The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-04-15

scending buckets hoist all the empties
al the NINE supplies and workmen and
a large supply of water up to that re-
mote mine. This. over a country where
not one ton could possibly be brough
put by any other means of transpor
tation
Utah Copper's Long Tram.
Al copper mine at Bingham. Utah.
an aerial tramway conveys ore to the
railroad--over four miles. For the
first 5000 feet from the mine the line
runs up grade to the range summit.
an ascent of six hundred feet In the
remaining sixteen thousand feet the
fan To the railroad level is 1412 feet
This sharp fall enables the whole line
buckets going down the grade pulling
the empties up to and over the sum
init. This is not all; a large amount
of surplus power Is developed; enough
TO haul coal for a stationary mine en-
CINE and all supplies and tools up thai
mountain side. As an object lesson
on making good on opportunity this
weighs ton--gross.
/ OF course, in such diversity of loca-
tion and of work diversity of equip
ment is necessary On comparatively
short lines single endless travelling
cable is used to which the buckets or
carriers are attached at intervals. On
longer lines or those which have to
do heavier work. stationary heavy
cables are fastened to the towers and
on these the buckets travel, suspended
from trolley carriers which are in
turn furnished with a grip, connect
ing them with a travelling overhead
cable
Loading and Unloading Automatic.
The loading and unloading is almost
always automatic. In one smstem q
travelling loader is on short track
Immediately above the cable As the
empty bucket comes round, the loader
starts and travels just above that
bucket for a dozen feet, automatically
dumping its contents into 1t. Then the
travelling loader returns to it's first po-
sition and Is Immediately filled from
the mine cars which run on track
above it.
In another system the buckets are
loaded without stopping by a quick
dump from hopper, automatically OPP
Grated
on some systems. the buckets or
carriers, upon reaching the loading
point are switched to side line,
where as much time as may be de-
sired for loading is secured. Here
again, the disconnectlon and connec-
ton with the main line is almost auto
matte; the pulling on a light swith be
ing sufficient. The great point on min
ing operations is to keep the traction
cable constantly moving 50 that con-
tinuous regular run of buckets Is ar
irving at, and departing from, the mine
outlet.
The unloading is also automatic,
latch being tripped as the bucket
reaches the desired spot, when 1t turns
bottom side up and dumps its contents.
dumping, sef-righting, self-lock
ing buckets these are termed, and that
seems to be the limit Of automatism.
With another class of bucket the bot
tom is hinged and drops down when
its latch is trapped at the right mo-
ment
Economy Of Construction and Opera
ton.
Apart from the comparatively small
cost of building the aerial galloway
compared with that of railroad, or
even in mountain sections, of wagon
road, the operation cost Is often mar
velous in its economy.
At the plant of a friedrich company
in Pennsylvania. fifty tons Of clay are
carried over 1927 feet at a total cost
for labor of $3.50 per day. This com
pares with a previous cost Of $3.50
per day for wagon haul; besides the
serious delays in winter from SHOWS
and heavy roads.
At Monterey, Mexico, a tramway Is
carrying ore for $4,000 feet with a diff
ference in elevations between the
terminals of 5000 feet at a total oper-
ating cost of IS cents - Mexican
money-per ton. Their return freights
supplies, etc.-cost nothing.
In Arizona a line brings down four
tons per hour of copper ore and lime
stone from the mine to the smelter--
1924 feet, at a cost, including loading
and unloading, Of 25 cents per hour.
At one of the remote secluded coal
mines in Montana, 300 tons daily are
carried overhead across mile of the
widest, toughest country in that Wild
rough state. Two men are at the load
ing station up in the mountain. An
other Is at an intermediate station.
The cost Of transportation Is below ~
cents per ton.
At the works Of the Trenton Iron
company in New Jersey, two laborers
get in the days supply Of steam coal
thirty tons-in one hour and half;
the fatal cost including power being
GO cents. The aerial line Is 700 feet
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