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A glossary of mining terms to help new starters and others understand the complex world that is mining.

• Adit — A horizontal or nearly horizontal tunnel for accessing a mineral deposit from the surface.
• Backfill — The material used to fill a mine opening after the extraction of ore.
• Bench — A level section in an open-pit mine where ore is extracted.
• Blasthole — A hole drilled in the rock face for the placement of explosives.
• Bogger Operator — Operates a machine that is used to transport the broken rock from the face to the surface.
• Carbon-in-leach (CIL) — A process used to extract gold from ore by using activated carbon to absorb the gold particles.
• Carbon-in-pulp (CIP) — A process used to extract gold from ore by using activated carbon to adsorb the gold particles.
• Concentrate — The product of the mineral processing plant that contains the valuable minerals.
• Decline — A sloping tunnel used to access an underground mine.
• Drift — A horizontal or nearly horizontal tunnel used for accessing a mineral deposit.
• Dump — The pile of waste rock or tailings left over after the extraction of ore.
• Exploration — The process of searching for minerals.
• Face — The surface of the rock where drilling and blasting occurs.
• Fault — A crack or break in the rock where movement has occurred.
• Gold grade — The amount of gold contained in a unit of ore.
• Grade control — The process of ensuring that the grade of ore being mined is consistent with the mine plan.
• Grizzly — A grid of iron bars or similar material used to sort ore and waste rock.
• Head grade — The grade of ore at the start of the processing plant.
• High-grade — Ore that contains a high percentage of valuable minerals.
• Hoist — A machine used to lift or lower equipment and materials in a mine shaft.
• Host rock — The rock that surrounds an ore deposit.
• In-situ — The original location of a mineral deposit before it is extracted.
• Jig — A machine used to concentrate minerals based on their density.
• Jumbo Operator — Responsible for operating a drill rig that is used to drill holes in the rock face in preparation for blasting.
• Leaching — The process of extracting metals from ores by using a chemical solvent.
• Lode — A mineral deposit that is embedded in the host rock.
• Longhole drilling — A method of drilling used in underground mining where holes are drilled parallel to the ore body.
• Milling — The process of grinding ore into a fine powder to extract the valuable minerals.
• Mine development — The process of preparing a mine site for production.
• Nipper — An entry-level job that involves assisting miners and other personnel with a variety of tasks in the underground mine.
• Open-pit mining — A method of mining where the ore is extracted from an open pit.
• Ore body — A concentration of valuable minerals in the host rock.
• Ore pass — A vertical or inclined chute used to transfer ore from one level to another in an underground mine.
• Ore reserve — The estimated amount of ore that can be economically mined.
• Overburden — The rock and soil that covers a mineral deposit.
• Paste backfill — A type of backfill made from a mixture of tailings and cement.
• Pan — A shallow metal dish used to separate gold from other materials.
• Pillar — A column of rock left in place to support the roof of a mine.
• Pit — An excavation in the ground used for mining.
• Portal — The entrance to a mine.
• Raise — A vertical or inclined tunnel used to transport people, equipment, or ore in an underground mine.
• Refractory ore — Ore that is difficult to extract gold from due to its chemical makeup.
• Rock bolting — A method of reinforcing the walls of an underground mine with steel rods.
• Roasting — A process used to remove impurities from gold ore by heating it in a furnace.
• Service crew — A team of workers who are responsible for maintaining and repairing the mining equipment and infrastructure.
• Shaft — A vertical or inclined tunnel used to access an underground mine.
• Shrinkage stoping — A method of underground mining where ore is extracted by drilling and blasting.
• Shotcrete Sprayer — Responsible for spraying a concrete mixture onto the rock face to stabilize it and prevent collapses.
• Slag — The waste material produced during smelting operations.
• Stope — A section of an underground mine where ore is being extracted.
• Tailings — The waste material left over after the valuable minerals have been extracted.
• Truck Driver — Responsible for driving a truck that transports the ore and waste rock from the mine to the surface.
• Underground mining — A method of mining where the ore is extracted from underground.
• Vein — A mineral deposit that is concentrated in a fracture or fissure in the rock.
• Winze — A vertical or nearly vertical shaft used to connect different levels in a mine.
• Working — The area where mining activities take place.
• XRF — X-ray fluorescence, a non-destructive analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of samples.

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