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Mining · head to head

CorePlan vs Datamine Studio RM

CorePlan logo

CorePlan

Mining

Drilling programme management for mineral exploration teams and drilling contractors

From
$1350/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Datamine Studio RM logo

Datamine Studio RM

Mining

Resource modeling and estimation software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CorePlan pricing is usage based on plods or shifts and billed annually with overage calculated monthly, so an intense drilling quarter generates an unbudgeted overage invoice, and finance teams that need a fixed annual number will struggle to get one.; Datamine Studio RM no pricing information is published; Datamine mentions subscription-based access but provides no rates.
  • They diverge on capability: CorePlan covers Digital plods, Datamine Studio RM covers Resource estimation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CorePlan and Datamine Studio RM actually diverge.

Attributes where CorePlan and Datamine Studio RM differ
AttributeCorePlanDatamine Studio RM
Starting price$1350/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer month by shift or plod volumesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWindows
FoundedUnknown1981

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mining).

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 CorePlan

  • Digital plods
  • Rig scheduling
  • Contractor reconciliation
  • Sample and core tracking
  • Field Operations module
  • Advanced Analytics
  • Forms subscription
  • Interoperability service

Only in Datamine Studio RM

  • Resource estimation
  • Geostatistical analysis
  • Block modeling
  • Variogram modeling
  • Grade control
  • Studio OP
  • Studio UG
  • Leapfrog

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CorePlan

  • A junior explorer running a two rig programme that wants cost per metre visible weekly instead of when the contractor invoice arrivesnot Datamine Studio RM
  • A drilling contractor with crews across several client sites submitting plods digitally to cut invoice disputesnot Datamine Studio RM
  • An exploration manager reconciling contractor billing against recorded shift hours before approving paymentnot Datamine Studio RM
  • A multi project mid tier miner consolidating hole planning and sample dispatch across sites that currently each run their own spreadsheetnot Datamine Studio RM

Datamine Studio RM

  • Geological resource estimation and grade modellingnot CorePlan
  • Processing large volumes of drillhole and sample datanot CorePlan
  • 3D visualisation of orebody modelsnot CorePlan

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CorePlan

  • Pricing is usage based on plods or shifts and billed annually with overage calculated monthly, so an intense drilling quarter generates an unbudgeted overage invoice, and finance teams that need a fixed annual number will struggle to get one.
  • Only the Starter tier price is published; Professional, Enterprise and Corporate are all quote only, so comparing CorePlan against a competitor requires entering a sales process before you know the number.
  • Core modules are unbundled: field operations, advanced analytics and custom forms are separately priced add-ons that each start in the hundreds of dollars per month, so the realistic monthly cost is well above the advertised entry price.
  • It is a drilling operations system, not a geological database or modelling package, so it must sit alongside acQuire, Datashed or equivalent and the integration between them is a project rather than a switch.
  • The customer base and support depth are concentrated in Australia and the company is small and venture funded, which means teams in the Americas or Africa get thinner local implementation support and carry the usual supplier concentration risk on a system that sits in the middle of drilling spend.

Datamine Studio RM

  • No pricing information is published; Datamine mentions subscription-based access but provides no rates.
  • Customers must contact sales for custom quotes based on organizational needs.

Pricing, plan by plan

CorePlan

$1350/month
  • Starter$1350/month
    • One project
    • Up to two rigs
    • Digital plods and rig scheduling
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • Multi-project management for mid-tier explorers
    • Higher rig and shift allowances
    • Priced on quotation
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Large-scale operations
    • Complex data integration
    • Priced on quotation
  • Field Operations add-on$800/month
    • Pre-starts and inspections
    • Field compliance forms
    • From this price

Datamine Studio RM

On request
  • Studio RM$10000/year
    • Resource modeling
    • Geostatistics
    • Block modeling
  • Studio RM Professional$18000/year
    • Advanced variography
    • Conditional simulation
    • Multi-element modeling

Which should you pick?

Choose CorePlan if

  • You need digital plods.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want rig scheduling.
CorePlan review

Choose Datamine Studio RM if

  • You need resource estimation.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want geostatistical analysis.
Datamine Studio RM review

Questions people ask

Is CorePlan or Datamine Studio RM better?
Neither clearly leads. CorePlan starts at $1350/month and Datamine Studio RM at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CorePlan or Datamine Studio RM?
CorePlan starts at $1350/month and Datamine Studio RM at On request.
Does CorePlan or Datamine Studio RM run on more platforms?
CorePlan runs on Web, iOS, Android. Datamine Studio RM runs on Windows.
What is CorePlan best used for?
CorePlan is most often used for a junior explorer running a two rig programme that wants cost per metre visible weekly instead of when the contractor invoice arrives, a drilling contractor with crews across several client sites submitting plods digitally to cut invoice disputes, an exploration manager reconciling contractor billing against recorded shift hours before approving payment, a multi project mid tier miner consolidating hole planning and sample dispatch across sites that currently each run their own spreadsheet. Of those, a junior explorer running a two rig programme that wants cost per metre visible weekly instead of when the contractor invoice arrives and a drilling contractor with crews across several client sites submitting plods digitally to cut invoice disputes are not what Datamine Studio RM is typically brought in for.
What can CorePlan do that Datamine Studio RM cannot?
CorePlan covers Digital plods, Rig scheduling, Contractor reconciliation, Sample and core tracking. Datamine Studio RM covers Resource estimation, Geostatistical analysis, Block modeling, Variogram modeling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CorePlan: Is CorePlan a geological database?

No. It manages drilling operations, plods, scheduling and sample dispatch. Geological data still lives in acQuire, Datashed or similar.

Datamine Studio RM: How much does Datamine Studio RM cost?

Datamine does not publish pricing for Studio RM or other solutions. Datamine describes a subscription-based model for role-based subscriptions to different solution bundles for geology teams, but specific rates are not disclosed online.

Source
CorePlan: Can drilling contractors use it too?

Yes, and that is the point. Contractors submit plods on the same platform their client uses, which removes the invoice reconciliation argument.

Datamine Studio RM: What is Datamine Studio RM's pricing model?

Datamine Studio RM uses a subscription-based model with role-based access tiers, but pricing is determined through custom quotes. The company directs customers to talk with solutions specialists to develop an action plan and receive pricing tailored to their needs.

Source
CorePlan: What does it actually cost?

Starter is 1,350 US dollars a month for one project and two rigs, billed annually. Everything above that is quoted, and the analytics and field modules add several hundred dollars a month each.

CorePlan: Does it work without mobile signal?

Yes, field capture works offline and syncs when the rig comes back into coverage.

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