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Dictionary Technical: Technical

English-English

DICTIONARY
TECHNICAL
A N P R

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A
a

abandoned workings

a. Symbol in structural petrology for the


direction
of
tectonic
transport,
similar to the direction in which cards
might
slide
over
one
another.
Striations in a slickensided surface are
parallel to direction a.

Excavations, either caved or sealed, that


are
deserted
and
in
which
further mining is not intended and open
workings that are not ventilated
and inspected regularly. Federal Mine
Safety

b. A crystallographic axis: In the isometric


system
each
axis
is
designated a; in hexagonal, tetragonal, and
trigonal
systems
the
nonunique
axes are a; in the orthorhombic system a is
always shorter than b with c
either the longest or the shortest axis; in
the
monoclinic
and
triclinic
systems a may be determined by one of
several conventions.

abandonment
Abandonment of a mining claim may be
by failure to perform work, by
conveyance, by absence, and by lapse of
time. The abandonment of a mining
claim is a question of intent. To constitute
an
abandonment
of
a
mining
claim, there must be a going away and a
relinquishment of rights, with the
intention never to return and with a
voluntary and independent purpose to
surrender the location or claim to the next
comer.

aa
A Hawaiian term for lava consisting of a
rough
assemblage
of
clinkerlike
scoriaceous masses. It is contrasted with
pahoehoe used to designate the
smoother flows. Pron. ah-ah. Fay; Hess

Abbe jar
In mineral processing, a porcelain jar used
for
laboratory
batch
grinding
tests in ceramic ware. Pryor, 1

a axis
a. One of the three crystallographic axes
used
as
reference
in
crystal
description. It is oriented horizontally,
front
to
back.
b. One of the three reference axes used in
describing
a
rock
fabric
possessing monoclinic symmetry, such as
progressive simple shear. The a
axis is the direction of tectonic transport.

Abbe refractometer
An instrument to determine the index of
refraction of a liquid between two
high-index glass prisms.
Abbe theory
The visibility of an object under the
microscope is directly proportional

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A gear-driven tube mill supported on a


pair
of
riding
rings
and
distinguished by an Archimedes spiral,
through which the ore is fed and
discharged. Grinding is effected by flint
pebbles fed into the mill.

light of different colors, it is called


chromatic aberration. When present
in magnifiers it often causes inaccurate
decisions as to flawlessness or
color
of
gems.
b. Distortion produced by a lens. It is
spherical if a flat image appears
closer to the viewer in the middle than
toward the edges of the field of
view. It is chromatic if the visible
spectrum is spread to give both a red
and a blue image.

ABC system

abime

A method of seismic surveying by which


the effect of irregular weathering
thickness may be determined by a simple
calculation
from
reciprocal
placement of shotholes and seismometers.
The method was originally used to
solve refraction problems arising from
irregularities in the top of the
high-velocity layer. AGI

A large, steep-sided vertical shaft opening


at the surface of the ground.
AGI

to the wavelength of light, and inversely


to
the
aperture
of
lens.
Pryor, 3
Abbe tube mill

A.B. Meco-Moore

Etching agent consisting of 10%


chromium trioxide in water. Used in the
analysis of carbon steels. Bennett

A bulky machine that cuts a deep web of


coal up to 6 ft (1.8 m) and is
used in cyclic mining in medium to thick
seams. It runs on the floor of
the seam and does not require a prop-free
front.
It
carries
two
horizontal
jibs, one cutting at floor level and the
other at a height depending on
seam conditions. Nelson

abernathyite

Abney level

A tetragonal mineral, K(UO2 )(AsO4 ).4H2


O
;
in
small
yellow crystals; in the Temple Mountains,
UT.

A surveying instrument for taking levels


up steep slopes; also used as a
clinometer. Hammond

Abel's reagent

abnormal place
aberration
A working place in a coal mine with
adverse geological or other conditions
and in which the miner is unable to earn a
wage,
based
on
the
pricelist,
equal to or above the minimum wage. A
term
generally
associated
with
stalls or pillar methods of working. Nelson

a. The failure of a lens or mirror to bring


the
light
rays
to
the
same
focus. When aberration is due to the form
of the lens or mirror, it is
called spherical aberration. When due to
the
different
refrangibility
of

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subjected
to
a
standardized
abrasion procedure in a rotating drum.

abraser
A device for assessing the wear resistance
of surfaces. The specimen to be
tested is rubbed alternately by the flat
faces of two weighted abrasive
wheels that revolve in opposite directions
through
frictional
contact
with
the specimen and exert a combined
abrasive, compressive, and twisting
action twice in each revolution of the
specimen holder. Osborne

abrasive
a. Any natural or artificial substance
suitable
for
grinding,
polishing,
cutting, or scouring. Natural abrasives
include
diamond,
emery,
garnet,
silica sand, diatomite, and pumice;
manufactured abrasives include esp.,
silicon carbide, fused alumina, and boron
nitride.
AGI
b. Tending to abrade or wear away. AGI

abrasion
a. The mechanical wearing away of rock
surfaces by friction and impact of
rock particles transported by wind, ice,
waves, running water, or gravity.

abrasive blasting respirator


A respirator designed to protect the wearer
from
inhalation
or
impact
of,
and abrasion by, materials used or
generated
in
abrasive
blasting.
ANSI

b. The wearing away of diamonds, drillbit


matrices,
and
drill-stem
equipment by frictional contact with the
rock
material
penetrated
or
by
contact with the cuttings produced by the
action
of
the
drill
bit
in
drilling a borehole. Long

abrasive formation
A rock consisting of small, hard, sharpcornered, angular fragments, or a
rock, the cuttings from which, produced
by the action of a drill bit, are
hard, sharp-cornered, angular grains,
which grind away or abrade the metal
on bits and drill-stem equipment at a rapid
rate.

abrasion hardness
Hardness expressed in quantitative terms
or numbers indicating the degree
to which a substance resists being worn
away by frictional contact with an
abrasive material, such as silica or
carborundum
grits.
Also
called
abrasion resistance; wear resistance. Long

abrasive hardness test


Test employing a rotating abrasive wheel
or plate against which specimens
are held. The specimens are abraded for a
given number of revolutions, and
the weight of material lost is a measure of
the abrasive hardness. Lewis

abrasion index
The percentage of a specially prepared 3in by 2-in (76-mm by 51-mm)
sample of coke remaining on a 1/8-in (3.2mm) mesh British Standards test
sieve after the sample of coke has been

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abraumsalze

absolute bulk strength

Ger. Mixed sulfates and chlorides of


potassium, sodium, and magnesium
overlying the rock salt in the Stassfurt salt
deposits.

A measure of available energy per unit


volume of explosive.

abriachanite

Geochronology in which the time-order is


based on absolute age, usually
measured in years by radiometric dating,
rather
than
on
superposition
and/or fossil content as in relative
chronology. AGI

An earthy, amorphous variety


crocidolite asbestos. Dana, 1

absolute chronology

of

absolute
a. In chemistry, free from impurity or
admixture.
Hess
b. In physics, not dependent on any
arbitrary
standard.
Hess
c. Frequently used in the trades to indicate
a
thing
as
being
perfect
or
exact. Abbrev. abs. Crispin

absolute daily range

absolute age

absolute humidity

The geologic age of a fossil organism,


rock, or geologic feature or event
given in units of time, usually years.
Commonly used as a syn. of isotopic
age or radiometric age, but may also refer
to
ages
obtained
from
tree
rings, varves, etc. Term is now in disfavor
as
it
implies
a
certainty
or
exactness that may not be possible by
present dating methods; i.e., two
absolute ages for the same pluton may
disagree by hundreds of millions of
years.

The content of water vapor in air,


expressed as the mass of water per unit
volume of air.

absolute atmosphere

absolute ownership

An absolute unit of pressure equal to 1


million
times
the
pressure
2
produced on 1 cm by the force of 1 dyn.
Fay

In law, an unqualified title to property and


the
unquestioned
right
to
immediate and unconditional possession
thereof. Applies to mining claims
and properties. Standard, 2; Hess

During the 24 h of the day the difference


between the maximum easterly and
maximum westerly values of the magnetic
declination
at
any
point.
Mason

absolute isohypse
A line that has the properties of both
constant
pressure
and
constant
height above mean sea level. Therefore, it
can be any contour line on a
constant-pressure chart, or any isobar on a
constant-height
chart.
Hunt

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absolute permeability

absolute weight strength

A measure of possible flow of a standard


liquid
under
fixed
conditions
through a porous medium when there is
no reaction between the liquid and
the solids. This measure is arbitrarily
taken for isothermal viscous flow.
It can be duplicated with gases if tests are
so conducted that extrapolation to infinite
pressure can be made; specific
permeability. Hess

A measure of available energy per gram


of explosive.

absolute potential

absorbed water

True potential difference between a metal


and the solution in which it is
immersed. Pryor, 3

Water held mechanically in a soil mass


and having physical properties not
substantially different from those of
ordinary
water
at
the
same
temperature and pressure. ASCE

absolute zero
The temperature at which a gas would
show no pressure if the general law
for gases would hold for all temperatures.
It is equal to -273.16 degrees
C or -459 degrees F.

absolute pressure
a. Total pressure at a point in a fluid
equaling the sum of the gage
ressure and the atmospheric pressure.

absorbent formation

b. Pressure measured with respect to zero


pressure, in units of force per
unit of area. CTD

A rock or rock material, which, by virtue


of
its
dryness,
porosity,
or
permeability, has the ability to drink in or
suck up a drilling liquid, as
a sponge absorbs water.

absolute roof

absorbents

The entire mass of strata overlying a coal


seam or a subsurface point of
reference.

Temperature reckoned from absolute zero.

Substances, such as wood meal and wheat


flour,
that
are
forms
of
low
explosive when mixed with metallic
nitrates and tend to reduce the
blasting power of the explosives, making
them suitable for coal blasting.
Cooper

absolute time

absorber

Geologic time measured in terms of years


by radioactive decay of elements.

a. An apparatus in which gases are


brought into intimate contact with an
extended surface of an absorbing fluid so
that
they
enter
rapidly
into
solution.
Hess

absolute temperature

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b. The resistance and capacitance in series


that is placed across a break
in an electrical circuit in order to damp
any
possible
oscillatory
circuit
and would tend to maintain an arc or spark
when
a
current
is
interrupted.
c. Any material that absorbs or stops
ionizing
radiation,
such
as
neutrons, gamma rays, alpha particles, and
beta particles. Lyman

absorption hygrometer

A device for measuring the solubility of a


gas
in
a
liquid.
Bennett

A type of hygrometer with which the


water vapor content of the atmosphere
is measured by means of the absorption of
vapor by a hygroscopic chemical.
The amount of vapor absorbed may be
determined in an absolute manner by
weighing the hygroscopic material, or in a
nonabsolute manner by measuring
a physical property of the substance that
varies with the amount of water
vapor absorbed. The lithium chloride
humidity
strip
and
carbon-film
hygrometer element are examples of the
latter. Hunt

absorption

absorption loss

a. The phenomenon observed when a


pleochroic mineral is rotated in plane
polarized light. In certain positions, the
mineral
is
darker
than
in
others, owing to the absorption of light.
b. In hydrology, a term applied to the
entrance of surface water into the
lithosphere by all methods. AGI
c. The reduction of light intensity in
transmission through an absorbing
substance or in reflection from a surface.
In crystals, the absorption may
vary with the wavelength and with the
electric vector of the transmitted
light with respect to crystallographic
directions.
d. Any mechanism by which energy, e.g.,
electromagnetic
or
seismic,
is
converted
into
heat.
e.
Taking
up,
assimilation,
or
incorporation, e.g., of liquids in solids
or
of
gases
in
liquids.
f. The entrance of surface water into the
lithosphere by any method.

a. The loss of water occurring during


initial filling of a reservoir in
wetting rocks and soil. Hammond
b. That part of the transmission loss due to
dissipation
or
the
conversion
of sound energy into some other form of
energy,
usually
heat.
This
conversion may take place within the
medium itself or upon a reflection at
one of its boundaries. Hy

absorptiometer

absorption rate
a. The rate, expressed in quantitative
terms, at which a liquid, such as a
drilling circulation medium, is absorbed
by the rocks or rock materials
penetrated by the drill bit. Long
b. The amount of water absorbed when a
brick is partially immersed for 1
min; usually expressed either in grams or
ounces per minute. Also called
suction rate; initial rate of absorption.
ACSG, 1

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abutment (the solid coal ahead of the face)


and
the
back
abutment
(the
settled packs behind the face).

absorption spectra
Specific wavelengths of electromagnetic
radiation
have
precisely
the
energy to cause atomic or molecular
transitions in substances they are
passing through; their removal from the
incident
radiation
produces
reductions in intensity of those
wavelengths, or absorption spectra,
characteristic of the substance under
study.

abutment load
In underground mining, the weight of rock
above
an
excavation
that
has
been transferred to the adjoining walls.
Pryor, 3
abutment pillars

absorption spectrum

Pillars intended to support vertical load in


excess
of
the
weight
of
the
strata directly above them. Generally,
these abutment pillars are large
pillars adjacent to smaller pillars,
sometimes called yield pillars, which
are incapable of carrying the weight of the
strata
above
them.
SME, 1

The array of absorption bands or lines


seen when a continuous spectrum is
transmitted
through
a
selectively
absorbing medium. AGI
absorption tower
A tower in which a liquid absorbs a gas.

abysmal sea
abundant vitrain
That part of the sea occupying the ocean
basins proper. Fay

A field term denoting, in accordance with


an
arbitrary
scale
established
for use in describing banded coal, a
frequency of occurrence of vitrain
bands comprising 30% to 60% of the total
coal layer.

abyss
a. A very deep, unfathomable place. The
term is used to refer to a
particularly deep part of the ocean, or to
any
part
below
3,000
fathoms
(18,000 ft or 5.5 km). Hunt

abutment
A surface or mass provided to withstand
thrust,
for
example,
the
end
supports of an arch or bridge. In coal
mining, (1) the weight of the rocks
above a narrow roadway is transferred to
the solid coal along the sides,
which act as abutments of the arch of
strata spanning the roadway; and (2)
the weight of the rocks over a longwall
face is transferred to the front

abyssal
a. Pertaining to an igneous intrusion that
occurs
at
considerable
depth,
or to the resulting rock; plutonic.
b. Pertaining to the ocean environment or
depth zone of 500 fathoms (3,000
ft or 915 m) or deeper; also, pertaining to

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from a liquid stage, followed by their


transport to and deposition in the
crust as it was fractured (Shand, 1947).
Modern
thought
ascribes
more
complex origins to mineral deposits. AGI

the
organisms
of
that
environment.
AGI
c. Of, or pertaining to, deep within the
Earth, the oceanic deeps below
1,000 fathoms (6,000 ft or 1.83 km), or
great depths of seas or lakes
where
light
is
absent.
d. In oceanography, relating to the greatest
depths
of
the
ocean;
relating
to the abyssal realm.

abyssal zone
The marine-life zone of the deep sea
embracing the water and bottom below
a depth of 6,000 ft (1.83 km). Stokes

abyssal deposit
A deposit of the deep sea, accumulating in
depths
of
more
than
1,500
fathoms (9,000 ft or 2.7 km) of water;
these deposits comprise the organic
oozes, various muds, and red clay of the
deepest regions. CTD

abyssobenthic
Relating to that part of the abyssal realm
that
includes
the
ocean
floor;
pertaining to or living on the ocean floor
at great depths. CTD

abyssal injection
abyssopelagic
The process by which magmas,
originating at considerable depths, are
considered to have been driven up through
deep-seated contraction fissures.

a. Relating to that part of the abyssal


realm
that
excludes
the
ocean
floor; floating in the depths of the ocean.
CTD
b. Pertaining to that portion of the deep
waters
of
the
ocean
that
lie
below depths of 6,000 ft (1.83 km). AGI

abyssal plain
An area of the ocean floor with a slope of
less than 1 in 1,000 or flat,
nearly level areas that occupy the deepest
portions of many ocean basins.
Schieferdecker

acanthite
A monoclinic mineral, 4[Ag2 S] ;
dimorphous
with
argentite,
pseudohexagonal, in slender prisms; sp gr,
7.2 to 7.3; a source of silver.

abyssal realm
The deep waters of the ocean below 1,000
fathoms or 6,000 ft (1.83 km).

accelerated weathering test

abyssal theory

A test to indicate the effect of weather on


coal,
in
which
the
coal
is
alternately exposed to freezing, wetting,
warming,
and
light;
the
alternation may be varied to suit. This test

A theory of mineral-deposit formation


involving the separation and sinking
of ore minerals below a silicate shell
during the cooling of the Earth

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may
be
applied
bituminous materials. Hess

English-English

to

other

accessory mineral
Any mineral the presence of which is not
essential
to
the
classification
of the rock. Accessory minerals generally
occur
in
minor
amounts;
in
sedimentary rocks they are mostly heavy
minerals.

accelerator
a. A machine that accelerates electrically
charged
atomic
particles,
such
as electrons, protons, deuterons, and alpha
particles,
to
high
velocities.
Lyman
b. A substance added to increase the rate
of
a
chemical
reaction.
Nelson

accessory plate
a. The quartz wedge inserted in the
microscope
substage
above
the
polarizer
in
order
to
estimate
birefringence and to determine optical
sign of uniaxial minerals.

accelerometer
A seismometer with response linearly
proportional to the acceleration of
earth materials with which it is in contact.
AGI

b. The selenite plate that gives the


sensitive tint of a specimen between
crossed
nicols.
Pryor,
3
c. The mica plate that retards yellow light.
Pryor,
3
d. In polarized-light microscopy, an
optical device that may be inserted
into the light train to alter light
interference after passage through, or
reflection by, a crystalline material; e.g.,
quartz
wedge,
mica
plate,
gypsum plate, or Bertrand lens.
e. In polarized-light microscopy, an
optical compensator that may be
inserted into the light train to alter
birefringence
after
light
passage
through or reflection by an anisotropic
material; e.g., quartz wedge, mica
plate,
gypsum
plate,
or
Berek
compensator.

acceptor
A charge of explosives or blasting agent
receiving
an
impulse
from
an
exploding donor charge.
accessory
a. Applied to minerals occurring in small
quantities
in
a
rock.
The
presence or absence of these minor
minerals
does
not
affect
the
classification or the naming of the rock.
Holmes,
2
b. Fragments derived from previously
solidified volcanic rocks of related
origin; i.e., the debris of earlier lavas and
pyroclastic
rocks
from
the
same
cone.
c. Said of pyroclastics that are formed
from fragments of the volcanic
cone or earlier lavas; it is part of a
classification
of
volcanic
ejecta
based on mode of origin, and is equivalent
to resurgent ejecta.

access road
A route constructed to enable plant,
supplies, and vehicles to reach a
mine, quarry, or opencast pit. In remote
and
isolated
regions,
the
provision of an access road may be very
costly. Nelson

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accumulator conveyor

A roller conveyor with a flexible latticed


frame that permits variation in
length.

Any conveyor designed to permit


accumulation of packages or objects.
Usually roller, live roller conveyor, roller
slat
conveyor,
or
belt
conveyor.

accretion vein

accuracy

A vein formed by the repeated filling of a


channelway and its reopening by
the development of fractures in the zone
undergoing mineralization.

The degree of conformity with a standard,


or
the
degree
of
perfection
attained in a measurement. Accuracy
relates to the quality of a result,
and is distinguished from precision, which
relates
to
the
quality
of
the
operation by which the result is obtained.
AGI

accordion roller conveyor

accumulation
a. In coal mining, bodies of combustible
gases that tend to collect in
higher parts of mine workings and at the
edge of goaves and wastes. They
are found in cavities, at ripping lips, at
other
sheltered
places
protected from the ventilating current, and
at
the
higher
sides
of
rise
faces.
Mason
b. The concentration or gathering of oil or
gas
in
some
form
of
trap.
Commercial accumulation is a volume or
quantity
sufficient
for
profitable
exploitation. AGI

acetamide
A trigonal mineral, CH3 CONH2 .
acetylene
The most brilliant of illuminating gases,
C2
H2
.
It
may
be
produced synthetically from its elements,
by incomplete combustion of coal
gas, and commercially from calcium
carbide, CaC2 . It also may be
produced by reaction with water. Used in
manufacturing explosives. Formerly used
as an illuminating gas in mines and
around
drill
rigs.
When
combined with oxygen, acetylene burns to
produce an intensely hot flame
and hence now is used principally in
welding
and
metal-cutting
flame
torches.

accumulator
a. A cylinder containing water or oil under
pressure
of
a
weighted
piston
for hydraulic presses, hoists, winches, etc.
It is between the pumps and
the presses, keeps a constant pressure on
the system, and absorbs shocks.
b.
A
storage
battery.
c. In oceanography, a spring of rubber or
steel
attached
to
a
trawling
warp, to lessen any sudden strain due to
the trawl catching. CTD

acetylene tetrabromide
Yellowish liquid; CHBr2 CHBr2 ; sp gr,
2.98
to
3.00;
boiling
point, 239 to 242 degrees C with

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decomposition (at 760 mm); also, boiling


point, 151 degrees C (at 54 mm); melting
point,
0.1
degrees
C;
and
refractive index, 1.638. Used for
separating minerals by specific gravity;
a solvent for fats, oils, and waxes; a fluid
in
liquid
gases;
and
a
solvent in microscopy. CCD, 2

Nelson
b.
Slender
needlelike
c. Refers to needlelike crystals.

achavalite

acid

Former name for iron selenide, FeSe .

a. A solution of pH less than 7.0 at 25


degrees
C.
b. A substance containing hydrogen that
may be replaced by metals with the
formation of salts. CTD

crystal.

acicular powder
In powder metallurgy, needle-shaped
particles. ASM, 1

Acheson graphite
Artificial graphite made from coke by
electric
furnace
heating.
Bennett

acid Bessemer converter

Acheson process

One lined with acid refractories.

A process for the production of artificial


or
synthetic
graphite.
It
consists of sintering pulverized coke in the
Acheson
furnace
at
2,760
to
3,316 degrees C. Henderson

acid bottom and lining

achirite

The inner bottom and lining of a melting


furnace,
consisting
of
materials
like sand, siliceous rock, or silica brick,
which give an acid reaction at
the operating temperature.

Former name for dioptase.

acid clay

achroite

a. A clay that is used mainly as a


decolorant or refining agent, and
sometimes as a desulfurizer, coagulant, or
catalyst.
b. A clay that yields hydrogen ions in a
water
suspension;
a
hydrogen
clay.

A colorless variety of elbaite tourmaline


used as a gemstone.
achromatic
In microscopy, a compound lens that does
not spread white light into its
spectral colors.

acid cure

acicular

In uranium extraction, sulfation of moist


ore
before
leaching.
Pryor, 1

a. A mineral consisting of fine needlelike


crystals;
e.g.,
natrolite.
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acid-dip survey

acid flux

A method of determining the angular


inclination of a borehole in which a
glass, test-tubelike bottle partly filled with
a
dilute
solution
of
hydrofluoric acid is inserted in a
watertight metal case. When the
assemblage is lowered into a borehole and
left for 20 to 30 min, the acid
etches the bottle at a level plane from
which
the
inclination
of
the
borehole can be measured.

