What if your next software investment turned a promising project or operation into a hot mess of delays and costs and blown budgets? This isn’t a hypothetical—it’s a reality for many in an industry where the mining software market is booming, growing from $933.1 million in 2022 to a projected $15.5 billion by 2029, with a staggering compound annual growth rate of 49.5%

This surge is fueled by the urgent need for operational and financial efficiencies, breakthroughs in software and connectivity, and the tech-savvy influence of Millennials and Gen Z in leadership roles.

However, this uptick in demand has created a challenge: many traditional software vendors are labeling outdated systems as "SaaS" without truly embracing the underlying architecture, methodology, and mindset of Software as a Service.

For mining operations juggling tight margins and complex challenges, choosing the wrong software isn’t just a misstep—it’s a multimillion-dollar mistake.

Let’s get to understanding what true Mining SaaS delivers in 2025, why it matters for your operation, and how to cut through the noise and spot the real deal.

What is (Mining) SaaS?

True SaaS in the mining industry represents a fundamental shift in how mining technology is developed, delivered, and, crucially, maintained. It's a completely different philosophy.

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a cloud-based software delivery model that has replaced on-premises solutions in most industries. In this model, applications are hosted by a vendor and made available to customers over the internet. Users access the software via a web browser, eliminating the need for complex installations and on-site hardware

And this doesn't mean simply hosting legacy software on cloud servers. There's a huge difference between cloud-hosted and SaaS. We will explore the differences later in the article, but the tld'r is: true SaaS is purpose-built from the ground up for continuous updates, scalability, seamless integrations, and rapid deployment with its own unique business and support model.

So, what then is Mining SaaS? Mining SaaS takes these core SaaS principles and applies them directly to the unique challenges of the mining lifecycle. These solutions are laser-focused on specific operational pain points, like drill program management, resource estimation, production tracking, and environmental compliance so on and so fort. Solutions addressing multiple interconnected workflows are known as platforms, while single-use-case tools are called point solutions.

Unlike generic SaaS solutions that try to be everything to everyone (think accounting software like Xero or Myob, or safety systems like SafetyCulture), Mining SaaS platforms are typically built exclusively for the mining industry. Examples include CorePlan, Mx Deposit, Plexar, and PX4. This laser focus allows for mining-specific workflows, terminology (no more translating "programmer-speak"), and integrations, leading to faster adoption and real operational improvements.

Distinguishing True Mining SaaS from Imposters

Now just because a vendor has labelled their product “SaaS” doesn’t mean it’s genuinely built for modern mining operations. These ‘Pseudo-SaaS’ solutions still run off legacy architectures, and simply moving on-premise software to cloud servers without reengineering for cloud-native benefits.

They typically lack subscription flexibility, continuing to use traditional licensing models instead of true subscription-based pricing. This approach misses the core advantages of SaaS: automatic updates, scalability, seamless integrations, rapid implementation, and modern support systems.

Here’s how to tell the difference:

True Mining SaaS vs. Pseudo-SaaS

	True Mining SaaS	Pseudo-SaaS
Architecture	Cloud-native, built for SaaS delivery	Legacy software shifted to cloud without reengineering
Licensing Model	Transparent, usage-based pricing	Traditional licenses with hidden fees
Deployment Timeline	Weeks or days, minimal disruption	Months-long setup, draining value
Customisation	Flexible within standard framework	Heavy customisation signifying rigidity
Updates	Frequent, automatic, seamless	Rare, disruptive version releases
IT Involvement	Vendor-managed, light IT burden	IT-heavy maintenance and updates
Integration	API native plus adaptable with traditional mining systems	Costly, limited integrations
User Experience	Intuitive, mining-specific	Clunky, user unfriendly
Security & Compliance	Vendor-handled (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001)	Customer-dependent, inconsistent

Be cautious of vendors who offer to create custom builds (or "bootleg" versions of existing solutions) but still deliver updates through infrequent, major version releases. This approach indicates a reliance on traditional software development methods, rather than the continuous improvement model of SaaS.

Becoming a SaaS provider requires a complete transformation – a new business model, a modern technology architecture, and a company culture focused on agility and customer success. When evaluating mining software, look at more than the feature list. Examine the vendor's history, leadership, development methodology, and overall business model. Is SaaS is truly part of their DNA—or just a marketing label.

Don't be afraid to schedule technical deep-dives with your team's subject matter experts to put the vendor through their paces. For those of you looking for drilling software check out our buying guide here.

The Cost of Getting Mining Software Wrong

While it may appear cost-effective at first glance, the hidden expenses of custom or pseudo SaaS compounds over time on both financial and operational areas of your business. Why?

