Mining Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O

P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 
A Accession number order in which specimen is acquired
Acidic rock silicic rock, having high content of silica
Alloy mixture of metals
Amalgamatio recovery of cold or silver by use of mercury
Arenaceous rock rock containing sand
Assay wall mineralized rock surrounding vein

B

 

Base metal common metal, excluding iron and its alloys
Basic rock rock having high content of iron and magnesium, low silica content
Black sand sand containing metallic minerals
Breccia rock composed of angular or broken fragments

C
Caliche deposit of nitrate fertilizer in chile
Cementation deposition of mineral matter between rock fragments
Clastic rock sedimentary rock consisting of fragments, aka: detrital rock
Color particle of placer gold
Concentration separation of valuable mineral or rock from waste
Country rock unmineralized rock surrounding ore
Cross cut mine tunnel intersecting vein

D
Diagnostic mineral mineral indicating the geologic environment
Dike tabular body of igneous rock cutting across older rock
Dredge a motorized pontuned unit that floats on the surface of the water. Has a suction hose that sucks up gravel from the stream bed and runs them across the sluice
Drift mine tunnel parallel to vein
Dump pile of waste rock discarded in mining

E
Extrusive rock igneous rock formed upon the surface

F
Field classification classification of rocks by observing them in outcrops
Filler mineral used to add desired properties to manufactured products
Fineness parts per thousand of pure gold in native metal
Flotation recovery of minerals by means of their adherence to chemical forth
Flour gold extremely fine particles of gold
Flux (borax) substance to reduce melting temperature

G
Gangue waste rock in mineral deposits
Gloryhole mine combining open-cut and underground operations
Gravel loose rock coarser than sand
Grubstake supplies furnished to prospector in return for share in mineral discoveries

H
Hydraulicking placer mining with jets of water

I
Igneous rock rock cooled from molten magma or lava
Iron cross twin crystal of pyrite
Iron hat iron oxide outcrop on sulfide vein

J
Jig equipment for recovering placer minerals

K
Karat parts per 24 of pure gold in alloy

L
Level horizontal tunnel in mine
Lithification change of sediment into solid rock

M
Milling separation of valuable mineral or rock from waste
Mohs’ scale scale of hardness used for minerals
Mother lode principal vein system of a region

N
Nugget particle of native metal usually large enough to be picked up by hand

O
Open cut mine in surface opening
Ore rock or mineral deposit yielding a metal profitability
Overburden waste rock overlying mineral or rock deposit

P
Persistent mineral mineral formed under various geologic conditions
Pinch & swell expansion and contraction of vein
Playa lake intermittent lake in undrained desert basin
Pocket cavity in rock, sometimes containing quantities of gold
Precious metal gold, silver, or platinum
Pyroclastic rock rock broken by volcanic explosion

Q
Quarry open-cut mine for extracting rock

R
Raise or stope upward working from mine tunnel
Refining purification of metal
Rocker portable piece of equipment used for recovery gold in the 1800’s and today

S
Sedimentary rock rock deposited as fragments or from solution
Shaft vertical or inclined entry to mine
Sluice box a trough usually 3 to 6 feet long with riffles down the center and Carpet underneath used to trap heavy metals that are shoveled into them.
Smelting reducing ore to metal in a funacs
Specific gravity relative weight of a substance compared to water
Stratification layers of sedimentary rock in layers according to size and weight
Streak color of powdered mineral
Streak plate unglazed porcelain used to test streak
Strip mining recovery of overburden and rock from flat deposit near surface

T
Till unsorted glacial deposit

V
Vein stringer of ore in rock

W
Winze a passageway to permit downward working from mine tunnel

 

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