CorePlan vs Krux: What's the difference?

Explore powerful features that outperform Krux.

What is drilling software?

Ideally, drilling software is designed to capture data from drilling shifts (also known as plods), streamline their review, and instantly calculate shift charges. This data then feeds into your end-of-period reconciliation, where it's used for invoicing (for drilling contractors) or invoice reconciliation (for mining or exploration teams).

Furthermore, the analytics derived from this shift data provide valuable insights into your operations, revealing what’s working well and what’s not. These insights can then be used to optimise drilling, drive better performance, improve penetration rates, and reduce downtime.

That’s drilling software in theory, but, as you’ll come to realise, often isn’t the case.

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What are the different types of drilling software?

In the mining industry, drilling software isn't just one thing. It exists in various forms, each with its own strengths and limitations. You'll encounter:

Custom-built solutions: Developed in-house by consultants or IT companies to address specific company needs. These can be highly tailored but often lack the features and support of commercial software.

Legacy software: Older systems that may not have kept pace with modern technology or industry best practices. (e.g., ePlod and IMDEX/Reflex Hub)

Specialised solutions: Focused on particular aspects of drilling, such as plod management or data analytics, yet highly customisable through custom development by enterprise (e.g., Colleagues Matrixx).

Integrated platforms: Offer a broader range of functionalities, covering multiple stages of the drilling workflow, from planning to invoicing. (e.g., CorePlan and Krux).

Cloud-Based vs. On-Premises

It's also important to consider how drilling software is deployed:

Cloud-based software: Hosted online and accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. It's typically more scalable, flexible, and requires less IT maintenance.
On-premises software: Installed on your own servers, providing more control over data but often demanding additional IT resources and expertise.

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Top 6 cloud-based drilling software used by professionals

When the topic of drilling management comes up, people might immediately think of 1) spreadsheets 2) using geological databases or scripts to run calcs and connecting to Power BI, or 3) the industry leader, IMDEX, but that’s just the tip of a vast drilling software web.

Here are the top drilling software solutions used by professionals (we also included their most similar alternatives 👇).

IMDEX Hub IQ (ReflexHub)
CorePlan
Colleagues Matrixx
BlackFox Exploration
Krux Analytics
Lantern

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1. IMDEX Hub IQ / Reflex Hub

What it is: IMDEX is a leading global mining technology company. It covers a vast number of solutions, from instrumentation to consumables to software.

IMDEX Hub IQ is a cloud-based drilling data management solution that's part of the broader IMDEX suite of mining technologies.

Key features & what it’s good at:

Real-Time Insights: Make data-driven decisions with live access to drilling data.
Seamless Integrations: Connect with industry software for streamlined data sharing and analysis.
Transparency Across Projects: Monitor activity and ensure quality decisions across multiple drilling operations.
Rigorous Data Validation: Ensure accurate, actionable information through built-in quality control.
Simplified Workflow: Eliminate manual errors and inefficiencies with a secure, automated chain of custody.

Price: No public pricing. Please reach out directly to the team on their website here for a custom quote

Important to Note: IMDEX is offering customers an upgrade to Krux Analytics due to its recent investment in the Canadian software company. More information about Krux Analytics is below.

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2. CorePlan

What it is: CorePlan is a comprehensive, cloud-based (Mining SaaS) platform designed to streamline and optimise every aspect of drilling operations for mining companies and drilling contractors. It covers the entire drilling workflow, from planning and budgeting to data capture, analysis, cost reconciliation, and integration with geological databases. CorePlan is more than drilling software. It is an Integrated Drilling Management Platform.

Key features & what it’s good at:

End-to-End Workflow Management: Manage every stage of your drilling program within a single platform, from designing and budgeting drill holes to tracking real-time progress, reconciling costs, and generating comprehensive reports.
Automated Data Capture & Validation: Eliminate manual plod entry and reduce errors with digital plod capture, automated calculations, and built-in validation rules.
Real-Time Cost Tracking & Reconciliation: Gain immediate visibility into drilling costs, track actuals against budgets, and streamline invoice reconciliation, ensuring accurate billing and financial control.
Powerful Reporting & Analytics: Generate instant, customisable reports on drilling performance, costs, consumables, and more. Visualise data through interactive dashboards, identify trends, and uncover optimisation opportunities.
Seamless Collaboration & Data Sharing: Foster a connected drilling ecosystem with a dedicated contractor portal, flexible data import options, and integration capabilities with leading geological databases and mining software.

