Glossary...

This section provides mining terminology explanations for visitors who may not be familiar with those used on this Website. Definitions are re-printed from the 1996 edition of "Mining Explained", with kind permission from The Northern Miner, Southam Magazine and Information Group.

Anomaly
Any departure from the norm which may indicate the presence of mineralization in the underlying bedrock.

Assay
A chemical test performed on a sample of ores or minerals to determine the amount of valuable metals contained.

Breccia
A rock in which angular fragments are surrounded by a mass of fine-grained minerals.

Core
The long cylindrical piece of rock, about an inch in diameter, brought to surface by diamond drilling.

Deposit
An underground source of concentrated minerals. A mineral deposit is made up of ore minerals, which carry the metal, and gangue, or worthless, minerals formed along with the ore minerals. Mineralization becomes ore when the minerals are present insufficient quantity (or tonnage) and adequate quality (or grade) to be recovered profitably.

Drill Holes
The size and quality of a potential orebody is suggested by widely spaced drill holes. A circular cut is made in the rock to extract a continuous cylindrical core sample from the centre of the cut.

Faulting
Breaks in the earth's crust caused by tectonic forces which have moved the rock on one side with respect to the other.

Fracturing
Breaks in the rock, the openings of which allow mineral-bearing solutions to enter. A "cross fracture" is a minor break extending at more-or-less right angles to the direction of the principal fractures.

Geochemical
The chemical properties of rock or soil.

High Grade
Rich ore.

Molybdenum
An alloy metal obtained from the ore mineral molybdenite.

Open Pit
A mine that is entirely on the surface. Also referred to as an open-cut or open cast mine, it is the least expensive kind of mine.

Porphyry
Any igneous rock (formed by the solidification of molten material from far below the Earth's surface) in which relatively large crystals, called phenocrysts, are set in a fine-grained ground-mass. Porphyry-type deposits are large. Porphyry copper is a deposit of disseminated (spread more or less uniformly) copper minerals in or around a large body of intrusive rock.

Zone
An area of distinct mineralization.