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RS2 vs Vulcan Geological Modelling

RS2 logo

RS2

Mining

2D finite element stress analysis for mining

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: RS2 the RS2 product page shows a USD per year pricing block with no figure filled in, so the annual lease cost is not published; Vulcan Geological Modelling user interface is dated compared to modern mining software
  • They diverge on capability: RS2 covers 2D finite element analysis, 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 RS2 and Vulcan Geological Modelling actually diverge.

Attributes where RS2 and Vulcan Geological Modelling differ
AttributeRS2Vulcan Geological Modelling
Founded19891981

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 RS2

  • 2D finite element analysis
  • Stress-strain modeling
  • Slope stability assessment
  • Bolt design
  • Support sizing
  • AutoCAD
  • GeoStudio
  • RocData

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.

RS2

  • Two dimensional finite element analysis of slopes, excavations and tunnelsnot Vulcan Geological Modelling
  • Modelling groundwater seepage and consolidation in geotechnical designsnot Vulcan Geological Modelling
  • Assessing rock and soil stability for mining and civil engineering projectsnot Vulcan Geological Modelling

Vulcan Geological Modelling

  • Resource estimationnot RS2
  • Geological modelingnot RS2
  • Grade controlnot RS2
  • Reporting compliancenot RS2

Where each one falls short

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

RS2

  • The RS2 product page shows a USD per year pricing block with no figure filled in, so the annual lease cost is not published
  • RS2 is sold only as an annual cloud hosted lease; the page describes no perpetual licence
  • The Personal Lease is one seat tied to one user device; using it across several machines requires the Flexible+ lease
  • Hosting licences on a local server rather than Rocscience's RocPortal requires contacting the vendor

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

RS2

On request
  • RS2 Standard$11000/year
    • 2D finite element analysis
    • Slope stability
    • Excavation design

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 RS2 if

  • You need 2d finite element analysis.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want stress-strain modeling.
RS2 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 RS2 or Vulcan Geological Modelling better?
Neither clearly leads. RS2 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, RS2 or Vulcan Geological Modelling?
RS2 starts at On request and Vulcan Geological Modelling at On request.
Does RS2 or Vulcan Geological Modelling run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is RS2 best used for?
RS2 is most often used for two dimensional finite element analysis of slopes, excavations and tunnels, modelling groundwater seepage and consolidation in geotechnical designs, assessing rock and soil stability for mining and civil engineering projects. Of those, two dimensional finite element analysis of slopes, excavations and tunnels and modelling groundwater seepage and consolidation in geotechnical designs are not what Vulcan Geological Modelling is typically brought in for.
What can RS2 do that Vulcan Geological Modelling cannot?
RS2 covers 2D finite element analysis, Stress-strain modeling, Slope stability assessment, Bolt design. Vulcan Geological Modelling covers Implicit modeling, Explicit modeling, Kriging estimation, Simulation. Both handle Windows support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

RS2: How is RS2 priced?

RS2 uses an annual subscription licensing model with two options: Personal Lease for one seat and one user device, or Flexible+ Lease for multiple seats with unlimited user devices per seat. Specific pricing is not displayed on the website.

Source
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
RS2: Can RS2 be hosted locally?

RS2 uses cloud-hosted licensing managed through RocPortal, though local server hosting is available upon request by contacting the company.

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
RS2: How can I find RS2 pricing details?

The website offers a Plans & Pricing FAQ section for additional details, or you can add licenses to your cart for purchase to see current pricing.

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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