In this article we'll show you how to calculate a stockpile from a surface. Learn to use features such as cleaning the terrain, creating a surface under stockpile, distinguishing stockpiles, using Virtual Surveyor to calculate the volume, and making your stockpiles look  in reports that can be exported as a .csv or .gis file. 


Hint! You can also calculate a stockpile from a boundary.


Overview


Clean the Stockpile Terrain

It is important to remove objects that hang over the pile before creating a stockpile calculation as the stockpile should not include objects as part of the material volume. Conveyors and machines—like wheel loaders—often hang over a stockpile. Generally, the first step to starting a stockpile is to remove objects by using the Replace Terrain tool. 


Note! Mountain/Peak users can also speed up the cleaning process by using the Remove Object productivity tool.


Remove a conveyor belt from a stockpile.


See our Remove a Conveyor article to see what options you have for removing a conveyor, even in complex environments.


Create a Base Surface Under the Stockpile

You can create a surface that goes below the stockpile instead of creating a stockpile from a boundary. Use the Drawing Tools to create a boundary around the stockpile, then select the boundary and create a surface using Triangulate Within. You can then select the surface, go to the Tools tab, and generate a stockpile (You can also import a surface from a CAD file from a traditional survey to generate a stockpile).

Create a stockpile from a surface.


Assign the Stockpile Material

Select the material that applies to the stockpile from the Material dropdown menu to assign it to the selected stockpile or use right-click on the stockpile itself to assign a material. You can add and edit materials through the Material Editor. You can also use the search function to quickly find materials if you have a large list of materials.  

Assign a material to a stockpile through the Tools tab.


Note! It is possible to change the material after you have created a stockpile via the Tools tab upon selecting a stockpile.


Calculate the Volume of the Stockpile

Launch the stockpile calculation by clicking on the Stockpile button in the Volumes group of the Tools tab. You can create a stockpile from a boundary, or from a surface.

Generate a Stockpile from a boundary, using a 3D Surface.


Stockpile Results Visualization

Stockpile inventory results are available in the Volume box. Activate the Volume checkbox in the annotation settings that you'll find in the Tools tab to display the net volume value within the Viewport.

Display Stockpile Results by annotating the volume, material, tonnage, monetary value, etc. over the top of the stockpile. This information will show up on an exported PDF.


Export Your Results

In the Export Tab, you find multiple options to export the stockpile calculation results in the Stockpile group.

Export a PDF from the Export tab.


You can create a Stockpile PDF report by clicking on PDF Export button. 

Exported PDF report page 1

Exported PDF report page 2


You can also export stockpile values as a spreadsheet (.csv) or GIS file (.shp). Set the right export format in the box and click on Export Stockpiles.


Tips and Tricks

  • You can create multiple stockpile calculations all at once by selecting multiple surfaces before clicking the Stockpile button.
  • It is possible to import a DXF file to define a stockpile's base surface. For example, if you have to regularly monitor stockpiles that keep the same bases, you can import a DXF bases file.
  • Use the top-down 2D mode to get a better volume annotations visualization within the viewport.
  • If stockpiles overlap, use Interpolate Z feature to draw the boundary between stockpiles.