APS Scheduling FAQ

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Common questions from new and experienced users.

1 Why is my transaction showing zero values in activity X?
- 1.1 Reserve Sources
- 1.2 Stockpile Sources
2 Why can’t I change the preschedule values?
3 What is the order of mining of material types in a dig blocks?
4 How do cash flows affect the order of parcel selection in a block?
5 How does the optimizer handle dig blocks with multiple parcels?
6 What happens if the optimizer ‘gets stuck’ on a single parcel and there are still other parcels available within the dig block?
7 What does Skip Blocks do in the Gantt?
8 How do I see flitches in the animation?
9 What is the relationship between the Calendar agent rate and the Haul Infinity loader rate?

Why is my transaction showing zero values in activity X?

Reserve Sources

Check that the field selected in Setup > Primary Fields contains a value greater than zero.
Check the Initial Database.
- If the values are zero, the problem is in Rapid Reserver.
  - Go to the Designer tab in Rapid Reserver, show the block model at the bench level, and check for zeroes / voids / no block model assigned.
- If the values are greater than zero, the problem is either in the Refinements, Preschedule, or Corruptor steps.
  - Check the database after each step to see where the values become zero, then fix the preceding step.

Stockpile Sources

Check all fields are populated in Setup > Opening Values.

Why can’t I change the preschedule values?

Check that the pit tonnes are greater than zero. Pits with zero tonnes are automatically prescheduled to zero percent remaining.

What is the order of mining of material types in a dig blocks?

For a single dig block, the order of mining of material types is always the same between scenarios.
Between two dig blocks, the order of mining of material types may differ (ore then waste, waste then ore).
The user has no control over the order of mining of material types inside a dig block.

If you want to mine waste before ore, go to Rapid Reserver and cut the waste material out as a separate dig block.

How do cash flows affect the order of parcel selection in a block?

Cash flows do not affect the original parcel selection order.

How does the optimizer handle dig blocks with multiple parcels?

The optimizer selects the first parcel in the (arbitarily ordered) material list, and decides what needs to be done with it. The optimizer will stay on that block until completed.

What happens if the optimizer ‘gets stuck’ on a single parcel and there are still other parcels available within the dig block?

As the optimizer has already selected the original parcel, it will continue to try that parcel until it is completed. The digger will not move forward until the parcel is completed.

The block is already chosen before the optimisation runs. If the optimisation fails, then the engine exits and declares a ‘Do Nothing’ delay for the duration of the Steady State.

What does Skip Blocks do in the Gantt?

This setting allows an agent to skip dependencies (entire blocks). Once the agent has commenced a block, it remains there until the block has finished.

How do I see flitches in the animation?

Animation > Toggle visibility mode to ‘View Selected’.
Records panel > Record subsets > Select from flitch subsets.

What is the relationship between the Calendar agent rate and the Haul Infinity loader rate?

This question is waiting for an answer.