Hitachi’s EX5500-6 ultra-large hydraulic excavator at the Moatize coal mine in Tete Province, Mozambique, has surpassed 100,000 operating hours under Vulcan Mozambique SA’s ownership. The EX5500-6, typically a 533–552 t class machine with a 29–34 m³ bucket, has reached this milestone in continuous overburden and coal loading duty in a high-production open-pit environment. The achievement signals long-term structural and hydraulic durability, with implications for life-cycle costing, rebuild strategies, and fleet availability planning on similar ultra-class excavators.

Epiroc is consolidating its reverse circulation drilling range by unifying its existing RC tools with the AirDrill hammer and bit line into a single AirDrill-branded portfolio. The move standardises product naming and specifications across markets, making it easier for mine and exploration teams to select compatible RC hammers and bits for specific hole diameters and ground conditions. For contractors operating mixed fleets, a single global portfolio should simplify procurement, inventory management and technical support for RC drilling consumables.

CITIC Heavy Industries has entered the mobile mining equipment market on its 70th anniversary with the launch of two rigid mining trucks, expanding beyond its established portfolio of AG/SAG mills, ball mills, crushers, vertical mills and mine hoists. The move positions the Chinese OEM to offer both mineral processing lines and pit haulage fleets from a single supplier, targeting large open-pit operations. For mine planners and procurement teams, this could introduce new competition to established truck vendors and enable tighter integration between plant throughput and haulage capacity.