Many organisations underestimate the ongoing overhead of maintenance, updates, security patches, tweaks, and integration headaches. These seemingly minor issues can snowball, requiring your team's time and resources thus becoming a major operational liability. Unexpected problems will arise, and the ability to respond quickly and effectively is critical. Relying on custom development or infrequent updates from a pseudo-SaaS provider can lead to costly delays and frustrating workarounds.

For example at CorePlan we have heard horror stories from failed implementations of custom software. For instance, simple contract management everytime a new contract between a project and a contractor has a new clause, or a basic inspection form that needs to be built that require custom development and long waits for updates.

Hidden Costs vs. Impact on Operations

Hidden Cost	Impact On Operations
Upfront Risk	Big payments upfront before knowing if the software fits your needs, leaving you carrying all the risk.
Hardware Burden	On-site servers and equipment need constant upkeep, eating into your operational budget.
IT Drain	Your team spends time installing, updating, and fixing issues, adding ongoing labor costs.
Downtime	Production delays, lost revenue, and inefficiencies occur when systems malfunction or experience prolonged update cycles.
Customisation Creep	Constant tweaks to match changing workflows drain your budget over time.
Opportunity Loss	Long time to implement means you’re further slowing down your team's ability to make decisions in a live operation.
Cognitive Waste	Geologists and engineers waste time on fixes and data entry instead of planning drill sites or optimizing rigs.

In a sector where operating margins are constantly under pressure, these inefficiencies directly impact the bottom line - and In almost all cases, custom-developed software begin with ambitious promises but end up into failed implementations.

The Advantages of True Mining SaaS

Choosing a well-designed Mining SaaS solution – whether it's an off-the-shelf product or a carefully integrated combination of solutions – ultimately shapes your digital transformation journey. It’s a strategic advantage.

And, sometimes you may not have a solution that is completely off the shelf either - you may need to build around an existing solution. Or have to choose multiple vendors that can talk to each other (or make it) to ensure data interoperability across the technology stack.

Regardless, choosing SaaS specifically designed for mining provides the flexible foundation, allowing operations to modernise incrementally rather than requiring disruptive "big bang" implementations.

This is a strategic choice that delivers meaningful business outcomes and long-term competitive advantage. Here’s exactly what that means for your operations:

Advantages of True Mining SaaS - Collapsible Sections

Rapid Implementation and Faster ROI

Unlike legacy or pseudo-SaaS solutions, true Mining SaaS deploys rapidly—taking days or weeks, not months or years. This accelerated implementation means your operation quickly transitions from planning to productivity. Instead of spending months navigating software setups, your teams can shift immediately to tasks that matter: strategic planning, operational optimisation, and driving production outcomes.

Real-Time Operational Visibility

True Mining SaaS transforms scattered data into a single source of truth, breaking down the operational silos that limit productivity. With real-time integration of drill planning, production tracking, earthworks management, and budget reporting, you gain a complete, accurate, and timely view of your entire mining operation. The strategic benefit? Decisions that once took weeks can now be made confidently in real-time, improving resource allocation, accelerating drill programs, and significantly reducing operational uncertainty.

Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

True SaaS fundamentally changes your cost structure from heavy upfront investment and unpredictable ongoing expenses to transparent, usage-aligned subscription pricing. This shared risk approach means vendors succeed only when customers derive value from the platform, creating built-in accountability.

By eliminating hidden infrastructure costs, ongoing maintenance, IT burden, and manual upgrades, you achieve predictable financial outcomes and significantly lower your long-term total cost of ownership. The result is greater financial agility and strategic budget allocation to high-value initiatives.

Improved Knowledge Worker Utilisation

Your people’s cognitive capacity is among your most valuable resources. True Mining SaaS liberates geologists, drilling managers, and decision-makers from routine manual tasks, data entry, and endless troubleshooting. By automating and simplifying workflows, teams can focus their cognitive resources on strategic decision-making, innovation, and critical problem-solving—maximising productivity, reducing burnout, and improving overall employee engagement and retention.

Future-Proof Your Operation

Digital transformation in mining (Mining 4.0) demands agile, data-driven systems that integrate seamlessly with emerging technologies like AI, IoT, digital twins, and advanced analytics.

Rapid Implementation and Faster ROI

Real-Time Operational Visibility

Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Improved Knowledge Worker Utilisation

Future-Proof Your Operation

Digital transformation in mining (Mining 4.0) demands agile, data-driven systems that integrate seamlessly with emerging technologies like AI, IoT, digital twins, and advanced analytics.

