Currently being built at what is one of the UK's oldest continuously operated quarries, RopeCon will soon be put to work extracting, processing, and transporting overburden for emplacement within the existing quarry as part of its restoration.
This is the first RopeCon installation in the UK and will transport up to 1,000 tonnes of overburden per operating hour. The solution will also dramatically reduce CO₂ emissions and environmental impact compared with road haulage or the footprint associated with a conventional surface conveyor system.
RopeCon uses a combination of ropeway technology and conventional conveying technology. Its track ropes will span 850m across the entire Bardon Hill pit upon which the belt which transports the overburden will travel. The RopeCon system includes a reversible second belt that will enable simultaneous conveying and emplacement activities. During the life of the operation, the RopeCon track ropes will be periodically re-tensioned to allow the system to be lifted above the placed material. This ability to control the drop height will minimise the impact of noise and dust during the system's operation.
