Development of a Visual Courseware for Surface Mining Education OZGUR AKKOYUN Dicle University, Muh. Mim. Fak. Diyarbakir, 21280, Turkey Received 3 July 2008; accepted 5 October 2008 ABSTRACT: In this paper, new visual courseware for surface mining education is described. It has been developed to help and support the lecturer when teaching and as a self-study tool for students in learning surface mining methods. The software enables the constructors, students and engineers to analyze whole mining and economical aspects of surface mining methods and is fully implemented using graphical user interface technology. ß 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 5665, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20289 Keywords: mining engineering; surface mining; open pit; computer-aided education; courseware
INTRODUCTION Mining engineering is a discipline that draws upon a wide spectrum of knowledge and skills including mathematics, physics, mechanics, chemistry and economics. Over the last four decades, computers have increasingly played more integral roles in mining activities. They have been used in all areas of mining, from exploration to mine operations, mine planning and design, surveying, reclamation, maintenance, inventory control, GPS applications and education. The development of educational software applied to teaching in engineering began in the 1970s, and was greatly influenced by the increase of computational capabilities and the generalization of personal computers. The explosion of technical computing in the 1980s and early 1990s stimulated the development of new hard and software products capable of addressing multiple problems and tasks, and smaller, more powerful computers, in a cost-effective computing environment [1]. Through numerical simulation and graphical representation, personal computers provide a virtual laboratory in education. The use of computers gives students the visual and intuitive representations of engineering principles and applications which have traditionally been stated in terms of abstract mathematical descriptions based on canonical or highly simplified models. Current technological advances make it possible to use new types of learning experiences, moving from transmission models, where technology functions like books, films, or broadcasts, to environments in which the technology functions like studios and laboratories. Here students immerse themselves within interactive
Correspondence to O. Akkoyun (
[email protected]). ß 2009 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
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contexts that challenge and extend their understanding [2,3]. Therefore, numerical simulation, graphical visualization, algorithm development, programming, and similar areas have become very important contributions to engineering and abstract mathematics. Many computer-based educational studies have been discussed in the literature [47]. Some of these systems are designed for general educational purposes that provide online forums and libraries, virtual classrooms and peer networks [8,9]. Some of them are designed for several engineering disciplines and different sciences and subjects such as: chemical engineering [10], industrial engineering [11], control engineering [12,13], computer science engineering [14,15], programming [16], mathematical programming [17], pneumatics [18], fluid mechanics [19], metallurgy and metal working [20], electromagnetic [21], process engineering [22], electrical engineering and electronics [23]. In many cases where elearning and Web-based teachings are adopted, positive feedback from both teachers and students has been obtained [24]. There are many complicated subjects and complex methods which must be taught in mining engineering courses and visualization of these methods is very difficult both for students and lecturers. For this reason, field trips, visual educational tools and computer-aided materials like virtual reality (VR) applications are very suitable for these courses. VR is a continuously evolving new computer technology, which allows users to interact with computers in a new way and it is increasingly being used as an educational tool. It provides great opportunities for the minerals industry. VR is described by Aukstakalnis and Blatner [25] as ‘a way for humans to visualize, manipulate and interact with computers and extremely complex data.’ The use of computer programs and VR applications in mining education has a number of benefits. For example, underground developments can be shown through a transparent
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layer of rocks for visualization. This gives students a better understanding of how the developments are constructed and their orientations in respect to the ore body [26]. VR-based applications are successfully being used in the minerals industry for: data visualization, accident reconstructions, simulation applications, risk analysis, hazard awareness and training of the machine operators and mine technicians [2731]. In addition, Erarslan [32] stated that the economic valuation of surface mines can be realized with a computer program, and this program can also be used for education. Surface mining is a type of mining in which the soil and rocks overlying the mineral deposits are removed. It is the opposite of underground mining, and completed as cyclical operations in the sense that each unit of ore is subjected to some or all of the following operations: drilling, blasting, loading and haulage. There are several complicated situations in the surface mining method: determining the rock properties, selection of the bench height, drilling machine type, drillhole diameter, blasting pattern, explosive, excavation and machine type, machinery, and other working conditions. All these studies and selection of physical design parameters, and the scheduling of the ore and waste extraction program, are complex engineering decisions of enormous economic significance. The planning of an open pit mine is, therefore, basically an exercise in economics, constrained by certain geological and mining engineering aspects. This paper presents new courseware developed for educational purposes to allow undergraduate and graduate students in their courses, as well as qualified mining engineers, to explore the economical and technical parameters of surface mining methods, by using interactive elements and a graphical user interface (GUI). The data manipulation is entirely done using this interface, helping to avoid the need for high expertise in computer science. Therefore, the time in the development cycle of a numerical solution is reduced, as well as the time and cost of research and development activities. Detailed information about the surface mining system (SMS) program is given in the following parts of this paper.
