Glossary mining glold terms

Accident : an undesired event that results in harm to people, damage to property, loss to process, or harm to the environment
activated carbon : chemically treated and heated carbon which has the ability to absorb gold
alteration : the physical or chemical change in the composition of rock
arsenopyrite :iron arsenic sulphide, FeAsS
backfill :waste rock or tailings used to fill mined out areas, particularly underground
basalt :dark colored, fine-grained volcanic igneous rock
base metal :non-ferrous metals inferior in value to precious metals; i.e. copper lead, zinc, nickel
bedrock :solid rock beneath superficial soil cover and unconsolidated sediments
belt :an exposed zone or band of a particular kind of rock
bioxidation :the oxidation of elements caused by naturally occurring bio-organisms in rock. Bioxidation is used in the recovery of gold from sulhpide rock by providing the optimum temperature, acidity (pH) and oxygen levels for the natural oxidation process to work most effectively
breccia : rock consisting of angular fragments in a finer-grained matrix
bullion : the product of smelting or refining precious metals, usually in the form of bars or ingots
by-product : revenue, net of transportation, refining and treatment charges, from the sale of metals derived in conjunction with the production of the primary mine metal
carbon-in-leach (CIL) :a process to recover dissolved gold onto activated carbon, by introducing activated carbon into a gold-cyanide slurry during the agitation process and subsequently separating the loaded carbon from the slurry for the removal of the gold
carbon-in-pulp (CIP) :a process to recover dissolved gold onto activated carbon, by introducing activated carbon into the system after the gold has been dissolved by the cyanide solution and subsequently separating the loaded carbon from the slurry for the removal of the gold
cash cost :includes production costs, royalties, marketing and refining charges, together with all administration expenses at the operating level

chlorite : platey iron-magnesium silicate, typically formed during alteration by other minerals at low temperatures
cut-and-fill : a mining method which removes ore in horizontal slices and the remaining void is filled with waste rock before proceeding to mine the next slice of ore
cut-off grade : the lowest grade of mineralized material considered to be economic and used to calculate the ore reserve in a deposit
cyanide-leaching : dissolving gold or silver in a weak solution of sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide
dip : the angle of incline from horizontal of a planar feature, such as an orebody
disseminated ore : ore bearing small particles of valuable minerals spread throughout the rock
dolerite : intrusive dyke rock made up mostly of feldspar and pyroxene
doré : unrefined gold and silver bars usually containing more than 90 percent precious metal
drift-and-fill : an underground mining method whereby ore is mined by drifting along the mineralization and backfilling the void so that the next level can be mined
dyke : an igneous intrusion which cuts across the bedding of other planar structures in the country rock
erosion : the alteration, loosening and removal of land surface material by the actions of running water and wind
exposure hours : the total number of hours worked at the operation
extrusive : igneous rock which has been erupted to the surface by volcanic activity
facies : distinctive rock type
fatality : death of an individual as a result of a work related accident or illness
fault : a break in the sub-surface strata where there is displacement relative to the original position of strata
feasibility study : a comprehensive study undertaken to determine the economic feasibility of a project; the conclusion will determine if a production decision can be made and is used for financing arrangements
first aid : all work related injury or illness that does not require medical attention
flotation : a process by which some mineral particles are induced, by the introduction of specific reagents, to become attached to bubbles and float while other particles sink; the valuable minerals are concentrated and separated from the gaunge
fold :a bend in rock strata
formation : a unit of geological mapping, consisting of a large and persistent stratum of rock
gabbro : coarse-grained igneous rock containing minor silica
gold equivalent: gold plus silver expressed in equivalent ounces of gold using a conversion ratio dependent on prevailing gold and silver prices
grade : the amount of valuable material in a specific volume of rock; typically expressed as grams per tonne for precious metals and as a percentage for base metals
granophyric : an igneous texture characterized by irregular intergrowths of quartz and feldspar
gravity separation : recovery of gold from crushed rock using gold's high specific gravity to separate it from lighter material
greenstone : metamorphosed mafic igneous rock which is typically green due to content of chlorite, actinolite, etc.
headframe : the framework building at the top of the shaft which houses the hoisting mechanisms
hedging : the effective offsetting of a price or exchange risk inherent in another transaction or arrangement
host rock : the rock containing minerals; eg an orebody
hydrometallurgy : the selective dissolution of metals from ore to concentrates
hydrothermal : pertaining to heated water which transports minerals in solution
incident : an undesired event which under slightly different circumstances could result in harm to people, damage to property, loss to process, or harm to the environment
ISO 9000 : international standards for organizations to implement quality management systems and quality assurance programs
ISO 14000 : international standards for organizations to implement sound environmental management systems
infill drilling : drilling between previously drilled holes to provide additional geological information to more accurately define mineralization
lag : coarse gravel material remaining behind when finer material has been eroded away
lava : molten magma extruded from volcanic vent lode
lost time injury (LTI) : the number of lost time injuries multiplied by 200,000 and divided by the total number of exposure hours

