Mining’s most expensive delays often come from its least visible stage: earthworks. Before a rig even turns, programs slip off track. Contractors run in silos. Costs vanish into spreadsheets. By the time issues surface, equipment sits idle and millions in margins are already lost.

Now, miners are beginning to tackle this long-ignored problem with software. CorePlan is a drilling management platform built for mining and exploration teams. Its newest feature, CorePlan Earthworks, connects site preparation, drilling, and rehabilitation in one digital workflow.

At the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Sydney, CorePlan will demonstrate how Earthworks is giving miners real-time visibility into a stage of operations that has historically run in the dark.

Making drill programs cost-efficient and connected

For decades, earthworks has been managed through paper timesheets, disconnected contractor timesheets, and end-of-month reconciliations. The result: disputes, downtime, and budget blowouts hidden until it’s too late to act.

With CorePlan Earthworks, schedules, pad readiness, and costs are tracked in real time. For the first time, mining companies and their contractors can work in one system from dirt to done - removing single points of failure, keeping fleets turning, and delivering programs on time and on budget.

“Earthworks has always been managed in silos, with data trapped in spreadsheets and contractor logs,” said Alex Goulios, Chief Executive Officer at CorePlan. “That slows programs down and hides the true cost of operations. With CorePlan Earthworks, mining companies can finally see what’s happening on the ground, challenge costs with confidence, and win on the margins that matter.”

Proven impact in the field

Early adopters report measurable results: fewer spreadsheets, faster approvals, and stronger cost control.

One drilling superintendent at a Tier 1 miner said: “Cost control is the big thing that we brought this in for. And that’s what it is providing for us. We’re in a much better position with our earthmoving supply now than we ever were. With CorePlan, we can finally see where costs are coming from - and challenge them with confidence.”

By working from the same digital record, mining teams and contractors are resolving claims earlier and strengthening trust - shifting relationships from adversarial to collaborative.

The bigger picture

With investors and regulators demanding tighter compliance and cost discipline, mining companies are under pressure to digitise legacy processes. Earthworks is one of the last stages of drilling still run on paper and spreadsheets.

By connecting planning and earthworks to drilling and rehabilitation, CorePlan helps miners eliminate single points of failure, protect margins, and set a new benchmark for contractor collaboration.