Metallurgically acid material (usually


some form of silica) used as a
flux. Bennett

acid test; acid-etch tube. Long

acidic

acid drainage

An arc furnace having an acid refractory


hearth.

a. A descriptive term applied to those


igneous rocks that contain more
than 60% silica. Acidic is one of four
subdivisions
of
a
widely
used
system for classifying igneous rocks based
on
their
silica
content:
acidic, intermediate, basic, and ultrabasic.
AGI
b. Applied loosely to any igneous rock
composed
predominantly
of
light-colored minerals having a relatively
low specific gravity.

acid embrittlement

acidization

A form of hydrogen embrittlement that


may be induced in some metals by
acid treatment. ASM, 1

The process of forcing acid into a


limestone, dolomite, or sandstone in
order to increase permeability and
porosity by dissolving and removing a
part of the rock constituents. It is also
used
to
remove
mud
injected
during drilling. The general objective of
acidization
is
to
increase
productivity.

acid-forming materials
Earth materials that contain sulfide
minerals or other materials that, if
exposed to air, water, or weathering
processes, form acids that may create
acid drainage.

Water with a pH of less than 6.0 and in


which total acidity exceeds total
alkalinity; discharged from an active,
inactive, or abandoned surface coal
mine and reclamation operation.
acid electric furnace

acid-etch tube
A soda-lime glass tube charged with dilute
hydrofluoric
acid,
left
in
a
borehole for 20 to 30 min to measure
inclination as indicated by the angle
of etch line on the tube. May be fitted in a
clinometer.

acidize
To treat a limestone or dolomitic
formation with dilute hydrochloric acid
to enlarge its void spaces. Wheeler, R.R.

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acid leach

acid neutralizers

Metallurgical process for dissolution of


metals by means of acid solution.
Examples include extraction of copper
from oxide- or sulfide-bearing ore
and dissolution of uranium from
sandstone ores. Acid leaching can occur
on heap-leach pads or in situ.

Calcium carbonate, CaCO3 , magnesium


carbonate,
MgCO3
,
and
china clay, which neutralize free acids,
thereby
preventing
explosives
from decomposing in storage. They also
have a cooling effect and tend to
reduce the sensitivity of the explosive.
Cooper

acid mine drainage


acid open-hearth steel
a. Acidic drainage from bituminous coal
mines
containing
a
high
concentration of acidic sulfates, esp.
ferrous
sulfate.
b. Drainage with a pH of 2.0 to 4.5 from
mines and mine wastes. It results
from the oxidation of sulfides exposed
during
mining,
which
produces
sulfuric acid and sulfate salts. The acid
dissolves minerals in the rocks,
further degrading the quality of the
drainage water. AGI

Low-phosphorus pig iron treated in an


acid (silica or sand)-lined furnace.
Mersereau, 2
acid process
A steelmaking process--Bessemer, openhearth, or electric--in which the
furnace is lined with a siliceous refractory,
and
for
which
pig
iron
low
in phosphorus is required, as this element
is not removed.

acid mine water


acid-recovery operator
a. Mine water that contains free sulfuric
acid,
mainly
due
to
the
weathering of iron pyrites. A pit water,
which
corrodes
iron
pipes
and
pumps, usually contains a high proportion
of
solids
per
gallon,
principally the sulfates of iron, chiefly
ferrous
and
alumina.
b. Where sulfide minerals break down
under chemical influence of oxygen
and water, the mine drainage becomes
acidic and can corrode ironwork. If
it reaches a river system, biological
damage
may
also
result.
Pryor, 3

In the coke products industry, a person


who recovers sulfuric acid used in
processing coke-gas byproducts by
cooking sludge with steam in acid
regenerator pots.
acid refractory material
A general term for those types of
refractory material that contain a high
proportion of silica; e.g., silica refractories
(greater
than
92%
SiO
(sub
2) ) and siliceous refractories (78% to
92%
SiO2
).
The
name
derives from the fact that silica behaves
chemically as an acid and at
high temperatures reacts with bases such
as lime or alkalies. Dodd

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acid refractory product

acid strength

Refractory product made of clay-silica


mixture
or
pure
silica.
Rosenthal

Related to ability to liberate hydrogen ions


to
solution,
and
hence
to
electrical conductivity of equivalent
aqueous
solutions
of
acids.
Pryor, 3

acid rock drainage

acid water

Drainage that occurs as a result of natural


oxidation
of
sulfide
minerals
contained in rock that is exposed to air
and water. It is not confined to
mining activities, but can occur wherever
sulfide-bearing
rock
is
exposed
to air and water. Abbrev. ARD.

Water charged naturally with carbon


dioxide. Also applied to natural
waters containing sulfur compounds, esp.
sulfates.
aciform

acid slag
Needle-shaped.
Slag that contains substantial amounts of
active silica.

aciniform

acid sludge

A mineral aggregate shaped like a cluster


of grapes. Also, full of small
kernels like a grape.

Products of refining of tar, shale oil, and


petroleum
in
which
sulfuric
acid reacts to form a sulfonic acid
mixture, green acids, and mahogany
acids and salts. Used in the flotation
process
and
in
proprietary
collector agents for flotation of iron ores.
Pryor, 1

acinose
a. Grapelike; applied to the structure of
clustered
mineral
aggregates.
b. Granulated; like grape seeds; applied to
the
texture
of
some
mineral
aggregates.

acid soil
acinote
A soil with a pH of less than 7.0. AGI
Former name for actinolite.
acid steel
aclinal
Steel melted in a furnace with an acid
bottom and lining and under a slag
containing an excess of an acid substance,
such as silica.

A little-used term said of strata that have


no inclination; horizontal.
aclinic line
The line through those points on the
Earth's surface at which the magnetic

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inclination is zero. The aclinic line is a


particular
case
of
an
isoclinic
line. Hunt

acoustic dispersion
The change of speed of sound with
frequency. Hunt

acmite
acoustic impedance
A brown variety of aegirine having
pointed terminations.

The acoustic impedance of a given surface


area
of
an
acoustic
medium
perpendicular, at every point, to the
direction
of
propagation
of
sinusoidal acoustic waves of given
frequency, and having equal acoustic
pressures and equal volume velocities per
unit area at every point of the
surface at any instance, is the quotient
obtained
by
dividing
(1)
the
phasor corresponding to the acoustic
pressure
by
(2)
the
phasor
corresponding to the volume velocity.

acopolado
Mex. Ore containing 50 to 60 oz/st (1.56
to
1.88
kg/t)
of
silver.
Hess
acoustic
Used when the term that it modifies
designates something that has the
properties, dimensions, or physical
characteristics associated with sound
waves. Hy

acoustic interferometer
An instrument for making physical
observations upon standing waves. It may
be used, e.g., to measure velocity,
wavelength, absorption, or impedance.
Hunt

acoustical well logging


Any determination of the physical
properties or dimensions of a borehole
by
acoustical
means,
including
measurement of the depth of fluid level in
a well. AGI

acoustic log
A continuous record made in a borehole
showing the velocity of sound waves
over short distances in adjacent rock;
velocity is related to porosity and
nature of the liquid occupying pores. AGI

acoustic attenuation log


In theory, a log designed to measure the
manner in which the energy of
elastic waves is dissipated in passing
through rock. Although no practical
log of this type has yet evolved, the belief
that
a
log
of
this
parameter
would permit the estimation of the
permeability of formations would seem
to ensure such a development since no log
has
been
developed
to
record
permeability. Wyllie

acoustic-radiation pressure
A unidirectional steady-state pressure
exerted upon a surface exposed to
an acoustic wave. Such a steady pressure
is
usually
quite
small
in
magnitude and is really observable only in
the
presence
of
very
intense
sound waves. Hunt

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or roadways. It contains a length of fine


wire under tension, the tension
being varied by the strain to which the
gage is subjected. The measurement
made is that of the frequency of vibration
of the wire when it is plucked
by means of an electromagnetic impulse,
and this measurement can be made
with great accuracy. The gage is highly
stable, and readings can be made
over a period of years without any fear of
zero
drift.

acoustic radiometer
An instrument for measuring acousticradiation pressure by determining the
unidirectional steady-state force resulting
from
reflection
or
absorption
of a sound wave at its boundaries. Hunt
acoustic resistance
Product of longitudinal wave velocity and
density, being the property that
controls the reflective power at a
boundary plane. Schieferdecker

acoustic theodolite
acoustics
An instrument designed to provide a
continuous vertical profile of ocean
currents at a specific location. Hunt

The study of sound, including its


production, transmission, reception, and
utilization, esp. in fluid media such as air
or
water.
With
reference
to
Earth sciences, it is esp. relevant to
oceanography. The term is sometimes
used to include compressional waves in
solids;
e.g.,
seismic
waves.
AGI

acoustic wave
a. The waves that contain sound energy
and by the motion of which sound
energy is transmitted in air, in water, or in
the ground. The wave may be
described in terms of change of pressure,
of
particle
displacement,
or
of
density.
AGI
b. Used increasingly to study the physical
properties
of
rocks
and
composition of gases. Investigations may
be made both in situ and in the
laboratory. Nelson

acoustic scattering
The irregular reflection, refraction, or
diffraction
of
sound
waves
in
many directions. Hy
acoustic sounding

acquired lands

The indirect evaluation of water depth,


using the principle of measuring
the length of time necessary for a sound
wave to travel to the bottom,
reflect, and travel back to the water
surface. Hunt

Defined by the U.S. Department of the


Interior
as
"lands
in
Federal
ownership which were obtained by the
Government
through
purchase,
condemnation, or gift, or by exchange for
such
purchased,
condemned,
or
donated lands, or for timber on such lands.
They
are
one
category
of
public lands." Public land laws are

acoustic-strain gage
An instrument for measuring strains; e.g.,
in
concrete
linings
to
shafts

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generally inapplicable
lands. SME, 1

English-English

to

acquired

acre-inch
The volume of water, soil, or other
material that will cover 1 acre, 1 in
deep (1 ha, 1.1 cm deep). AGI

acre
a. A measure of surficial area, usually of
land. The statute acre of the
United States and England contains
43,560
ft2
(4,840
yd2;
2
4,047 m ; or 160 square rods). The socalled
Scotch
acre
2
2
contains about 6,150 yd (5,142 m ), and
the
Irish
acre
7,840 yd2 (6,555 m2 ). There are various
special
or
local acres in England (as in Cheshire or
among the hop growers), varying
from 440 yd2 (368 m2 ) to more than
10,000
yd2
(8,361
m2
).
Standard,
2
b. Can. In Quebec, a linear measure that
equals the square root of 43,560,
or approx. 208.7 ft (63.6 m). Fay
c. For the calculation of coal reserves, a
convenient
rule
is
to
allow
1,200 st/ft (coal thickness) per acre (8,821
t/m/ha).
For
known
and
dependable areas, 1,500 st/ft per acre
(11,027
t/m/ha)
may
be
used.
Nelson

acre-yield
The average quantity of oil, gas, or water
recovered from 1 acre (0.4 ha)
of a reservoir. AGI
actinide
A chemical element with atomic number
greater
than
88;
all
are
radioactive.
actinide element
a. One of the group of chemical elements
of
increasing
atomic
number,
starting with actinium (atomic number 89)
and
extending
through
atomic
number 103. These elements occupy one
single
place
in
the
extended
periodic table, in the same group into
which
the
rare-earth
elements
(lanthanides)
are
classified.
b. One of the radioactive elements, atomic
numbers
89
to
103.
Hurlbut

acreage rent
Royalty or rent paid by the lessee for
working and disposing of minerals
at the rate of so much per acre.

actinolite
A monoclinic mineral, 2[Ca2 (Mg,Fe)5 Si8
O22
(OH)2 ] in the hornblende series
Mg/(Mg+Fe2+
)
=
0.5
to
0.89 of the amphibole group; forms a
series with tremolite; green, bladed,
acicular, fibrous (byssolite asbestos), or
massive
(nephrite
jade);
prismatic
cleavage;
in
low-grade
metamorphic rocks.

acre-foot
The quantity of water that would cover 1
acre, 1 ft deep (1 ha, 13.6 cm
deep). One acre-foot contains 43,560 ft3
(1,233 m3 ).

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collector may adhere to it and


permit or aid its floatability. Frequently
used to allow floating minerals
that had been previously depressed.
Mitchell

activated alumina
Highly porous, granular aluminum oxide
that preferentially absorbs liquids
from gases and vapors, and moisture from
some
liquids.
McGraw-Hill, 1

activation
a. In the flotation process of mineral
dressing, the process of altering
the surface of specific mineral particles in
a
mineral
pulp
to
promote
adherence of certain reagents. Pryor, 3
b. The changing of the passive surface of
a metal to a chemically active
c. In the flotation process of ore
beneficiation, the process of altering
the surface of specific mineral particles in
an
ore
pulp
to
promote
adherence of certain reagents. Henderson
d. The process of making a material
radioactive by bombardment with
neutrons, protons, or other nuclear
particles.

activated carbon
Carbon, mostly of vegetable origin, and of
high adsorptive capacity.
activated clay
A clay whose adsorbent character or
bleaching action has been enhanced by
treatment with acid. CCD, 2
activated coal plow
With a view to applying the coal plow to
seams too hard to be sheared by
the normal cutting blade, German mining
engineers have developed various
types of power-operated cutters. One
consists
of
a
series
of
compressed-air picks mounted above each
other;
another,
of
a
resonance
pattern, houses two high-speed motors
eccentrically mounted and rotating
in opposite directions. The latter imparts a
vibration
to
the
cutting
edge
equivalent to 2,500 blows per minute with
a stroke of 3/16 to 1/4 in (4.8
to 6.4 mm) and a force of approx. 200 st
(181 t). Mason

activation analysis
A method for identifying and measuring
the chemical elements in a sample
to be analyzed. The sample is first made
radioactive by bombardment with
neutrons, charged particles, or other
nuclear
radiation.
The
newly
radioactive atoms in the sample give off
characteristic
nuclear
radiations
that can identify the atoms and indicate
their quantity.

activating agent

activator

a. A substance that when added to a


mineral pulp promotes flotation in the
presence of a collecting agent.
b. Reagent used particularly in differential
mineral
flotation
to
help
cleanse the mineral surface so that a

a. In flotation, a chemical added to the


pulp to increase the floatability
of a mineral in a froth or to refloat a
depressed
(sunk)
mineral.
Also
called
activating
reagent.
CTD
b. A reagent that affects the surface of

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winter and thawed in the summer. Its


thickness
ranges
from
several
centimeters to a few meters. AGI

minerals in such a way that it is


easy for the collector atoms to become
attached.
It
has
the
opposite
effect
of
a
depressor.
c. A substance that is required in trace
quantities to impart luminescence
to
certain
crystals.
CCD,
2
d. Ions that are photon emitters. Van Vlack
e. Any agent that causes activation.

active mining area


a. The area, on and beneath land, used or
disturbed
in
activity
related
to
the extraction, removal, or recovery of
coal
from
its
natural
deposits.
This term excludes coal preparation
plants, areas associated with coal
preparation plants, and post-mining areas.
SME,
1
b. The area in which active mining takes
place relative also to extraction
of metal ores, industrial minerals, and
other minerals of economic value.

active agent
Surface-active substance that immunizes
solids
against
a
parting
liquid.
Hess
active earth pressure
The minimum value of lateral earth
pressure exerted by soil on a
structure, occurring when the soil is
allowed to yield sufficiently to
cause its internal shearing resistance along
a
potential
failure
surface
to be completely mobilized.

active workings
All places in a mine that are ventilated and
inspected
regularly.
Federal Mine Safety
activity

active entry
a. In nuclear physics, the rate of decay of
atoms
by
radioactivity.
It
is
measured
in
curies.
Bennett
b. The ideal or thermodynamic
concentration of a substance, the
substitution of which for the true
concentration, permits the application
of the law of mass action.

An entry in which coal is being mined


from a portion thereof or from
connected sections. USBM, 1
active fault
One liable to
CF:passive fault

further

movement.

actual breaking strength


active layer
The breaking load obtained from a tensile
test to destruction on a sample
of rope. Hammond

a. The surficial deposit that undergoes


seasonal
changes
of
volume,
swelling when frozen or wet, and
shrinking when thawing and drying.
AGI
b. A surface layer of ground, above the
permafrost, that is frozen in the

actual horsepower
The horsepower really developed, as
proved by trial. Standard, 2

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actual performance curve

adamic earth

A performance curve showing the results


actually
obtained
from
a
coal
preparation treatment. BS, 5

A term used for common clay, in


reference to the material of which Adam,
the first man, was made; specif. a kind of
red clay. AGI

actuated roller switch


adamite
A switch placed in contact with the belt
conveyor
immediately
preceding
the conveyor it is desired to control. In the
centrifugal
sequence
control
switch, a driving pulley bears against the
driving
belt;
as
the
latter
moves, the pulley rotates and the governor
weights
attached
to
the
pulley
shaft are flung out and so complete an
electrical pilot circuit and thus
start the subsidiary belt. Nelson

A rare hydrous zinc arsenate, Zn2 (AsO4


)(OH)
,
occurring
granular or in crusts and crystallizing in
the orthorhombic system. Weakly
radioactive; variable color--yellowish,
greenish,
or
violet,
rarely
colorless or white; found in the oxidized
zone
of
zinc
orebodies.
Associated with smithsonite, calcite,
malachite,
hemimorphite,
limonite,
and azurite. Small amounts of uranium
have been found in some specimens of
adamite. Fay; Crosby

acute bisectrix
a. The line that bisects the acute angle of
the
optic
axes
of
biaxial
minerals.
Fay
b. The angle <90 degrees between the
optic axes in a biaxial crystal, bxa.
CF:optic angle

adamsite
A greenish-black muscovite found in a
schist at Derby, VT; has been called
margarodite.
Dana,
1
[ ( k
DICTIONARY
TERMS:Adam's
snuffbox
Hollow,
roughly
rectangular
pebble
[\B]Adam's snuffbox[\N]

adamantine
a. Like the diamond in luster. Webster 3rd
b. Diamond hard. A commercial name for
chilled steel shot used in the
adamantine drill, which is a core-barrel
type of rock-cutting drill with a
cutting edge fed by these shots.
CF:vitreous

ada mud
A conditioning material that may be added
to
drilling
mud
in
order
to
obtain satisfactory cores and samples of
formations. Williams

adamantine luster
adapter trough
Diamondlike luster. Hurlbut
A short section of a shaker conveyor
trough that serves as a connecting
link between any two sizes of trough.
Jones, 1

adamellite
See:quartz monzonite

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added diamonds

adelite

As
used
by
the
diamond-bit
manufacturing industry, the number or
carat
weight of new diamonds that must be
added to the resettable diamonds
salvaged from a worn bit in order to have
enough
to
set
a
new
bit.
Long

a. An orthorhombic mineral, CaMg(AsO4


)(OH) ; occurs with manganese
ores.
b. The mineral group adelite, austinite,
conichalcite,
duftite,
and
gabrielsonite.

additive
A correction applied to times of seismic
reflections
measured
from
an
arbitrary time origin. The additive is
normally applied for the purpose of
translating the time origin to correspond to
the
datum
elevation
chosen
for computation, and it is algebraic in
sign. AGI

a. The molecular force holding together


two different substances that are
in contact, as water in the pore spaces of a
rock.
CF:cohesion
b. Shearing resistance between soil and
another
material
under
zero
externally applied pressure. ASCE
c. In the flotation process, the attachment
of
a
particle
to
air-water
interface or to a bubble.

addlings

adhesive slate

A term used in the northern and parts of


other coalfields in Great Britain
to describe earnings or wages. Nelson

A very absorbent slate that adheres to the


tongue
if
touched
by
it.
Standard, 2

Adeline steelmaking process

adiabatic calorimeter

A process of producing precision castings


of steel or steel alloys, which
comprises first forming the steel or steel
alloy in molten form by the
aluminothermic process, by igniting a
mixture of iron ore and aluminum;
then running the molten metal into a mold
prepared by packing a refractory
mold composition around a model made
of
wax
or
other
comparatively
low-melting-point substance and heating
to
melt
out
the
wax
and
consolidate the mold; and finally
centrifuging the mold. Osborne

A calorimeter that practically remains


unaffected by its surroundings and
neither gains nor loses heat. Osborne

adhesion

adiabatic compression
Compression in which no heat is added to
or subtracted from the air and
the internal energy of the air is increased
by an amount equivalent to the
external work done on the air. The
increase in temperature of the air
during adiabatic compression tends to
increase the pressure on account of
the decrease in volume alone; therefore,
the
pressure
during
adiabatic

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compression rises faster than the volume


diminishes. Lewis

adipite
An
aluminosilicate
of
calcium,
magnesium, and potassium having the
composition of chabazite. Dana, 1

adiabatic efficiency
A compression term obtained by dividing
the power theoretically necessary
to compress the gas and deliver it without
loss
of
heat,
by
the
power
supplied to the fan or compressor
driveshaft.

adit
a. A horizontal or nearly horizontal
passage driven from the surface for
the working or dewatering of a mine. If
driven
through
the
hill
or
mountain to the surface on the opposite
side,
it
would
be
a
tunnel.

adiabatic expansion
Expansion in which no heat is added to or
subtracted
from
the
air,
which
cools during the expansion because of the
work
done
by
the
air.
Lewis

b. As used in the Colorado statutes, it may


apply to a cut either open or
undercover, or open in part and
undercover in part, dependent on the
nature
of
the
ground.
c. A passage driven into a mine from the
side
of
a
hill.
Statistical Research Bureau

adiabatic temperature
The temperature that would be attained if
no heat were gained from or lost
to the surroundings. Newton, 1

adit end
The furthermost end or part of an adit
from its beginning or the very
place where the miners are working
underground
toward
the
mine.
Hess

adiabatic temperature change


The compression of a fluid without gain
or loss to the surroundings when
work is performed on the system and
produces a rise of temperature. In
very deep water such a rise of temperature
occurs and must be considered
in the vertical temperature distribution. Hy

adit level
Mine workings on a level with an adit.

adinole

adjacent sea

An argillaceous sediment that has


undergone albitization as a result of
contact metamorphism along the margins
of a sodium-rich mafic intrusion.
CF:spilosite; spotted slate. AGI

A sea adjacent to and connected with the


oceans, but semienclosed by land.
The North Polar, Mediterranean, and
Caribbean Seas are examples.

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adjustment of error

adobe charge

Method of distributing the revealed


irregularities
over
a
series
of
results. Pryor, 3

A mud-covered or unconfined explosive


charge fired in contact with a rock
surface without the use of a borehole..
Atlas

adjutage
adobe flat
Nozzle or tube from which hydraulic
water is discharged.

