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Mining · head to head

Datamine vs Minemax Planner

D

Datamine

Mining

Integrated mining software for resource estimation and planning

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Minemax Planner logo

Minemax Planner

Mining

Strategic mine planning and optimization software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Datamine datamine publishes no price, no licence term and no named cost driver; the planning pages route buyers to a consultation or a sales contact form; Minemax Planner minemax.com/products returns a 301 redirect to dataminesoftware.com and no product named Planner is listed on the Datamine planning solutions page
  • They diverge on capability: Datamine covers Resource estimation, Minemax Planner covers Schedule optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datamine and Minemax Planner actually diverge.

Attributes where Datamine and Minemax Planner differ
AttributeDatamineMinemax Planner
Founded19861997

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), 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 Datamine

  • Resource estimation
  • Geostatistical analysis
  • Geological modeling
  • Block modeling
  • Grade control
  • MineSight
  • Leapfrog
  • SAP

Only in Minemax Planner

  • Schedule optimization
  • NPV maximization
  • Cutoff grade optimization
  • Pushback scheduling
  • Multi-scenario analysis
  • Whittle
  • Deswik
  • Excel

Both cover

  • Vulcan
  • Surpac
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

Datamine

  • Geological modelling and resource estimation for mining projectsnot Minemax Planner
  • Open pit and underground mine design and schedulingnot Minemax Planner
  • Drill and blast design, survey and production reconciliationnot Minemax Planner

Minemax Planner

  • Mine production scheduling and plan trackingnot Datamine
  • Comparing life of mine scenarios against a base plannot Datamine

Where each one falls short

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

Datamine

  • Datamine publishes no price, no licence term and no named cost driver; the planning pages route buyers to a consultation or a sales contact form
  • The portfolio is split into many separate products across strategy, design, scheduling, blasting, survey and production, so a complete workflow requires assembling several licences
  • Products acquired from other vendors, including Minemax Scheduler and Minemax Tempo, are now sold inside Datamine bundles rather than standalone

Minemax Planner

  • minemax.com/products returns a 301 redirect to dataminesoftware.com and no product named Planner is listed on the Datamine planning solutions page
  • No pricing is published; licences require contacting the Datamine sales team
  • Planning capability is sold in role based bundles rather than as a single named planner licence

Pricing, plan by plan

Datamine

On request
  • Datamine Studio$14000/year
    • Resource estimation
    • Geostatistics
    • Geological modeling
  • Datamine Advanced$24000/year
    • Advanced optimization
    • Strategic planning
    • Risk analysis

Minemax Planner

On request
  • Minemax Planner$20000/year
    • Schedule optimization
    • NPV maximization
    • Cutoff grade analysis
  • Minemax Enterprise$40000/year
    • Multi-mine planning
    • Advanced optimization
    • Integration APIs

Which should you pick?

Choose Datamine if

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

Choose Minemax Planner if

  • You need schedule optimization.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want npv maximization.
Minemax Planner review

Questions people ask

Is Datamine or Minemax Planner better?
Neither clearly leads. Datamine starts at On request and Minemax Planner at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datamine or Minemax Planner?
Datamine starts at On request and Minemax Planner at On request.
Does Datamine or Minemax Planner run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Datamine best used for?
Datamine is most often used for geological modelling and resource estimation for mining projects, open pit and underground mine design and scheduling, drill and blast design, survey and production reconciliation. Of those, geological modelling and resource estimation for mining projects and open pit and underground mine design and scheduling are not what Minemax Planner is typically brought in for.
What can Datamine do that Minemax Planner cannot?
Datamine covers Resource estimation, Geostatistical analysis, Geological modeling, Block modeling. Minemax Planner covers Schedule optimization, NPV maximization, Cutoff grade optimization, Pushback scheduling. Both handle Vulcan, Surpac, Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Minemax Planner: What discount do planning bundles offer compared to standalone Minemax licenses?

Minemax planning bundles save up to 33% versus purchasing standalone licenses.

Source
Minemax Planner: What are the three Minemax planning subscription tiers?

Strategic Mine Planner, Operations Planner, and Surveyor/Technician bundles.

Source
Minemax Planner: How do I find pricing for Minemax Planner?

Specific pricing is not published on Minemax's website. You must contact the sales team directly via their contact form or book a consultation to discuss tailored solutions.

Source
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