CANADIAN TECHNOLOGY
the GR8 EV Surface Grader. MacLean has already announced its first customer, a collaboration with Fortescue that was announced at MINExpo 2024, in support of Fortescue’ s Real Zero 2030 decarbonisation strategy for its iron ore operations in Western Australia. MacLean plans to develop additional products to complement the GR8 and help the global surface mining sector accelerate its decarbonisation timelines for ancillary equipment.
David Jacques, MacLean Vice President of Surface Mining Vehicles, said:“ As a company we turned 50 in 2023 and, in 2025, we are also celebrating our 10-year anniversary of our EV Series. Now we are making another decisive move towards providing EVs for the surface mining sector around the globe. With a decade of EV experience in the underground mining sector, 100-plus units sold and commissioned, and 500,000-plus operating hours logged, we are well positioned to bring our expertise and learnings around EV equipment to surface mining operations.”
Dan Stern, Senior Product Manager at MacLean, added:“ Our message to the mining world is simple and powerful – we are here now to accelerate your fleet decarbonisation requirements. Our aspirations are much broader and longer-term than just that one surface mining vehicle model, we have a variety of planned ancillary EVs to help you realise this to meet your core business objectives of safety, productivity and cost controls. To mining companies around the globe – we want to hear about your decarbonisation and operational optimisation plans. We’ re here to listen and provide solutions.”
The inaugural model for the new MacLean Surface Mining division is the GR8 EV Surface Grader
Network( PMN) at the MacLean Research & Training Facility in Sudbury, Ontario, provides a communications infrastructure suited for mining vehicle innovation, the companies say. Bell’ s PMN will transform the test facility into a Centre of Excellence, leveraging Bell’ s secure 5G / LTE network that delivers persistent, dedicated bandwidth and signal stability from the surface shop to the underground environment.
This Centre of Excellence serves as the foundation for MacLean’ s mobile equipment research and development, it says. It enables the company’ s mining vehicles to be more dependably controlled remotely, with real-time monitoring data to support rapid decision making. Remote operators can also monitor vehicles from a distance without lag, powered by Bell’ s low-latency PMN.
The collaboration between Bell and MacLean exemplifies a commitment to sustainable mining practices as Bell has also installed PMN coverage at MacLean’ s Electric Vehicle refurbishment plant located in the same facility, the companies say. Replicating the operating environment in the manufacturing facility optimises quality
assurance and manufacturing efficiencies. Accelerating the transformation of mining companies’ digital services enables the deployment of electric vehicles underground using battery technologies that leverage realtime monitoring, with reductions in fuel use and CO 2 emissions.
Jacques said:“ What we’ re doing here at our research and training facility is quite literally building the mine of the future, now, leveraging Bell’ s leading-edge mobile network technology, so that we can accelerate the industry transition to mining in a way that maximises the benefits from emerging automation and digitalisation technologies. This new private mobile network technology will help us pursue our core work of driving safety and productivity improvements in mining, here in Canada and around the globe. I’ m delighted with the results of this collaboration and know that it will open new possibilities for our Advanced Vehicles and Technology team at our test facility to pursue their important innovation work.”
Costa Pantazopoulos, VP Product, Bell, added:“ Bell’ s private mobile network will allow MacLean to drive the modernisation of mining operations in Canada supporting the interoperability of equipment, safer environments for all workers, and fostering a more sustainable future through the enablement of battery-electric mining vehicles. Our collaboration will support the opportunity for innovative Canadian IoT solutions providers to test and modify their solutions to perform at the exacting standards required in rugged, real-world mining conditions in MacLean’ s Centre of Excellence.”
Timberland’ s next generation PMRH
The next generation of the Timberland Portable Mine Rescue Hoist( PMRH) was recently
Facilitating a Centre of Excellence
Back underground, MacLean has teamed up with Canada-based telecomms major Bell to announce a technology collaboration to better support the evolving needs of mining customers.
The innovations being introduced will improve equipment interoperability, enhancing safety for workers and driving sustainable practices and reduced vehicle emissions.
The installation of a Bell Private Mobile
Like previously manufactured units, this PMRH uses a telescopic boom assembly designed and manufactured by Hawboldt Industries, a member of the Timberland Group of Companies
16 International Mining | APRIL 2025