Software · head to head
Minemax Planner vs Whittle
Minemax Planner
Software
Strategic mine planning and optimization software
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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; Whittle the Internet Archive's capture of Dassault Systemes' GEOVIA Whittle page on 20 January 2021 named it as one of seven distinct GEOVIA mining products (alongside Surpac, GEMS, Minex, MineSched, PCBC, InSite), sold via a 'How to buy' contact process with no price figure published.
- They diverge on capability: Minemax Planner covers Schedule optimization, Whittle covers Pit optimization.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Minemax Planner and Whittle actually diverge.
| Attribute | Minemax Planner | Whittle |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 | 1981 |
Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Minemax Planner
- Schedule optimization
- Cutoff grade optimization
- Pushback scheduling
- Multi-scenario analysis
- Whittle
- Deswik
- Excel
Only in Whittle
- Pit optimization
- Cutoff grade analysis
- Pushback design
- Economic modeling
- MineSched
- PCBC
- Datamine
Both cover
- NPV maximization
- Vulcan
- Surpac
- Windows support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Minemax Planner
- Mine production scheduling and plan trackingnot Whittle
- Comparing life of mine scenarios against a base plannot Whittle
Whittle
- Pit optimizationnot Minemax Planner
- Strategic planningnot Minemax Planner
- Feasibility studiesnot Minemax Planner
- Economic analysisnot Minemax Planner
- Scenario comparisonnot Minemax Planner
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Whittle
- The Internet Archive's capture of Dassault Systemes' GEOVIA Whittle page on 20 January 2021 named it as one of seven distinct GEOVIA mining products (alongside Surpac, GEMS, Minex, MineSched, PCBC, InSite), sold via a 'How to buy' contact process with no price figure published.
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Whittle
On request- Whittle Standard$15000/year
- Pit optimization
- Economic analysis
- Multiple scenarios
- Whittle Enterprise$25000/year
- Advanced optimization
- Scheduling integration
- NPV maximization
Which should you pick?
Choose Minemax Planner if
- You need schedule optimization.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want cutoff grade optimization.
Choose Whittle if
- You need pit optimization.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want cutoff grade analysis.
Questions people ask
- Is Minemax Planner or Whittle better?
- Neither clearly leads. Minemax Planner starts at On request and Whittle at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Minemax Planner or Whittle?
- Minemax Planner starts at On request and Whittle at On request.
- Does Minemax Planner or Whittle run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Minemax Planner best used for?
- Minemax Planner is most often used for mine production scheduling and plan tracking, comparing life of mine scenarios against a base plan. Of those, mine production scheduling and plan tracking and comparing life of mine scenarios against a base plan are not what Whittle is typically brought in for.
- What can Minemax Planner do that Whittle cannot?
- Minemax Planner covers Schedule optimization, Cutoff grade optimization, Pushback scheduling, Multi-scenario analysis. Whittle covers Pit optimization, Cutoff grade analysis, Pushback design, Economic modeling. Both handle NPV maximization, Vulcan, Surpac, Windows support.