Mesabi Metallics has begun iron ore mining in Minnesota using a new cable-electric Komatsu PC7000-11 hydraulic excavator, which on 23 July loaded a 400-short ton Komatsu 980E-5 haul truck, according to dealer Road Machinery & Supplies. The PC7000-11, typically a 650–700 t class machine with a 36–40 m³ bucket, is among the first cable-electric hydraulic excavators deployed at a US mine, where electric rope shovels have been more common. The move signals growing interest in high-capacity electric loading fleets for large open pits.

EPC Mineex Sénégal, a subsidiary of EPC Groupe, has secured a €23 million, three-year explosives and blasting services contract with Boto SA for the Boto gold mine in Senegal. The deal includes deployment of two Mobile Explosives Manufacturing Units (MEMUs) on site and the integrated supply of bulk explosives and associated blasting services. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, on-site MEMUs should enable tighter control of powder factors, blast timing, and fragmentation to support consistent ore feed and wall stability management.

MaxMine has launched Pulse, a fleet management system that combines business intelligence with AI-powered decision support to optimise productivity, cut haulage variability and lower cost per tonne in mixed-fleet open-pit operations. The platform ingests trusted operational data from disparate OEM fleets and sensors, then delivers real-time insights for dispatchers and supervisors to adjust payloads, cycle times and queue management on shift. For engineers, the key shift is from siloed FMS and telemetry feeds to a single decision layer aimed at tighter control of short-interval planning and execution.