A generally narrow plain formed by


sheetflood deposition of fine sandy
clay or adobe brought down by an
ephemeral stream, and having a smooth,
hard surface (when dry) usually unmarked
by stream channels. AGI

admission
See:admittance
admittance

adobe shot
a. In a crystal structure, substitution of a
trace
element
for
a
major
element of higher valence; e.g., Li+ for
Mg2+
.
Admitted
trace elements generally have a lower
concentration relative to the major
element in the mineral than in the fluid
from
which
the
mineral
crystallized. CF:capture; camouflage.
b. The reciprocal of impedance or the ratio
of
complex
current
to
voltage
in a linear circuit. AGI

Ordinarily referred to as a dobe shot. A


stick or part of a stick of
dynamite is laid on the rock to be broken
and covered with mud to add to
the force of the explosion. A mudcap shot.
Hess
adsorption
a. Adherence of gas molecules, or of ions
or molecules in solution, to the
surface of solids with which they are in
contact, as methane to coal or
moisture to silica gel. CF:absorption
b. The assimilation of gas, vapor, or
dissolved matter by the surface of a
solid
or
liquid.
c. The attachment of a thin film of liquid
or gas, commonly monomolecular
in thickness, to a solid substrate.

adobe
A fine-grained, usually calcareous, hardbaked clayey deposit mixed with
silt, usually forming as sheets in the
central or lower parts of desert
basins, as in the playas of the
southwestern United States and in the arid
parts of Mexico and South America. It is
probably
a
windblown
deposit,
although it is often reworked and
redeposited
by
running
water.
AGI

adsorption analysis
Separation by differential adsorption.
Pryor, 1

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tunneling, drifting, or in raising or sinking


a shaft. Fraenkel

adular
See:adularia

advance development
adularescence
S. Afr. Development to provide an ore
reserve
in
advance
of
mining
operations. Beerman

a. A milky white to bluish sheen in


gemstones.
CMD
b. The changeable white to pale bluish
luster of an adularia cut cabochon.
Webster
3rd
c. A floating, billowy, white or bluish
light, seen in certain directions
as a gemstone (usually adularia) is turned,
caused
by
diffused
reflection
of light from parallel intergrowths of
another
feldspar
of
slightly
different refractive index from the main
mass.

advanced gallery
In tunnel excavation, a small heading
driven in advance of the main
tunnel.
advanced materials
Materials developed since 1960 and being
developed at present that exhibit
greater strength, higher strength-density
ratios,
greater
hardness,
and/or
one or more superior thermal, electrical,
optical,
or
chemical
properties,
when compared with traditional materials
(Sorrel,
1987)
and
with
properties needed to perform a specific
function and often entirely new
functions. SME, 1

adularia
A colorless, moderate- to low-temperature
variety
of
orthoclase
feldspar
typically with a relatively high barium
content.
adularia moonstone
Precious moonstone, a gem variety of
adularia.

advance gate
Gate road that is driven simultaneously
with the longwall coal face, when
the advancing longwall technique is used,
but which is maintained some 10
to 20 yd (9 to 18 m) or more in advance of
the face. The area immediately
ahead of the coal face is therefore
preexplored, and steps can be taken to
cope with minor disturbances and thus
prevent a serious loss of output.
Nelson

advance
a. The work of excavating as mining goes
forward
in
an
entry
and
in
driving rooms; to extract all or part of an
area;
first
mining
as
distinguished
from
retreat.
BCI
b. Rate at which a drill bit penetrates a
rock
formation.
Long
c. Feet drilled in any specific unit of time.
Long
d. The linear distance (in feet or meters)
driven during a certain time in

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advance overburden

advance working

Overburden in excess of the average


overburden-to-ore ratio that must be
removed in opencut mining. Mining

Mine working that is being advanced into


the solid, and from which no
pillar is being removed.

advance per round

advancing

The length, measured along the


longitudinal axis of the working, tunnel,
or gallery, of the hollow space broken out
by each round of shots. For
raises, it is upward advance; for sunk
shafts,
downward
advance.
Fraenkel

Mining from the shaft out toward the


boundary.Stoces
advancing longwall
A longwall mining technique, most
commonly found in European coal mines,
where the gate roads are advanced while
the
longwall
face
is
advanced
toward the mining limits. The gate roads
are
maintained
throughout
the
worked-out portion of the longwall panel.

advance stope
A stope in which sections of the face or
some
pillars
are
a
little
in
advance of the others. This is achieved
either by beginning the stoping of
the section that is to be advanced earlier,
or by proceeding more quickly.
Stoces

adventurine
Spelling variant of aventurine.
adverse

advance stripping
To oppose the granting of a patent to a
mining claim.

The removal of overburden required to


expose and permit the minable grade
of ore to be mined. The removal of
overburden is known as stripping.

adverse claim
A claim made to prevent the patenting of
part of the ground within the
area in question; e.g., an adverse claim is
made
by
a
senior
locator
to
exclude the part of his or her claim that is
overlapped by the claim of a
junior locator, when the junior locator is
applying
for
patent.
Lewis

advance wave
The air-pressure wave preceding the flame
in
a
coal-dust
explosion.
The
bringing of the dust into suspension is
accomplished by such a wave and
the violent eddies resulting therefrom.
Rice, 2

adverse intent
The terms "claim of right," "claim of
title," and "claim of ownership,"
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when used in the books to express adverse


intent, mean nothing more than
the intention of the dissessor to
appropriate and use the land as his or
her own to the exclusion of all others,
irrespective of any semblance or
shadow of actual title. Ricketts

A sodium-ferric iron silicate, NaFe3+ Si2


O6
,
occurring commonly in soda-rich igneous
rocks; monoclinic; Mohs hardness,
6 to 6.5; sp gr, 3.40 to 3.55.

advertised out

aegirine-augite

A term used to express the result of the


action of a joint owner of a
mining claim who by proper notices
causes the interest of the co-owner to
be forfeited for failure to perform his or
her
share
of
the
assessment
work.

A
monoclinic
mineral,
(Ca,Na)(Ca,Mg,Fe)Si2 O6 , in the range
20% augite to 20% aegirine end members
of the pyroxene group. Formerly
called acmite-augite, aegirineaugite.

aedelforsite

Former spelling of aegirine..

A name given to (1) a mixture of


wollastonite, quartz, and feldspar from
Edelfors, Sweden; (2) impure wollastonite
from
Giellebak,
Sweden
(called
also gillebackit); and (3) impure
laumontite, under the impression that
they were new minerals.

aenigmatite

aegirine

aegirite

aedelite

a. A triclinic mineral, Na2 Fe52+ TiSi6 O


20 ; a rare titanium-bearing silicate; black
color;
found
associated
with
alkalic
rocks.
Dana,
4
b. The mineral group aenigmatite,
rhoenite, serendibite, and welshite.
CF:enigmatite

See:prehnite

aeolian

AED process

See:eolian

An
electrostatic
process
under
development, in which fine-size dry coal
is
passed through an ionized field that
selectively charges the coal and the
liberated mineral matter. The output of the
ionizer
is
then
fed
into
an
electrostatic separator where the coal and
impurities are separated.

Aeonite
Trade name for a bitumen allied to
wurtzilite.
Similar
to
elaterite.
Tomkeieff; English
aerate
a. To expose to the action of the air; to
supply or to charge with air.
Standard,
2
b. To charge with carbon dioxide or other

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gas,
as
Standard, 2

soda

English-English

water.

aerial cableway
An arrangement of overhead cable
supporting a traveling carriage from
which is suspended a skip or container
that can be lowered and raised at
any desired point. Nelson

aeration
a. The introduction of air into the pulp in a
flotation
cell
in
order
to
form
air
bubbles.
BS,
5
b. In mineral beneficiation, use of copious
air
bubbled
into
mineral
pulps
(1) to provide oxygen in cyanidation, (2)
to prevent settlement of solids,
and (3) to remove aerophilic minerals in
froth flotation by binding them
into a mineralized froth that is temporarily
stabilized
by
frothing
agents.
Pryor,
1
c. The process of relieving the effects of
cavitation
by
admitting
air
to
the section affected. Seelye, 1

aerial mapping
The taking of aerial photographs for
making maps and for geologic
interpretation. AGI
aerial photograph
Any photograph taken from the air, such
as a photograph of a part of the
Earth's surface taken by a camera mounted
in an aircraft.

aeration zone

aerial railroad

The zone in which the interstices of the


functional
permeable
rocks
are
not (except temporarily) filled with water
under
hydrostatic
pressure;
the
interstices are either not filled with water
or are filled with water that
is held by capillarity. Rice, 1

A system of cables from which to suspend


cars or baskets, as in hoisting
ore.
aerial ropeway
System of ore transport used in rough or
mountainous country. A cable is
carried on pylons, and loaded buckets are
(1) towed from loading point to
discharge, (2) suspended from a carriage
running on this cable and then
returned empty along a second cable, or
(3)
the
whole
cable
moves
continuously carrying buckets that hang
from saddle clips and are loaded
and discharged automatically or by hand
control.

aerator
An apparatus for charging water with gas
under pressure, esp. with carbon
dioxide. Standard, 2
aerial
Relating to the air or atmosphere.
Subaerial is applied to phenomena
occurring under the atmosphere as
subaqueous is applied to phenomena
occurring underwater. Fay

aerial spud
A cable for moving and anchoring a
dredge. Fay

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case
of
a
forcing
fan)
and
indicates the extent to which the total
pressure produced by the fan is
absorbed within the fan itself. Sinclair, 1

aerial survey
a. A survey using aerial photographs as
part of the surveying operation.
AGI
b. The taking of aerial photographs for
surveying purposes. AGI

aerodynamic diameter
The diameter of a unit density sphere
having the same terminal settling
velocity as the particle in question. ANSI

aerial tramway
A system for the transportation of
material, such as ore or rock, in
buckets suspended from pulleys or
grooved wheels that run on a cable,
usually
stationary..
Fay; Peele

aerodynamic fan
A fan that consists of several streamlined
blades
mounted
in
a
revolving
casing. The cross section and spacing of
the
blades
are
designed
aerodynamically. This design ensures that
the
air
flows
without
recirculation between the blades and
leaves the rotor in a steady and
regularly
distributed
stream.
This
appreciably
reduces
frictional,
conversion, and recirculation losses. Fans
of a convenient size can handle
large volumes of air at the highest
pressures likely to be required in
mine ventilation.

aerobe
An organism that lives in the presence of
free
oxygen.
The
oxygen
is
usually
used
in
the
cell's
metabolism.:aerobic
aerobic
a. Said of an organism (esp. a bacterium)
that
can
live
only
in
the
presence of free oxygen; also, said of its
activities.
AGI
b. Said of conditions that can exist only in
the
presence
of
free
oxygen.
CF:anaerobic

aerodynamic instability
Flutter that may occur in a structure
exposed to wind force. This form of
instability can be guarded against by
suitable design. Hammond

aeroclay
aeroembolism
Clay, particularly china clay, that has been
dried
and
air
separated
to
remove any coarse particles. Dodd

a. The formation or liberation of gases in


the blood vessels of the body,
as brought on by a change from a high, or
relatively
high,
atmospheric
pressure to a lower one. Hunt
b. The disease or condition caused by the
formation or liberation of gases
in the body. The disease is characterized

aerodynamical efficiency
This furnishes a measure of the capacity
of
a
fan
to
produce
useful
depression (or positive pressure in the

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principally
by
neuralgic
pains,
cramps, and swelling, and sometimes
results
in
death.

aeromagnetic prospecting
A technique of geophysical exploration of
an
area
using
an
airborne
magnetometer to survey that area.
AGI

aerofall mill
A short, cylindrical grinding mill with a
large
diameter,
used
dry,
with
coarse lumps of ore, pebbles, or steel balls
as
crushing
bodies.
The
mill
load is flushed with an air stream to
remove
finish
mesh
material.
Pryor, 3

aerometer

aerofloc

A system of cables from which to suspend


cars or baskets, as in hoisting
ore.

An instrument for ascertaining the weight


or the density of air or other
gases. Webster 3rd
aerial railroad

Synthetic water-soluble polymer used as a


flocculating
agent.
Bennett

aerial ropeway

aerofoil-vane fan

System of ore transport used in rough or


mountainous country. A cable is
carried on pylons, and loaded buckets are
(1) towed from loading point to
discharge, (2) suspended from a carriage
running on this cable and then
returned empty along a second cable, or
(3)
the
whole
cable
moves
continuously carrying buckets that hang
from saddle clips and are loaded
and discharged automatically or by hand
control.
Pryor, 3

An improved centrifugal-type mine fan.


The vanes, of aerofoil section, are
curved backward from the direction of
rotation. This fan is popular in
British coal mines, and total efficiencies
of
about
90%
have
been
obtained.
aerohydrous
a. Enclosing a liquid in the pores or
cavities,
as
some
minerals.
Standard,
2
b. Characterized by the presence of both
air
and
water.
Standard, 2

aerial spud
A cable for moving and anchoring a
dredge. Fay

aeroides

aerial survey

Pale sky-blue aquamarine beryl.

a. A survey using aerial photographs as


part of the surveying operation.
AGI

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b. The taking of aerial photographs for


surveying purposes. AGI

aerodynamic diameter
The diameter of a unit density sphere
having the same terminal settling
velocity as the particle in question. ANSI

aerial tramway
A system for the transportation of
material, such as ore or rock, in
buckets suspended from pulleys or
grooved wheels that run on a cable,
usually
stationary.
Fay; Peele

aerodynamic fan
A fan that consists of several streamlined
blades
mounted
in
a
revolving
casing. The cross section and spacing of
the
blades
are
designed
aerodynamically. This design ensures that
the
air
flows
without
recirculation between the blades and
leaves the rotor in a steady and
regularly
distributed
stream.
This
appreciably
reduces
frictional,
conversion, and recirculation losses. Fans
of a convenient size can handle
large volumes of air at the highest
pressures likely to be required in
mine ventilation.

aerobe
An organism that lives in the presence of
free
oxygen.
The
oxygen
is
usually used in the cell's metabolism.
aerobic
a. Said of an organism (esp. a bacterium)
that
can
live
only
in
the
presence of free oxygen; also, said of its
activities.
AGI
b. Said of conditions that can exist only in
the
presence
of
free
oxygen.
CF:anaerobic

aerodynamic instability
Flutter that may occur in a structure
exposed to wind force. This form of
instability can be guarded against by
suitable design. Hammond

aeroclay

aeroembolism

Clay, particularly china clay, that has been


dried
and
air
separated
to
remove any coarse particles. Dodd

a. The formation or liberation of gases in


the blood vessels of the body,
as brought on by a change from a high, or
relatively
high,
atmospheric
pressure to a lower one. Hunt
b. The disease or condition caused by the
formation or liberation of gases
in the body. The disease is characterized
principally
by
neuralgic
pains,
cramps, and swelling, and sometimes
results
in
death.

aerodynamical efficiency
This furnishes a measure of the capacity
of
a
fan
to
produce
useful
depression (or positive pressure in the
case
of
a
forcing
fan)
and
indicates the extent to which the total
pressure produced by the fan is
absorbed within the fan itself. Sinclair, 1

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aerofall mill

aerometer

A short, cylindrical grinding mill with a


large
diameter,
used
dry,
with
coarse lumps of ore, pebbles, or steel balls
as
crushing
bodies.
The
mill
load is flushed with an air stream to
remove
finish
mesh
material.
Pryor, 3

An instrument for ascertaining the weight


or the density of air or other
gases. Webster 3rd

aerofloc

aerosol

Synthetic water-soluble polymer used as a


flocculating
agent.
Bennett

a. A suspension of ultramicroscopic solid


or
liquid
particles
in
air
or
gas, as smoke, fog, or mist. Webster 3rd
b. Particles, solid or liquid, suspended in
air.
ANSI
c. A sol in which the dispersion medium is
a
gas
(usually
air)
and
the
dispersed or colloidal phase consists of
solid
particles
or
liquid
droplets, e.g., mist, haze, most smoke, and
some fog. AGI

aerosite
Former name for pyrargyrite.

aerofoil-vane fan
An improved centrifugal-type mine fan.
The vanes, of aerofoil section, are
curved backward from the direction of
rotation. This fan is popular in
British coal mines, and total efficiencies
of
about
90%
have
been
obtained.

Aerosol
Trade name of strong wetting agent based
on
sulfonated
bi-carboxy-acid
esters. Pryor, 3

aerohydrous
a. Enclosing a liquid in the pores or
cavities,
as
some
minerals.
Standard,
2
b. Characterized by the presence of both
air
and
water.
Standard, 2

aerugite
A grass-green to brown nickel arsenate,
perhaps
Ni17
As6
O
;
an
analysis
gave
48.77%
nickel.
It
is
32
an
oxidized
vein
mineral.
Hess

aeroides
Pale sky-blue aquamarine beryl.

aerugo
aeromagnetic prospecting
a. Copper carbonate, due to weathering of
the
metal;
esp.,
the
patina
adhering
to
old
bronzes.
Hess
b. Copper rust; verdigris; esp., green
copper
rust
adhering
to
old
bronzes. Standard, 2

A technique of geophysical exploration of


an
area
using
an
airborne
magnetometer to survey that area.
AGI

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includes a guide-tower structure built over


the shaft collar. A number of
these headgears have been erected in the
Republic
of
South
Africa.
Nelson

aeschynite
An
orthorhombic
mineral,
(Ce,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)2
(O,OH)6
;
radioactive; occurs in black sands and
pegmatites.

African emerald
aethiops mineral
A former name
isometric HgS .

for

a. A deceiving name for green fluor; also


for
green
tourmaline.
b. An emerald from the Transvaal. It is
usually
quite
yellowish
green;
often dark and dull. Hardness, 7.5; sp gr,
2.72
to
2.79;
refractive
index,
1.58 to 1.59; birefringence, 0.007.
c. A term variously used for southern
African
emeralds
(beryl),
green
tourmaline, and other green gemstones
from this region.

metacinnabar;

aetite
a. A nodule consisting of a hard shell of
hydrated iron oxide within which
yellow iron oxide becomes progressively
softer toward the center, which
may
be
hollow.
Fay
b. See:eaglestone

afterblast
affinity
During an explosion of methane and
oxygen, carbon dioxide and steam are
formed. When the steam condenses to
water a partial vacuum is created,
which causes an inrush or what is known
as an afterblast. Cooper

In ion exchange, relative strength of


attachment of competing ions for
anchorage on a resin. Pryor, 3
A-frame
a. Two poles or legs supported in an
upright position by braces or guys
and used as a drill mast. Long
b. An open structure tapering from a wide
base
to
a
narrow
load-bearing
top. Nichols, 2

afterblow

A-frame headgear

afterbreak

A steel headgear consisting of two heavy


plate
A-frames,
set
astride
the
shaft mouth. They are braced together and
carry
the
heavy
girders
that
support the winding sheaves platform. It is
a
completely
self-supporting
and rigid structure that leaves usable space
around
the
shaft
collar
and

In mine subsidence, a movement from the


sides,
the
material
sliding
inward, and following the main break,
assumed to be at right angles to the
plane of the seam. The amount of this
movement depends on several factors,
such as the dip, depth of seam, and nature

Continued blowing of air through


Bessemer converter after flame has
dropped, for removal of phosphorus in
steel production. Pryor, 3

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of
Lewis

overlying

English-English

earthquakes are followed by many


aftershocks, which decrease in frequency
and magnitude with time. Such a series of
aftershocks may last many days
for small earthquakes or many months for
large
ones.
CF:foreshock
AGI

materials.

afterburst
a. A tremor as the ground adjusts itself to
the
new
stress
distribution
caused by new underground openings.
b. In underground mining, a sudden
collapse of rock subsequent to a rock
burst.

aftersliding
In mine subsidence, an inward movement
from the side, resulting in a pull
or draw beyond the edges of the workings.
Briggs

aftercooler
A device for cooling compressed air
between the compressor and the mine
shaft. By cooling and dehumidifying the
air, and thus reducing its volume,
the capacity and efficiency of the pipeline
are
increased.
Nelson

afwillite
A monoclinic mineral, Ca3 Si2 O4 (OH)6 ;
it
is
formed as portland cement is hydrated
under special conditions, and where
calcium silicate is autoclaved (as in sandlime brick manufacture).

afterdamp
The mixture of gases that remain in a
mine after a mine fire or an
explosion of combustible gases. It consists
of
carbonic
acid
gas,
water
vapor (quickly condensed), nitrogen,
oxygen, carbon monoxide, and in some
cases free hydrogen, but usually consists
principally of carbonic acid gas
and nitrogen, and is therefore irrespirable.
Fay

agalite
A fine fibrous variety of
pseudomorphous after enstatite.

talc

agalmatolite
A soft, waxy stone--such as pinite,
pyrophyllite, or steatite--of a gray,
green, yellow, or brown shade; used by
the Chinese to simulate jade for
carving small images, miniature pagodas,
and similar objects.

aftergases
Gases produced by mine explosions or
mine fires. Fay

agardite

aftershock

A hexagonal mineral, (RE,Ca)Cu6 (AsO4


)3
(OH)6
.3H2 O ; mixite group. Lanthanum,
yttrium,
or
cerium
may
predominate among the rare earths.

An earthquake that follows a larger


earthquake
or
main
shock
and
originates at or near the focus of the larger
earthquake.
Generally,
major

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which the rocks of the corresponding


stage
were
formed.
AGI
b. A term used informally to designate a
length of geologic time during
which the rocks of any stratigraphic unit
were
formed.
AGI
c. A division of time of unspecified
duration in the history of the Earth,
characterized by a dominant or important
type of life form; e.g., the age
of
mammals.
AGI
d. The time during which a particular
geologic event or series of events
occurred or was marked by special
physical conditions; e.g., the Ice Age.
AGI
e. The position of anything in the geologic
time scale; e.g., the rocks of
Miocene age. It is often expressed in
years.
AGI

agaric mineral
a. A soft, pulverulent hydrated silicate of
magnesium in Tuscany, IT, from
which floating bricks can be made. Fay
b. A light, chalky deposit of calcium
carbonate formed in caverns or
fissures in limestone.
agate
a. A kind of silica consisting mainly of
chalcedony in variegated bands or
other patterns; commonly occupying vugs
in
volcanic
and
other
rocks.
AGI
b. A translucent cryptocrystalline variety
of
variegated
chalcedony
commonly mixed or alternating with opal
and
characterized
by
colors
arranged in alternating stripes or bands, in
irregular
clouds,
or
in
mosslike forms; occurs in virtually all
colors,
generally
of
low
intensity, in vugs in volcanic rocks and
cavities
in
some
other
rocks.
CF:onyx, moss agate.

Agecroft device
A device placed in the rail track to arrest a
forward
runaway
tram.
The
front axle of a descending tram traveling
at
normal
speed
depresses
the
catch and allows it to drop back in time
for the back axle to pass over.
Should the tram be traveling at excessive
speed, the tail end of the catch
arrests the rear axle. Mason

agate jasper
An impure variety of agate consisting of
jasper with veins of chalcedony.
agate opal

agent
Opalized agate. Fay
a. The manager of a mining property. Zern
b. On a civil engineering contract, the
responsible
representative
of
the
contractor, acting for him or her in all
matters.
Hammond
c. Before nationalization in Great Britain,
the term referred to the chief
official of a large coal mine or group of
mines under the same ownership.
After nationalization, the equivalent term

agatized wood
A variety of silicified wood which
resembles any variety of agate.
age
a. The formal geochronologic unit of
lowest rank, below epoch, during

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is
group
manager.
Nelson
d. A chemical added to pulp to produce
desired changes in climate of the
system. Pryor, 3

agglomerate screening
A coarse-fraction concentration method
used in milling pebble phosphate
that is based on flowing reagentized feed
over
a
submerged
sloping,
stationary
screen.
Agglomerated
phosphate particles float on top of the
screen and are recovered at the lower end.
Sand particles pass through the
screen and are removed as a tailings
fraction. Each screen section is
approx. 3 ft (0.9 m) wide by 4 ft (1.2 m)
long and treats 2 to 3 st/h (1.8
to 2.7 t/h) of feed. Arbiter

age ratio
The ratio of daughter to parent isotope
upon which the age equation is
based. For a valid age determination, (1)
the
isotope
system
must
have
remained closed since solidification,
metamorphism, or sedimentation, (2)
the decay constant must be known, and (3)
the
sample
must
be
truly
representative of the rock from which it is
taken. AGI

agglomerating value
A measure of the binding qualities of coal
but
restricted
to
describe
the
results of coke-button tests in which no
inert material is heated with the
coal sample. CF:agglutinating value

agglomerate belt flotation


A coarse-fraction concentration method
used in milling pebble phosphate in
which conditioned feed at 70% to 75%
solids is placed on a flat conveyor
belt traveling at a rate of about 75 ft/min
(22.9 m/min). Water sprayed on
the surface of the pulp aerates the pulp,
causing
agglomerates
of
phosphate particles to float to the side of
the
belt
for
removal.
The
silica fraction travels the length of the belt
and
is
permitted
to
flow
off the opposite end. Baffles are
positioned at appropriate points along
the belt to stir the material so that trapped
phosphate
particles
are
given an opportunity to float. Concentrate
from the first belts or rougher
operation is cleaned on a second belt for
further
silica
removal.
Tailings
from the cleaner belt are recycled to the
rougher circuit. Arbiter

agglomeration
a. In beneficiation, a concentration
process based on the adhesion of pulp
particles to water. Loosely bonded
associations of particles and bubbles
are formed that are heavier than water;
flowing-film
gravity
concentration
is used to separate the agglomerates from
nonagglomerated
particles.
Agglomeration also refers to briquetting,
nodulizing,
sintering,
etc.
Gaudin,
1
b. See:kerosine flotation
agglutinate
A
welded
pyroclastic
deposit
characterized by vitric material binding
the pyroclasts, or sintered vitric
pyroclasts. Also spelled agglutinite.
AGI

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such as sand, gravel, slag, or


crushed stone, mixed with a cement or
bituminous
material
to
form
concrete, mortar, or plaster, or used alone,
as
in
railroad
ballast
or
graded fill. The term can include rock
material
used
as
chemical
or
metallurgical
fluxstone.;
lightweight
aggregate. AGI

agglutinating power
See:caking index
agglutinating value
A measure of the binding qualities of a
coal and an indication of its
caking
or
coking
characteristics.
Applicable with reference to the ability
of fused coal to combine with an inert
material
such
as
sand.
CF:agglomerating value

aging
A change in the properties of a substance
with time. precipitation hardening. Nelson

agglutinating-value test
Agitair flotation machine
A laboratory test of the coking properties
of
coal,
in
which
a
determination is made of the strength of
buttons made by coking a mixture
of powdered coal and 15 to 30 times its
weight of sand.

