Terms

Parallel sets of closely spaced veins formed by repeated fracturing and fluid flow. Common in porphyry systems.

Sand containing abundant shell fragments; may influence permeability and tailings behaviour.

Underground mining method where broken ore is left in place to support walls, with only a portion removed during mining.

Iron carbonate mineral (FeCO₃) sometimes mined as iron ore and commonly associated with hydrothermal systems.

Procedure to determine particle size distribution by passing material through a series of sieves.

Tabular intrusion emplaced parallel to bedding planes. Can influence mineral systems and structural geology.

Mineral class composed of silicon–oxygen tetrahedra; the most abundant mineral group in Earth’s crust.

Mineral form of silicon dioxide, occurring as quartz or opal. Important in metallurgy, glassmaking and gangue mineralogy.

Rock rich in silica, such as quartzites or cherts. Often associated with brittle deformation.

Pillar left between mining levels to support upper workings and prevent collapse.

Contact-metasomatic deposit formed where magmatic fluids react with carbonate rocks. Important sources of W, Sn, Cu, Au, Fe.

Angle between the slope surface and the horizontal. Determines stability of open pits.