ABSTRACTThe overall steepness of pitwalls significantly influences the financial return of an open pit mine. In current practice, pitwall profiles are planar in cross-section. In this paper, a new geotechnical software, OptimalSlope, is employed to determine depth-varying optimal pitwall profiles for each slope sector of the mine. OptimalSlope solves a mathematical optimization problem where the overall steepness of the pitwall is maximized for the assigned stratigraphy, rock properties, and Factor of Safety (FoS). Bench geometries (bench height, bench-face inclination, and minimum berm width) are incorporated into the optimization as constraints that bind the maximum local inclination of the sought optimal profile together with any other constraint related to any geological discontinuities that may influence slope failure. The optimal profiles are always steeper than their planar counterparts—that is, the profile exhibiting the same FoS, generally up to 8 degrees, depending on rock type and constraints. To showcase the financial gains that can be achieved via OptimalSlope, the design of a gold mine in a complex geology dominated by weak rocks was initially carried out for planar pitwalls and then for optimal pitwall profiles. The pit has been divided into five geotechnical sectors, each requiring a different pitwall profile design. Adopting optimal slope profiles led to a 52.7% higher net present value and reductions in the carbon footprint and energy consumption of 0.0613 million tonnes CO2eq and 31.3 million MJ, respectively, due to a 3.5% reduction of rock waste volume.