Uses air to separate aerophilic and


hydrophilic
particles.
Low-pressure
air bubbles lift aerophilic particles to an
overflow,
leaving
hydrophilic
particles behind. Pryor, 3

agglutination

agitation dredging

See:cementation

Consists of pumping the discharge


directly into the sea and using the tide
to carry the fines to deeper water areas.
Agitation
dredging
is
employed
only during ebb tide in tidal estuaries
having swift tidal flows that will
disperse the accumulations of silt. Carson,
2

aggradation
a. The building up of the Earth's surface
by
deposition;
specif.,
the
upbuilding performed by a stream in order
to
establish
or
maintain
uniformity
of
grade
or
slope.
b. A syn. of accretion, as in the
development of a beach. The spread or
growth of permafrost, under present
climatic conditions, due to natural or
artificial causes. AGI

agitation ratio
In older type gravity concentrators, such
as tables and vanners, the ratio
between the average diameter of a mineral
particle and the diameter of a
gangue particle that travels at equal speed.

aggregate

agitator

a. A mass or body of rock particles,


mineral grains, or a mixture of both.
AGI
b. Any of several hard, inert materials,

a. A tank in which very finely crushed ore


is
agitated
with
leaching

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the
drawings,
specification,
schedule, conditions of tendering, and
general conditions of contract and
the tender.

solution. Usually accomplished by means


of a current of compressed air
passing up a central pipe and causing
circulation of the contents of the
tank. Sometimes called a mixer. CTD
b. A device used to stir or mix grout or
drill mud. Not to be confused
with shaker or shale shaker. Long
c. A device used to bring about a
continuous vigorous disturbance in a
pulp; frequently used to assist bubble
formation.
BS,
5
d. Pac. See:settler

agricolite
A former name for eulytite.
agricultural geology
The application of geology to agricultural
needs,
e.g.,
mineral
deposits
used as fertilizers or the location of
ground
water.
AGI

aglaite
A pseudomorph of spodumene in which
the spodumene has been replaced by
muscovite either as pinite or as visible
plates.
Also
called
pihlite
and
cymatolite in the belief that the material
was a new mineral. Hess

agricultural lime
a. Either ground quicklime or hydrated
lime whose calcium and magnesium
content is capable of neutralizing soil
acidity.
ASTM
b. Lime slaked with a minimum amount of
water to form calcium hydroxide.
CCD, 2

agmatite
Migmatite with appearance of breccia.
CF:contact breccia

agrite
agnesite
A brown, mottled calcareous stone.
Schaller

An early name for bismutite, Cornwall,


U.K. Fay

agrogeology
agonic line
See:agricultural geology
An isogonic line that connects points of
zero
magnetic
declination.
Its
position changes according to the secular
variation
of
the
Earth's
magnetic field.

aguilarite
An orthorhombic mineral, Ag4 SeS .
ahlfeldite

agreement
A monoclinic mineral, NiSeO3 .2H2 O;
forms
a
series
with
cobaltomenite; rose colored; vitreous
luster;
no
cleavage;
conchoidal

The formal document by which the


contractor and the authority mutually
agree to comply with the requirements of

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through the drill stem and used in place of


water
to
clear
the
drill
bit
of cuttings and to blow them out of the
borehole.
Long
d. Air piped under compression to work
areas and used to operate drilling
or mining machinery.

fracture; strongly pleochroic, X rose, Y


pale green, Z brown green; from
Pacajake, Bolivia. Am. Mineral., 1
A-horizon
In a soil profile, the uppermost zone from
which
soluble
salts
and
colloids have been leached and in which
organic
matter
has
accumulated.

airafibrite
See:hemafibrite

aikinite

air-avid surface

a. An orthorhombic mineral, PbCuBiS3 ;


sp gr, 6.1 to 6.8; an ore of
lead,
copper,
and
bismuth.;
acicular
bismuth;
aciculite.
b. Wolframite pseudomorphous after
scheelite.

A surface that seems to prefer contact


with air to contact with water. A
particle (or mineral) of this sort will
adhere to an air bubble and float
out of a flotation pulp; otherwise, the
particle
will
not
float.
Also
called
water-repellent
surface;
hydrophobic.
CF:water-avid
surface
Newton, 1

aimafibrite
See:hemafibrite

air barrage
AIME
American Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical
Engineers.
Statistical Research Bureau

The division of an opening in a mine by


an airtight wall into two sides;
one side is used as an air intake, the other
side as a return.

air

air bell

a. The mixture of gases that surrounds the


Earth and forms its atmosphere;
composed by volume of 21% oxygen and
78% nitrogen; by weight about 23%
oxygen and 77% nitrogen. It also contains
about 0.03% carbon dioxide, some
aqueous vapor, argon, and other gases.
Hartman,
1
b. The current of atmospheric air
circulating through and ventilating the
workings
of
a
mine.
c. Atmospheric air delivered under
compression to bottom of drill hole

In froth flotation, the small air pocket


inducted or forced into the pulp
at depth; e.g., bell and the two-walled
semistable bubble after emergence
from pulp into froth have different
characteristics
and
gas-to-liquid,
area-to-volume relationships, hence the
distinction. These bubbles vary in
attractive and retaining power for
aerophilic grains and are a critical
component of the flotation process.

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Electromagnetic surveys carried out with


airborne
instruments.
Dobrin

air belt
In a cupola furnace, an annular air space
around the furnace, from which
air is forced into the furnace. Henderson

airborne magnetic prospecting

airblast

See:aeromagnetic prospecting

a. A term improperly used by some


diamond drillers as a syn. for air
circulation.
b. A disturbance in underground workings
accompanied by a strong rush of
air. The rush of air, at times explosive in
force,
is
caused
by
the
ejection of air from large underground
openings, the sudden fall of large
masses of rock, the collapse of pillars,
slippage
along
a
fault,
or
a
strong current of air pushed outward from
the
source
of
an
explosion.
Long

airborne magnetometer
An instrument used to measure variations
in
the
Earth's
magnetic
field
while being transported by an aircraft.
AGI
air box
a. A rectangular wooden pipe or tube
made in lengths of 9 to 15 ft (2.7 to
4.6 m) for ventilating a heading or a
sinking
shaft.
Fay
b. A box for holding air. Fay
c. The conduit through which air for
heating rooms is supplied to a
furnace. Standard, 2

airblasting
A method of blasting in which
compressed air at very high pressure is
piped to a steel shell in a shot hole and
discharged. BS, 12

air breakers
A method of breaking down coal by the
use of high-pressure compressed air.
McAdam, 2

air block
Air trapped in the upper end of an
unvented inner tube of a double-tube
core barrel, which, when sufficiently
compressed, acts like a solid and
stops further advance of core into the
inner
tube.
Long

air brick
A hollow or pierced brick built into a wall
to allow the passage of air.
air bridge
A passage through which a ventilating
current is conducted over an entry
or air course; an overcast.

airborne electromagnetic prospecting

To Go At Beginning Of The Dictionary

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N
needle

needle instrument

a. A piece of copper or brass about 0.5 in


(1.3 cm) in diameter and 3 ft
or 4 ft (0.9 m to 1.2 m) long, pointed at
one
end,
and
turned
into
a
handle at the other, tapering from the
handle to the point. It is thrust
into a charge of blasting powder in a
borehole, and while in this position
the borehole is tamped solid, preferably
with moist clay. The needle is
then withdrawn carefully, leaving a
straight
passageway
through
the
tamping for the miner's squib to shoot or
fire
the
charge.
Fay
b. A timber set on end to close an opening
for
the
control
of
water;
it
may be either vertical or inclined; a form
of
stop
plank.
Seelye,
1
c. A small metal rod for making the
touchhole in the powder used for
blasting.
d. A hitch cut in the side rock to receive
the end of a timber.

Any surveying instrument controlled by a


magnetic needle.
needle ore
a. Iron ore of very high metallic luster,
found in small quantities, which
may be separated into long, slender
filaments
resembling
needles.
AGI
b. See:aikinite
needles
Elongated crystals, tapering at each end to
a fine point, as those typical
of martensite. Rolfe
needle traverse
In a survey with a dial (compass), use of a
magnetic
needle
to
read
the
bearing of lines. Opposite is fast needle
traverse or work, and refers to
the use of a dial as in traversing with a
theodolite,
where
proximity
of
iron might deflect the needle. Systems can
be
combined,
using
needle
readings where iron is absent. Also called
swinging
needle
traverse;
loose
needle traverse. Pryor, 3

needle bearing
An antifriction bearing using very smalldiameter
rollers
between
wide
faces. Nichols, 1
needled
Pocketed, as when face bars are set with
the face end of the bar pocketed
into the coal adjacent to the roof. TIME

negative crystal
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a. A birefringent crystal in which the


refractive
index
of
the
extraordinary ray is less than that of the
ordinary
ray.
b. A cavity within a crystal bounded by
the crystal faces of that crystal.

In a legal sense, a failure upon the part of


a
mine
operator
to
observe
for the protection of the interests of the
miner
that
degree
of
care,
precaution, and vigilance that the
circumstances justly demand, whereby
the miner suffers injury. Ricketts

negative element

neighborite

A large structural feature or portion of the


Earth's
crust,
characterized
through a long period of geologic time by
frequent
and
conspicuous
downward
movement
(subsidence,
submergence), extensive erosion, or an
uplift that is considerably less rapid or less
frequent
than
those
of
adjacent positive elements. AGI

An orthorhombic mineral, NaMgF3 ;


insoluble;
forms
rounded
grains
or pseudo-octahedral crystals; associated
with dolomite and quartz in oil
shale within the Green River Formation,
UT.
nekton
A biological division made up of all the
swimming animals found in the
pelagic division. Hy

negative elongation
Lathlike, rodlike, or acicular crystals in
which the slow polarized light
ray lies across the long direction of the
crystal.
CF:positive elongation

Nelson Davis separator

a. The orientation of a cutting tool in such


a
manner
that
the
angle
formed by the leading face of the tool and
the
surface
behind
the
cutting
edge is greater than 90 degrees .
b. Describes a tooth face in rotation whose
cutting
edge
lags
the
surface
of the tooth face.

A cylindrical dense-medium washer


developed in the United States. It uses
a magnetite water suspension as medium.
The bath resembles a drum in
shape, its longitudinal axis being
horizontal; within the stationary outer
casing there is a rotor divided into
compartments. Raw coal is fed near
the top of the separator, and separation
takes
place
as
the
rotor
revolves. The machine produces clean
coal and shale; the magnetite is
recovered. It can handle coal up to 10 in
(254 mm) in size, the lower
limit being about 1/4 in (6.4 mm).
Magnetite consumption runs at about 1/2
lb/st (0.25 kg/t) of feed.

negligence

nelsonite

negative moment
See:hogging moment
negative rake

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Chemical interchange within a rock


whereby its mineral constituents are
converted into new mineral species; a type
of
recrystallization.
AGI

A rock composed essentially of ilmenite


and
apatite,
with
or
without
rutile. The ratio of ilmenite to apatite
varies widely. CF:ilmenitite
nematoblastic

neomorphic
Pertaining to the texture of a recrystallized
rock
in
which
the
shape
of
the grains is threadlike.

Said of the mineral grains of a rock that


have been regenerated by zones
of secondary growth in crystalline
continuity. The new material may have
been deposited from solutions or from
molten fluids.

neokerogen
Organic debris deposited among marine
sediments and modified by bacterial
action in such a way as to form the source
material
of
petroleum,
or,
under certain conditions, to form the
kerogen
of
oil
shales.
Tomkeieff

neoprene plug closure


The function of the neoprene plug is to
provide
a
completely
waterproof
seal at the open end of the detonator.
Moisture
penetration
could
cause
desensitization of the explosive charge in
the detonator, and in the case
of copper-tubed detonators, moisture
could produce a potentially dangerous
chemical reaction between the lead azide
and the copper. McAdam, 2

neolite
A silky, fibrous, stellated, green, hydrous
magnesium-aluminum
silicate.
Standard, 2
Neolithic

nepheline
In archaeology, the last division of the
Stone Age, characterized by the
development of agriculture and the
domestication
of
farm
animals.
Correlation of relative cultural levels with
actual
age
(and,
therefore,
with the time-stratigraphic units of
geology) varies from region to
region. Adj: pertaining to the Neolithic.
AGI

A hexagonal mineral, (Na,K)AlSiO4 ;


feldspathoid
group;
greasy
luster; forms glassy crystals, colorless
grains,
coarse
crystals
with
prismatic cleavage, or masses without
cleavage; occurs in alkalic igneous
rocks; an essential constituent of some
sodium-rich rocks, e.g., nepheline
syenite. Formerly called nephelite;
eleolite.

elivery strokes of the piston. Crispin

neomineralization
nepheline syenite
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A plutonic rock composed essentially of


alkali feldspar and nepheline. It
may contain an alkali ferromagnesian
mineral, such as an amphibole
(riebeckite, arfvedsonite, barkevikite) or a
pyroxene
(acmite
or
acmite-augite); the intrusive equivalent of
phonolite.
Sodalite,
cancrinite, hauyne, and nosean, in addition
to
apatite,
sphene,
and
opaque
oxides, are common accessories. Rare
minerals
are
also
frequent
accessories. AGI

neptunian dike

nephelinite

See:neptunism

A fine-grained or porphyritic extrusive or


hypabyssal
rock,
of
basaltic
character, but primarily composed of
nepheline and clinopyroxene, esp.
titanaugite, and lacking olivine and
feldspar. AGI

neptunism

An exceptionally tough, compact, finegrained, greenish or bluish variety


of amphibole (specif. tremolite or
actinolite) constituting the less rare
or valuable kind of jade.; greenstone.

A dike filled by sediment, generally sand,


in contrast to a plutonic dike
filled by volcanic materials.
neptunian theory

The theory, advocated by A. G. Werner in


the 18th century, that the rocks
of the Earth's crust all consist of material
deposited
sequentially
from,
or crystallized out of, water. Etymol:
Neptune, Roman god of waters.
CF:plutonism

nephelinitoid
A nepheline-rich groundmass in an
igneous rock; the glassy groundmass in
nepheline rocks. AGI

neptunite
A monoclinic mineral, KNa2 Li(Fe,Mn)2
Si8
Ti2
O24 ; forms red to black prismatic crystals;
occurs
in
late
stages
of reduced, silica-deficient environments;
e.g.,
alkaline
igneous
rocks
and veins in serpentinite.

nephelinization
The process of introduction
replacement by nepheline. AGI

of

or

nephelometry
The measurement of the cloudiness of a
medium; esp. the determination of
the concentration or particle sizes of a
suspension by measuring, at more
than one angle, the scattering of light
transmitted
or
reflected
by
the
medium. CF:turbidimetry

neritic

nephrite

neritic zone

Pertaining to the shallow seas; for


accumulations of shells, but sometimes
for the whole environment of deposition
on
the
continental
shelf.
Challinor

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another
formation.
AGI
b. A fitting of the next-smaller-size casing
inside
the
casing
already
set
in a borehole, or of one tube inside
another.

That part of the sea floor extending from


the low tide line to a depth of
200 m.
Nernst film

nested variogram model

In ion exchange, the diffusion-layer


supposed to surround a bead of resin.
This static film is reduced, or diffusion
through
it
is
accelerated,
if
agitation of the ambient liquor is
increased, if temperature is raised, or
if concentration of ions in solution is
made greater. Pryor, 3

A model that is the sum of two or more


component models, such as nugget,
spherical, etc. Adding a nugget
component to one of the other models is
the most common nested model, but more
complex
combinations
are
occasionally used.

nero-antico
net
A black marble found in Roman ruins,
probably
from
the
Taenarian
peninsula, Greece.

a. Scot. Strapping used for lowering or


raising
horses
in
shafts.
Fay
b. A plane of points each with identical
point
surroundings.
CF:space lattice; lattice.

nesquehonite
An orthorhombic mineral, Mg(HCO3
)(OH).2H2
O
;
forms
low-temperature
efflorescences,
particularly as an alteration product of
lansfordite. Named for a coal mine at
Nesquehoning, PA.

net calorific value


The heat produced by combustion of unit
quantity of a solid or liquid fuel
when burned, at a constant pressure of 1
atm (0.1 MPa), under conditions
such that all the water in the products
remains in the form of vapor. Net
heat of combustion at constant pressure is
expressed
as
Qp
(net).
ASTM

ness
A British term used esp. in Scotland for a
promontory,
headland,
or
cape,
or any point or projection of the land into
the sea; commonly used as a
suffix to a place name, e.g., Fifeness. Also
called nose. AGI

net-corrected fill
Net fill after making allowance for
shrinkage
during
compaction.
Nichols, 1

nest
a. A concentration of some relatively
conspicuous element of a geologic
feature, such as a nest of inclusions in an
igneous
rock
or
a
small,
pocketlike mass of ore or mineral within

net cut

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The amount of excavated material to be


removed from a road section, after
completing fills in that section. Nichols, 1
@A U U<
eDICTIONARY
TERMS:net drilling time The rotating
time
actually
spent
[\B]net drilling time[\N]

defines both the direction and relative


amount
of
displacement.
AGI

net fill

Nettleton method

The fill required, less the cut required, at a


particular
station
or
part
of a road. Nichols, 1

An
indirect
means
of
density
determination in which a closely spaced
gravity traverse is run over some
topographic feature, such as a small
hill or valley. When the profile of
observed
values
is
plotted,
the
gravitational effect of the feature itself is
calculated
at
each
observation point along the profile and
removed from the observed value
for that point. The calculation is repeated
a
number
of
times,
different
densities being assumed for each
computation. The density value at which
the hill is least conspicuous on the gravity
profile
is
considered
to
be
most nearly correct. Dobrin

net texture
See:network structure

nether
The lower part of, as in nether roof;
opposite
of
the
term
"upper."
TIME
nether roof
a. The strata directly over a coal seam.
The props set at the face hold
only the nether roof. E.g., if the props
carry a load of 20 st (18.1 mt)
each and are set 4 ft (1.2 m) apart each
way, the supported weight is 1.5
st/ft2
(14.6
t/m2).;
absolute roof; overarching weight;
immediate
roof.
Nelson
b. In mine subsidence, the immediate roof
of limited depth, such as timber
might be expected to support. Briggs

net unit value


The difference between the gross unit
recoverable value and the cost of
mining, treating, and marketing ore; in
other
words,
the
net
operating
profit.
Nelson

nether strata

network

The roof and strata immediately above the


coal. Mason

a. Esp. in surveying and gravity


prospecting, a pattern or configuration
of stations, often so arranged as to provide
a check on the consistency of
the
measured
values.
AGI
b. In ventilation surveys, the multiple
development
openings,
haulage

net slip
On a fault, the distance between two
formerly adjacent points on either
side of the fault, measured on the fault
surface
or
parallel
to
it.
It

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A large tree-fern of the coal forest, with


trunks
about
2
ft
(0.6
m)
thick, containing several cylinders of
wood inside the stem instead of one
column of wood as in modern trees.
Nelson

ways, and working faces that constitute


the ventilation system of a mine.
Hartman, 2
network deposit
See:stockwork

neutral atmosphere
network structure
Atmosphere in which there is neither an
excess nor a deficiency of oxygen.

A structure in which one constituent


occurs
primarily
at
the
grain
boundaries, thus partially or completely
enveloping
the
grains
of
the
other constituent.

neutral axis
The line of zero fiber stress in any given
section of a member subject to
bending; it is the line formed by the
intersection of the neutral surface
and the section. Roark

Neuenburg saw
A plow consisting of a 2-in (5.1-cm) steel
plate 6 ft by 20 in (1.8 m by
50.8 cm) of seven pieces hinged together
to follow floor rolls; picks on
the face edge cut in both directions. The
minimum workable seam is 14 in
(35.6 cm) on gradients of 35 degrees to 70
degrees . Maximum face length
is 80 yd (73.2 m). The machine is used in
the Ruhr. Nelson

neutral equilibrium
A body is said to be in neutral equilibrium
if
on
being
slightly
displaced
it remains in its new position; e.g., a ball
placed
on
a
horizontal
surface or a cone supported on its side on
a
horizontal
surface.
Morris

neuk
neutralize
The tailgate corner of a face behind the
face
conveyor
tension
end.
Trist

To add either an acid or alkali to a


solution until it is neither acid nor
alkaline. Gordon

Neumann lamellae
neutral lining
Straight, narrow bands parallel to the
crystallographic
planes
in
the
crystals of metals that have been subjected
to
deformation
by
sudden
impact. They are actually narrow twin
band,
and
are
most
frequently
observed in iron. CTD

Furnace lining of neutral refractories.


