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A |
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Alluvium |
Eroded material that gets carried downstream by the current of the stream or river. Alluvial deposits are areas in streams or rivers where alluvium does not continue flowing downstream, thus forming a deposit. |
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Alter |
To physically transform from one mineral into another. |
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Alteration |
The process of a rock or mineral being transformed into another one. |
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Amorphous |
Without a crystalline shape. |
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Arsenopyrite |
A sulphide mineral of iron and arsenic (FeAsS). |
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Auriferous |
Containing gold. |
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Autogenous Grinding |
Grinding of ore without the use of media such as steel balls or rods. |
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B |
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Basalt |
A volcanic rock. |
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Base Metal |
Any of the more common and more chemically active metals, e.g. lead, copper, zinc. |
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Batholith |
Enormous mass of igneous rock that intruded through a layer of sedimentary rock at great depths. |
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Bedding |
The horizontal layers of sedimentary rock still unchanged since the sedimentation process. |
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Bedrock |
Layer of solid rock underneath the soil. |
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Beneficiation |
Improvement of the grade of ore by milling, flotation, sintering, gravity concentration, or other processes. The resulting product is a concentrate. |
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Bismuth |
The native metallic element Bi. |
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Bismuthinite |
A sulphide mineral of bismuth (Bi2S3). |
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Breccia |
A coarse grained rock consisting of angular broken rock fragments held together by a fine-grained matrix. |
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C |
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Calcareous |
A rock containing calcium carbonate. |
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Chalcedony (chalcedonic) |
A cryptocrystalline form of quartz. |
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Chalcopyrite |
A sulphide mineral of copper and iron (CuFeS2). |
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Copper |
The native metallic element Cu. |
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Crystalline |
Having a crystal structure, composed of visible crystals. |
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D |
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Diamond Drilling |
A variety of rotary drilling in which diamond bits are used as the rock-cutting tool to produce a continuous sample of core. It is a common method of prospecting for mineral deposits. |
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Dump |
Area where waste material is placed after being extracted from a mine. |
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Dyke |
A tabular body of igneous rock cutting across layers of surrounding rock. |
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E |
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Environmental Assessment |
A detailed statement prepared by an organisation for its own use to appraise the effect of a proposed project on the aggregate of social and physical conditions that influence a community or ecosystem. |
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Erosion |
Process where rock is worn away from natural procedures, such as water and wind. |
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Exploration |
The search for deposits of useful minerals or fossil fuels; prospecting. It may include geological reconnaissance, e.g. remote sensing, photogeology, geophysical and geochemical methods, and both surface and underground investigations. Establishing the nature of a known mineral deposit, preparatory to development. |
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Exploration Permit for Minerals (EPM) |
A mineral tenement in Queensland which allows exploration for minerals to proceed under certain guidelines, but not mining. |
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F |
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Feasibility Study |
A formal evaluation of the anticipated profits from mining a mineral deposit. These studies require a detailed estimate of extraction, mineral processing, marketing costs, and a forecast of future mineral prices. |
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G |
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g/t |
Grams of mineral (usually gold or silver) per tonne of rock. |
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Geology |
The science and study of the physical structure of the earth, including the areas of rocks and minerals. |
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Geochemistry |
The systematic collection and analysis of samples, soils, stream sediment or rock, to identify areas with anomalous metal content.
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Geophysical exploration/Survey |
The use of geophysical techniques, e.g. electric, gravity, magnetic, seismic, or thermal, in the search for economically valuable , mineral deposits, hydrocarbons or water supplies. |
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Geophysics |
Branch of Earth sciences, being the study of the Earth by quantitative physical methods, especially by seismic, electromagnetic, and radioactivity methods. |
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Geotechnical |
Pertaining to the broad field of geotechnics. |
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Geotechnics |
The application of scientific methods and engineering principles to the acquisition, interpretation, and use of knowledge of materials of the Earth's crust for the solution of engineering problems. It embraces the fields of rock mechanics and soil mechanics and many of the engineering aspects of geology, geophysics, hydrology, and related sciences. |
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Gold |
The native metallic element Au. |
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Gossan/gossanous |
An iron-rich, often spongy rock formed at or near surface by the weathering and oxidation of sulphide minerals and the leaching out of the sulphur and often some of the minerals. |
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Grade |
The average quantity of ore or metal in a specific quantity of rock. |
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Granitic |
Containing Granite. |
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Greisen |
A granitic rock altered by pressurised hydothermal fluids, and composed largely of quartz and coarse-grained mica. |
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H |
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Hydrothermal |
Hydrothermal solutions are solutions of hot water arising from underground sources. |
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I |
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Igneous rock |
A type of rock from volcanic origins. Igneous rock can be glassy, crystalline, or both. |
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Induced Polarisation (IP) |
A surface electrical geophysical surveying method. |
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Inverse distanced squared (ID2) |
A statistical method used to interpolate grades into resource blocks within a deposit. |
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J |
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JORC-compliant |
A resource estimate which meets the criteria specified by the Joint Ore Resource Committee. |
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K |
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Km |
Kilometre. |
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L |
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Lithology |
Rock type, the description of rocks. |
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Lode |
Vein bearing precious metal. |
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M |
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Metal |
Any of a category of electropositive (positively charged) elements or combinations of them in the form of minerals that exhibit a metallic luster, malleability, ductility, and conductivity. |
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Metalliferous |
Metal-bearing; specifically pertaining to a mineral deposit from which a metal or metals can be extracted by metallurgical processes. |
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Metallurgy |
The science and procedures involved in extracting metals from ore, refining the metals, blending them into alloys, and fashioning useful objects from them. Three forms of metallurgy are hydrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, and pyrometallurgy. |
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Metamorphic |
Mineral environment where the minerals are secondary in origin, forming from alteration through heat and pressure. |
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Metamorphic rock |
Secondary rock that formed from an original rock, through heat or pressure. |
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Metasomatism |
The chemical alteration of rocks or minerals by interaction with liquids. The alteration must only take place if the rock or mineral was not in a molten state in order for it to be termed metasomatism. |
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Mine |
Noun: Deposit in which minerals or ore is or was industrially extracted.
