Norsjö ropeway

The shortage of fuel and rubber during World War II made road transport of ore increasingly expensive for Boliden AB.

Planning started in 1941, the initial idea was run the ropeway straight between Boliden and Kristineberg, with supports made from arsenic-treated wood to keep construction costs at a minimum.

To make the most of the investment, however, it was decided to run the line across a number of newly discovered ore bodies to allow loading onto the ropeway once exploration was commenced - intermediate stations were required around every 13 km in any case.

[1] The supports and mechanical systems were identical to the 42 km Forsby-Köping limestone cableway completed in 1941 in middle Sweden, which served as a proof-of-concept for the enormous technological undertaking.

The cut-down corridor is still clearly visible on satellite images, a number of support pillars can also be seen at road crossings in Google street view.