WORLD PROSPECTS
Pronto, HCM target OEM-agnostic autonomy
Pronto and Hitachi Construction Machinery have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at advancing open mine automation solutions.
Through this partnership, the two companies aim to deliver automation solutions that provide customers with a broader range of options to address challenges such as improving mining operations and adapting to changing business environments.
Mining companies are increasingly seeking practical and scalable solutions that help improve productivity and safety while also addressing labour shortages. In particular, they are looking for open automation solutions that can be flexibly deployed according to the operating conditions of each mine, while making use of existing equipment and technologies from different manufacturers and avoiding excessive dependence on a single technology platform or vendor ecosystem. Hitachi Construction Machinery and Pronto share the view that meeting these expectations requires an open ecosystem that brings together expertise in mining operations, mining equipment, digital technologies and automation technologies, enabling solutions to be flexibly adapted to the specific needs of each mine, they say.
Pronto says its systems have autonomously hauled millions of tonnes in commercial mixed-fleet operations, with production deployments spanning three continents. The company’ s mission is to make autonomous haulage practical, affordable and available to every mining operation worldwide.
Hitachi Construction Machinery has long supported mining operations around the world through the provision of mining equipment and brings deep expertise in mining operations, together with a global customer base. Looking ahead to its planned transition to the LANDCROS brand in April 2027, Hitachi Construction Machinery is promoting co-creation by openly connecting products, technologies and partners to deliver new value to customers.
By combining their expertise in mining
4 operations, mining equipment and automation technologies, the two companies aim to create new value for mining customers.
Masafumi Senzaki, Hitachi Construction Machinery President and Executive Officer, said:“ Through our collaboration with Pronto, we will combine Hitachi Construction Machinery’ s equipment expertise with advanced automation technologies to provide customers with greater flexibility and options in adopting automation solutions. This partnership represents an important step in realising the desire embodied in the‘ O’ of LANDCROS – to openly co-create new businesses and value with customers and partners across the mining industry, and to grow together.”
Christian Kurasek, Pronto CFO, told IM:“ Pronto is currently operating in NA, SA and EMEA. Hitachi shares our vision of OEM-agnostic autonomy to give operators choice to choose the best trucks for their fleet while independently choosing the best AHS technology.” He added that a project to apply Pronto AHS on HCM machines is already in the works but not yet running. Existing Pronto customers include Heidelberg Materials at quarries like Lake Bridgeport, where Pronto’ s system is working on a mixed fleet of Caterpillar and Komatsu haul trucks. Ultimately, over 100 trucks will be outfitted with the Pronto AHS across more than a dozen Heidelberg global sites.
HCM for its part is already experienced with autonomy on its own equipment, having developed its own AHS which it cites as having operated for over 144,000 working hours with zero safety incidents and moving more than 58 Mt of material at client sites like Whitehaven Coal’ s Maules Creek with a fleet of 28 EH5000 trucks.
pronto. ai; hitachicm. com
AI-driven APC on the way
Glencore Technology says it is positioning the Jameson Cell for the next generation of mineral processing, highlighting how flotation circuit design can unlock the full potential of AI-driven advanced process control( APC).
As mining companies increasingly explore AI and automation, the conversation is often centred on software. However, Glencore Technology believes the real opportunity lies in the underlying process and the quality of the data that drives it.
“ AI has enormous potential for mineral processing, but software alone won’ t deliver it,” Dr. Chris Anderson( pictured), Principal Metallurgist, Glencore Technology, says.“ The quality of the control strategy will always depend on the quality of the underlying process and the data available to it. That’ s where we see the Jameson Cell offering a genuine advantage.” Conventional flotation circuits often comprise dozens of cells operating across multiple stages, with residence times of several hours between a process adjustment and the resulting metallurgical response. This complexity makes it difficult for both operators and AI systems to rapidly evaluate process changes and optimise circuit performance, according to the company. By comparison, the Jameson Cell’ s compact circuit, short residence time and simplified operating environment provide
the conditions needed for effective APC and future AI-enabled optimisation, it claims.
Anderson says:“ The advantage of the Jameson Cell is its simplicity. With residence times of just five to 10 minutes and a much more compact circuit, you get rapid feedback on process changes. That gives advanced process control systems the opportunity to learn faster, respond faster and continually optimise the circuit.”
Beyond faster response times, the Jameson Cell also creates opportunities for direct process measurement through online analysers, flowmeters, densitometers, particle size analysers and automated sampling systems, Glencore Technology says. Together, these technologies provide a real-time circuit mass balance and direct measurement of grade and recovery, reducing reliance on inferred measurements such as froth cameras and soft sensors commonly used in conventional flotation circuits.
glencoretechnology. com
New MMD Sizer Stations for Mae Moh
MMD Group Ltd has successfully completed the latest phase of its long-standing partnership with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand( EGAT), to deliver two new Sizer Stations for the Mae Moh lignite mine as the operation continues its transition from conventional crushing to modern mineral sizing technology.
The successful handover of Sizer Station 6 and Sizer Station 7 on June 19, 2026, is another milestone in a relationship spanning more than 30 years, MMD says.
The company has provided Mae Moh with Sizer Stations since 1993 and has delivered multiple Sizer Stations across
International Mining | AUGUST 2026