SURFACE MINING SYSTEM (SMS) PROGRAM ARCHITECTURE In the surface mining system (SMS) courseware, structures of the earth’s crust and ore bodies are represented by two-dimensional (2D) cells. These cells can have different colors, and by using these colors, various types of ore bodies—coal seams with their overburden rocks—and geological structures, such as faults can be illustrated. The considered frame is limited to two dimensions in order to avoid complicated systems which might confuse students. This is because the author believes that the 2D frame is simple enough for learning the essential properties of the method. In addition, demonstration of any ore body, or any part of the earth’s crust, with whole rock properties in the program window is not the main aim of the program. One of the objectives of this courseware is to simplify the demonstration of the ore bodies and to emphasis the detailed properties of the surface mining methods (i.e. drilling, blasting, excavation, haulage, etc.) and their effects on the mine economy. The program is fully implemented using GUI technology which allows the user to see everything at once. Hence, data entry is much easier because the user does not have to try and
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remember all of the different command-line prompts, or specify inputs in nondescript, text input files. It has 11 different windows; the main one is for representing the ore body and the results of the mining actions using two charts. The user is able to select the ore body types to be analyzed from several available possibilities. This selection can be performed interactively through the GUI. The available ore body types are: massive; placer; vertical thin and thick ore bodies; and thick, thin, shallow, deep and deeper coal seams, with or without faults. Although, there are 11 different choices for mine body selection, different shapes of ore bodies can be demonstrated for deposits as a random number generator algorithm is used in this part of the program. By using this algorithm, different ore bodies can be illustrated in every order of the user. The main window and related parts of the program are shown in Figure 1. After generating the ore body, the next step is to excavate the overburden of the mine. In the program, this process is represented by clicking the mouse. When the user clicks any cell in the mine body image, the clicked cell disappears if the excavation action conforms to a rule. The main rule of the surface mining method is ‘‘In order to excavate any cell in under levels, you have to excavate cells over laying the upper level of the target cell’’ and this rule is valid in this courseware. If the user tries to excavate under levels without excavating cells in the upper level, the SMS does not allow this action and alerts the user with a message. If the action is valid, then the cell will disappear after clicking. While the clicked cell disappears, almost 100 variables, and more than 30 functions belonging to surface mining method rules are running sequentially. The first step of this action’s algorithm is to determine the color of the clicked cell, because the program can determine which type of cell (ore, coal or gangue) has been excavated by checking its color. After that, the volume of the cell and the mining time value are calculated by using drilling related values. After the mining time value is calculated, the program takes whole values about drilling, explosives, operators, machines, consumables and other cost values into account to calculate total expenditure. On the other hand, if the excavated cell belongs to ore/coal cells then the revenue is also calculated by using selling price and tonnage values. Expenditure results are represented as a pie chart and cost values are shown as a line graphic with total or unit data depending on the user orders in the main window or detailed results in another window of the program. The main window of the SMS is given in Figure 2. At the beginning, the program starts with its own default data. However, the user can change the values of more than 60 variables and parameters and create their own mine conditions by using suitable windows opened by using a drop-down menu in the main window. In addition, the user can input two different values into one variable at the same time. Using this algorithm, students can create two different scenarios in order to carry out a comprehensive comparison of the effects of the variables for the mining economy and management. A suitable example about this algorithm is given in the following part of the paper. The SMS has 11 individual program windows. One of these windows and the related module is designed for the drilling and blasting parameters where the user can input their own drilling and blasting data (Fig. 3). All parameters of the drilling pattern, speed, and machine consumables, as well as staff details are located in this window. These data can be changed by the user to set up a new mine structure. Selection of the drilling machine and explosive types are very important for the surface mining method.
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Figure 1 Structure of the program. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]
Therefore, there are two sub-windows containing detailed information about 40 different, well-known, commercial drilling machines and 75 different explosive types. By using this data, students can attain the concept of drilling machine selection and learn about commercial explosive types easier and faster than in further advanced courses. The drilling and blasting pattern is also very important for mining engineering courses. In the program, there is an illustration of the bench blasting pattern as a cross-sectional view of the bench, and when the user changes the pattern values the illustration also changes to fit the new parameters. This can help the user to understand the meaning of the bench blasting parameters. Excavation and haulage are also very important activities in all mining methods so another special window has been created for these. Here, the important parameters of excavation and haulage can be arranged. Design, selection and calculations of the excavator, trucks and other related parameters such as haulage distance can be arranged. Excavation and haulage design, and calculations of the number of excavators and trucks are the most important subjects in surface mining. Thus, a module has been inserted in order to help these types of calculations and the user may use either their own values or calculated results (Fig. 4).
