For more than a decade, the DS GEOVIA User Conference Philippines has brought together mining professionals, industry experts, and GEOVIA software users to exchange knowledge, share practical experiences, and explore technological advancements in the mining industry.
Over the years, the conferences’ key highlights have been the opportunity for fellow GEOVIA users to share their experiences and demonstrate practical applications of the software alongside experts from Dassault Systèmes GEOVIA and Paramina. The users have come from diverse backgrounds in mining, featured presentations from universities and companies involved in gold, nickel, copper, and coal extraction, as well as quarrying and cement production, representing both surface and underground mining operations.
Presentations have covered geological modeling, mineral resource estimation, grade control, mine planning, scheduling, optimization, and digital transformation. Beyond core solutions such as Surpac, Whittle, MineSched, GEMS, and Minex, the conference has introduced developments in the use of iterative simulation for strategic optimization, mine operations management, implicit modeling, mine rehabilitation, and collaborative workflows through the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. These developments reflect Dassault Systèmes' continued innovation and expansion of the GEOVIA portfolio.
Organized by Paramina International, Inc. (formerly known as Paramina Earth Technologies, Inc.) in partnership with Dassault Systèmes GEOVIA, the event began as the GEOVIA Community Conference Philippines in December 2014. The inaugural conference featured presentations from GEOVIA specialists and mining professionals, followed by technical workshops covering GEOVIA Whittle, MineSched, and GEMS Geostatistics.
In 2017, the event adopted its current name, the GEOVIA User Conference Philippines, continuing its role as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration within the mining community.
Following a pause in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference resumed virtually in February 2022. In subsequent years, themes such as "Going Beyond – Sustainable Mining Fueled by Digital Transformation" in 2023 and "Charting Sustainable Horizons" in 2024 reflected the industry's growing emphasis on innovation and responsible mining practices.
The most recent conference was in 2025, which was held on December 4 at Makati Diamond Hotel, carried the theme "Partners in Progress: Innovating Sustainable Mining." Ralph Smith, Management Director for Global Sales – Partners at Dassault Systèmes, delivered the keynote address, highlighting technology, collaboration, and the future of sustainable mining.
The program also featured fellow GEOVIA users, including Carlo Matilac of Global Ferronickel Holdings, who discussed the application of the Enhanced Fiscal Regime to Whittle pit optimization, and David Gotera of TVI Resources Development, who presented on geotechnical modeling for open-pit slope stabilization. Experts from Dassault Systèmes GEOVIA and Paramina's technical team also shared insights into the latest software developments and applications.
Bringing together mining professionals, GEOVIA users, and industry experts creates opportunities to exchange practical knowledge and learn from real-world applications across different mining operations. Through user case studies, technical presentations, software updates, and demonstrations, participants gain insights into new approaches and solutions that can be applied to their own operations, fostering collaboration and continuous improvement across the Philippine mining industry.
Continuing this tradition, the 2026 GEOVIA User Conference Philippines will take place on November 16, 2026, at Venus Parkview Hotel in Baguio City, marking the first time the event will be held in Baguio. With the theme "Beyond Heavy Work: Empowering the Mining Industry Through Smarter & More Responsible Solutions," this year's conference will provide another opportunity to strengthen industry connections, share technical knowledge, and explore innovative solutions for the future of mining.
If you wish to attend, please contact Paramina through paramina_solutions@paramina.com. We look forward to welcoming participants to Baguio City for the 2026 GEOVIA User Conference Philippines!