Osborne

neuropteris

neutral point

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a. A neutral point in a wye-connected


alternating-current
power
system
means the connection point of transformer
or generator windings from which
the voltage to ground is nominally zero,
and which is the point generally
used
for
system
grounding.
b. In titration, the point at which hydrogen
ions
and
hydroxyls
are
approx. balanced, each at about 1 times
10-7
molar.
Since
color-change-indicating dyes do not all
react at this point, selection for
a given titration must be made with regard
to
the
required
point
of
change. Pryor, 3

neutral stress

neutral pressure

neutral zone

The hydrostatic pressure of the water in


the
pore
space
of
a
soil.
Hammond

A strain-free area. CF:compression zone;


tension zone. Nelson

The stress transmitted by the fluid that


fills the voids between particles
of a soil or rock mass; e.g., that part of the
total
normal
stress
in
a
saturated soil caused by the presence of
interstitial
water.
AGI
neutral surface
The longitudinal surface of zero fiber
stress in a member subject to
bending; it contains the neutral axis of
every section. Roark

neutron
neutral refractory
a. A refractory that is neither strongly
basic nor strongly acid, such as
chrome, mullite, or carbon. ARI
b. A refractory that is resistant to chemical
attack
by
both
acid
and
basic slags, refractories, or fluxes at high
temperatures. ASTM

An uncharged elementary particle with a


mass that nearly equals that of
the proton. An isolated neutron is unstable
and decays with a half-life of
about 13 min into an electron, a proton,
and a neutrino. Neutrons sustain
the fission chain reaction in a nuclear
reactor. Lyman

neutral salt

neutron density

A salt in which all the hydrogen of the


hydroxyl groups of an acid is
replaced by a metal. Standard, 2

The number of neutrons per cubic


centimeter. Lyman
neutron-gamma log

neutral salt effect


A radioactivity log employing both
gamma and neutron-log curves. The
neutron log should respond best to porous
fluid-filled rock and the gamma
best to shale markers. AGI

Reduction of ionization of a weak acid or


base
by
addition
of
ionizing
salt that contains one of the ions already
present;
form
of
common
ion
effect. Pryor, 3

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neutron log

Newaygo screen

Strip recording of the secondary


radioactivity
arising
from
the
bombardment of the rocks around a
borehole by neutrons from a source being
caused to move through the borehole.
Used, generally in conjunction with
other types of logs, for the identification
of
the
fluid-bearing
zones
of
rocks.
Inst. Petrol.; AGI

A slanting screen in which the material to


be
screened
passes
down.
The
screen is kept in vibration by the impact of
a
large
number
of
small
hammers. Liddell
newjersite
Variety of resin. Tomkeieff
Newlyn datum

neutron logging
The mean sea level now used as the
British Ordnance Datum for leveling. It
was determined as the result of several
years'
observations
at
Newlyn,
Cornwall, England, and differs at various
places by more than 0.3 m from
levels based on the Liverpool datum,
which it supersedes. Hammond

A radioactivity logging method used in


boreholes in which a neutron source
provides neutrons that enter rock
formations and induce additional gamma
radiation, which is measured by use of an
ionization
chamber.
The
gamma
radiation so induced is related to the
hydrogen
content
of
the
rock.
AGI

Newmann hearth

Nevadan orogeny

A modified Scotch hearth in which poking


or rabbling is done mechanically.
CTD

Late
Jurassic-Early
Cretaceous
diastrophism in Western North America.

new miner training


nevyanskite
In mining, mandatory training given the
miners having no previous mining
experience; includes instruction in the
statutory
rights
of
miners
and
their representatives, use of self-rescue
devices
and
respiratory
devices
where appropriate, hazard recognition,
emergency
procedures,
electrical
hazards, first aid, walk around training,
and
other
health
and
safety
aspects of the tasks to which the person
will
be
assigned.
CF:refresher training; task training.
Federal Mine Safety

A former name for iridosmine.


Newark Supergroup
Continental strata of Lower Jurassic or
Upper Triassic age in the Eastern
United States, consisting essentially of red
sandstone,
shale,
arkose,
and
conglomerate, some 14,000 to 18,000 ft
(4.3 to 5.5 km) thick. The series
includes black shales with fish remains,
thin coal seams in Virginia and
North Carolina, and basaltic flows and
sills. CTD

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Newly mixed, but not unused, molders'


sand. Standard, 2

A chondritic stony meteorite composed of


bronzite
and
olivine
in
a
friable, breccialike mass of chondrules.
AGI

new scrap

niccolite

The
material
generated
in
the
manufacturing process of articles for
ultimate
consumption;
it
includes
defective castings, clippings, turnings,
borings, drosses, slags, etc., that are
returned
directly
to
the
manufacturing process or sold directly for
reprocessing.

A former name for nickeline. Also spelled


nicolite.
.

new sand

Nicholls' technique
A technique used in the determination of
elastic
constants
of
rock
in
situ. Longitudinal and shear waves are
generated
in
rock
by
small
explosive charges in shallow drill holes.
Accelerometers
and
strain
gages
are employed to measure arrival times for
both waves. From wave velocities
and measured density, Poisson's ratio,
modulus of elasticity, modulus of
rigidity, Lame's constant, and bulk
modulus
can
be
calculated.
Lewis

Newtonian fluid
Term marking the distinction, made in
mineral
processing
that
involves
agitation, between a truly viscous
(Newtonian) liquid and one in which
shear
or
apparent
viscosity
(pseudoviscosity)
varies
with
the
dimensions
of the containing system and the speed of
agitation.
The
latter
type
of
fluid is said to be non-Newtonian. Pryor,
3

nickel
a. An isometric mineral, elemental Ni;
hard;
metallic;
silver-white;
a
native metal, esp. in meteorites; also
alloyed with iron in meteorites.
b. A silvery white, hard, malleable,
ductile,
somewhat
ferromagnetic
element. Symbol: Ni. It takes on a high
polish and is a fair conductor of
heat and electricity. Used for making
stainless
steel
and
other
corrosion-resistant metals and is chiefly
valuable
for
the
alloys
it
forms. Also used extensively in coinage,
in
desalination
plants
for
converting sea water into fresh water, and
in
making
nickel
steel
for

Newton's law of gravitation


See:law of gravitation
New York rod
A leveling rod marked with narrow lines,
ruler fashion. Nichols, 1
N-frame brace
A diagonal brace in a square set. Fay
ngavite

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Sulfantimonide of nickel, crystallizing in


the
cubic
system.
Also
called
ullmannite. CMD

a. A hexagonal mineral, 2[NiAs] ;


commonly contains antimony, cobalt,
iron, and sulfur; one of the chief ores of
nickel.
Formerly
called:
niccolite; nickelite; arsenical nickel;
copper
nickel;
kupfernickel.
b. The mineral group breithauptite,
freboldite,
imgreite,
langisite,
nickeline, sederholmite, sobolevskite,
stempflite, and sudburyite.

nickel bloom

nickel iron

A green hydrated and oxidized patina on


rock
outcrops
indicating
the
existence of primary nickel minerals;
specif.
annabergite
(a
nickel
arsenate). The term is also applied to
zaratite (a nickel carbonate) and
to morenosite (a nickel sulfate).

a. A mineral, NiFe, containing about 76%


nickel and found in meteorites.
Isometric.
Dana,
4
b. The native alloy of nickel with iron in
meteorites.

armor plate and burglar-proof vaults.


Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 3

nickel antimony glance

nickelite
nickel carbonyl
A former name for nickeline.
A volatile compound of nickel, Ni(CO)4 ,
formed
by
passing
carbon
monoxide over the heated metal. The
compound is decomposed into nickel and
carbon monoxide by further heating. It is
used
on
a
large
scale
in
industry for the production of nickel from
its ores by the Mond process.
CTD

nickel ocher
An early name for annabergite. Fay
nickelous oxide
a. NiO; green, becoming yellow. Found in
nature as the mineral bunsenite.
Soluble in acids and in ammonium
hydroxide; insoluble in water; sp gr, 6.6
to 6.8. NiO absorbs oxygen at 400 degrees
C
forming
Ni2
O3
which is reduced to NiO at 600 degrees C.
Used
in
nickel
salts
and
in
porcelain
painting.
CCD,
2
b. Isometric; green to black; molecular
weight,
74.71;
melting
point,
1,990 degrees C; sp gr, 6.67. Used for
painting
on
china.
Bennett; Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics, 2

nickel glance
See:gersdorffite
nickel green
See:annabergite
nickeliferous
Containing nickel.
nickeline

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nickel oxide

nicking

Comprises the two nickel oxides,


nickelous oxide (NiO) and nickelic oxide
(Ni2 O3 ) , which are used extensively as
colorants
in
glasses, glazes, and enamels. The use of
nickel
oxide
in
enamels
is
generally in the ground coat, in which it is
used
with
cobalt
and
manganese. It is also used in cover coat
enamels to give what is known as
a daylight shade for reflector units.
Nickelic oxide imparts a color to
glass which is dependent upon the
character
of
the
alkali
present.
Nickelous oxide is used in glazes to
produce blues, greens, browns, and
yellows. Nickel oxide is also one of the
principal
components
of
certain
type of ferrites, e.g, the nickel-zinc ferrite.

a. The cutting of a vertical groove in a


seam to liberate coal after it
has been holed or undercut. Nelson
b. Used in wire-rope terminology to
describe the internal crosscutting of
wires within a rope. Sinclair, 5
c. The chipping of coal along the rib of an
entry
or
room,
which
is
usually the first indication of a squeeze.
Fay
d. A vertical cutting or shearing one side
of a face of coal. Also called
cut; cutting. Fay
nickings
Newc. The small coal produced in making
a nicking.Fay
nicol

nickel plating

a.
Nicol
prism.
b. Any apparatus that produces polarized
light,
e.g.,
Nicol
prism
or
Polaroid..

The deposition of a coating of metallic


nickel
by
electrolysis.
Nelson

nicolite
nickel pyrite
A former name for nickeline.
See:millerite
Nicol prism
nickel-skutterudite
A special prism for producing polarized
light, made from two pieces of
Iceland spar (calcite) cemented together
with
Canada
balsam.
Light
entering the prism is split into two
polarized
rays;
of
these,
the
ordinary ray is totally reflected at the
balsam
layer
while
the
extraordinary ray is able to pass through
the
prism.
In
a
petrological
microscope two Nicol prisms are
incorporated.

An isometric mineral, NiAs2-3 ;


isostructural
with
skutterudite;
tin white; in intermediate-temperature
hydrothermal veins, particularly in
association with Co, Ni, Fe arsenides,
sulfarsenides,
and
native
silver.

nickel vitriol
See:morenosite

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Nothing; zero. Often used in reporting


gold
and
silver
assays.
Webster 3rd; Fay

Niggli's classification
a. A classification of igneous rocks on the
basis
of
their
chemical
composition, similar in some respects to
the norm system. It was proposed
in 1920 by the Swiss mineralogist Paul
Niggli.
AGI
b. A classification of ore deposits, the
major groups being plutonic, or
intrusive, and volcanic, or extrusive. It
was
proposed
in
1929.
AGI

nine-inch straight
A standard 9-in by 4-1/2-in by 2-1/2-in
(22.9-cm by 11.4-cm by 6.4-cm)
straight brick.
nine-point sample
Final sample taken for test when a small
quantity of finely ground mineral
is required for assay. A suitable quantity
of
dry
material
is
thoroughly
mixed on glazed cloth or paper, if
necessary, being rolled lightly with a
round bottle to break down any floccules.
It is then flattened to a disk
and eight equal segments are marked out
diametrically
with
a
spatula.
Approx. equal quantities are taken from
each segment and from the center,
making the nine points of withdrawal.
Pryor, 3

night emerald
See:evening emerald
night pair
Corn. Miners who work underground
during the night. The night shift.
Fay
night shift
The coal miners' shift from about 12:00
p.m. to 8:00 a.m. It may be a
coal-winning shift, but in general it is a
preparation
or
maintenance
shift. Nelson

ningyoite
An orthorhombic mineral, (U,Ca,Ce)2
)2
.1-2H
(PO4
2 O ; rhabdophane group; occurs in an
unoxidized
zone
of
the
Ningyo-toge Mine, Tottori prefecture,
Japan.

nigritite
A product of the coalification of fix
bitumens rich in carbon; insoluble
or only slightly soluble in organic
solvents.
It
is
subdivided
into
polynigritite, humonigritite, exinonigritite,
and
keronigritite.
Tomkeieff

niobite
See:columbite
niobium
A shiny, white, soft, and ductile metallic
element.
Symbol,
Nb
(niobium)
or Cb (columbium). The name niobium
was adopted by the International Union

nil

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c. The device at the end of the trailing


cable of a mining machine used
for connecting the trailing cable to the
trolley
wire
and
ground.
Jones,
1
d. To move a machine along a track by
sliding the nip along the trolley
wire.
Hess
e. The seizing of material between the
jaws
or
rolls
of
a
crusher.
Nichols,
1
f.
See:angle
of
nip
g. To cut grooves at the end of a bar, to
make
it
fit
more
evenly.
h. An undercutting notch in rock,
particularly limestone, along a seacoast
between high- and low-tide levels
produced by erosion or possible
solution. AGI

of Pure and Applied Chemistry. Many


chemical societies and government
organizations refer to it as niobium, but
most
metallurgists,
metals
societies, and commercial producers still
refer to the metal as columbium.
Found in niobite (or columbite), niobitetantalite,
pyrochlore,
and
euxenite. Used as an alloying agent in
carbon
and
alloy
steels,
in
nonferrous metals, and in superconductive
magnets.
niobium boride
One of several compounds that have been
reported, including the following:
NbB2 ; melting point, 3,050 degrees C; sp
gr,
7.0;
thermal
expansion, 5.9 X 10-6 parallel to a and 8.4
X
10-6
parallel to c; NbB, melting point, 2,300
degrees
C;
sp
gr,
7.6;
Nb3
B4 melts incongruently at 2,700 degrees
C; sp gr, 7.3. Dodd

niperyth
See:penthrite
nipple

niobium nitride

A tubular pipe fitting usually threaded on


both ends and under 12 in (30.5
cm) in length. Longer pipe is regarded as
cut pipe.

One of three nitrides that have been


reported: NbN, Nb2 N , and Nb
4 N3 . During reaction between niobium
at
800
and
N2
to 1,500 degrees C the product generally
consists
of
more
than
one
compound. Most of the phases are stable
at
least
to
1,500
degrees
C.
Dodd

Ni-resist
A cast iron consisting of graphite in a
matrix of austenite. It contains
3.0% carbon, 14.0% nickel, 6.0% copper,
2.0% chromium, and 1.5% silicon;
it has a high resistance to growth,
oxidation, and corrosion. CTD

nip
a. Where the roof and the floor of a coal
seam
come
close
together
pinching the coal between them. CF:want
b. The contact ends of a cable for quick
attachment
to
a
power
cable.
BCI

nital
See:Boylston's reagent
niter

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one of the processes of soil formation.


AGI

An orthorhombic mineral, 4[KNO3 ] ;


water
soluble;
has
a
cooling
salty taste; a product of nitrification in
most arable soils in hot, dry
regions, and in the loose earth forming the
floors
of
some
natural
caves.
CF:nitratine

nitro
An abbrev. for nitroglycerin or dynamite.
nitrocalcite

niter cake
A monoclinic mineral, Ca(NO3 )2 .4H2 O ;
water
soluble; soft; occurs as an efflorescence,
e.g., on walls and in limestone
caves.

Crude sodium sulfate, a byproduct in the


manufacture of nitric acid from
sodium nitrate. Fay
nitrate

nitrocellulose
a. A salt of nitric acid; e.g., silver nitrate
or
barium
nitrate.
Standard,
2
b. A mineral compound characterized by a
fundamental
anionic
structure
of
NO3- . Soda niter, NaNO3 , and niter,
,
KNO3
are nitrates. CF:carbonate; borate. AGI
c. Salts formed by the action of nitric acid
on
metallic
oxides,
hydroxides, and carbonates. Readily
soluble in water and decompose when
heated. The nitrates of polyhydric alcohols
and
the
alkyl
radicals
explode
violently. CTD

Nitric acid esters of cellulose formed by


the
action
of
a
mixture
of
nitric and sulfuric acids on cellulose. The
cellulose can be nitrated to a
varying extent, ranging from two to six
nitrate groups in the molecule.
Nitrocellulose having a low nitrogen
content, up to the tetranitrate, is
not explosive. They dissolve in etheralcohol mixtures and in so-called
lacquer solvents, such as butyl acetate. A
nitrocellulose
having
a
high
nitrogen content is guncotton, an
explosive. The principal nitrocellulose
plastic is celluloid.

nitratine
nitrocotton
A
trigonal
mineral,
NaNO3
;
rhombohedral cleavage; water soluble
with a cooling taste; occurs only in very
arid
regions.
Formerly
called
soda niter.

A chemical combination of ordinary


cotton fiber with nitric acid. It is
explosive, highly inflammable, and in
certain
degrees
of
nitration,
soluble in nitroglycerin.

nitrification
nitrogelatin
The formation of nitrates by the oxidation
of
ammonium
salts
to
nitrites
(usually by bacteria) followed by
oxidation of nitrites to nitrates. It is

See:gelatin dynamite
nitrogen

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Colorless, tasteless, odorless, relatively


inert
element.
Symbol,
N.
Nitrogen makes up 78% of the air, by
volume.
From
this
inexhaustible
source it can be obtained by liquefaction
and
fractional
distillation.
Used in the production of ammonia and
nitric acid, as a blanketing medium
in the electronics industry, as a refrigerant,
in
annealing
stainless
steel, in drugs, and for forcing crude oil
from
oil
wells.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 3

sulfuric acid and nitric acid in a steel tank


and
then
adding
glycerin.
Its great shattering effect has made it esp.
suitable
for
shooting
oil
wells. Because of its sensitiveness to
shock,
liquid
nitroglygerin
is
dangerous to transport and unsuitable for
use
in
mining
and
quarrying
operations.;
explosive oil. CCD, 2; Handbook of
Chemistry and Physics, 2; Lewis

nitrogen fixation

An explosive containing, principally,


nitroglycerin,
nitrocotton,
and
inorganic nitrates, with a suitable
combustible
absorbent
giving
a
balanced composition. Nelson

nitroglycerin explosive

a. Extracting nitrogen from the air in


commercial quantities for use in
agriculture
or
industry.
b. In a soil, the conversion of atmospheric
nitrogen to a combined form by
the metabolic processes of some algae,
bacteria,
and
actinomycetes.
AGI

nitroglycerin powder
Explosive usually characterized by a low
nitroglycerin content, up to 10%
, and a high ammonium nitrate content of
80% to 85%, with carbonaceous
material forming the remainder of the
composition.
This
composition
produces a powdery consistency and,
consequently,
nitroglycerin
powders
have relatively poor water-resistance
properties, so that they should be
used only in dry conditions. Their storage
properties
are
fairly
good,
but
this is largely dependent on the protection
given
after
manufacture,
for
example, in the methods of cartridging
and packing. The main application
of these explosives is in quarrying and
mining where the ground to be
blasted is relatively soft. McAdam, 2

nitroglycerin
CH2 NO3 CHNO3 CH2 NO3 ; pale yellow;
flammable; explosive; thick liquid;
soluble in alcohol; soluble in ether
in all proportions; slightly soluble in
water; melting point, 13.1 degrees
C; and explosion point, 256 degrees C.
Used as an explosive, in the
production of dynamite and other
explosives, as an explosive plasticizer
in solid rocket propellants, and as a
possible
liquid
rocket
propellant.
Molecular weight, 227.09; triclinic or
orthorhombic when solid; sp gr,
1.5918 (at 25 degrees C, referred to water
at
4
degrees
C);
soluble
in
methanol and in carbon disulfide; very
soluble in chloroform; and slightly
soluble in petroleum ether. This highly
explosive liquid is made by mixing

nitrohydrochloric acid

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The act or process of introducing by


substitution the nitryl radical, NO
2 , in place of one or more replaceable
hydrogen
atoms,
such
as
in
an organic compound. Nitrosubstitution
compounds
are
used
in
the
manufacture
of
some
explosives.
Standard, 2

See:aqua regia
nitrolite
An excellent and cheap explosive in
powder form, consisting of the
constituents ammonium nitrate + trotyl +
nitroglycerin
+
silicon.
Fraenkel

nitrosulfuric acid
nitromagnesite
A monoclinic mineral, Mg(NO3 )2 .6H2 O
;
water
soluble; white; an efflorescence in
limestone caverns.

An exceedingly corrosive mixture of one


part by weight of nitric acid and
two parts by weight of sulfuric acid. Used
in
the
manufacture
of
nitroglycerin. Standard, 2

nitromuriatic acid

nitrous oxide

See:aqua regia

A gas with the chemical formula, N2 O ;


molecular
weight,
46;
sp
gr, 1.6. This gas is produced by the
blasting
of
certain
nitroglycerine
explosives, esp. if there is incomplete
detonation. It is also produced in
the exhaust of diesel locomotives. It is
used
as
an
anesthetic
in
dentistry and is commonly known as
laughing gas. Morris

nitrostarch explosive
Nitrostarch explosives have been used to a
limited
extent
for
over
50
years. When these explosives were first
introduced,
nitrostarch
was
the
principal explosive ingredient in their
composition.
Of
recent
years,
because of the trend toward the lowsensitivity,
noncap
sensitive
nitrocarbonitrates and ammonium nitrateoil
mixtures,
certain
grades
of
explosives are being produced with low
amounts of sensitizers. Some of
these explosives today contain a very
large
percentage
of
ammonium
nitrate, and nitrostarch is used only in
small
quantities
to
act
as
a
sensitizer. Pit and Quarry

niveau surface
See:equipotential surface
noble
a. A term used to express great value or
purity,
as
in
a
noble
metal
(e.g., platinum); or inertness, as in a noble
gas
(e.g.,
helium).
b. An adj. usually modifying "metal" or
"gas"
and
referring
to
those
elements which do not normally combine
with oxygen or other non-metallic
elements under near-surface conditions;
thus they commonly occur as native

nitrosubstitution

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b. Having the shape of a nodule, or


occurring in the form of nodules;
e.g., nodular ore such as a colloform
mineral aggregate with a bulbed
surface.
AGI
c. Orbicular. AGI

elements (or alloys). The metals usually


included
are
gold,
silver,
platinum, palladium, ruthenium, iridium,
rhodium, and osmium; the gases
are helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon,
and radon. Other elements found
in their native states, such as sulfur,
copper, or mercury, are not noble
because they spontaneously (even though
slowly) oxidize.

nodular cast iron


A cast iron that has been treated while
molten
with
a
master
alloy
containing an element, such as magnesium
or
cerium,
to
produce
primary
graphite in the spherulitic form.

noble gas
A rare inert gas: helium, neon, argon,
krypton,
xenon,
and
radon.

nodular structure
nobleite

See:orbicular structure

A monoclinic mineral, CaB6 O9 (OH)2


.3H2
O
;
tabular or mammillary; transparent;
formed by the weathering of colemanite
and priceite in Death Valley, CA.

nodule
a. A small, irregularly rounded knot, mass,
or
lump
of
a
mineral
or
mineral aggregate, normally having a
warty or knobby surface and no
internal structure, and usually exhibiting a
contrasting
composition
from
the enclosing sediment or rock; e.g., a
nodule of pyrite in a coalbed, a
chert nodule in limestone, or a phosphatic
nodule
in
marine
strata.
Nodules can be separated as discrete
masses from the host material.
AGI
b. One of the widely scattered
concretionary lumps of manganese,
cobalt,
iron, and nickel found on the floors of the
world's
oceans;
esp.
a
manganese nodule. Etymol: Latin
nodulus, small knot. CF:concretion
AGI
c. A rounded material accretion built of
successive
layers,
of
easily
handled
size.
Pryor,
3
d. A small, rounded, irregularly shaped

noble metal
A metal with marked resistance to
chemical
reaction,
particularly
to
oxidation and to solution by inorganic
acids. The list includes mercury
and the precious and platinum-group
metals.
no-cut rounds
In blasting underground, drilling all holes
straight
into
the
face.
Lewis
nodular
a. Composed of nodules; e.g., nodular
bedding consisting of scattered to
loosely packed nodules in matrix of like
or
unlike
character.
AGI

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mass, as those of
malleable cast iron. Rolfe

English-English

graphite

in

nolanite
A hexagonal mineral, (V,Fe,Ti)10 O14
(OH)2
;
rare;
forms tabular prisms and plates;
associated with uranium ores at
Beaverlodge, SK, Canda, and with native
gold
and
various
tellurides
at
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

nodulizing
a. The forming of rounded shapes by the
application to fine coal of a
gyratory, rotary, or oscillatory motion,
without
the
use
of
pressure.
BS,
5
b. See:balling

nominal area
Of a screen, the total area of the screen
deck exposed to the flow of the
material feed. BS, 5

noise
a.
Any
undesired
sound.
NCB
b. By extension, any unwanted
disturbance such as undesired electric
waves
in any transmission channel or device.
NCB
c. In gravity and magnetic prospecting,
disturbances in observed data due
to more or less random inhomogeneities in
surface
and
near-surface
material.
AGI
d. In seismic prospecting, all recorded
energy
not
derived
from
the
explosion of the shot. Sometimes loosely
used
for
all
recorded
energy
except events of interest. AGI

nominal bandwidth
In a filter, the difference between the
nominal upper and lower cutoff
frequencies. This difference may be
expressed in cycles per second, as a
percentage of the pass-band center
frequency, or as the difference between
the upper and lower cutoffs in octaves. Hy
nominal capacity
A notional figure expressed in tons per
hour used in the title of a
flowsheet and in general descriptions of
the plant, applying to the plant
as a whole and to the specific project
under consideration. It may be
taken as representing the approximate
tonnage expected to be supplied to
the plant during the hour of greatest load.
BS, 5

noise level
In observed
fluctuations
signals. AGI

or recorded data,
not
attributable

the
to

noise reduction rating


A measure of a hearing protector's
effectiveness in reducing noise such as
results from mining operations where
drilling,
cutting,
blasting,
etc.
create high noise levels. Abbrev. NRR.
MSHA, 2

nominal price
An estimate of the price for a future
month date which is used to
designate a closing price when no trading
has taken place in that date.
Also used for current price indications in

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similar
circumstances
physical trading. Wolff

English-English

in

Any of several species of pyrobitumens,


including
dark-colored,
comparatively hard and nonvolatile solids,
composed
of
hydrocarbons
containing oxygenated bodies, infusible
and largely insoluble in carbon
disulfide. This includes peat, coal, and
nonasphaltic
pyrobitumen
shales.
Tomkeieff

nominal screen aperture


a. A nominal mesh aperture used to
designate the result of a screening
operation.
BS,
5
b. A notional size at which it is intended
to divide a feed by a screening
operation.

nonbanded coal
Coal that does not display a striated or
banded appearance on the vertical
face. It contains essentially no vitrain and
consists
of
clarain
or
durain, or of material intermediate
between the two. AGI

nominal screen size


See:nominal screen aperture
nominal size
The limit or limits of particle size used to
describe
a
product
of
a
sizing operation. BS, 5

non-Bessemer ore
Ore containing up to about 0.18%
phosphorus. Newton, 1

nomogram

noncaking coal

A type of line chart that graphically


represents an equation of three
variables, each of which is represented by
a
graduated
straight
line.
It
is used to avoid lengthy calculations; a
straight
line
connecting
values
on two of the lines automatically
intersects the third line at the
required value.

