Open Mining Format (OMF)
Published: March 26,2025Mining companies regularly need to use multiple software packages to view and manipulate their 3D data. At present, this frequently means employing time-consuming and error-prone workaround solutions for data import and export.
Open Mining Format (OMF) is a new open source file format being developed to improve interoperability and long-term storage of 3D mining data.
OMF is currently at version 2.0-beta. As an open source project, all source code and documentation for OMF is published to GitHub, along with project documentation. A Getting Started with OMF guide is also available online.
PURPOSE
The purpose of OMF is to provide a robust and open industry-specific file format for storing 3D data, which supports data interchange and promotes collaboration across mining.
The benefits of an open format include:
- Improving existing slow and error-prone workflows that are based on rudimentary export formats, such as CSV.
- Enabling new workflows by facilitating interoperability between different vendors’ software products.
- Ensuring the long-term accessibility of historical mining data.
- Facilitating collaboration within and outside the industry.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the OMF project is to create a file format that allows 3D data to move cleanly between different software packages, allowing for successful manipulation and storage of that data by multiple teams with different areas of expertise.
METHODOLOGIES | SCOPE
Since project inception in 2017, the OMF working group has produced multiple open source code projects to address this identified need for an open file format.
This is an active project and additional development work is currently underway.
Version 1
The first generation of work produced a Python package, functioning as positive proof of concept.
Version 2
A second generation project was started in October 2023, and has produced a Rust library with C bindings and supporting technical documentation.
MEDIA AND EXTERNAL MENTIONS
- International Mining: GMG’s Open Mining Format Gaining Traction
- Interview: Graduate at Colorado School of Mines creates OMF viewer
Open Source OMF viewer on GitHub] - New OMF format supported by GEOVIA Surpac and the Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE Platform
- Seequent’s Guide to The Open Mining Format (Oct 24, 2017)
- Seequent’s Help pages for Open Mining Format