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.

GR Engineering Services has secured an EPC contract from BHP Iron Ore to deliver the Yandi Eastern Front-End Facility Upgrade, targeting the primary crushing circuit for the Ministers North project in Western Australia’s Pilbara. The scope covers engineering, procurement and construction of new front-end materials handling infrastructure tied into the existing Yandi joint venture operations. For mine planners and process engineers, the upgrade signals further brownfield optimisation of Yandi’s ore feed, with implications for crusher throughput, availability and integration with downstream screening and conveying.

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.