In the early 1900s, three aerial tramways were constructed for the New Idria Mine operations to transport cinnabar ore from the upper levels of the mine to the reduction plant.

A 2,300 foot tramway transported ore in 100 pound buckets from the 500-foot level to the reduction plant.

A 3,500 foot tramway was constructed in 1917 between level #5 and the New Idria furnace.

Aerial Tramway 1942 - Courtesy Library of Congress, Photographer Andreas Feininger

A two mile aerial tramway connected between the San Carlos Mine and the New Idria mill. The ore from the San Carlos mine was transported to the reduction works by a Painter aerial tramway. The drop between terminals was 2130 feet. The tram operation was controlled by brakes at the upper end. There were 30 buckets of 1000 pound capacity each. Lock-coil steel cables were used: the track rope on the loaded-bucket side being 1 1/8 inch diameter; on the empty side 7/8 inch diameter; the traction or pulling rope was 5/8 inch diameter. An automatic track oiler was passed over the line once every five days, spreading crude fuel-oil on the cable. The bucket were held onto the traction rope by a grip which is attached and detached automatically at the terminals. The buckets were dumped by hand. The capacity of the tramway was 20 tons of ore per hour and it was operated two 8-hour shifts daily. The San Carlos tramway was still in use in 1943.