After the first mining action which is symbolized by mouse clicking, all these variables are used in several calculations in modules of the algorithm and the results are displayed. These results are classified and shown in a specific window for the user (Fig. 5). In this way, the user can evaluate their choices of mining parameters. After evaluation of the results, the user may want to change certain variables and this can be done in several windows. However almost one hundred variables are located in different mining activity related windows and changing variables can be difficult. Due to this, some of the most important surface mining variables (such as drillhole diameter, burden length, truck capacity, etc.) and their exact values are located in a suitable window in the program and there the user can change them very easily (Fig. 6). This window (Fig. 6) and its related module have another important role for the program because, by using this window, the user can insert two different data into one variable as CASE 1 and CASE 2. In this way, two different mining scenarios can be inserted to the program and can be run simultaneously. After that, the results are generated as CASE 1 and CASE 2 and their deviation ratios are given in the suitable program window. Thus, the user can change any parameter of the surface mining method and can see the effect of this on the results. Using this property,
Figure 2 The pie chart and the line graphic in the main program window. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]
Figure 3 Program window for drilling and blasting system. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]
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Figure 4 Program window for excavation and haulage system. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]
Figure 5 Detailed parameters shown in a program window. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]
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Figure 6 GUI window where most of the important variables can be changed. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]
the user can propose different experiments and quickly obtain the results. For example, two different fuel oil prices can be inserted as CASE 1 and CASE 2 and the result of this difference is shown in the mining costs obtained in the program window (Fig. 7). It can be seen that drilling, excavation, and haulage costs are affected by this deviation, and the drilling cost is affected the most. After this, if the user tries to find out the reason why this has happened, they will see that a major part of the drilling cost comes from the fuel oil consumption of drilling machines. The knowledge learned by this interactive way is more permanent. There are several windows in the program in order to arrange the values of the followings: ore, coal and gangue, i.e. density, selling price and loosening factor; fixed costs, i.e. management, refectory and warehouse costs, amortization ratio and fuel price; and mine recovery. In order to compute almost 100 variables and generate results, the program uses many mathematical equations and formulas. Almost all calculations are based on several values. These are cell volume, which depends on bench height, drillhole number for a cell, and the mining time value, which affects almost all values and calculations. In order to give an idea about the mathematical concepts mentioned above, fundamental equations embedded into the software code are given in Table 1. In addition, the program has a dictionary module containing all the mining terms used in the program windows in order to help students understand the surface mining related terms and calculations. Both the dictionary module and all programs have two language selection options; English and Turkish.
APPLICATION AND EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM The courseware, presented here, has been used in several courses for a year (e.g. surface mining, drilling and blasting, and
computer applications in mining) in the second and fourth years of the mining engineering program at Dicle University, Turkey. After a theoretical study of the subject, a practical problem is proposed to the students. They solve the problem numerically and then use the SMS to compare results. They use different data given by the lecturer and they try to obtain the most effective and economical mining parameters by changing the variables of the surface mining method. They generate their own mining conditions and try to obtain the best results. After that, they present their strategy and explain their conclusions in a departmental seminar. It has been observed that students can better understand the theoretical ideas of surface mining methods, drilling, blasting and excavation parameters and other related tools, and see which parameters affect the mining economy more by using this program. In addition, the program has very important advantages with respect to other cognitive materials because it would be very difficult to calculate every parameter and their effects in every mine manually. Visualization of the process is very useful in understanding the results. With respect to learning strategies, the program allows the use of different and integrated techniques that help in reaching a greater number of students. The evaluation of SMS was based on the analysis of different aspects related to the student’s response to the courseware presented. The evaluation focused on: usability and suitability of the software for the course; functionality of the courseware; and degree of learning achieved by the students. In order to test these properties, 38 students completed an anonymous survey designed to source data on student perceptions of the SMS. The students had to mark one of the following answers according to the degree of agreement with the statement: Totally Agree, Agree, Maybe, Disagree, Totally Disagree. Anonymity was guaranteed. Figure 8 and Table 2 show the results of the questionnaire.
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Figure 7 Results window of two scenarios of the mining activity. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.]