Verb: To exploit a mineral deposit. |
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Mineral |
Any naturally occurring, three dimensional, inorganic substance, with a chemical structure that can be exact, or can vary within limits. Elements that occur naturally are also listed as minerals. |
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Mineralogy |
The study of minerals. |
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Mining |
The process of extracting minerals or metal ore out of a mine or mineral deposit. |
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Mining Lease (ML) |
A mineral tenement in Queensland within which under certain guidelines mining may take place. |
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Molybdenite |
A sulphide mineral of molybdenum: MoS2. It is the principal ore of molybdenum. |
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Molybdenum (Mo) |
The metallic element Mo |
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O |
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Ore |
Material which has a valuable constituent that gives it value and makes it profitable for extraction. |
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Ore reserve |
The economically mineable part of a mineral resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses that may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments, which may include feasibility studies, have been carried out, and include consideration of and modification by realistically assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social, and governmental factors. These assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction could reasonably be justified. |
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Oxidation |
The process of undergoing a chemical change through exposure to oxygen. |
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Oxidation minerals |
Minerals that form after being altered from being exposed in the oxidation zone. |
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Oxidation zone |
Area of a deposit where the rock is exposed to air and therefore is affected by wind, rain, pressure, and air, which chemically affects the minerals embedded in the rock and alters them to secondary minerals. |
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Oz |
Ounce. |
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P |
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Percussion Drilling |
A drilling technique in which rock cuttings or fragments are recovered rather than core. |
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Pipe |
Tube-like, cylindrical body of igneous rock. |
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Pit |
Type of mine where a large hole is dug in the ground to extract the valuable material. |
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Plutonic rock |
Igneous rock that solidified in the crust of the earth, and within which individual crystal grains can be seen. |
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Porphyritic |
Describing a rock that contains large, noticeable crystals, usually feldspars. |
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Porphry |
Igneous rock containing large, noticeable crystals, usually feldspars. |
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Ppm |
Parts per million. |
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Pre-feasibility |
An informal evaluation of the anticipated profitability of mining a particular mineral deposit. Such studies are significantly less detailed and less reliable than a feasibility study. |
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Pyrite |
A common iron sulphide mineral (FeS2). |
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Q |
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Quarry |
Mine in which minerals or ore is blasted out of the side of a mountain or hill. |
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R |
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Resources |
Estimates of the tonnage and grade of a mineral deposit made from geological evidence as defined by the JORC standards for reporting ore reserves or resources. Measured Resources - a mineral resource that has been sampled by drillholes or other sampling procedure at locations sufficiently closely spaced to ensure continuity. Indicated Resources - a mineral resource that has been sampled by drillholes or other sampling procedure at locations too widely spaced to ensure continuity but close enough to give a reasonable indication of continuity. Inferred Resources - a mineral resource inferred from geological evidence and sampling results where the lack of data is such that continuity cannot be predicted with confidence and the geological data may not be known with reasonable level of accuracy. |
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S |
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Scheelite |
A tungsten calcium mineral (CaWO4). |
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Secondary mineral |
Mineral altered to a new form after undergoing a chemical change. An example is a mineral in the oxidation zone that transformed into another mineral through weathering. |
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Sediment |
Eroded pieces of rock that get carried away in streams and form deposits in them, which eventually cement together and form sedimentary rock. |
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Sedimentary rock |
Rock formed by the weathering of substances; forming layers from accumulation of minerals and organic substances. |
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Sericite |
A fine grained form of white mica formed by the chemical alteration of other minerals. |
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Silicified |
Changed to, or replaced by, silica. |
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Skarn |
A metamorphosed calcareous sediment into which silica and other elements, often including metals, has been introduced from an adjoining intrusive body. |
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Soil Geochemistry |
The systematic sampling and chemical analysis of soils. |
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Specific gravity |
The weight ratio of a mineral due to the density of the atomical arrangement and the heaviness of the elements it contains. |
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T |
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Tailings |
Those portions of washed or milled ore that are regarded as too poor to be treated further, as distinguished from the concentrate, or material of value. |
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Tenement |
An area of land issued by State governments for regulation of mineral exploration and mining. |
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Tuff |
Porous igneous rock composed of volcanic ash compacted together. |
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Tungstates |
Group of minerals that are compounds of one or more metallic elements and the tungstate radical (WO4). |
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Tungsten |
The metallic element W. Also called Wolfram. |
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V |
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Volcanism |
The volcanic venting effects associated with volcanoes: lava flows, hot springs, smoking, and fumaroles. |
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Volcano |
A vent in the crust of the earth which spits out molten rock (lava), ash, and gases. |
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Vug |
Cavity in rock that is lined with long, slender crystals. A vug forms when air pockets form in cooling magma and allow crystals to form in the hollow area. |
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W |
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Weathered |
Having gone through the process of weathering. |
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Weathering |
The passive act of a mineral that was exposed from the earth and was chemically affected in one way or another, either by air, water, pressure, or wind. |
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Wolfram |
(a) wolframite. (b) The metallic element tungsten. |
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Wolframite |
A tungsten, iron, manganese mineral (FeMnWO4).Wolframite is the principal ore of tungsten. |