Coal that does not form cake; namely


hard, splint, cherry, and durain
coal. Tomkeieff
noncaving method
Any of several stoping methods, including
open
stopes,
sublevel,
shrinkage, cut-and-fill, and square set.
Lewis

nomograph
See:nomogram

noncoal mine
nonangular unconformity
A mine in which the material being mined
is incombustible or contains at
least 65% by weight of incombustible
material,
and
in
which
the
underground atmosphere in any open
workings contains less than 0.25% by
volume of flammable gas. CFR, 2

See:disconformity

nonasphaltic pyrobitumen

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A method of arc melting in which a


carbon or tungsten electrode is used
and the sponge metal to be melted is fed
into the arc at the proper rate.
Newton, 1

noncoking coal
A bituminous coal that burns freely
without softening or any appearance of
incipient fusion. The percentage of
volatile matter may be the same as for
coking coal, but the residue is not a true
coke. Fay

noncore bit
See:plug bit

noncombustible
noncore drilling
Any material that will neither ignite nor
actively
support
combustion
in
air at 1,200 degrees F (649 degrees C)
when
exposed
to
fire.
nonconformable

Drilling a borehole without taking core.


Long
noncoring bit

Pertaining to the stratigraphic relations


shown
by
a
nonconformity.
AGI

A general type of bit made in many shapes


that does not produce a core and
with which all the rock cut in a borehole is
ejected
as
sludge.
Used
mostly for blasthole drilling and in the
unmineralized zones in a borehole
where a core sample is not wanted. Also
called
blasthole
bit;
plug
bit.
CF:fishtail bit; roller bit.

nonconformity
a. An unconformity developed between
sedimentary rocks and older rocks
(plutonic igneous or massive metamorphic
rocks) that had been exposed to
erosion before the sediments covered
them. The restriction of the term to
this usage was proposed by Dunbar &
Rodgers (1957). Although the term is
well known in the classroom, it is not
commonly used in practice (Dennis,
1967).
AGI
b. A term that formerly was widely, but is
now less commonly, used as a
syn. of angular unconformity, or as a
generic term that includes angular
unconformity. Term proposed by Pirsson
(1915). AGI

nondestructive testing
Methods of examination, usually for
soundness, which do not involve
destroying or damaging the material or
part
being
tested.
It
includes
radiological
examination,
magnetic
inspection,
etc.
Also
called
nondestructive inspection. Rolfe
nondiamond core drill
A rotary or percussive-type drill equipped
with
core-cutting
tools
or
bits, the cutting points of which are not
inset
with
diamonds.
Long

nonconsumable-electrode arc melting

nonel
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a. Classification of metals that are not


commonly
associated
with
alloys
of iron, including base metals, precious
metals,
and
light
metals.
b. In singular form, an alloy that has as its
base
metal
a
metal
other
than iron, e.g., copper, lead, aluminum,
etc.

See:nonelectric blasting
nonelectric blasting
The firing of one or more charges using
safety
fuse,
igniter
cord,
detonating cord, shock or gas tubing, or
similar
nonelectric
materials
to
initiate
a
blasting
cap.
shock tube system. Federal Mine Safety

nonflowing well
A well that yields water at the ground
surface only by means of a pump or
other lifting device.

nonelectric delay blasting cap


A detonator with an integral delay element
and
capable
of
being
initiated
by miniaturized or regular detonating
cord. CFR, 1

nonfreezing explosive
Explosive to which 15% to 20% of
nitroethylene glycol has been added. This
acts as a freezing-point depressant and
prevents
freezing
at
ordinary
temperatures. Polar or Arctic explosives
are
nitroglycerin
explosives
of
this type. Higham

nonferrous
Of, or relating to, a metal or compound
that does not contain appreciable
quantities of iron; ores that are not
processed primarily for their iron
content.

nongraded sediment
nonferrous alloy
a. In geology, detrital sediment, loose or
cemented,
containing
notable
amounts of more than one grade; e.g.,
loam
or
boulder
clay.

Specif., an alloy containing no iron.


Generically, any alloy that has as
its base any element other than iron.
Common commercial nonferrous alloys
are based upon aluminum, copper, lead,
magnesium, nickel, tin, and zinc.
Henderson

b. In engineering, sediment in which the


constituent
particles
are
all
of
nearly the same size. Stokes

nonferrous metallurgy

nonhardening salt

That branch of metallurgy that deals with


the broad field of metals other
than iron, or alloys other than of iron base.
CF:ferrous
metallurgy
Henderson

Salt containing substantial quantities of


impurities
such
as
calcium
and/or magnesium chloride, which are
highly
deliquescent
and
prevent
caking. Kaufmann

nonferrous metals

nonluminous flame

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Hydrogen, carbon monoxide, or aerated


coal gas flames. Francis, 2

abrasion or other damage from external


sources. USBM, 2

nonmagnetic rod

nonmetallic mineral

A drill rod made of brass, aluminum, or


other
metal
unaffected
by
magnetism. Long

a. In resource usage, "nonmetallic


mineral" refers to the nonmetallic
character of the product, not the
mineralogy. Thus graphite is a
nonmetallic mineral and molybdenite is
"metallic" even though the minerals
graphite and molybdenite are so similar in
appearance
that
they
may
be
confused in a casual inspection. Examples
include:
asbestos,
barite,
cement, feldspar, gem stones, helium,
kyanite,
perlite,
salt,
soda
ash,
and vermiculite, and even extending to
mineral
fuels.
CF:metallic
b. In mineral usage, the luster of a
nonopaque mineral, which transmits
light at least through the thinnest edges
and in thin section.

nonmagnetic steel
Steel alloyed with 12% or more of
manganese, chromium, or nickel. Such an
alloy cannot be removed from a passing
stream of ore by an ordinary guard
magnet. Magnetic permeability is below
1.05. Pryor, 3
nonmetal
A chemical element (as boron, carbon,
phosphorus,
nitrogen,
oxygen,
sulfur, chlorine, or argon) that is not
classed as a metal because it does
not exhibit most of the typical metallic
properties. An element that, in
general, is characterized chemically by the
ability
to
form
anions,
acidic
oxides and acids, and stable compounds
with hydrogen. Webster 3rd

nonmetallic minerals
Minerals are conveniently divided into
metallic
and
nonmetallic
groups,
and then arranged in subdivisions
according to the elements which form
their main constituents. The nonmetallic
minerals (carbon, diamond, coals,
bitumen, asphalt, boron, sulfur, rock salt,
etc.)
lack
the
properties
of
the metallic minerals such as a bright
metallic
luster,
hardness,
density,
and good conduction of heat and
electricity. Nelson

nonmetallic
a. Of or pertaining to a nonmetal. AGI
b. Said in general of mineral lusters other
than
metallic
luster.
CF:submetallic
luster
c. An industrial mineral; usually used in
the plural. AGI

non-metallic minerals
nonmetallic armor
Rocks, minerals, and select naturally
occurring and synthetic materials of
economic value, exclusive of fuel and
metallic ore minerals. The select
materials include peat, mineral-derived

A tough outer covering or cable sheath of


rubber,
rubber
compound,
or
thermoplastic, designed to protect cable
conductors
and
insulation
from

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conditions
unless
packed
in
sealed containers. The main use of nonnitroglycerin
explosives
is
in
primary blasting in quarries and opencast
mining, although they are used
in some underground work, particularly in
ironstone
mining.
The
combination of high strength and
relatively high velocity of detonation
also makes them applicable for secondary
blasting
by
plaster
shooting.
McAdam, 2

materials such as lime and cement,


and synthetic versions of gemstones,
abrasives,
graphite,
and
calcite.
Generally, non-metallic minerals undergo
no
chemical
or
mineralogical
alteration for and in their end-uses; are
low-price,
high-volume
commodities such as construction
materials;
are
higher-priced
and
large-volume commodities that are raw
materials
in
the
chemical
and
agricultural industry; and very high price
but very low volume materials
such as gemstones. A characteristic of
non-metallic minerals is that, in
most cases, they maintain their form and
physical
properties
through
processing
to
final
end
use.
AGI; Indust. Miner.

nonpareil brick
An insulating brick.
nonpermissible explosive
An explosive that is not approved in law
for use in gassy mines.

non-Newtonian flow
Flow in which the relationship of the
shear stress to the rate of shear
strain is nonlinear; i.e., flow of a
subsurface in which viscosity is not
constant. AGI

nonpolarizable electrode

nonnitroglycerin explosive

nonproductive formation

Explosive containing TNT instead of


nitroglycerin to sensitize ammonium
nitrate; a little aluminum powder may also
be added to increase power and
sensitiveness. Straight TNT-ammonium
nitrate explosives usually contain
15% to 18% TNT and 82% to 85%
ammonium nitrate. TNT-ammonium
nitrate
explosives have densities between 1.0
g/cm3
and
1.2
g/cm
(super
3) and velocities of detonation between
3,200 m/s and 4,000 m/s. They are
reasonably free from noxious fumes. This
type of explosive is susceptible
to moisture and should be used only in dry

a. A rock unit that, because of its


stratigraphic position, is presumed to
contain no valuable mineral deposits.
Long
b. A rock unit in which no minerals of
interest are found. Long

Electrode in which the phenomenon of


polarization
cannot
occur.
Schieferdecker

nonrotating rope
A wire rope composed of 18 strands of 7
wires each; the inner 6 strands
are left lay and outer 12 strands are right
lay.
It
is
esp.
fabricated
for
use where loads are handled in free
suspension, as in lifting of loads
with a single line. Lewis

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Tool, made from beryllium-copper or


aluminum-bronze, that produces no
sparks, or low energy sparks, when used
to
strike
other
objects.
NSC, 1

nonsegregating chute
A chute, usually used to charge stoker
hoppers, so designed as to deliver
coal in a mixed state rather than having
the
large
lumps
tend
to
be
deposited separate from the fine.

nonspin cable
A wire or fiber cable so constructed as to
reduce twisting to a minimum.
Long

nonselective mining
The object of nonselective mining is to
secure a low cost, generally by
using a cheap stoping method combined
with
large-scale
operations.
This
method can be used in deposits where the
individual
stringers,
bands,
or
lenses of high-grade ore are so numerous
and
so
irregular
in
occurrence
and separated by such thin lenses of waste
that
a
selective
method
cannot
be employed. Nonselective methods of
stoping include caving, top slicing,
some forms of open stoping, and
shrinkage stoping under most conditions.
Jackson, 2

nonspin differential
A differential that will turn both axles,
even
if
one
offers
no
resistance. Nichols, 1
nonspinning rope
A rope wire consisting of 18 strands of 7
wires
each,
in
2
layers;
the
inner layer consists of 6 strands lang lay
rope
and
left
lay
around
a
small hemp core, and the outer of 12
strands regular lay, right-hand lay.
Will carry a load on a single end without
untwisting. Hunt

nonsequence
A diastem or other relatively unimportant
sedimentary
or
stratigraphic
interruption.
CF:unconformity;
paraconformity.

nonstranded rope
A rope in which the wires are not laid up
in
strands
but
in
concentric
sheaths, and in opposite directions in the
different
sheaths,
which
gives
the rope nonspinning properties. The outer
sheaths
are
composed
of
specially shaped interlocking wires, and
there is no hemp core in the
rope. Sinclair, 5

nonsignificant anomaly
An anomaly that is superficially similar to
a
significant
anomaly
but
is
unrelated to ore. Formerly called false
anomaly. Hawkes, 2

nonstructural
A phase transformation not involving
structural rearrangement, e.g., Curie
point in magnetism.

nonsparking tool

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nontabular deposit

nonweathering coal

A mineral deposit of irregular shape.

Coal having a weathering index, as


defined by U.S. Bureau of Mines
standards, of less than 5%. AGI

nontectonite
Any rock whose fabric shows no influence
of movement of adjacent grains;
e.g., a rock formed by mechanical settling.
Some
rocks
are
transitional
between a tectonite and a nontectonite.
AGI

nonwetted
a. A term used in the flotation process and
applied
to
certain
metallic
minerals that are not wetted with water
but are easily wetted with oil.
Fay
b. As used by diamond-bit setters, a
diamond inset in a metal or alloy
that has not adhered to or wetted the
surface of the diamond. Long

nontronite
A monoclinic mineral, Na0.33 Fe3+2
(Si,Al)4
O10 (OH)2 .nH2 O ; smectite group;
expansive,
a
swelling clay; earthy; occurs in vesicles
and
veins
in
weathered
basalt
and as an alteration product of volcanic
glass.

Norbide
Trade name for boron carbide, an artificial
abrasive;
chemical
formula,
BC. It is markedly harder than silicon
carbide and second only to diamond.
AIME, 1

nonuniform flow

nordite

A flow the velocity of which is


undergoing a positive or negative change.
If the flow is constant it is referred to as
uniform
flow.
Seelye, 1

An
orthorhombic
mineral,
(La,Ce)(Sr,Ca)Na2
(Na,Mn)(Zn,Mg)Si6
O17 ; forms pale brown crystals on the
Kola Peninsula, Russia.

nonvitreous
norite
A relative term as applied to ceramic
products
based
on
the
water
absorbing characteristics; i.e., brick, tile,
etc.,
which
absorb
water
in
excess of that given by the specifications
would
be
described
as
nonvitreous.

A coarse-grained plutonic rock containing


basic
plagioclase
(labradorite)
as the chief constituent and differing from
gabbro
by
the
presence
of
orthopyroxene (hypersthene) as the
dominant
mafic
mineral.
CF:hypersthenite

nonvitrified
norm
See:nonvitreous

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The quantity of heat required to raise 1 g


of water from 14.5 degrees C to
15.5 degrees C. Newton, 1

a. The theoretical mineral composition of


a rock expressed in terms of
normative mineral molecules that have
been determined by specific chemical
analyses for the purpose of classification
and
comparison;
the
theoretical
mineral composition that might be
expected had all chemical components
crystallized under equilibrium conditions
according to certain rules. Adj:
normative.
AGI
b. Optimum operating condition of one or
more
controlled
characteristics
in a process such as continuous ore
treatment. Pryor, 3

normal corrosion
When used in connection with galvanic
corrosion, it may refer to corrosion
of the anodic metal when there is no
contact with the dissimilar metal.
Schlain
normal depth
The depth of water in an open conduit that
corresponds
to
uniform
velocity
for the given flow. It is a hypothetical
depth under conditions of steady
nonuniform flow, the depth for which the
surface
and
bed
are
parallel;
also termed the neutral depth. Seelye, 1

normal
a. Of or pertaining to a solution having a
concentration
of
1
g-equivalent
weight of solute per liter of solution;
commonly used term in analytical
chemistry.
b.
Used
to
designate
aliphatic
hydrocarbons, their derivatives, or alkyl
radicals, the molecules of which contain a
single
unbranched
chain
of
carbon atoms.

normal dip
See:regional dip
normal displacement
See:dip slip

normal air

normal fault

A mixture of dry air and water vapor,


varying from 0.1% to 3% by volume
(usually over 1% in mines). Hartman, 2

A fault in which the hanging wall appears


to have moved downward relative
to the footwall. The angle of the fault is
usually
45
degrees
to
90
degrees . There is dip separation, but there
may or may not be dip slip.
CF:reverse fault; thrust fault.

normal arc
A term specif. intended to differentiate
between
the
arcs
that
are
commonly observed and the low-pressure
skittering arcs.

normal field
In magnetic prospecting, the smoothed
value of a magnetic field component
as derived from a large-scale survey,
worldwide or of continental scope.

normal calorie

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The normal field of the Earth varies


slowly with time, and maps of it are
as of a certain date. AGI

normal price

normal fold

As applied to metal prices, it is the


average over a long term--sometimes
a period greater than the life of a mine.

See:symmetrical fold

normal scale

normal haul

See:effective temperature

A haul whose cost is included in the cost


of
excavation,
so
that
no
separate charge is made for it. Nichols, 1

normal shift
In a fault, the horizontal component of the
shift,
measured
perpendicular
to the strike of the fault.

normalized steel
Steel that has been given a normalizing
heat treatment intended to bring
all of a lot of samples under consideration
into the same condition.

normal solution
A solution made by dissolving 1 gequivalent weight of a substance in
sufficient distilled water to make 1 L of
solution.
CTD

normalizing conveyor
A conveyor that moves material through a
normalizing furnace under heat.

normal stress
The stress component at right angles to a
given plane.ASCE

normally consolidated
Said of a soil deposit that has never been
subjected
to
an
effective
pressure greater than the existing
overburden pressure and one that is
also completely consolidated by the
existing overburden. ASCE

normal stress component


That component of the stress in a rock
mass that acts perpendicular to the
lode plane or any other reference plane.
Spalding

normal moisture capacity


normal temperature
See:field capacity
a. Normal temperature and pressure are
taken as 0 degrees C (273 degrees
absolute) and 30 in (760 mm) of mercury
pressure.
Also
called
standard
temperature.
Cooper
b. As applied to laboratory observations of
the
physical
characteristics
of bituminous materials, it is 77 degrees F

normal pressure
Usually equal to the weight of a column of
mercury
760
mm
in
height.
Approx.
14.7
psi
(101.4
kPa).
Webster 3rd; Fay

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(25
Urquhart

degrees

English-English

A process for the direct production of iron


sponge.
A
mixture
of
carbon
monoxide and hydrogen is used as the
reducing
agent.
The
equipment
consists of three vertical ovens, for
preheating, reducing, and cooling
the charge, and apparatus for regenerating
the
spent
gases.
The
ore
is
contained in a series of muffle trays, each
tray holding about 3 tons of
ore. These trays pass down through the
preheating oven, where the ore is
heated to 1,000 degrees C, and are then
transferred to the reducing oven,
where they are raised through and against
the downward gas current, then
transferred to the cooling shaft, and
slowly lowered down it. The transfer
of a tray from one oven to another is made
without
contact
with
air.
The
ore is preheated in the first oven by part of
the
gases
from
the
reduction
oven, and the sponge iron is cooled in the
third oven to 50 degrees C by
cold gas from a gas holder. Osborne

C).

normal theory
A theory claiming that the removal of a
coal seam caused the overlying
strata to fracture at right angles to the
inclination
of
the
beds.
Subsidence observations do not support
this
theory.
normal travel-time curve
In fan shooting, a time-distance curve
obtained along a profile in some
nearby area that does not contain geologic
structures
of
the
type
being
sought. AGI
normative
The adj. of norm.
normative mineral
A mineral whose presence in a rock is
theoretically possible on the basis
of certain chemical analyses. A normative
mineral
may
or
may
not
be
actually
present
in
the
rock.
AGI

norstrandite
A
triclinic
mineral,
Al(OH)3
;
cryptocrystalline; a constituent of
strongly weathered soils, of laterites and
bauxites.

norm system
north end
A
system
of
classification
and
nomenclature of igneous rocks based on
the
norm of each rock. It is used in detailed
petrologic
studies
rather
than
in ordinary geologic or mining work.

York. The rise side of the coal in North


Yorkshire.
north-seeking pole
The end of a magnet that points approx.
north.
The
other
end
is
the
south-seeking pole. Morris

Norsk-Staal process
Norwalt separator

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An isometric mineral, Na8 Al6 Si6 O24 (SO


(sub
4) ).H2 O ; sodalite group; occurs in silicaand
lime-deficient
igneous rocks. Formerly called noselite,
nosin, nosite.

