1. Introduction
Economic transportation of bulk material is of paramount importance to the mining and process industries of the modern world. The conveying of material adds no value to the end product, so economy and reliability are equally vital.
The modem aerial ropeway has shown that it i, s today a very economic and reliable form of transportation for bulk materials, particularly in undulating and rough terrain. Until recently, trucks were generally accepted as the 'best' means of bulk transportation, but with the increased cost of fuel, oil and labour, economic as well as technical questions are being asked at the evaluation stage as to their future acceptability.
A further area of evaluation is also becoming increasingly important in view of the generally accepted need to protect and preserve the environment. Frequently a mining company has to consider not only the mine area in which It is operating, but also the wider ranging aspects of the possible environmental and ecological effects of installing a transport system.
■
