Software · head to head
Carlson Mining vs Vulcan
Vulcan
Software
Industry-standard 3D mine planning and modeling software
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- They diverge on capability: Carlson Mining covers Pit design, Vulcan covers Geological modeling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Carlson Mining and Vulcan actually diverge.
| Attribute | Carlson Mining | Vulcan |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1983 | 1981 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Carlson Mining
- Pit design
- Grade control
- Production planning
- Survey integration
- Mapping
- AutoCAD
- ArcGIS
- GPS
Only in Vulcan
- Geological modeling
- Block modeling
- Mine design
- Resource estimation
- Production scheduling
- Surpac
- Leapfrog
- I-Site
Both cover
- Windows support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Carlson Mining
- Pit designnot Vulcan
- Grade controlnot Vulcan
- Mine planningnot Vulcan
- Surveyingnot Vulcan
- Mappingnot Vulcan
Vulcan
- Geological modelling, block modelling and resource estimationnot Carlson Mining
- Open pit and underground mine design and schedulingnot Carlson Mining
- Grade control and geotechnical analysis at operating minesnot Carlson Mining
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Carlson Mining
Nothing recorded yet. See the Carlson Mining review.
Vulcan
- Neither the Vulcan product page nor the Maptek store page shows a price, a licence term or a subscription length
- Vulcan is a base product extended by nine paid add on modules covering geology and estimation, open pit design, underground design, scheduling, grade control and geotechnics, so the entry licence does not cover a full workflow
- Buying requires going through the Maptek store or contacting Maptek directly for a quote
Pricing, plan by plan
Carlson Mining
On request- Carlson Mining Standard$7000/year
- Mining design
- Pit design
- Grade control
- Carlson Mining Professional$15000/year
- Advanced mine planning
- Production scheduling
- Equipment management
Vulcan
On request- Vulcan Standard$8000/year
- 3D modeling
- Mine design
- Block modeling
- Vulcan Professional$15000/year
- Advanced geostatistics
- Resource estimation
- Pit optimization
- Vulcan Enterprise$25000/year
- All modules
- Custom solutions
- Priority support
Which should you pick?
Choose Carlson Mining if
- You need pit design.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want grade control.
Choose Vulcan if
- You need geological modeling.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want block modeling.
Questions people ask
- Is Carlson Mining or Vulcan better?
- Neither clearly leads. Carlson Mining starts at On request and Vulcan at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Carlson Mining or Vulcan?
- Carlson Mining starts at On request and Vulcan at On request.
- Does Carlson Mining or Vulcan run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Carlson Mining best used for?
- Carlson Mining is most often used for pit design, grade control, mine planning, surveying. Of those, pit design and grade control are not what Vulcan is typically brought in for.
- What can Carlson Mining do that Vulcan cannot?
- Carlson Mining covers Pit design, Grade control, Production planning, Survey integration. Vulcan covers Geological modeling, Block modeling, Mine design, Resource estimation. Both handle Windows support.