Software · head to head
Whittle vs IHS Markit Petra
IHS Markit Petra
Software
Geological interpretation and mapping software
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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.; 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: Whittle covers Pit optimization, IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Whittle and IHS Markit Petra actually diverge.
| Attribute | Whittle | IHS Markit Petra |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1981 | 1959 |
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 Whittle
- Pit optimization
- NPV maximization
- Cutoff grade analysis
- Pushback design
- Economic modeling
- Surpac
- MineSched
- PCBC
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.
Whittle
- Pit optimizationnot IHS Markit Petra
- Strategic planningnot IHS Markit Petra
- Feasibility studiesnot IHS Markit Petra
- Economic analysisnot IHS Markit Petra
- Scenario comparisonnot IHS Markit Petra
IHS Markit Petra
- Well log interpretationnot Whittle
- Geological mappingnot Whittle
- Exploration analysisnot Whittle
- Formation evaluationnot Whittle
- Resource assessmentnot Whittle
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
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
Whittle
On request- Whittle Standard$15000/year
- Pit optimization
- Economic analysis
- Multiple scenarios
- Whittle Enterprise$25000/year
- Advanced optimization
- Scheduling integration
- NPV maximization
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 Whittle if
- You need pit optimization.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want npv maximization.
Choose IHS Markit Petra if
- You need well log analysis.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want cross-section creation.
Questions people ask
- Is Whittle or IHS Markit Petra better?
- Neither clearly leads. Whittle 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, Whittle or IHS Markit Petra?
- Whittle starts at On request and IHS Markit Petra at On request.
- Does Whittle or IHS Markit Petra run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Whittle best used for?
- Whittle is most often used for pit optimization, strategic planning, feasibility studies, economic analysis. Of those, pit optimization and strategic planning are not what IHS Markit Petra is typically brought in for.
- What can Whittle do that IHS Markit Petra cannot?
- Whittle covers Pit optimization, NPV maximization, Cutoff grade analysis, Pushback design. IHS Markit Petra covers Well log analysis, Cross-section creation, Contour mapping, Formation tops. Both handle Windows support.