Motorists in Hibbing were treated to a special sight along the Beltline Thursday as the giant pink mining truck bucket of a 240-ton production truck at Hibbing Taconite winded its way through town. Cliffs Natural Resources, part-owner and operator of Hibbing Taconite, will deploy the pink mining truck to raise awareness of breast cancer screening and women’s health.

From a Dee Depass Star Tribune article:

“We needed a new truck box. So we called our vendor to replace the box. And they asked ‘What color do you want?’ We thought, ‘Color? Oh, this is a great opportunity,’ ” [Cliffs spokeswoman Sandy Karnowski] said. “What better way to make a statement about a devastating illness than to put bright pink on a 240-ton production truck that will be seen by the thousands of people who visit Hibbing every year?’”

The fully assembled pink mining truck will make its debut in the Hibbing Jubilee Parade on First Avenue and Howard Street at 3 p.m. on Saturday, before joining the fleet of production trucks at the mine. You’ll be able to see the truck in action from the viewing stand at the Hull Rust Mine View for the next several years (or until the red stain of iron ore turns the pink truck into a muddy red truck like the other “yellow” trucks in service).

It’s actually a pretty excited few days in Hibbing as the All-Class reunion is in full swing, the Jubilee street dance is Saturday night. Heck, there’s a giant pink truck in town. Things are heating up.