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GLOSSARY
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A
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Aluminum |
A
light, malleable metal that is a good conductor of electricity. Commonly
found in nature in oxidized form, bauxite. |
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Asbestos |
One
of the characteristics of this fibrous mineral is its high resistance
to heat. |
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B
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Barren
rock |
Rock that does
not contain minerals in quantities sufficient to allow for economically
profitable mining. |
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Blasting |
Technique to
break ore in an underground or open-pit mine. |
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Bulk
sampling |
Removing mineral
substances in substantial quantities (over 50 tonnes) in order to
do mineral processing tests. |
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C
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Cadmium |
Metal used in
metal-protecting alloys. |
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Cage |
Elevator for
moving people up and down mine shafts. |
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Claim
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Mining right
that grants holder the exclusive right to search, within a given territory,
for any mineral substance. May exclude peat, sand, clay, gravel, hydrocarbons,
brine and stone used for industrial purposes. |
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Coal |
A
black or brownish-black solid combustible substance, formed by the
partial decomposition of vegetable matter, that is widely used as
a natural fuel. |
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Concentrate |
i) Substance
of value produced by physical and/or chemical processing of ore.
ii) The separation of economically valuable minerals from the gangue. |
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Containment
pond |
Structure for
the accumulation of solid, chemical or dangerous substances in order
to prevent their dispersal into the environment. |
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Contaminant
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Any element
or natural substance whose concentration locally exceeds the background
concentration, or any substance that does not naturally occur in the
environment. |
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Copper |
Very malleable
and ductile red metal that is a good conductor of electricity. |
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Core
sample |
Cylindrical
sample of rock taken from the ground by drilling for research and
exploration purposes. |
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Cross-cut
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Drift
in an underground mine that provides access to an orebody. |
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Crown
or surface pillar |
A body of rock
of variable geometry that may or may not contain minerals. Located
above the underground operations, it supports the surface above stopes. |
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D
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Development |
A phase of activity
ranging from confirmation of a mineral deposit to the decision to
build a mine. Development includes all geological, engineering and
economic work necessary to ensure profitable mining and compliance
with applicable laws. |
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Diamond
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The hardest
and most brilliant of all precious gems. Drills are equipped with
diamond tips in order to cut through hard rock. |
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Drift
(tunnel) |
Underground
passageway that provides access to mining operations. |
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Drilling
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Piercing a hole
in rock. In exploration, drilling allows for samples of the rock to
be taken. In mining, it is used to insert explosives for blasting. |
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Dyke
(Vein) |
A long mass
of eruptive rock, a dyke (vein) may consist of mineral deposits located
between other rocks. |
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E
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Erosion |
Wearing away
and transformation of the earth's crust caused by water (rain, sea),
ice and atmospheric agents (wind). |
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Exploration |
In the broad
sense, the whole range of mining activity from searching for and developing
mineral deposits to developing the mine. In the strict sense, the
search for mineral deposits up to discovery and includes the delineation
of the deposit by means of drilling and sampling. |
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Extraction |
Mining activity
that consists of removing the rock from an underground or open-pit
mine. |
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F
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Flotation
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A form of concentration
of certain minerals from gangue based on their different surface reaction
to chemical flocculants. A reagent (chemical flocculants) is used
to adhere to the target mineral, which then rises to the top of the
flotation cell with injected air, where it can be collected. |
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Foundry/smelter
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A pyrometallurgical
plant where the concentrate is chemicaly reduced in order to extract
the metal or metals it contains. |
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G
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Gangue |
Rock surrounding
a mineral or precious gem in its natural state. |
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Geochemistry |
The study of
the chemical components of the earth's crust and mantle. Geochemistry
is applied to mining exploration to detect sites that indicate abnormal
concentrations either of the elements being sought or of their more
readily detected associate elements. Depending on circumstance, geochemical
exploration samples soils, rock, and lake and stream sediments. |
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Geology
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Science devoted
to the study of the structure and evolution of the earth's crust. |
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Geophysics