Trade name for a dense-medium washer


for treating coal lump size down to
about 1/8 in (3.2 mm). It comprises a
shallow circular tank with a flat
base and a conical inner shell containing
the driving mechanism. The clean
coal floats and passes over a weir while
the shale sinks to the bottom and
is conveyed to an outlet chute. Its capacity
ranges
from
about
50
st/h
(45.4 t/h) to over 500 st/h (454 t/h),
depending on the size of the
vessel. Nelson

nose in
Eng. A stratum is said to nose in when it
dips beneath the ground into a
hillside in a V-form or nose form.
noselite

Norwegian cut
See:nosean
A variation of the ordinary cut that may be
said
to
represent
a
combination of the latter and the fan cut.
The
first
drill
holes
are
formed with a sharper angle toward the
working
face,
which
facilitates
breaking. This type of cut has been
employed successfully in headings of
small section, the cut hole being blasted
first,
followed
by
the
bench
holes. In order to obtain the maximum
possible advance the cut may also be
deepened after blasting, during the first
pause in working, e.g, the whole
section
then
being
broken
out
simultaneously. Fraenkel

nose out
a. Eng. A nose-shaped stratum cropping
out.
Fay
b. To diminish by losing stratum after
stratum and getting into the lower
part of the measure; said of a coal seam.
Standard, 2
nose pipe
The inside nozzle of a tuyere. Standard, 2
nosin
See:nosean

nose
nosite
a. Scot. A point; a projecting angle of coal
or
other
mineral.
Also
called
ness.
Fay
b. The lead face of the crown of a
diamond
bit.
Long
c. A short plunging anticline without
closure.
d. To dip or run in the form of a
geological nose. Webster 3rd

See:nosean
notch
a. An angular recess cut in the ends of a
crossbar of a timber set to fit
over a corresponding wedge in the upright
posts. With the advent of steel
arches, the craft of notching is becoming
extinct.

nosean

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A longwall method of working coal seams


in which the trams run on a rail
track along the face and are hand loaded at
the sides. It follows that the
system can be adopted only in relatively
thick seams where the trams can
travel along the face without any roof
ripping. The method is now replaced
by face conveyors.

b.
Eng.
See:let
into
c. A small weir made for use in measuring
flow
in
laboratory
models
of
hydraulic
structures.
d. A hollow formed by the undermining of
a cliff, as a result of wave
erosion and/or solution. Schieferdecker
notch effect

noumeite

Locally increased stress at that point in a


structural
load-bearing
member
where the section changes at a sharp
angle. Hammond

See:garnierite
novackite

notcher
A machine tool in a steel-fabrication shop
used to strip the flanges from
the ends of rolled steel joists. Hammond

A monoclinic mineral, (Cu,Ag)21 As10 ;


pseudotetragonal;
forms steel-gray granular aggregates; at
Cerny Dul, Czech Republic.

notching

novaculite

a. A method of excavating in a series of


steps.
Standard,
2
b. Cutting out various shapes from the
edge of a strip, blank, or part.
ASM, 1

a. A dense, hard even-textured, lightcolored


cryptocrystalline
siliceous
sedimentary rock, similar to chert but
characterized
by
dominance
of
microcrystalline quartz over chalcedony.
It was formerly believed to be
the result of primary deposition of silica,
but
in
the
type
occurrence
(Lower Paleozoic of the Ouachita
Mountains, Arkansas and Oklahoma) it
appears to be a thermally metamorphosed
bedded
chert,
distinguished
by
characteristic
polygonal
triple-point
texture. The origin of novaculite
has also been ascribed to crystallization of
opaline
skeletal
material
during diagenesis. The rock is used as a
whetstone.
ouachita
stone.
AGI
b. A term used in southern Illinois for an
extensive
bedded
chert.
AGI
c. A general name formerly used in

notch sensitivity ratio


Alternative term for factor of stress
concentration in fatigue or fatigue
strength reduction factor. Roark
not previously known to exist
These words refer to the time of the
location and commencement of the
tunnel and not to the respective times of
the
discoveries
of
the
various
veins in the tunnel. Ricketts

Nottingham system

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without an undue increase of the nitrogen


content,
so
that
ladle
skulls
can be avoided. Osborne

England for certain argillaceous stones


that served as whetstones. AGI
nowel

NQ
a. The inner part of a large mold,
corresponding to the core in small
work.
Standard,
2
b. The bottom or drag of a molding flask,
as distinguished from the cope.
Standard, 2
noxious gas

A letter name specifying the dimensions


of bits, core barrels, and drill
rods in the N-size and Q-group wireline
diamond drilling system having a
core diameter of 47.6 mm and a hole
diameter
of
75.7
mm.
Cumming, 2

A gas that is injurious to health. BS, 8

N rod bit

nozzle brick

A Canadian standard noncoring bit having


a set diameter of 2.940 in (74.7
mm). More commonly called a 2-15/16 N
drill-rod bit. Long

A tabular refractory shape used in a ladle,


with
a
hole
through
which
steel is teemed at the bottom of a ladle, the
upper
end
of
the
shape
serving as a seat for the stopper. ARI

N-truss
A bridge or roof truss that has parallel
upper and lower chords and an
arrangement of web members consisting
of tension diagonals and compression
verticals, with the vertical struts
separating the panels. Also known as a
Pratt truss.

nozzleman
In metal mining, one who operates a
hydraulic giant or monitor (nozzle)
used to direct a high-pressure stream of
water
against
a
bank
of
gold-bearing gravel to erode and force the
gravel
into
sluiceboxes,
where
the gold separates out and is caught by
riffles
(cleats).

nubber
a. Mid. A block of wood about 12 in (30.5
cm) square, for throwing mine
cars off the road in case the couplings or
ropes
break.
Fay
b. See:stopblocks

NPN process
A modification of the basic Bessemer
process. The main feature is the
shortening of the blow by increasing the
pressure of the blast as much as
possible. Normally, the melt is cooled by
the addition of scrap or iron
ore, but it is claimed that a fairly high
temperature
can
be
maintained

nuclear-assisted mining
The use of a nuclear explosive for
fracturing
and
fragmenting
large
volumes of ore underground into rubble
chimneys,
in
preparation
for

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block-cave-type
leaching. SME, 1

mining

English-English

or

A reaction involving the nucleus of the


atom,
such
as
fission,
neutron
capture, radioactive decay, or fusion; and
distinct
from
a
chemical
reaction, which is limited to changes in
the
electron
structure
surrounding the nucleus. Lyman

in-situ

nuclear log
See:radioactivity log
nuclear magnetism log

nuclear resonance magnetometer


Primarily a hydrogen log, useful for the
following
purposes:
(1)
provides
valuable correlating curve to replace the
S.P. in holes containing oil or
invert muds; (2) provides a means of
qualitatively
distinguishing
zones
containing hydrocarbons from zones
containing only water; (3) provides a
means of measuring quantitatively what
proportion
of
the
total
fluid-filled porosity in a formation is
sufficiently
free
from
the
influence of chemical binding forces to be
considered
mobile
and
thus
potentially recoverable; and (4) provides a
means
of
estimating
the
permeabilities of formations. Wyllie

An instrument that measures the Earth's


magnetic field, depending on the
magnetic moment of the atom. Hydrogen
atoms are generally used, and these
can be in a compound such as water. Each
hydrogen atom can be viewed as a
tiny electromagnet whose strength and
direction are determined by the
revolution of the electron of the atom
about its nucleus. In a magnetic
field, atoms of hydrogen have a tendency
to align themselves in opposition
to the field. If the direction of the field is
suddenly
changed,
there
will be a moment pulling the atoms
toward the new direction. But each atom
is a midget gyroscope, and instead of
shifting directly to the new field
direction, it will precess about this
direction. The frequency of this
precession will be a function only of the
strength
of
the
magnetic
field.

nuclear magnetometer
See:nuclear resonance magnetometer
nuclear powerplant
Any device, machine, or assembly thereof
that converts nuclear energy into
some form of useful power, such as
mechanical or electric power. In a
nuclear electric powerplant, heat produced
by a reactor is used to make
steam, and the steam drives a turbine
generator in the conventional way.
Lyman

nucleation
The beginning of crystal growth at one or
more points. AGI
nucleometer
A Geiger counter employing 20 Geiger
tubes to increase the sampling area
and overcome the inefficiency of a 1-tube
counter. Ballard

nuclear reaction
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nucleon

nugget model

A constituent of the atomic nucleus; i.e., a


proton
or
a
neutron.
Lyman

A constant variance model most often


used in combination with one or more
other functions when fitting mathematical
models
to
experimental
variograms.

nucleus

nuisance dust

The central point about which matter


accumulates to form a larger mass,
esp. of a growing crystal or pearl. Plural:
nuclei.

Dust with a long history of little adverse


effet
on
the
lungs;
does
not
produce significant organic disease or
toxic effect when exposures are
kept at reasonable levels.

nuclide
Any species of atom that exists for a
measurable length of time. A nuclide
can be distinguished by its atomic weight,
atomic
number,
and
energy
state. The term is used synonymously with
isotope.
A
radionuclide
is
the
same as a radioactive nuclide, a
radioactive isotope, or a radioisotope.
Lyman

Nujol
In flotation, any of a group of nonionizing
hydrocarbon
oils
that
act
as
collector agents by smearing action,
giving aerophilic quality to the
surface they selectively coat. Pryor, 3
Nullagine Series

Nuflex

A large lump of placer gold or other


metal. CF:heavy gold

Local name in Western Australia for the


formation
consisting
essentially
of pre-Cambrian rocks made up mainly of
jasperoid quartzites and dolomite.
Crocidolite asbestos occurs in this
formation as cross-fiber seams in
lodes in stratified ferruginous quartzites
and
shales
with
occasional
bands of dolomite. Sinclair, 7

nugget effect

nullah

Anomalously high precious metal assays


resulting
from
the
analysis
of
samples that may not adequately represent
the
composition
of
the
bulk
material tested due to nonuniform
distribution of high-grade nuggets in
the material to be sampled. SME, 1

a. A term used in the desert regions of


India and Pakistan for a sandy
river bed or channel, or a small ravine or
gully,
that
is
normally
dry
except after a heavy rain. AGI
b. The small, intermittent, generally
torrential stream that flows through
a nullah. Etymol: Hindi nala.AGI

Trade name for a nonrotating rope of 17 X


7 or 34 X 7 strand construction.
Hammond
nugget

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(4.1-cm) and over 3/16-in (4.8-mm) round


holes. Jones, 1

Numidian marble
A general name for marbles of cream,
yellow, pink, and red color, found in
northern Africa. The quarries were
worked by the ancient Romans.

nutcracker
See:boulder buster

Nummulite limestone

NW

A thick bed of limestone, of Eocene age,


composed mainly of the remains of
the
foraminifer
Nummulites.
The
formation stretches from the Alps through
Iran to China. It is the stone of which the
Great Pyramid is built.

Letter name specifying the dimensions of


bits,
core
barrels,
and
drill
rods in the N-size and W-group wireline
diamond drilling system having a
core diameter of 54.7 mm and a hole
diameter of 75.7 mm. The NW
designation has replaced the NX
designation. Cumming, 2

Nusse and
machine

Grafer

PIV/6

drilling

NX
A rotary machine used for drilling the
holes
in
combustible
gases
drainage. It is a two-speed, 150- to 250rpm
machine,
drill-rod
rotation
being operated by a 6-hp (4.47-kW)
motor. Traversing is done by a 2-hp
(1.5-kW) motor, a pinion of which
engages a toothed rack that runs the
length of the drill frame. A forward
drilling thrust of 4 st (3.6 t) is
possible. The machine measures 10 ft (3
m) overall and weighs about 1,000
lb (454 kg). With an improved high-speed
gearbox, 100 to 130 ft (30 to 40
m) of coal measures strata can be drilled
in a shift. Nelson

The NX designation for coring bits has


been
replaced
by
the
NW
designation.
nylon
A generic term for a group of synthetic
fiber-forming
polyamides.
The
polymer is melted, extruded, stretched,
and finally processed to turn it
into a textile yarn having a very high
strength, great powers of energy
absorption, and high resistance to abrasion
and rotting. Its major uses in
mining are as a reinforcement for
conveyor
belting
and
ventilation
ducting. Nelson

nut coal
a. An abbrev. for chestnut coal. Also
called
nuts.
Fay
b. Prepared bituminous coal that passes
through
2to
3-in
(5.1to
7.6-cm) round holes and over 3/4-, 1-, or
1-in
(1.9-,
2.54-,
or
3.2-cm)
holes, depending on the screening
practice. Anthracite, through 1-5/8-in

nylon belt
A rubber belt containing nylon fiber
reinforcing.
It
is
stronger
than
cotton-duck belts of equivalent size and
possesses
better
troughability
and fastener holding strength. Nylon belt
has the advantage of a long flex

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life, and the thinner carcass means easier


bending. Nelson

An eye disease suffered by some miners,


in which there is a spasmodic
oscillatory movement of the eyeballs; in
severe
cases,
the
victim
finds
difficulty in walking straight. Bad lighting
is
generally
believed
to
be
the main cause, and is possibly aggravated
by the workers lying on their
sides in thin seams.

nystagmus

To Go At beginning the Dictionary

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O
objective glass
oakum

See:objective

Loosely twisted fiber usually of hemp or


jute impregnated with tar or with
a tar derivative (such as creosote or
asphalt); used in caulking seams
(such as the wood hulls and decks of
ships) and in packing joints (in
pipes, caissons, etc.). Webster 3rd

objective lens
See:objective
oblique block
A quarry term applied to a block of stone
bounded by 3 pairs of parallel
faces--4 of the 12 interfacial angles being
right angles, 4 obtuse, and 4
acute.

Oamaru stone
A white, granular limestone found in large
quantities
in
Oamaru,
New
Zealand, and valued as a building stone.

oblique fault

obduction

A fault that strikes oblique to, rather than


parallel
or
perpendicular
to,
the strike of the constituent rocks or
dominant
structure.
CF:oblique-slip fault; strike fault; dip
fault. AGI

The overriding or overthrusting of oceanic


crust onto the leading edges of
continental lithospheric plates; plate
accretion.
AGI

oblique illumination method


object glass
See:van der Kolk method
See:objective
oblique joint
objective
a. A joint whose strike is oblique to the
strike
of
the
strata
or
metamorphic rocks in which it occurs.
b. A joint that forms an acute angle with
dip
joints
and
strike
joints.
Lewis

The lens (or lenses) that gives an image of


an
object
in
the
focal
plane
of a microscope or telescope eyepiece.;
object glass.

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a. In seismic prospecting, the person in


charge
of
the
recording
crew,
including the shooters and linemen. The
observer
must
maintain
the
electronic equipment and decide on the
best
shooting
and
detector
arrangement as well as the best
instrumental settings for getting records
of optimum quality. The observer operates
the recording equipment in the
field, often with the help of an assistant. In
conventional
recording,
or
in tape recording when photographic
monitors are run, the observer or an
assistant develops the record in the
recording truck immediately after it
is shot. Also called operator. Dobrin
b. In gravity and magnetic prospecting, a
person
who
secures
the
instrument readings, e.g., on a torsion
balance
or
magnetometer.
AGI

oblique offset
The distance of a point from a main
survey line measured at an angle to
the latter that is not a right angle.
oblique projection
A pictorial view of an object showing its
elevation,
plan,
or
section
to
scale with parallel lines projected from the
corners, at 45 degrees or any
other angle, indicating the other sides.
Hammond
oblique slip
In a fault, movement or slip that is
intermediate in orientation between
the dip slip and the strike slip. CF:strike
slip

obsidian
oblique-slip fault
A black or dark-colored volcanic glass,
usually
of
rhyolite
composition,
characterized by conchoidal fracture. It is
sometimes
banded
or
has
microlites. Usage of the term goes back as
far as Pliny, who described the
rock from Ethiopia. Obsidian has been
used for making arrowheads, other
sharp implements, jewelry, and art
objects.
AGI

A fault in which the net slip lies between


the
direction
of
dip
and
the
direction of strike.
obra
The narrow prismatic part of a blast
furnace
immediately
above
the
crucible. Fay
obsequent fault-line scarp

obsidianite brick
A scarp along a fault line, where the
topographically low area is on the
upthrown block. CF:resequent fault-line
scarp

Lightweight, siliceous fireclay, acidresisting


brick,
burned
to
a
glasslike mass.

observer

obtuse bisectrix

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a. That axis that bisects the obtuse angle


of
the
optic
axes
of
biaxial
minerals.
Fay
b. The angle >90 degrees between the
optic axes in a biaxial crystal, bxo.
CF:optic angle

occupant
An occupant of a tract of land, as the word
ordinarily is used, is one who
has the use and possession thereof,
whether he resides upon it or not.
Ricketts

occidental cat's-eye
occupation
See:cat's-eye; tiger's-eye.
As used in the mining law, it is equivalent
to
possession,
and
the
right
to locate is included in the right to occupy,
and
incident
to
a
location
is the right of possession; but mere
occupancy of the public lands and
making improvement thereon gives no
vested right therein as against a
location made in pursuance of law.
Ricketts

occlude
To take in and retain (a substance) in the
interior
rather
than
on
an
external surface; to sorb. Used esp. of
metals
sorbing
gases;
e.g.,
palladium occludes large volumes of
hydrogen. Webster 3rd
occluded

occurrence
Contained in pores (said of gas occluded
in coal). Mason

See:mineral occurrence

occluded gas

ocean current

Any of several gases that enter a mine


atmosphere from pores, as feeders
and blowers, and also from blasting
operations. These gases pollute the
mine air chiefly by the absorption of
oxygen by the coal, and in addition
by chemical combination of oxygen with
carbonaceous matter, for example,
from decaying timbers, rusting of iron
rails,
burning
of
lights,
and
breathing of humans and animals. These
gases
include
oxygen,
nitrogen,
carbon dioxide, and methane. Kentucky

a. The name current is usually restricted to


the
faster
movements
of
the
ocean, while those movements that
amount to only a few miles a day are
termed
drifts.
AGI
b. A nontidal current constituting a part of
the
great
oceanic
circulation. Examples are gulf stream,
kuroshio, and equatorial currents.
AGI
oceanic ridge
See:Mid-Atlantic Ridge; mid-ocean ridge.

occlusion
oceanic trench
a. Taking up or incorporation of liquids in
solids or of gases in liquids.
AGI

See:trench

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oceanographic dredge

octahedral borax

Apparatus used aboard ships to bring up


quantity
samples
of
the
ocean
bottom deposits and sediments. Hunt

A rhombohedral form of hydrous sodium


borate,
Na2
B4
O
(sub
7) .5H2 O , simulating regular
octahedrons. From the Lagoong of
Tuscany, Italy.

oceanography

octahedral cleavage

The broad field of science that includes all


fields
of
study
that
pertain
to the sea. This includes the studies of
boundaries
of
the
ocean,
its
bottom topography, the physics and
chemistry
of
seawater,
the
characteristics of its motion, and marine
biology. Hy

In the isometric system, cleavage parallel


to the faces of an octahedron.
Fay
octahedral copper
See:cuprite

ocher
octahedral iron ore
A name given to various native earthy
materials used as pigments. They
consist essentially of hydrated ferric oxide
admixed with clay and sand in
varying amounts and in impalpable
subdivision. When carrying much
manganese ochers grade into umbers.
They are either yellow, brown, or red.
The best reds are sometimes obtained by
calcining
the
yellow
varieties.
They are called burnt ochers. Others are
obtained by calcining copperas or
as a residue from roasting pyrite. In
general, the native yellows and
browns are varieties of limonite and the
native
reds
are
varieties
of
hematite. One variety of red ocher is
known as scarlet ocher. Their value
as pigments depends not only on the depth
of color but also on the amount
of oil required as a vehicle.
CCD, 2

See:magnetite
octahedrite
a. A class of meteorites. Hey, 1
b. The most common iron meteorite
contains 6% to 18% nickel in the metal
phase; on etching, shows Widmanstaetten
structure owing to the presence of
intimate intergrowths (of plates of
kamacite with narrow selvages of
taenite) oriented parallel to the octahedral
planes.
c. A former name for anatase.
octahedron
a. A closed crystallographic form with
isometric symmetry and eight faces,
each an equilateral triangle; sometimes
called
a
regular
octahedron
to
distinguish it from the more general usage
defined
below.
Commonly
observed in isometric minerals, such as
fluorite,
pyrite,
magnetite,
and
diamond.

octagon
A polygon having eight sides. Jones, 2

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concrete is mixed on the surface, taken


down the shaft in buckets, and
discharged into the octopus. The concrete
is
then
led
away
through
flexible rubber pipes to different points
around the shaft. Nelson

b.
Less
precisely,
a
closed
crystallographic form composed of (or
bounded
by) eight triangular surfaces (a
bipyramid), such as in some samples of
anatase.
Plural:
octahedra.
Adj.:
octahedral.

ocular
octant
Eyepiece of a microscope. Pryor, 3
Each eighth of crystal space divided by
three
noncoplanar
axial
planes.
CF:dodecant

O'Donaghue formula
A formula used for calculating the
thickness of tubbing: t = hdF/2C + A,
where: t is the required thickness of
tubbing in inches; h is the pressure
of water in pounds per square inch; d is
the
diameter
of
the
shaft
in
inches; C is the crushing strength of cast
iron in pounds per square inch,
which may be taken as 95,000; F is the
factor of safety adopted between 5
and 10; and A is the allowance for
possible flaws and corrosion and may
vary from 1/4 to 1 in (6.4 to 25.4 mm),
averaging
1/2
in
(12.7
mm).
Sinclair, 2

octant search
Used to limit the number of sample data
points
used
for
estimating
intermediate spatial values. The search
neighborhood is divided into eight
equal-angle sectors. Constraints on
selection of data values to include in
the estimation include: minimum and
maximum of samples or the number of
consecutive empty sectors. If either
criteria
is
below
minimum,
an
interpolated value is not calculated.
Applies to any interpolation method
where a limited number of sample data
points
are
used
to
estimate
intermediate values.

O'Donahue's theory
A mine subsidence theory based on an
extension of the theory of the
normal. In it, subsidence is regarded as
taking place in two stages. There
is, first, a breaking of the rocks in which
the
lines
of
fracture
tend
to
run at right angles to the stratification.
This
is
followed
by
an
aftersliding, or inward movement from the
sides,
resulting
in
a
pull
or
draw beyond the edges of the workings.
Briggs

octaphyllite
a. A trioctahedral clay mineral. AGI
b. A group of mica minerals that contains
eight cations per ten oxygen and
two
hydroxyl
ions.
c. Any mineral of the octaphyllite group,
such
as
biotite;
a
trioctahedral
clay mineral. CF:heptaphyllite
octopus
A bin or tank to facilitate the concrete
lining
of
circular
shafts.
The

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odontolite

off center waterway

A fossil bone or tooth colored deep blue


by
iron
phosphate
(vivianite),
and rarely green by copper compounds,
and resembling turquoise, such as
that from the tusks of mammoths found in
Siberia. It is cut and polished
for jewelry. AGI

A waterway port in a noncoring diamond


bit, not located in the center of
the bit face. Long
off gate
N. of Eng. One of the goaf roadways in
longwall workings, which are set
about 120 yd (110 m) apart. Fay

oersted
a. The practical, cgs electromagnetic unit
of
magnetic
intensity.
A
unit
magnetic pole, placed in a vacuum in
which the magnetic intensity is 1 Oe
(79.577 A/m), is acted upon by a force of
1 dyn in the direction of the
intensity
vector.
AGI
b. Commonly used as the cgs unit of
magnetic-field intensity. Except in
magnetized media, a magnetic field with
an intensity (H) of 1 Oe has an
induction (B) of 1 Gs (0.1 mT). AGI

off-highway truck
A truck of such size, weight, or
dimensions that it cannot be used on
public highways.
official plat of survey
The expression in a patent according to
the official plat of survey of the
land returned to the general land office by
the
surveyor
general
refers
to
the description of the land as well as to the
quantity
conveyed.
Ricketts

Oetling freezing method


A method of shaft sinking by freezing wet
ground
in
sections
as
the
sinking proceeds. The permanent lining is
also
inserted
as
the
shaft
is
sunk. The freezing equipment is a cylinder
equal in diameter to the shaft
and 44 in. (1.12 m) in height, with the
lower end closed by a plate. The
cylinder is in sections, each of which can
be
removed.
Each
section
is
provided with freezing coils. After
freezing the ground, two sections are
removed, the ground is thawed locally and
removed, and a segment of the
permanent lining is inserted. The process
is
repeated.
Nelson

off line
a. A condition existing when the drive rod
of the drill swivel head is not
centered and parallel with the borehole
being
drilled.
Long
b. A borehole that has deviated from its
intended
course.
Long
c. A condition existing wherein any linear
excavation
(shaft,
drift,
borehole, etc.) deviates from a previously
determined
or
intended
survey
line or course.

