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Mining · head to head

IHS Markit Petra vs Minemax Planner

IHS Markit Petra logo

IHS Markit Petra

Mining

Geological interpretation and mapping software

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: 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).; 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: IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis, Minemax Planner covers Schedule optimization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IHS Markit Petra and Minemax Planner actually diverge.

Attributes where IHS Markit Petra and Minemax Planner differ
AttributeIHS Markit PetraMinemax Planner
Founded19591997

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 IHS Markit Petra

  • Well log analysis
  • Cross-section creation
  • Contour mapping
  • Formation tops
  • Volumetric calculations
  • Kingdom
  • ArcGIS
  • Petrel

Only in Minemax Planner

  • Schedule optimization
  • NPV maximization
  • Cutoff grade optimization
  • Pushback scheduling
  • Multi-scenario analysis
  • Vulcan
  • Surpac
  • Whittle

Both cover

  • Excel
  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

IHS Markit Petra

  • Well log interpretationnot Minemax Planner
  • Geological mappingnot Minemax Planner
  • Exploration analysisnot Minemax Planner
  • Formation evaluationnot Minemax Planner
  • Resource assessmentnot Minemax Planner

Minemax Planner

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

Where each one falls short

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

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).

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

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

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 IHS Markit Petra if

  • You need well log analysis.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want cross-section creation.
IHS Markit Petra 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 IHS Markit Petra or Minemax Planner better?
Neither clearly leads. IHS Markit Petra 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, IHS Markit Petra or Minemax Planner?
IHS Markit Petra starts at On request and Minemax Planner at On request.
Does IHS Markit Petra or Minemax Planner run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is IHS Markit Petra best used for?
IHS Markit Petra is most often used for well log interpretation, geological mapping, exploration analysis, formation evaluation. Of those, well log interpretation and geological mapping are not what Minemax Planner is typically brought in for.
What can IHS Markit Petra do that Minemax Planner cannot?
IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis, Cross-section creation, Contour mapping, Formation tops. Minemax Planner covers Schedule optimization, NPV maximization, Cutoff grade optimization, Pushback scheduling. Both handle Excel, 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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