Factories all over the world use conveyor belts to move minerals, gold, and even diamonds. It’s one of the most cost efficient methods, and it’s a wonder to look at. Conveyor belts aren’t just in factories, though. Some may be located indoors and measured in feet, but this one stretches out across the land for miles.
Deep in the deserts of Africa lies a conveyor belt that stretches beyond all imagination. It’s so long, it is visible from high above in satellite photos.
At 61 miles in length, the world’s longest conveyor belt is located in the Western Sahara.
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It’s so long that the belt is visible as a straight line in satellite photos, and at some places, easily recognizable by a white strip of phosphates that get blown off the belt due to big Saharan winds.
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At it’s maximum, this conveyor belt that connects Bou Craa with El Aaiún can carry 2,000 metric tons of rock per hour.
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Used to transport phosphate rocks from the mines of Bou Craa to the port city of El-Aaiun, the phosphate is used in various countries to make fertilizer.
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Making it, despite the winds, the longest and most productive conveyor belt in the world.
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(via Amusing Planet)
There’s no doubt about it. I’d have NO idea this was possible, let alone true. That’s why next time you’re at a local bar with friends, I think you’ve found the perfect factoid to bet a drink over. They’ll never even come close!
