Once you have cleared your shaft to your desired depth, you will need to fit RackRails to the edges of it. Thankfully, using modern construction techniques, these don't need any support.
Simply attach a Storage Hopper to the Cargo Lift controller and it will place them automatically.
There is NO limit to the distance that this can be placed, but please note that there is a trade-off between distance and speed.
400-600 metres is ideal, but they can be used at any distance at all.
A minimum distance of around 15 metres is recommended.
For shorter distances, try MatterMovers or Transport Conveyors.