Price: Usage-based pricing with flexible plans to suit your needs visit the pricing page for Mining and Exploration Teams here. Drilling Contractors Here

Want to learn the difference between CorePlan and Krux? Click here

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3. Colleagues Matrixx

What it is: Matrixx Xchange is a world-first mining industry collaboration platform that simplifies how mining companies receive, track, and report on drilling data.

Key features & what it’s good at:

Centralised Data Hub: Consolidate drilling data from all your contractors and sites into a single, secure platform, making it easier to access, analyse, and report on drilling information.
Real-Time Data Access: Track drilling progress, costs, and real-time performance metrics. This enables quicker identification of potential issues and faster decision-making.
Seamless Integration Capabilities: Connect Matrixx to your existing enterprise systems to create a unified data flow and avoid data silos.
Robust Safety Management: Improve workplace safety by digitally tracking incidents, managing safety requirements, and automating training records.
Industry-specific solutions: Can be tailored for various aspects of mining operations, including drilling data analytics and operating report software.

Price: No public pricing.Please reach out directly to the team on their website here for a custom quote

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4. BlackFox Exploration

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What it is: BlackFox Exploration is a cloud-based drilling management system designed to provide drilling contractors with comprehensive tools for data capture, analysis, reporting, and client communication.

Key features & what it’s good at:

Real-Time Progress Tracking: Monitor drilling progress, crew hours, and consumable usage in real-time, enabling faster identification of potential issues and more proactive decision-making.
Customisable Reporting: Generate various reports on drilling performance, costs, and other key metrics, tailored to your specific needs and client requirements.
Project Planning and Budgeting: Plan drilling programs, estimate costs, and manage budgets effectively to improve project profitability.
Mobile-Enabled Approvals: Streamline plod approvals and other workflows with mobile access for supervisors and clients.
Customer Portal: Enhance client communication and transparency by providing a dedicated portal for clients to access real-time data, reports, and project updates.

Price: No public pricing.Please reach out directly to the team on their website here for a custom quote

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5. Krux Analytics

What it is: Krux Analytics is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution specifically designed for the mining and drilling industry. It offers a comprehensive capability for drilling data management, analytics, and real-time decision-making.

Key features & what it’s good at:

Unified Data Management: Capture drilling data from multiple sources, including plods, instrumentation, and other systems, creating a single source of truth for analysis and reporting.
Real-Time Cost Tracking & Reconciliation: Digitise plod data to speed up cost calculations and reconciliation, providing up-to-the-minute insights into drilling expenditures.
Customisable Dashboards: Visualise drilling performance, costs, and other key metrics through interactive dashboards that can be tailored to specific needs.
KruxDAQ: Utilise real-time instrumentation data from drilling rigs to predict optimal drilling parameters and make more informed decisions about drilling depth, direction, and costs.

Price: No Public Pricing. Get directly in touch with the Krux team here

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6. Lantern

What it is: Lantern is a cloud-based drilling management software specifically designed for the diamond drilling industry. It aims to simplify workflows, improve data accuracy, and enhance communication between drilling contractors and their mining clients.

Key features & what it’s good at:

Real-Time Shift Monitoring: Track daily metres drilled and crew hours in real-time, enabling better visibility into drilling progress and potential delays.
Efficient Timesheet Management: Streamline timesheet approvals and expedite invoice generation by eliminating manual paperwork and data entry.
Digital Plod Capture: Digitally capture plod data, reducing errors and making it easier to share information with clients.
Improved Communication: Enhance communication and collaboration with mining clients through a shared platform, reducing misunderstandings and streamlining project updates.
Cloud-Based Accessibility: Access Lantern from any device with an internet connection, allowing for remote data entry and real-time information sharing.

Price: Plans are based on the number of rigs, starting from $10 per timesheet for 1-10 rigs. Visit the Lantern website for detailed pricing information.

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More than Drilling Software

Drilling Software is a great starting point, but it’s not enough—for the complex operations of modern drilling programs. Whether you are working in a mining or exploration team or a drilling contractor.

To improve your site operations and ultimately optimise your drilling , you need to connect your operations teams with the information they need to make their decisions - instead of wrangling spreadsheets.

You need an integrated drilling management platform like CorePlan to get the complete picture.

Download the checklist here

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Top 6+ drilling software to digitise your drilling in 2024

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