The majority of respondents felt that the language options (89%) and the dictionary of mining terms (79%) were very helpful. Thirty out of the 38 students agreed that this tool was a helpful demonstration in order to understand the mining activities. On the other hand, 18 out of 38 students (47%) felt that the data input windows were not easy to use, and this reaction had also been observed in class. Twenty-eight out of 38 (74%) students agreed or totally agreed that this tool improved their motivation, and 71% agreed that program content was satisfactory. More than 60% (26 out of 38) agreed or totally agreed that the output windows were clear to understand. Finally, 50% agreed or totally agreed that the courseware content was simple to understand and use. In general, the global evaluation of the tool was very positive and the students were satisfied with it. The scores of the students and the understanding of the material seemed to be uniform across the class. The comments of the students show a
general acceptance of the SMS as a useful tool for learning surface mining method and related subjects.
CONCLUSIONS This paper presents a comprehensive visual interactive courseware for teaching surface mining courses. This courseware has been developed using a very powerful commercial program, Delphi7 and implemented as a computer-aided cognitive application. The software is highly versatile, with a powerful graphical user interface, and the architecture of this tool allows for a full visual interactive capability during the selection steps. These include: ore deposit types, parameters of the drillingblasting operations, parameters of excavation, and other haulage machines. The application steps include: excavation of overburden, excavation of ore/coal and mine design.
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Table 1
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Basic Mathematical Equations Used in the Software
Equations
Explanations
Cell volume; V ¼ H3
where V, volume of a cell (m3); H, height of a cell (m) Drillhole number to excavate one cell V DV D V ¼ B H S
DN ¼
where DN, number of drillholes to excavate one cell; DV, volume which is excavated by one drillhole (m3); B, burden (m) (distance from drillhole to the bench face); H, bench height (m); S, spacing (m) (distance between drillholes) Calculation of mining time of a cell DH TC ¼ DN 60 DS V MT ¼ TC DV
where TC, total drilling time for a cell (min); DS, drilling speed (m/h); DH, drill hole length (m); DN, number of drillholes to excavate one cell; MT, mining time for a cell (min)
Haulage calculations TH 60 NT ¼ TL LH TH ¼ Vort Tcap C EB TL ¼ EE 60
where NT, number of haul trucks; TH, haulage time (min); TL, loading time (min); LH, haulage length (km/h); Tcap, truck capacity (m3); EB, bucket capacity of excavator; C, cycle time of excavator (s); EE, excavator efficiency
Expenditure and revenue
where R, revenue ($); n, number of cells; V, volume of cells (m3); g, specific gravity of ore (or coal) (ton/m3); P, selling price ($/ton);
R¼
k X
Vn P
n¼1 d X E¼ ðVn UC Þ=MT n¼1
CT UC ¼ UT
Interactivity has been incorporated to fully engage the students in the learning process so that they can have a deeper appreciation of the material. The software can be used at home by students working on their assignments, and there they can develop their own problems and solutions. In addition, a dictionary of mining terms was implemented in the courseware to support the learning process. It is believed that a dictionary provides a significant enhancement in the learning of mining
E, expenditure ($); UC, unit costs ($/min); CT, total costs ($); UT, unit costs ($/min)
terms in undergraduate and graduate courses. Due to its generality, the software can also be used by engineers in the examination of many problems. For future studies of the SMS, three-dimensional properties could be considered. Unlimited ore body design concepts could also be considered which means that, with a new algorithm and module; the user could color all cells one by one and create unlimited ore body shapes. In order to attract the student’s
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Figure 8 Results of the student’s questionnaire. [Color figure can be viewed in the online issue, which is available at wileyonlinelibrary.com.] Table 2
Results of the Student Responses Towards Specific Aspect of the SMS
Questions The program windows are easy to follow The content is simple enough for me to follow The drilling pattern demonstration is helpful The program content is satisfied The data input windows are easy to use The results windows are clear to understand The program improved my performance The program improved my motivation The mining terms dictionary is helpful Having a two language selection is useful
Totally agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Totally disagree
9 11 18 17 7 13 15 17 22 24
9 8 12 10 4 11 10 11 8 10
8 9 4 3 9 6 5 5 4 0
8 7 3 6 11 6 5 2 1 3
4 3 1 2 7 2 3 3 3 1
attention, the SMS could be converted into a kind of mining game. In this case, while the students are trying to obtain a higher score by choosing the best mining conditions, at the same time they can learn the effects of the mining parameters on the mining economy. Game-based learning is very interesting area in computer-aided education and there are several examples in the literature about game-based education [33,34]. Finally, it is believed that the courseware provides a more effective, enriching, interactive and enjoyable learning experience for students taking the courses. However, it must be noted that computer-aided or web-based learning is not meant to replace traditional methods of teaching but rather to complement them.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author would like to thank the reviewer for his comments that helped to improve the manuscript.
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BIOGRAPHY Ozgur Akkoyun has BSc and MSc degrees in mining engineering from the Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey and a PhD degree in mining engineering from the Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey. His research and teaching interests are software development, computer applications in mining and quality control methods.
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