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Study of the
various physical properties of the earth and the composition and movement
of its component layers of rock. Geophysics is applied to mining exploration
to detect zones characterized by their physical properties such as
magnetism, gravity or conductivity (electromagnetism). |
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Gold |
A very ductile
and malleable, brilliant yellow precious metal that is resistant to
air and water corrosion. |
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Grinding
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Means of reducing
ore into very small particles by means of pressure or impact. Different
types of grinders are used in the processing plant to obtain the desired
dimension. |
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H
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Hazardous
waste |
Material that,
given its quantity, concentration and composition or its corrosive,
inflammable, reactive, toxic, infectious or radioactive characteristics,
presents a real or potential danger to human health, safety and public
well-being or poses a danger to the environment if it is not stored,
treated, transported, eliminated, used or otherwise managed. Mine
tailings are not normally hazardous waste. |
Head
frame |
Structure above
the mine shaft containing the equipment necessary for lowering and
raising equipment and personnel, and for raising the ore that is generally
stored in an ore bin before being transported to the processing plant. |
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Hematite
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The most common
iron ore, it is a natural iron oxide that is reddish or brown in colour. |
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I
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Ilmenite
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An oxide of
iron and titanium. |
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Infrastructure
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Construction
necessary for mining, such as certain buildings, gas pipes, water
lines, sewage and water systems, telephone cables and reservoirs.
It may also include roads, railways, airports and bridges, as well
as transmission lines, electrical cables, pylons and transformers. |
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Iron |
A ductile and
malleable greyish white metal used in making steel. |
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L
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Leaching |
Slow passage
of a solvent through a layer of porous or crushed material in order
to extract valuable components. For example, gold can be extracted
by heap leaching a porous ore or pulverized tailings. |
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Lead |
A
heavy, soft, malleable, ductile but inelastic bluish grey metallic
element found mostly in combination. |
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M
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Magma
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Liquid or molten
rock deep in the earth in a zone of very high temperatures and enormous
pressure where rock fusion takes place (Upper Mantle). |
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Magnesium |
A malleable
and ductile silvery white metal that is used in alloys. |
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Magnetism |
Branch of physics
that studies the properties of magnets and magnetic fields. |
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Metamorphism
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Changes over
time in the composition and structure of rocks caused by pressure
and temperature. |
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Mill/concentrator
or processing plant |
Surface plant
facilities for ore treatment that allow for the recovery and removal
of metals or the concentration of valuable minerals for smelting and
refining. |
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Mine
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A plant built
to extract an ore or mineral substance either underground or from
the surface. When the ore is extracted underground, the mine needs
a system of excavations in the rock to gain access to the ore areas.
When the ore is mined from surface, the ore is extracted from one
or several pits. |
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Mineral
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An inorganic
natural substance is characterized by its atomic structure and physical
and chemical properties. |
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Mineral
deposit |
Mineralized
mass that may be economically valuable, but whose characteristics
require more detailed information. An orebody being mined may be called
a deposit. |
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Mineral
processing |
Process of extraction
and concentration of economic minerals contained in ore. Mineral processing
includes various procedures that rely on the mineral's gravimetric
and magnetic characteristics, on its colour, and on reagents to make
target particles float to the surface (flotation). |
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Mining
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Activity whose
purpose is the extraction, concentration, and smelting of economic
minerals from a mineral deposit. It includes exploration (in the strict
sense), development of mineral deposits, constructing the mine and
mining, i.e., extracting and processing the ore or tailings. |
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N
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Nickel
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A silvery white
metal that is very resistant and stable at ambient temperatures. |
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Niobium |
A rare, brilliant
white metal always found in combination with tantalum. |
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O
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Ore
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A natural aggregate
of one or more minerals that can be mined and profitably sold under
current conditions, or from which one or more minerals can be profitably
extracted. |
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Ore
reserves |
The portion
of a mineral deposit that can be profitably mined. Use of this term
implies both an appropriate detailed knowledge of all the geological,
engineering, economic and environmental parameters that might affect
the profitability of the operation. For a new mining project or for
