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Mining · head to head

RPMGlobal XPAC vs Vulcan Geological Modelling

RPMGlobal XPAC logo

RPMGlobal XPAC

Mining

Production scheduling and planning optimization

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vulcan Geological Modelling logo

Vulcan Geological Modelling

Mining

Industry-leading geological modelling for mining

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: RPMGlobal XPAC rPMGlobal publishes no price, no licence model and no purchase route for XPAC; the software pages carry no cost information at all; Vulcan Geological Modelling user interface is dated compared to modern mining software
  • They diverge on capability: RPMGlobal XPAC covers Production scheduling, Vulcan Geological Modelling covers Implicit modeling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RPMGlobal XPAC and Vulcan Geological Modelling actually diverge.

Attributes where RPMGlobal XPAC and Vulcan Geological Modelling differ
AttributeRPMGlobal XPACVulcan Geological Modelling
PlatformsWindows, WebWindows
Founded19951981

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (subscription), 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 RPMGlobal XPAC

  • Production scheduling
  • Resource allocation
  • Constraint optimization
  • Multi-scenario planning
  • Real-time updates
  • Vulcan
  • MineSched
  • Whittle

Only in Vulcan Geological Modelling

  • Implicit modeling
  • Explicit modeling
  • Kriging estimation
  • Simulation
  • Variogram analysis
  • Vulcan Mine Planning
  • Leapfrog
  • Surpac

Both cover

  • Windows support

What people use each for

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

RPMGlobal XPAC

  • Midterm and strategic mine production schedulingnot Vulcan Geological Modelling
  • Building life of mine schedules from geological and mine design datanot Vulcan Geological Modelling
  • Comparing scheduling scenarios for open cut and underground operationsnot Vulcan Geological Modelling

Vulcan Geological Modelling

  • Resource estimationnot RPMGlobal XPAC
  • Geological modelingnot RPMGlobal XPAC
  • Grade controlnot RPMGlobal XPAC
  • Reporting compliancenot RPMGlobal XPAC

Where each one falls short

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

RPMGlobal XPAC

  • RPMGlobal publishes no price, no licence model and no purchase route for XPAC; the software pages carry no cost information at all
  • XPAC is one of roughly 40 separate RPMGlobal products, so scheduling, simulation and asset management are separate purchases
  • Obtaining any pricing requires contacting the vendor through a contact or support form

Vulcan Geological Modelling

  • User interface is dated compared to modern mining software
  • Requires extensive training and certification to use effectively due to software complexity
  • High-performance hardware requirements increase capital expenditure for infrastructure
  • Solids operations take an extremely long time to compute, limiting responsiveness
  • Premium pricing makes the software unaffordable for small and mid-sized mining companies

Pricing, plan by plan

RPMGlobal XPAC

On request
  • XPAC Standard$21000/year
    • Production scheduling
    • Resource optimization
    • Constraint management

Vulcan Geological Modelling

On request
  • Vulcan GM Standard$7500/year
    • Drill hole management
    • Explicit modeling
    • Grade estimation
  • Vulcan GM Advanced$12000/year
    • All Standard features
    • Implicit modeling
    • Conditional simulation
  • Vulcan GM Enterprise$22000/year
    • All modules
    • Multi-site license
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose RPMGlobal XPAC if

  • You need production scheduling.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want resource allocation.
RPMGlobal XPAC review

Choose Vulcan Geological Modelling if

  • You need implicit modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want explicit modeling.
Vulcan Geological Modelling review

Questions people ask

Is RPMGlobal XPAC or Vulcan Geological Modelling better?
Neither clearly leads. RPMGlobal XPAC starts at On request and Vulcan Geological Modelling at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RPMGlobal XPAC or Vulcan Geological Modelling?
RPMGlobal XPAC starts at On request and Vulcan Geological Modelling at On request.
Does RPMGlobal XPAC or Vulcan Geological Modelling run on more platforms?
RPMGlobal XPAC runs on Windows, Web. Vulcan Geological Modelling runs on Windows.
What is RPMGlobal XPAC best used for?
RPMGlobal XPAC is most often used for midterm and strategic mine production scheduling, building life of mine schedules from geological and mine design data, comparing scheduling scenarios for open cut and underground operations. Of those, midterm and strategic mine production scheduling and building life of mine schedules from geological and mine design data are not what Vulcan Geological Modelling is typically brought in for.
What can RPMGlobal XPAC do that Vulcan Geological Modelling cannot?
RPMGlobal XPAC covers Production scheduling, Resource allocation, Constraint optimization, Multi-scenario planning. Vulcan Geological Modelling covers Implicit modeling, Explicit modeling, Kriging estimation, Simulation. Both handle Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Vulcan Geological Modelling: What is Vulcan?

Vulcan is Maptek's 3D geological modeling and mine planning software used for exploration, geological modeling, resource estimation, mine design, and production planning. More than 19,000 licenses are used globally across the mining industry.

Source
Vulcan Geological Modelling: What mining tasks can Vulcan perform?

Vulcan handles geological modeling, drillhole data management, block modeling, resource estimation, pit optimization, mine design, grade control, geotechnical analysis, scheduling, geostatistics, and rehabilitation planning.

Source
Vulcan Geological Modelling: What training does Maptek provide for Vulcan?

Maptek provides comprehensive training programs, documentation, and workshops for Vulcan users. However, the tutorials and workshops are limited and cover only basic functionalities, making advanced use of the software difficult without extensive hands-on experience.

Source
Vulcan Geological Modelling: What are the system requirements for Vulcan?

Vulcan requires a high-performance computer system with significant processing power and RAM to run effectively, which may necessitate additional hardware investment for smaller operations.

Source
Vulcan Geological Modelling: Is Vulcan difficult to learn?

Yes. Vulcan has complex components requiring extensive training to use effectively. Tutorials and workshops are limited and cover only basic functionalities, making the learning curve steep for new users.

Source
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