Perhaps most valuable is the continuous improvement inherent in the SaaS model. Instead of waiting years for major upgrades, mining operations benefit from regular, seamless enhancements that keep technology aligned with best practices and emerging capabilities—without additional capital investment or disruptive implementation projects.

The strategic advantage is clear: you’re prepared not just for today’s operational demands but also positioned for tomorrow’s landscape.

Selecting Your Mining SaaS Partner: Asking the Right Questions

As we’ve established this far, choosing a Mining SaaS provider (or a panel of them) represents a strategic decision with long-term implications for operational efficiency and financial advantage. The evaluation process must be more than just feature checklists to investigate aspects of the provider's approach, architecture, and alignment with mining industry needs.

The provider's industry expertise represents a critical starting point. Mining operations face unique challenges that require specialised knowledge to address effectively. Examine the provider's history in mining, the background of their leadership team, and their demonstrated understanding of mining workflows. This domain expertise directly impacts the solution's relevance to actual operational needs rather than generic software capabilities.

Technical architecture reveals much about a solution's true nature. Evaluate whether the platform was built as cloud-native from its inception or retrofitted from legacy software. Examine the approach to data management, integration capabilities, and scalability to handle growing operational complexity. True Mining SaaS architectures enable continuous updates without disruption, comprehensive security protections, and flexible configuration without custom code.

The provider's approach to implementation and support directly impacts time-to-value and ongoing success. True Mining SaaS providers employ rapid implementation methodologies, comprehensive training programs, and dedicated support teams with mining industry knowledge. These elements accelerate adoption while ensuring the solution delivers sustainable value across mining operations.

Perhaps most revealing is the provider's business model alignment with customer success. Examine the pricing structure for transparency and value alignment, implementation methodology for speed and adoption focus, and customer success programs that extend beyond traditional technical support. True Mining SaaS providers succeed only when their customers achieve operational value—creating natural incentives for ongoing partnership rather than transactional relationships.

The Future of Mining SaaS What’s next

The mining SaaS landscape continues evolving rapidly, with several trends shaping its future development and impact. Understanding these trends provides valuable context for technology investment decisions and strategic planning in mining operations.

Artificial intelligence integration represents perhaps the most transformative trend, with machine learning models analysing geospatial data, satellite imagery, and historical exploration records to pinpoint untapped mineral deposits. This capability dramatically improves exploration efficiency while reducing environmental impact. Similarly, AI-driven predictive maintenance systems analyze sensor data to anticipate equipment failures before they occur, reducing costly downtime and extending asset lifecycles.

The convergence of operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) continues accelerating in mining operations. Standards-based, open platform solutions that bridge traditionally separate domains enable organisation-wide visibility and control. Mining SaaS platforms and point solutions increasingly serve as the integration layer between these worlds, providing unified interfaces and data models that connect physical operations with digital insights.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations are driving adoption of more sophisticated monitoring and reporting capabilities within Mining SaaS platforms. These solutions provide the transparent, verifiable data essential for demonstrating regulatory compliance and sustainable practices to stakeholders. This functionality transitions from peripheral to central as ESG performance increasingly influences investment decisions, community relations, and regulatory approvals.

The expansion of Mining SaaS from point solutions addressing specific operational needs to comprehensive platforms spanning the mining lifecycle represents another significant trend. This evolution enables true end-to-end visibility and optimisation across previously disconnected processes. Instead of requiring complex integration between numerous specialised systems, these platforms offer native connectivity while retaining the flexibility to incorporate best-of-breed capabilities when necessary.

Value Driver, Not Cost Centre

The mining software market has matured, and obsolete legacy software disguised as SaaS is no longer sufficient. Genuine Mining SaaS is a vital decision that speeds up your digital transformation, lowers financial risk, and enables your workforce to perform at their best. It is important to note that the spend in adopting a SaaS requires a shift in mind set from analogue to digital, from seeing software as a cost centre to a value driver.

Your choice today determines your operational performance tomorrow. Choose wisely—select a partner and platform created specifically for mining, prepared to evolve with your operation, providing ongoing enhancements and a long-term competitive advantage.

Here are some Mining SaaS Vendors that fall into the category of Mining SaaS

CorePlan
Plexar
PX4 software
MX Deposits
Krux Analytics
ArcGIS
VRFIY

About CorePlan

CorePlan is an enterprise-ready Mining SaaS platform built specifically for mining companies and drilling contractors. It provides an integrated drilling operations platform to run drilling programs, manage data, and streamline workflows.

How to spot winning Mining SaaS solutions in 2025

Download the checklist here

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