Mining & Resources · head to head
Deswik Suite vs IHS Markit Petra
Deswik Suite
Mining & Resources
Integrated mine planning and design software
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
IHS Markit Petra
Mining & Resources
Geological interpretation and mapping software
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Deswik Suite deswik publishes no price, no licence term and no cost driver for the suite; the only routes given are a demo request or contacting the company; IHS Markit Petra iHS Markit Petra's product page (ihsmarkit.com/products/petra.html) now redirects live to spglobal.com, confirming IHS Markit's merger into S&P Global means the Petra product line is sold under S&P Global rather than as an independent IHS Markit product (redirect observed 19 August 2026).
- They diverge on capability: Deswik Suite covers 3D mine design, IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Deswik Suite and IHS Markit Petra actually diverge.
| Attribute | Deswik Suite | IHS Markit Petra |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 | 1959 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Mining & Resources).
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 Deswik Suite
- 3D mine design
- Resource scheduling
- Geological modeling
- Pit optimization
- Underground planning
- Surpac
- Vulcan
- Datamine
Only in IHS Markit Petra
- Well log analysis
- Cross-section creation
- Contour mapping
- Formation tops
- Volumetric calculations
- Kingdom
- ArcGIS
- Petrel
Both cover
- Windows support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Deswik Suite
- Mine design and scheduling for open pit and underground operationsnot IHS Markit Petra
- Reserve reporting and life of mine planningnot IHS Markit Petra
- Connecting mine plans to production execution and material trackingnot IHS Markit Petra
IHS Markit Petra
- Well log interpretationnot Deswik Suite
- Geological mappingnot Deswik Suite
- Exploration analysisnot Deswik Suite
- Formation evaluationnot Deswik Suite
- Resource assessmentnot Deswik Suite
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Deswik Suite
- Deswik publishes no price, no licence term and no cost driver for the suite; the only routes given are a demo request or contacting the company
- The suite is sold as separate modules grouped under Design and Reserving, Planning, Operations and Mine to Market, so a full workflow requires buying several products
- Software downloads and support are gated behind a client portal available to existing customers
- The product formerly sold as Deswik.CAD is now named Deswik Spatial, so older documentation and job listings refer to a name the vendor no longer uses
IHS Markit Petra
- IHS Markit Petra's product page (ihsmarkit.com/products/petra.html) now redirects live to spglobal.com, confirming IHS Markit's merger into S&P Global means the Petra product line is sold under S&P Global rather than as an independent IHS Markit product (redirect observed 19 August 2026).
Pricing, plan by plan
Deswik Suite
On request- Deswik.CAD$5000/year
- 3D mine design
- Geological modeling
- Drill hole analysis
- Deswik.Sched$8000/year
- Mine scheduling
- Resource optimization
- Gantt charts
- Enterprise Suite$25000/year
- Complete platform access
- All modules included
- Priority support
IHS Markit Petra
On request- Petra Standard$8000/year
- Well log analysis
- Cross-sections
- Contour mapping
- Petra Professional$15000/year
- 3D visualization
- Advanced mapping
- Volumetric analysis
Which should you pick?
Choose Deswik Suite if
- You need 3d mine design.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want resource scheduling.
Choose IHS Markit Petra if
- You need well log analysis.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want cross-section creation.
Questions people ask
- Is Deswik Suite or IHS Markit Petra better?
- Neither clearly leads. Deswik Suite starts at On request and IHS Markit Petra at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Deswik Suite or IHS Markit Petra?
- Deswik Suite starts at On request and IHS Markit Petra at On request.
- Does Deswik Suite or IHS Markit Petra run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Deswik Suite best used for?
- Deswik Suite is most often used for mine design and scheduling for open pit and underground operations, reserve reporting and life of mine planning, connecting mine plans to production execution and material tracking. Of those, mine design and scheduling for open pit and underground operations and reserve reporting and life of mine planning are not what IHS Markit Petra is typically brought in for.
- What can Deswik Suite do that IHS Markit Petra cannot?
- Deswik Suite covers 3D mine design, Resource scheduling, Geological modeling, Pit optimization. IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis, Cross-section creation, Contour mapping, Formation tops. Both handle Windows support.