Softwr

Mining · head to head

CorePlan vs OptiMine

CorePlan logo

CorePlan

Mining

Drilling programme management for mineral exploration teams and drilling contractors

From
$1350/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OptiMine logo

OptiMine

Mining

Underground mining optimization and analytics

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.; OptiMine modular architecture requires selective implementation and configuration knowledge to build a complete solution
  • They diverge on capability: CorePlan covers Digital plods, OptiMine covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CorePlan and OptiMine actually diverge.

Attributes where CorePlan and OptiMine differ
AttributeCorePlanOptiMine
Starting price$1350/monthOn request
Pricing modelPer month by shift or plod volumesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Cloud
FoundedUnknown2018

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 OptiMine

  • Real-time tracking
  • Production analytics
  • Ventilation on demand
  • Collision avoidance
  • Maintenance optimization
  • Epiroc equipment
  • Third-party LHDs
  • SCADA systems

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 OptiMine
  • A drilling contractor with crews across several client sites submitting plods digitally to cut invoice disputesnot OptiMine
  • An exploration manager reconciling contractor billing against recorded shift hours before approving paymentnot OptiMine
  • A multi project mid tier miner consolidating hole planning and sample dispatch across sites that currently each run their own spreadsheetnot OptiMine

OptiMine

  • Fleet trackingnot CorePlan
  • Production monitoringnot CorePlan
  • Safety optimizationnot CorePlan
  • Maintenance planningnot 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.

OptiMine

  • Modular architecture requires selective implementation and configuration knowledge to build a complete solution
  • No pricing information publicly available; requires direct vendor contact for quotes
  • Enterprise-only deployment without clear path for smaller mining operations

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

OptiMine

On request
  • OptiMine Analytics$35000/year
    • Equipment tracking
    • Production analytics
    • Basic dashboards
  • OptiMine Full$75000/year
    • All Analytics features
    • Ventilation on demand
    • Collision avoidance
  • OptiMine EnterpriseFree
    • Multi-site deployment
    • Custom integrations
    • Dedicated support

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 OptiMine if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You work on Web, Cloud.
  • You also want production analytics.
OptiMine review

Questions people ask

Is CorePlan or OptiMine better?
Neither clearly leads. CorePlan starts at $1350/month and OptiMine at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CorePlan or OptiMine?
CorePlan starts at $1350/month and OptiMine at On request.
Does CorePlan or OptiMine run on more platforms?
CorePlan runs on Web, iOS, Android. OptiMine runs on Web, Cloud.
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 OptiMine is typically brought in for.
What can CorePlan do that OptiMine cannot?
CorePlan covers Digital plods, Rig scheduling, Contractor reconciliation, Sample and core tracking. OptiMine covers Real-time tracking, Production analytics, Ventilation on demand, Collision avoidance.

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.

OptiMine: What is OptiMine used for?

OptiMine is a modular information management suite for underground mining that integrates data from all equipment and people into a single source, providing real-time descriptive and predictive insights for production optimization and decision-making.

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.

OptiMine: Does OptiMine work with non-Sandvik equipment?

Yes. OptiMine is OEM-agnostic and can integrate with any equipment system and technology, including non-Sandvik mining equipment and IoT devices like Newtrax systems.

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.

OptiMine: What geographies is OptiMine deployed in?

OptiMine is deployed in more than 60 mines worldwide, making it a globally used solution for underground hard rock mining operations.

Source
CorePlan: Does it work without mobile signal?

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

OptiMine: Does OptiMine offer an API for integrations?

OptiMine is designed as an open and scalable modular suite that can connect with any system and technology, but specific API documentation is not publicly available. Contact Sandvik directly for technical integration details.

Source
OptiMine: What are the typical implementation costs?

OptiMine has no publicly listed pricing. Enterprise customers must contact Sandvik's Mining and Rock Solutions division directly for custom quotes based on their specific implementation scope.

Source
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