MOVING BULK MINERALS The movement of billions of tons of minerals and mineral products annually requires a major infrastructure of specialized materials handling facilities. Unit trains that run direct from mines to plants contribute to efficiency. A network of pipelines links many areas of the nation. Insulated pipelines, special ships, and special cars are needed to handle many cargoes. Bulk liquified natural gas requires cryogenic containers. Molten sulfur and molten steel require insulated transport. Super-tankers of about 500,000 tons are now being built abroad, and ships of nearly 1,000,000 tons are being contemplated. Because most minerals are large-bulk, relatively lowvalue items, the costs of transportation to the ultimate point of use are significant. Therefore, efficient transportation systems are essential. Some minerals may be transported several times as they advance through various stages of processing. |