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.

Palabora Mining Company has upgraded its medium-voltage network with ABB equipment and long-term service support to stabilise power supply at its copper mining and smelting complex in Limpopo, one of South Africa’s highest-demand electrical mining environments. The project focuses on modern protection, control and switching on the MV network, improving fault detection and isolation compared with legacy gear. Higher network reliability directly supports hoisting, crushing and smelting uptime, while reduced manual switching and better arc-flash protection improve electrical safety for maintenance crews.