A. What is iRing:
iRing is an exciting software package used to plan, load and sequence explosives stored in a central SQL database, as well as test ring layouts for underground blasting operations. Developed in collaboration with a major underground mining corporation, this innovative application provides mine planners with intelligent tools to accurately and precisely design and test blast patterns in a computer environment to evaluate rock fragmentation, blast related vibrations and all related development costs for a variety of "what-if" drilling scenarios.

B. Proprietary Control Panel:
The proprietary iRing Control Panel (CP) is a fully integrated Graphical User Interface (GUI) that uses the mineCAD© object model and graphics engine. The transparent interface standardizes ring layout design for production phase mining operations and allows for the creation of "what if" scenarios to optimize drilling and blasting choices within specified parameters.

C. Intelligent Tools:
iRing's suite of intelligent tools provides planners with step-by-step assistance through the planning, loading and analysis processes. This means that engineering and planners can quickly and accurately plan blast patterns visually, load explosives into drill holes fragmentation, evaluate drilling and loading combinations for lowest costs all at the click of a mouse.

iRing consists of 3 modules:

A. Design (Slicing and Drilling): - iRing's slicing program is used primarily to plan ring layouts for underground blasting operations. Add reference lines, slice wireframe models (long sections and rings), and slice angled planes quickly and accurately. Customize to any mining operation. Undo steps without loss of information. iRings drilling program is used to plan blast patterns using a CP interface by proceeding step-wise through a logical interface. Ring layouts are automatically generated in accordance with specified parameters that have been set using preferences chosen by the end-user. iRing has been enhanced to provide engineers and planners with more automated options than before, making it easy, efficient and fast to design drill layouts.

B. Loading (Charging and Sequencing Drill Holes): - iRing's loading program allows all types of explosives to be loaded for most types of underground mining methods, including but not restricted to, sublevel cave, VRM, open stope and uphole/downhole. Choose to load explosive decks or full columns as well as inert decks and stemming. Design collar plans for upholes as well as downholes and place explosives loading tables with detonator timing on the drilling layout section. Test the blast design and detonation sequence using the real time blasting simulator.

C. Database Administrator: - iRing's Database Administrator is a central repository for properties and costs of all explosive products, as well as properties for ore bodies. The MS SQL server database can be stand-alone or can be located on a central server. The database is usually supervised by either a superintendent, chief engineer or network administrator. The database SQL form for explosives types and explosive properties is extremely unique in that explosive properties can be calculated right on the form. There is an extensive rock/ore properties database. Ore modulus values can be determined if P and S wave velocity values are known. Alternatively, P and S wave velocities can be calculated if modulus values are known.