the mining of new zones in an existing mine, a formal feasibility
study is conducted to evaluate all parameters of the project. |
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Orebody |
Mineralized
mass whose characteristics have been determined and deemed to be commercially
viable. The term "orebody" is used once the economic limits
of the mineralized mass and its grade have been examined. |
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P
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Panning
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Operation that
consists of separating heavier minerals such as gold and sulphides
from lighter metals in stream sediment, loose soil or crushed rock
in a container shaped like a frying pan. In arid countries a similar
operation, winnowing, can be performed without water. |
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Possible
reserve |
Ore deposits
whose continuity has been determined from limited sampling information
and reasonable extrapolation. It does not stand alone but is an extension
of, or additional to, proven or probable reserves. Possible reserves
are excellent targets for increasing a probable reserve and for extending
the deposit over a larger and generally deeper area. |
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Potash |
Any of several
potassium salts, such as potassium chloride, mined and processed for
use in agriculture and industry. |
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Primary
crushing |
Process of reducing
blasted ore into smaller fragments so that it can be transported to
the processing plant. In underground mines, the primary crusher is
often located underground or at the entrance to the processing plant. |
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Probable
reserve |
Ore
deposits whose continuity has been confirmed by samplings on a relatively
detailed grid. The density of the grid allows for fairly precise determination
of tonnage, density and mineral and metal content sufficient to prepare
draft preliminary mining plans. Developing a new mine is usually undertaken
with probable reserves. |
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Prospecting
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In the broad
sense, prospecting refers to exploration. In the strict sense, prospecting
describes the search for surface mineralized showings (by prospectors). |
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Proven
reserve |
Ore
deposits whose tonnage, density and mineral or metal content are known
in detail. This implies that sampling and drilling have been carried
out in a regular grid located near mine workings. The term is generally
restricted to that part of a reserve that is being developed or mined
or for which there is a detailed mining plan. |
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Q
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Quarry |
Site where stone,
rock and construction materials are extracted. Open-pit operation. |
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R
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Raise/Chute |
Steeply inclined
rectangular or cylindrical opening used for ventilation or for conveying
ore, miners or equipment. The slope is generally 45 degrees but varies
up to 90 degrees. |
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Refining |
Purifying the
matte or impure metal undertaken to obtain a pure metal or mixture
with specific properties. |
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Rehabilitation
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Restoring an
old mining site for a new industrial function, recreational use, or
to a natural state. |
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Salt |
A white, friable
mineral that is highly soluble in water. |
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Sedimentation
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Formation of
sediment. A sediment is a natural deposit created by the action of
dynamic external agents such as water, wind and ice. |
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Settling
pond |
Basin or pond
that allows solid materials in suspension to settle. |
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Showing |
An indication
of mineralization, the extent and economic value of which are unknown. |
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Silver
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A very malleable
metal found naturally in an uncombined state or with other metals. |
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Skip
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A container
used in the mine shaft to vertically transport the ore up the mine
shaft to the surface. |
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Slag |
Vitreous materials
containing impurities from the ore and forming on the surface of molten
metals. |
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Stope
|
Area of mine
from which ore is or has been extracted. |
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Sulphur
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Element that
occurs in a nature state or in compounds such as sulphides. |
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T
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Tailings
dam |
Structure designed
to contain mine tailings and waste water. |
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Tailings
pond |
Place for storing
mine tailings and other residues resulting from ore processing and
mining. |
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Tailings |
Sludge, mineral
residue and waste water (apart from final effluent) resulting from
ore extraction or processing and the slag from pyrometallurgical operations. |
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Tellurium
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A rare metalloid
found in its natural state, but often combined with heavy or precious
metals. |
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Titanium |
A brilliant
white metal found in most igneous or sedimentary rocks. |
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Tonnage
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The quantity
of ore making up an orebody, or the rate at which ore is extracted. |
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Vein |
Thin mineralized
body. |
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Z
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Zinc |
Bluish-white
hard metal occuring in various minerals such as sphalerite. |
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