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Mining · head to head

CorePlan vs Surpac

CorePlan logo

CorePlan

Mining

Drilling programme management for mineral exploration teams and drilling contractors

From
$1350/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Surpac logo

Surpac

Mining

Geology and mine planning software for all mining methods

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.; Surpac 3ds.com's Surpac page describes nine product modules in detail but every pricing action is a 'Speak with an expert' or 'Contact us' CTA, with no edition names or figures published
  • They diverge on capability: CorePlan covers Digital plods, Surpac covers Geological database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CorePlan and Surpac actually diverge.

Attributes where CorePlan and Surpac differ
AttributeCorePlanSurpac
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 Surpac

  • Geological database
  • Block modeling
  • Mine design
  • Resource estimation
  • Workflow automation
  • MineSched
  • PCBC
  • Whittle

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

Surpac

  • Geological modelingnot CorePlan
  • Mine planningnot CorePlan
  • Resource estimationnot CorePlan
  • Grade controlnot CorePlan
  • Production trackingnot 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.

Surpac

  • 3ds.com's Surpac page describes nine product modules in detail but every pricing action is a 'Speak with an expert' or 'Contact us' CTA, with no edition names or figures published

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

Surpac

On request
  • Surpac Core$6000/year
    • 3D visualization
    • Geological database
    • Surface modeling
  • Surpac Advanced$12000/year
    • Block modeling
    • Resource estimation
    • Mine design
  • Surpac Complete$20000/year
    • All modules
    • Underground planning
    • Scheduling integration

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 Surpac if

  • You need geological database.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want block modeling.
Surpac review

Questions people ask

Is CorePlan or Surpac better?
Neither clearly leads. CorePlan starts at $1350/month and Surpac at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CorePlan or Surpac?
CorePlan starts at $1350/month and Surpac at On request.
Does CorePlan or Surpac run on more platforms?
CorePlan runs on Web, iOS, Android. Surpac 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 Surpac is typically brought in for.
What can CorePlan do that Surpac cannot?
CorePlan covers Digital plods, Rig scheduling, Contractor reconciliation, Sample and core tracking. Surpac covers Geological database, Block modeling, Mine design, Resource estimation.

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.

Surpac: What is the pricing for GEOVIA Surpac?

GEOVIA Surpac does not publish pricing on its website. Pricing must be obtained by contacting Dassault Systèmes directly through their sales process.

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.

Surpac: Is a trial version available without contacting sales?

The product page does not mention a self-service trial. To access a trial or demo, you need to contact the sales team through the website's contact form.

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.

Surpac: Are there different editions or licensing options for Surpac?

The product page does not specify different editions or licensing options. Details about licensing variations are available only through direct contact with Dassault Systèmes.

Source
CorePlan: Does it work without mobile signal?

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

Surpac: How do I get started with GEOVIA Surpac?

To get started, you can join the GEOVIA user community or contact Dassault Systèmes directly using the contact link on the product page.

Source
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