................................................................................................................... 143

Inclined Section .................................................................................................................................... 146

Extracting Data ....................................................................................................................... 157

Drillhole Compositing ............................................................................................................ 168

Working with Point Data ........................................................................................................ 181

Lab Exercise: Working with Points ....................................................................................... 189

Basic Surface Modelling ........................................................................................................ 202

Basic Solid Modelling ............................................................................................................ 212

Types of Solids ..................................................................................................................................... 212

Plotting in GEMS .................................................................................................................... 222

PlotMaker ................................................................................................................................ 241

Formatting Viewports............................................................................................................................ 246

• Knowledge of Windows 2000, XP, or Vista Operating System.

• Create a new project in GEMS.

Course Structure Flow

Data Display Operations

Viewing Data in GEMS

Viewing Mode Description

Data Projections Description

You can define vertical sections

• Pick the section interactively

As with vertical sections, inclined

• Fit a plane through three data

An inclined section view plane shown in 3D

Plan views are horizontal slices through

• Pick the plan view interactively

A plan view plane shown in 3D

End User Server (for GEMS SQL Version)

Method to Access Menus Description

Project View Area

Caution: Use caution when deleting active data from a workspace

A small black “checkmark” atop an icon, indicates that it is the default.

• To open data, do one of the following:

• Expand a Profile Group to show the list of available

Using the Mouse and Keyboard

Zoom Position Mouse-Keyboard Combination

Zoom Position Mouse-Keyboard Combination

Using the Keyboard

Shortcut key Command/Function Menu

Moving the Graphics Cursor

Lab Exercise: Opening Data in GEMS

For all other data objects:

Lab Exercise: Viewing Data in GEMS