MINExpo is over for another four years, but the impact of announcements, partnerships and launches at the event will be felt for some time.

There was a huge array of technology and equipment on show, promising to make mining operations safer, more efficient, greener and more productive.

Here are some of the innovations we spotted at the Las Vegas expo that were creating a buzz.

Partnerships, of a new kind

The deals announced by Australian miner Fortescue made a splash at MINExpo this year. They included a zero-emissions fleet designed with Liebherr, a deal for McLean's GR8 motor graders, the delivery of Epiroc's Pit Viper 271 E electric drill rig to Pilbara and a partnership with Scania to produce an autonomous road train.

Fortescue has long been hailed as being at the forefront of decarbonisation and automation efforts in the mining industry.

But the collaborations marked something else: a new way of working for original equipment manufacturers and miners.

Weir's CEO John Stanton, in an interview with Mining Magazine, told us that in the past, mining companies would often approach his teams having already decided what they needed.

Choosing equipment was a matter of procurement, and most operations continued the same way they had for years.

Fortescue now has its name emblazoned on the side of the T 264 autonomous, electric truck, something that would have been unheard of in the past.

Acting as both supplier and purchaser, the miner and partner Liebherr have already secured orders for 100 of these trucks.

Stanton said the OEM now has a bigger role in shaping flowsheets and determining which equipment will bring most productivity and other gains.

The lines are increasingly blurred between supplier and user, allowing for a more dynamic relationship that adapts and improves more quickly than we have seen in the past.

Evolution vs revolution

While sustainability and decarbonisation were strong themes, the exact pathway to these goals is not unanimously agreed upon.

Cummins' president of power systems Jenny Bush told Mining Magazine that there is an ongoing role for the internal combustion engine (ICE).

The company, which specialises in engines and provides them for companies including Komatsu, was promoting its bridging technologies at MINExpo.

Bush highlighted the ongoing challenges of building suitable infrastructure and creating power for electric vehicles and equipment as obstacles to full electrification.

In the meantime, she said, companies can work towards decarbonisation by adopting strategies such as hybrid technologies.

Komatsu and others offer equipment that is "agnostic", meaning that it can work for various types of fuel or power systems.

Miners can choose a fully autonomous, battery-electric truck as these are out on the market today.

They can also take smaller, evolutionary steps towards the same goal.

For Fortescue, that isn't enough – the company has stated that net-zero by 2050 is not an ambitious enough goal.

However, MINExpo made it clear that others are taking a more cautious approach towards their decarbonisation projects.

Fully integrated kit

One of the most fun things to do at MINExpo is clamber onto giant trucks or pose inside huge excavator buckets.

One couple, who met on a mine site, even got engaged inside a Cat bucket this year.

The big machines have always been an attraction – but they should no longer be seen as separate to the technology that powers them.

"Machines are not just iron anymore," Caterpillar's global director of operations Tiago Danda told Mining Magazine.

In Caterpillar's case, customers want the company's MineStar digital technology built into the equipment they buy.

It can track, monitor, automate and manage all kinds of assets, including people.

This will become increasingly important as fleets electrify, allowing operators to monitor range as well as predict when repairs might be necessary.

Built-in tech means different ways of working, with more operations controlled remotely in the future and maintenance being as much about software as mechanics.

Safety matters

We had a chat with Chris Adkins, mining sales manager at Matrix Design Group.

The company was showing off a range of options for its Path to Automation products, such as the Infinitum PowerCore Motors that promise the same power in a 50% smaller package.

What stood out was the company's IntelliZone Proximity Detection System, ideal for underground mines where visibility is low or non-existent.

It creates zones around all mobile equipment and shows operators where people are without excessive annoying alerts. It was one of many innovations the company has made to make underground mining safer.

These kinds of collision avoidance systems were everywhere and were also built into some vehicles and equipment, including the Epiroc underground loader we jumped on board.

As operations move increasingly underground, automation can make them safer. Where people are still involved, these kinds of tools can make a big difference.

Many ask questions about why miners still die when there has been such a big drive towards safety in recent years.

It can be difficult to get a true picture of a remote mine site based on what the companies themselves report, and it is not always possible to prevent accidents when people flout the rules.

However, technology can make a difference, whatever your budget.

We also admired Kal Tire's award-winning Wheel Jaws, remote-controlled clamps allowing tires and wheels to be installed and removed without technicians.

Automation can come in the form of the impressive Fortescue/Liebherr T 264 truck, or it can be all about the small details.

Taking the human out of harm's way, Kal Tire's innovation and R&D manager Peter Nilsson explained, is often the best way to address safety, and automating processes makes perfect sense here.