My name is Lorick, and I am 18 years old. It is my second year in the mining program, and I like it a lot. This glossary is for students beginning in the same program as me or for people that want to learn mining terms. This glossary includes 20 mining terminology covering the processes, equipment, and geological features involved in extracting mineral. The problem this glossary is solving is that it helps people with little vocabulary in this subject. The method I used to find the words is searching them and their definitions on the web.
cage
noun
A sturdy, vertical transport conveyance—essentially a mining elevator—suspended by a steel wire rope and used to move workers, equipment, and materials (mine cars) up and down a vertical or inclined shaft.
Example: Safety monitoring systems were installed to prevent workers from limbs extending out of the moving cage.
fr: cage d'extraction
chute
noun
An inclined or vertical channel, trough, or shaft designed to transport broken ore, coal, or waste material downward by gravity from higher to lower levels.
Example: The chute operator opened the gate to load the awaiting train cars with blasted rock.
fr: chute
crosscut
noun
A horizontal, underground tunnel driven across the direction of a vein, orebody, or main workings, typically at right angles.
Example: Miners drove a crosscut from the main drift to intersect the ore body.
fr: travers-banc
crusher
noun
A heavy-duty machine used in mining and quarrying to reduce large rocks, boulders, and ore into smaller, manageable sizes (gravel, sand, or rock dust) through mechanical force.
Example: The mining operation utilizes a large primary crusher to break down run-of-mine ore immediately after blasting.
fr: broyeur
diamond drill
noun
Specialized rotary drilling machine utilizing a hollow, industrial diamond-embedded bit to cut through hard rock, creating cylindrical core samples for geological analysis.
Example: The geologist analyzed the core sample retrieved by the diamond drill to confirm the presence of gold in the deposit.
fr: perceuse au diamand
gangue
noun
The commercially valueless material in which ore is found.
Example: The main gangue minerals are quartz and barite.
fr: gangue
haul truck
noun
A massive, heavy-duty, off-highway dump truck specifically engineered to transport enormous quantities of ore, rock, or waste material over rugged, unpaved terrain.
Example: The massive haul truck navigated the steep pit, carrying over 300 tons of overburden to the dump site.
fr: camion de transport
haulage
noun
The transport of raw materials, equipment, machinery, and waste between key points on a mining site.
Example: The main haulage road was reinforced to handle the heavy traffic of loaded ore haulers.
fr: haulage
hoist
noun
A powerful, powered machine used to vertically raise and lower conveyances—such as skips for ore or cages for personnel—within a shaft.
Example: The mine hoist safely lifted the loaded skip of ore from the 500-meter level to the surface processing plant.
fr: treuil d'extraction
level
noun
A horizontal passage or drift driven underground at a specific vertical depth to provide access to ore bodies or coal seams, acting as a main transportation, ventilation, and working horizon.
Example: He miners are driving a new level at 500 meters below the surface to access the deeper ore body.
fr: niveau
muck
noun
The fragmented rock, ore, or debris generated during drilling and blasting in tunnels, shafts, or stopes.
Example: After the blast, the crew moved in to clear the muck from the tunnel face.
fr: roche abbatue
ore
noun
A naturally occurring solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral can be profitably extracted.
Example: The mining company discovered a rich vein of iron ore deep within the mountain.
fr: minerai
raise
noun
A vertical or inclined shaft excavated upward from a lower level to an upper level, primarily used for ventilation, ore passes, or accessing new levels.
Example: The miner climbed the ladder in the raise to check the progress of the drilling for the new ore pass.
fr: monterie
scoop
noun
A versatile mobile machine, often diesel or battery-powered, equipped with a front-mounted bucket to load, haul, and dump ore or waste rock.
Example: The operator maneuvered the underground scoop to load the ore into the haul truck.
fr: chargeuse-navette
shaft
noun
A primary vertical or steeply inclined excavation, sunk from the surface to access underground ore bodies, coal seams, or to provide ventilation.
Example: Miners descend and ascend through the shaft in a mine cage to reach the working levels.
fr: puits
skip
noun
A specialized, durable metal container or carriage used to transport ore, waste rock, or materials vertically or on an incline within a mine shaft.
Example: Miners filled the skip by lowering it into position, where it was automatically loaded from a chute.
fr: benne d'extraction
stope
noun
A dugout tunnel or space that contains the ore that is being mined.
Example: Miners worked diligently within the stope to extract valuable ore.
fr: chantier
vein
noun
Ore body that is disseminated within definite boundaries in unwanted rock or minerals.
Example: Miners followed a narrow quartz vein deep underground in hopes of locating the high-grade gold deposit.
fr: veine
ventilation
noun
The movement of fresh air around a closed space.
Example: Proper ventilation is a critical component of underground mining, ensuring worker health and safety by removing harmful gases and dust.
fr: ventilation
waste
noun
Solid, liquid, or sludge residues generated during the extraction, beneficiation, and processing of minerals.
Example: Proper storage of mine waste is essential to prevent contamination of local water sources.