lost time injury incident rate (LTA) : all work related injuries or illnesses where the employee cannot work the next regular scheduled shift
mafic : igneous rock with dark coloration due to high magnesium and iron content
medical injury : any injury that requires treatment by a licensed medical professional that does not result in lost time or restricted duty but is beyond first aid
Merrill-Crowe : a precipitation process to recover precious metals from a cyanide solution using zinc dust
metasediments : metamorphosed sedimentary rocks
metasomatism : the process by which one mineral is replaced by another
mill : the plant for grinding ore to a fine powder and extracting the economic metals by physical and/or chemical means
mineralized zone : host rock in which minerals of potential commercial value occur

net smelter return (NSR) : a share of the net revenue generated from the sale of metal produced by the mine
open pit : a mine on the surface
ore : a mixture of minerals, host rock and waste rock which is expected to be profitably mined
ounces L weight of gold with a fineness of 999.9 parts per 1,000; 1 Troy ounce is equal to 31.1034 grams
outcrop : part of a geological formation or structure that appears at the surface of the earth
oxidation : chemical reaction between any substance and oxygen
oxide ore : mineralized rock in which the minerals have been partially or wholly oxidized by weathering processes
porphyry : igneous rocks containing large crystals in a fine-grained groundmass
pressure oxidation : an oxidation process which uses high temperature and pressure to convert refractory sulphide mineralization into amenable oxide ore
process loss : any unplanned interruption or downgrading of operating processes resulting from an accident, abuse, negligence, or act of God
production cost: cash cost plus depreciation, amortization and reclamation
property damage : damage occurring to property through an accident, abuse, negligence, or act of God
pyrite : an iron sulphide, FeS
pyrrhotite : an iron sulphide, FeS
raise : a vertical or upward inclined drive to connect underground mine levels or to the surface
reagent : a chemical used in the mineral recovery process
reclamation : the rehabilitation to beneficial use of land disturbed by mining activity
refractory ore : gold mineralization encapsulated in silica or sulphide, which is not amenable to cyanide leaching methods
reserve : that part of a resource that can be profitably mined under current or specified economic conditions. A reserve estimate must consider all technical, operating, legal and financial factors
reserve - proven : the estimated quantity and grade of part of a measured resource for which all consideration factors establish the highest degree of confidence in the estimate
reserve – probable : the estimated quantity and grade of part of a indicated resource for which all consideration factors establish a confidence level for positive decisions on major expenditures
resource : the grade and quantity estimate of a mineralized deposit that indicates mining is currently or potentially profitable under economic and operating conditions
resource - measured : the estimated grade and quantity for that part of a deposit configuration which has been very well established by observation, sampling, drilling trenches and mine workings
resource - indicated : the estimated grade and quantity for that part of a deposit for which grade continuity, shape and extent has been established for reliable grade and tonnage estimation
resource – inferred : the estimated grade and quantity determined from limited sampling but sufficient geological information and understanding to outline a deposit of potential economic merit
restricted duty injury : all work related injuries or illnesses that result in the employee not being able to perform 100% of normal duties, whether scheduled to or not
room-and-pillar : mining method used for flat-lying deposits where the ore is removed in chambers or rooms leaving pillars for support
schist : fine-grained metamorphic rock with laminations similar to slate
severity measure: the number of days lost, plus the number of days of restricted duty, multiplied by 200,000 and divided by the number of exposure hours
shaft :a vertical passage in an underground mine used for transporting personnel, equipment, supplies and mined material
silicic alteration : replacement of silica
spot price :current price of gold or other commodity traded in the immediate market
stockwork : a 3-dimensional network of veins or veinlets
stope :the working area from which ore is extracted in an underground mine
strike :the direction or bearing of a mineralized vein or rock formation
stripping ratio :the ratio of the amount of waste rock removed per tonne of ore mined
sulfide :a mineral compound characterized by the linkage of sulfur with metal or semimetal; eg galena, PbS, or pyrite, FeS2
syncline :a fold of strata forming an inverted arch
tailings :material rejected from a treatment plant after the valuable minerals have been recovered
telluride: a mineral characterized by the linkage of metal with tellurium
tholeiitic :basaltic magma containing little or no olivine
total days lost :the total number of days an employee was scheduled to work but was unable to as a result of a work related injury or illness
total days restricted :the total number of days an employee cannot do any of a part of normal work activities but does not result in lost time
total reportable injury incident rate :the number of medical injuries, plus the number of restricted duty injuries, plus the number of lost time injuries, plus the number of fatalities, multiplied by 200,000 and divided by the total number of exposure hours
tuff :strata of volcanic ash
turbidite :a marine clastic sediment deposited by sea bed currents laden with suspended material
ultrabasic :igneous rock with very low silica content
wall rock : the rock mass adjacent to a fault, fault zone or lode
weathered zone : near surface zone in which the exposed rock has been chemically or physically changed due to the action of rain, water, etc.
Source: http://www.newmont.com/