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i. To offset a well by drilling the next


adjoining
location
in
accordance
with a spacing pattern. Wheeler, R.R.
j. A spur or minor branch from a principal
range
of
hills
or
mountains.
k. The distance along the strain coordinate
between
the
initial
portion
of
a stress-strain curve and a parallel line that
intersects
the
stress-strain curve at a value of stress
which is used as a measure of the
yield strength. It is used for materials that
have
no
obvious
yield
point.
A value of 0.2% is commonly used. ASM,
1

off-peak load
Electricity drawn at a period when the
power station that supplies it is
not fully loaded. Pryor, 3
offretite
A hexagonal mineral, (K2 ,Ca)5 Al10 Si26
O
72 .30H2 O ; zeolite group; commonly
intergrown
with
erionite
and levyne as a vein or cavity filling in
mafic lavas.
offset

offset deposit
a. A short drift or crosscut driven from a
main
gangway
or
level.
Fay
b. The horizontal distance between the
outcrops
of
a
dislocated
bed.
Fay
c. Of a fault, the horizontal component of
displacement,
measured
perpendicular to the disrupted horizon.
AGI
d. A side (horizontal) measurement of
distance perpendicular to a line,
usually a transit line. Seelye, 2
e. To collar and drill a borehole at some
distance
from
the
designated
site to avoid a difficult setup. Long
f. To drill a borehole near one previously
drilled,
which
may
have
been
lost, for purposes of correlation or to
determine
the
lateral
extent
of
mineralization.
Long
g. An abrupt change in the trend of a drill
hole,
usually
caused
by
a
small shelflike projection of rock
alongside one wall of the drill hole.
Long
h. A well drilled near the boundary of a
lease opposite a completed well
on an adjacent lease. offset well. Long

a. A mineral deposit, esp. of sulfides,


formed
partly
by
magmatic
segregation and partly by hydrothermal
solution,
near
the
source
rock.
AGI
b. At Sudbury, ON, Canada, the term
refers to dikelike bodies radiating
from the Sudbury Complex, thought to
have been filled from above by
xenolithic rock fragments and massive
pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite-pentlandite.
AGI
offset digging
In a ladder ditcher, digging with the boom
not
centered
in
the
machine.
Nichols, 1
offset hole
See:offset
offset line
In surveying, a line established parallel to
the
main
survey
line,
and
usually not far from it; e.g., a line on a

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sidewalk, 2 ft (0.6 m) from the


established street line, or a line parallel to
the
centerline
of
a
bridge
and 50 ft (15.2 m) from it. Seelye, 2

off-the-road hauling
Hauling that takes place off the public
highways, generally on a mining or
excavation site. The hauling units used are
generally
higher
and
wider
than those used in over-the-road hauling
since highway restrictions do not
limit size, weight, etc. CF:over-the-road
hauling

offset ridge
A ridge that is discontinuous because of
faulting. AGI
offset staff

off the solid


In surveying, a rod, usually 10 links
(0.2012 m) long, used in measuring
short offsets. Webster 2nd

In this type of blasting, coal is blasted


from
the
solid
with
no
precutting or shearing. McAdam, 2

offset well
ogie
See:offset
off-sider

The space before the fire in a kiln. Also


called
killogie.
Standard, 1

A driller or drill-crew-worker working on


the
opposite
shift.
Also
called
drill helper. Long

ohm

offtake

he United States. Symbols, Omega and


omega
.
Webster 3rd; Zimmerman

A length of boring rods unscrewed and


detached at the top of a borehole.
Also called rod stand; setout. BS, 9

ohmmeter

offtake lad

A type of galvanometer that directly


indicates the number of ohms of the
resistance being measured. Crispin

See:shackler
Ohm's law
offtake rod
The formula expressing Ohm's law is I =
E/R, in which I is the electric
current in amperes; E is the electromotive
force in volts; and R is the
resistance in ohms. Handbook of
Chemistry and Physics, 2

One of the auxiliary rods at the top of a


winding
shaft
for
guiding
and
steadying the cages during decking or
loading and unloading operations.
Nelson

The practical mks unit of electric


resistance that equals the resistance
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of a circuit in which a potential difference


of 1 V produces a current of
1 A; the resistance in which 1 W of power
is dissipated when 1 A flows
through it..

oiled
A term used in flotation when a particle is
given
a
water
repellent
surface. When such a coating has been
formed, the particle is said to be
oiled or treated and ready to be floated.
Newton, 1

-oid
A suffix meaning "in the form of." AGI

oiler
oikocryst
a. In flotation, oil that provides a film
around
a
mineral
particle.
b. One of several types of mechanical
devices that deliver oil to machines
and into air or steam lines in controllable
amounts.
Also
called
atomizer;
line oiler; lubricator; oil pot; pineapple;
pot. Long

In poikilitic fabric, the enclosing crystal.


AGI
oil agglomeration
A coal beneficiation process in which an
oil is used to preferentially wet
the coal particles, which have an affinity
to agglomerate into masses that
are then selectively removed by screening,
e.g.

oilfield winch
An extremely powerful low-speed winch
on
a
crawler
tractor.
Nichols, 1

oil base
oil flotation
The residuum from the distillation of
petroleum. When paraffin is obtained
from petroleum, the original oil is said to
have a paraffin base; when the
residue is entirely asphaltic, the original
petroleum is said to have an
asphaltic base. Some petroleums have
both an asphaltic and a paraffin
base. API, 1

A process in which oil is used in ore


concentration
by
flotation.

oil of vitriol
Concentrated sulfuric acid.
oil pot

oil-bearing shale
See:line oiler; oiler.
Shale impregnated with petroleum. Not to
be
confused
with
oil
shale.
Tomkeieff

oil pump
A hydraulic pump supplying oil under
pressure
to
the
hydraulic-feed
cylinders and pistons of a hydraulic-type

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A fine-grained stone used for sharpening


edged
tools
or
other
similar
metal surfaces. Fay

are marked by simplicity of form and


subdued relief. It is characterized
by a few large meandering streams
flowing sluggishly across broad flood
plains, separated by faintly swelling hills,
and
having
dendritic
distributaries; and by peneplanation. AGI
c. A hypothetical stage in the development
of a coast, characterized by a
wide wave-cut platform, a faintly sloping
sea cliff pushed far inland, and
a
coastal
region
approaching
peneplanation. The stage is probably a
theoretical abstraction, since it is doubtful
whether
stability
of
sea
level is maintained long enough for the
land to be so reduced. AGI

oil-temper

oldhamite

To harden steel by quenching in oil after


heating. Webster 3rd

An isometric mineral, (Ca,Mn)S ; pale


brown; occurs in some meteorites and
slags; rapidly oxidizes in contact with air.

swivel
Long

head

on

diamond

drill.

oil shale
A kerogen-bearing, finely laminated
brown or black sedimentary rock that
will yield liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons
on
distillation.
CF:bituminous
shale
petrolo-shale. AGI
oilstone

okenite
Oldham stone duster
A triclinic mineral, Ca10 Si18 O46 .18H2 O ;
white; fibrous; commonly associated with
zeolites in basalts.

A self-contained transportable stone


duster. A high-velocity current of
air from a fan or blower is mechanically
fed from a hopper above, both the
fan and the feeding mechanism being
driven from the tub axle as it is
drawn along by rope haulage, horse, or
manually. It delivers about 3/4 lb
(0.34 kg) of dust per yard (0.9 m) of
travel. Sinclair, 1

old age
a. The stage in the development of a
stream at which erosion is decreasing
in vigor and efficiency, and aggradation
becomes dominant as the gradient
is reduced. It is characterized by a broad
open valley with a flood plain
that may be 15 times the width of the
meander
belt;
numerous
oxbows,
bayous, and swamps; a sluggish current;
and slow erosion, effected chiefly
by mass-wasting at valley sides. AGI
b. The final stage of the cycle of erosion
of a landscape or region, in
which the surface has been reduced almost
to base level and the landforms

Oldham-Wheat lamp
A cap lamp designed for full self-service.
This
lamp,
weighing
6-5/8
lb
(3.0 kg), has a 4-V lead-acid battery in a
hard rubber case with covers of
stainless steel or nickel-plated hard brass.
The
switch
is
magnetically
operated and is situated in a sealed plastic

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goods,
automobiles,
equipment, machinery, etc.

moulding. A 4-W bulb burning


11 h or a 2-W bulb burning 14 h is used.
The
lamp
is
of
one-piece
construction and no dismantling is needed
to
charge
the
accumulator.
Sinclair, 1

electrical

old silver
Silver made to appear old by the
application of graphite and grease.

old hole
old waste
See:main hole
Scot. Old or abandoned workings. Fay
oldland
old working
a. Any ancient land; specif. an extensive
area
(such
as
the
Canadian
shield) of ancient crystalline rocks
reduced
to
low
relief
by
long-continued erosion and from which
the materials of later sedimentary
deposits
were
derived.
AGI
b. A region of older land, behind a coastal
plain,
that
supplied
the
material of which the coastal-plain strata
were
formed.
AGI
c. A term proposed by Maxson and
Anderson (1935) for the land surface of
the old-age stage of the cycle of erosion,
characterized
by
subdued
relief. AGI

Mine working that has been abandoned,


allowed to collapse, and perhaps
sealed off. Unless proper safeguards are
taken, old workings can be a
source of danger to workings in
production particularly if they are
waterlogged and their plan position is
uncertain.

oleander-leaf texture
Leaf-shaped masses of stromeyerite (or
other minerals) in a matrix of
chalcocite (or other mineral). AGI

Old Red Sandstone

oleic acid

A thick sequence of nonmarine,


predominantly red sedimentary rocks,
chiefly sandstones, conglomerates, and
shales, representing the Devonian
System in parts of Great Britain and
elsewhere in northwestern Europe.
AGI

Ch3 (CH2 ),CH:CH(CH2 )7 COOH ; a


mono-unsaturated fatty acid used in ore
flotation; insoluble in water; and
soluble in alcohol, ether, and in most other
organic
solvents.
CCD, 2
oligist

old scrap
See:hematite
Scrap derived from consumer goods that
have outlived their usefulness in
the economy; it includes discarded white

oligist iron
See:hematite

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Oligocene

olivenite

An epoch of the early Tertiary Period,


after the Eocene and before the
Miocene;
also,
the
corresponding
worldwide series of rocks. It is
considered to be a period when the
Tertiary is designated as an era.
AGI

An orthorhombic mineral, Cu2 AsO4 (OH)


;
adamantine
to
vitreous; a secondary mineral in copper
deposits.
Oliver filter
A continuous-type filter made in the form
of
a
cylindrical
drum
with
filter cloth stretched over the convex
surface of the drum. The drum
rotates slowly about a horizontal axis, and
the lower part is immersed in
a tank containing the pulp to be filtered.
Arrangement
of
pressure
and
suction pipes on the interior of the drum
permits
the
application
of
suction to the filtering surface. As the
filter
passes
through
the
tank,
it picks up a layer of solid material and
emerges
carrying
a
layer
of
filter cake.

oligoclase
A triclinic mineral, (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2
O8
]
;
plagioclase
series of the feldspar group; has NaSi
(albite) 10 to 30 mol % and CaAl
(anorthite) 90 to 70 mol %;
pseudomonoclinic with prismatic cleavage
and
characteristic polysynthetic twinning
commonly visible on cleavage traces;
white; may be chatoyant; a common rockforming mineral in igneous and
metamorphic rocks of intermediate to high
silica content; forms the entire
mass in some anorthosites; less commonly
a vein mineral.

olivine
A mineral group including fayalite, Fe2
SiO4
;
forsterite,
Mg2 SiO4 ; liebenbergite, (Ni,Mg)2 SiO4 ;
and
tephroite, Mn2 SiO4 ; orthorhombic; olive
green,
grayish
green, brown, or black; members
intermediate in the forsterite-fayalite
crystal solution series are common rockforming
minerals
in
gabbros,
basalts, peridotites, and dunites; alters
hydrothermally
to
serpentine.
Fayalite occurs in some granites and
syenites,
forsterite
in
thermally
metamorphosed dolomites, and tephroite
in iron manganese ore deposits and
their associated skarns..

oligonite
A former name for manganoan siderite,
(Fe,Mn)CO3 .
oligosiderite
A meteorite containing a small amount of
metallic iron. AGI
oligotrophic peat
Peat poorly supplied with nutrients.
Tomkeieff

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olivine rock

old scrap

See:dunite

Scrap derived from consumer goods that


have outlived their usefulness in
the economy; it includes discarded white
goods,
automobiles,
electrical
equipment, machinery, etc.

olivinite
a. In the International Union of Geological
Sciences
classification.
b. An olivine-rich ore-bearing igneous
rock
that
also
contains
other
pyroxenes and/or amphiboles.

old silver
Silver made to appear old by the
application of graphite and grease.

olivinoid
old waste
An olivinelike
meteorites.

substance

found

in
Scot. Old or abandoned workings. Fay

oldland

old working

a. Any ancient land; specif. an extensive


area
(such
as
the
Canadian
shield) of ancient crystalline rocks
reduced
to
low
relief
by
long-continued erosion and from which
the materials of later sedimentary
deposits
were
derived.
AGI
b. A region of older land, behind a coastal
plain,
that
supplied
the
material of which the coastal-plain strata
were
formed.
AGI
c. A term proposed by Maxson and
Anderson (1935) for the land surface of
the old-age stage of the cycle of erosion,
characterized
by
subdued
relief. AGI

Mine working that has been abandoned,


allowed to collapse, and perhaps
sealed off. Unless proper safeguards are
taken, old workings can be a
source of danger to workings in
production particularly if they are
waterlogged and their plan position is
uncertain.

oleander-leaf texture
Leaf-shaped masses of stromeyerite (or
other minerals) in a matrix of
chalcocite (or other mineral). AGI
oleic acid

Old Red Sandstone


Ch3 (CH2 ),CH:CH(CH2 )7 COOH ; a
mono-unsaturated fatty acid used in ore
flotation; insoluble in water; and
soluble in alcohol, ether, and in most other
organic
solvents.
CCD, 2

A thick sequence of nonmarine,


predominantly red sedimentary rocks,
chiefly sandstones, conglomerates, and
shales, representing the Devonian
System in parts of Great Britain and
elsewhere in northwestern Europe.
AGI

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oligist

oligotrophic peat

See:hematite

Peat poorly supplied with nutrients.


Tomkeieff

oligist iron
olivenite
See:hematite
An orthorhombic mineral, Cu2 AsO4 (OH)
;
adamantine
to
vitreous; a secondary mineral in copper
deposits.

Oligocene
An epoch of the early Tertiary Period,
after the Eocene and before the
Miocene;
also,
the
corresponding
worldwide series of rocks. It is
considered to be a period when the
Tertiary is designated as an era.
AGI

Oliver filter
A continuous-type filter made in the form
of
a
cylindrical
drum
with
filter cloth stretched over the convex
surface of the drum. The drum
rotates slowly about a horizontal axis, and
the lower part is immersed in
a tank containing the pulp to be filtered.
Arrangement
of
pressure
and
suction pipes on the interior of the drum
permits
the
application
of
suction to the filtering surface. As the
filter
passes
through
the
tank,
it picks up a layer of solid material and
emerges
carrying
a
layer
of
filter cake.

oligoclase
A triclinic mineral, (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2
O8
]
;
plagioclase
series of the feldspar group; has NaSi
(albite) 10 to 30 mol % and CaAl
(anorthite) 90 to 70 mol %;
pseudomonoclinic with prismatic cleavage
and
characteristic polysynthetic twinning
commonly visible on cleavage traces;
white; may be chatoyant; a common rockforming mineral in igneous and
metamorphic rocks of intermediate to high
silica content; forms the entire
mass in some anorthosites; less commonly
a vein mineral.

olivine
A mineral group including fayalite, Fe2
SiO4
;
forsterite,
Mg2 SiO4 ; liebenbergite, (Ni,Mg)2 SiO4 ;
and
tephroite, Mn2 SiO4 ; orthorhombic; olive
green,
grayish
green, brown, or black; members
intermediate in the forsterite-fayalite
crystal solution series are common rockforming
minerals
in
gabbros,
basalts, peridotites, and dunites; alters
hydrothermally
to
serpentine.
Fayalite occurs in some granites and
syenites,
forsterite
in
thermally

oligonite
A former name for manganoan siderite,
(Fe,Mn)CO3 .
oligosiderite
A meteorite containing a small amount of
metallic iron. AGI

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shales, representing the Devonian


System in parts of Great Britain and
elsewhere in northwestern Europe.
AGI

metamorphosed dolomites, and tephroite


in iron manganese ore deposits and
their associated skarns..
olivine rock

old scrap
See:dunite
Scrap derived from consumer goods that
have outlived their usefulness in
the economy; it includes discarded white
goods,
automobiles,
electrical
equipment, machinery, etc.

olivinite
a. In the International Union of Geological
Sciences
classification,

old silver

b. An olivine-rich ore-bearing igneous


rock
that
also
contains
other
pyroxenes and/or amphiboles.

Silver made to appear old by the


application of graphite and grease.

olivinoid
old waste
An olivinelike
meteorites.

substance

found

in
Scot. Old or abandoned workings. Fay

oldland

old working

a. Any ancient land; specif. an extensive


area
(such
as
the
Canadian
shield) of ancient crystalline rocks
reduced
to
low
relief
by
long-continued erosion and from which
the materials of later sedimentary
deposits
were
derived.
AGI
b. A region of older land, behind a coastal
plain,
that
supplied
the
material of which the coastal-plain strata
were
formed.
AGI
c. A term proposed by Maxson and
Anderson (1935) for the land surface of
the old-age stage of the cycle of erosion,
characterized
by
subdued
relief. AGI

Mine working that has been abandoned,


allowed to collapse, and perhaps
sealed off. Unless proper safeguards are
taken, old workings can be a
source of danger to workings in
production particularly if they are
waterlogged and their plan position is
uncertain.

oleander-leaf texture
Leaf-shaped masses of stromeyerite (or
other minerals) in a matrix of
chalcocite (or other mineral). AGI
oleic acid

Old Red Sandstone


Ch3 (CH2 ),CH:CH(CH2 )7 COOH ; a
mono-unsaturated fatty acid used in ore
flotation; insoluble in water; and
soluble in alcohol, ether, and in most other

A thick sequence of nonmarine,


predominantly red sedimentary rocks,
chiefly sandstones, conglomerates, and

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organic
CCD, 2

English-English

solvents.

oligosiderite

oligist

A meteorite containing a small amount of


metallic iron. AGI

See:hematite

oligotrophic peat

oligist iron

Peat poorly supplied with nutrients.


Tomkeieff

See:hematite
olivenite
Oligocene
An orthorhombic mineral, Cu2 AsO4 (OH)
adamantine
to
vitreous; a secondary mineral in copper
deposits.

An epoch of the early Tertiary Period,


after the Eocene and before the
Miocene;
also,
the
corresponding
worldwide series of rocks. It is
considered to be a period when the
Tertiary is designated as an era.
AGI

Oliver filter
A continuous-type filter made in the form
of
a
cylindrical
drum
with
filter cloth stretched over the convex
surface of the drum. The drum
rotates slowly about a horizontal axis, and
the lower part is immersed in
a tank containing the pulp to be filtered.
Arrangement
of
pressure
and
suction pipes on the interior of the drum
permits
the
application
of
suction to the filtering surface. As the
filter
passes
through
the
tank,
it picks up a layer of solid material and
emerges
carrying
a
layer
of
filter cake.

oligoclase
A triclinic mineral, (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2
O8
]
;
plagioclase
series of the feldspar group; has NaSi
(albite) 10 to 30 mol % and CaAl
(anorthite) 90 to 70 mol %;
pseudomonoclinic with prismatic cleavage
and
characteristic polysynthetic twinning
commonly visible on cleavage traces;
white; may be chatoyant; a common rockforming mineral in igneous and
metamorphic rocks of intermediate to high
silica content; forms the entire
mass in some anorthosites; less commonly
a vein mineral.

olivine
A mineral group including fayalite, Fe2
SiO4
;
forsterite,
Mg2 SiO4 ; liebenbergite, (Ni,Mg)2 SiO4 ;
and
tephroite, Mn2 SiO4 ; orthorhombic; olive
green,
grayish
green, brown, or black; members
intermediate in the forsterite-fayalite
crystal solution series are common rock-

oligonite
A former name for manganoan siderite,
(Fe,Mn)CO3 .

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forming
minerals
in
gabbros,
basalts, peridotites, and dunites; alters
hydrothermally
to
serpentine.
Fayalite occurs in some granites and
syenites,
forsterite
in
thermally
metamorphosed dolomites, and tephroite
in iron manganese ore deposits and
their associated skarns..

Old Red Sandstone


A thick sequence of nonmarine,
predominantly red sedimentary rocks,
chiefly sandstones, conglomerates, and
shales, representing the Devonian
System in parts of Great Britain and
elsewhere in northwestern Europe.
AGI

olivine rock
old scrap
See:dunite
Scrap derived from consumer goods that
have outlived their usefulness in
the economy; it includes discarded white
goods,
automobiles,
electrical
equipment, machinery, etc.

olivinite
a. In the International Union of Geological
Sciences
classification,
b. An olivine-rich ore-bearing igneous
rock
that
also
contains
other
pyroxenes and/or amphiboles.

old silver
Silver made to appear old by the
application of graphite and grease.

olivinoid
old waste
An olivinelike
meteorites.
Standard, 2

substance

found

in
Scot. Old or abandoned workings. Fay
old working

oldland
Mine working that has been abandoned,
allowed to collapse, and perhaps
sealed off. Unless proper safeguards are
taken, old workings can be a
source of danger to workings in
production particularly if they are
waterlogged and their plan position is
uncertain.

a. Any ancient land; specif. an extensive


area
(such
as
the
Canadian
shield) of ancient crystalline rocks
reduced
to
low
relief
by
long-continued erosion and from which
the materials of later sedimentary
deposits
were
derived.
AGI
b. A region of older land, behind a coastal
plain,
that
supplied
the
material of which the coastal-plain strata
were
formed.
AGI
c. A term proposed by Maxson and
Anderson (1935) for the land surface of
the old-age stage of the cycle of erosion,
characterized
by
subdued
relief. AGI

oleander-leaf texture
Leaf-shaped masses of stromeyerite (or
other minerals) in a matrix of
chalcocite (or other mineral). AGI

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oleic acid

oligonite

Ch3 (CH2 ),CH:CH(CH2 )7 COOH ; a


mono-unsaturated fatty acid used in ore
flotation; insoluble in water; and
soluble in alcohol, ether, and in most other
organic
solvents.
CCD, 2

A former name for manganoan siderite,


(Fe,Mn)CO3 .
oligosiderite
A meteorite containing a small amount of
metallic iron. AGI

oligist
oligotrophic peat
See:hematite
oligist iron

Peat poorly supplied with nutrients.


Tomkeieff

See:hematite

olivenite

Oligocene

An orthorhombic mineral, Cu2 AsO4 (OH)


;
adamantine
to
vitreous; a secondary mineral in copper
deposits.

An epoch of the early Tertiary Period,


after the Eocene and before the
Miocene;
also,
the
corresponding
worldwide series of rocks. It is
considered to be a period when the
Tertiary is designated as an era.
AGI

Oliver filter
A continuous-type filter made in the form
of
a
cylindrical
drum
with
filter cloth stretched over the convex
surface of the drum. The drum
rotates slowly about a horizontal axis, and
the lower part is immersed in
a tank containing the pulp to be filtered.
Arrangement
of
pressure
and
suction pipes on the interior of the drum
permits
the
application
of
suction to the filtering surface. As the
filter
passes
through
the
tank,
it picks up a layer of solid material and
emerges
carrying
a
layer
of
filter cake.

oligoclase
A triclinic mineral, (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2
]
;
plagioclase
O8
series of the feldspar group; has NaSi
(albite) 10 to 30 mol % and CaAl
(anorthite) 90 to 70 mol %;
pseudomonoclinic with prismatic cleavage
and
characteristic polysynthetic twinning
commonly visible on cleavage traces;
white; may be chatoyant; a common rockforming mineral in igneous and
metamorphic rocks of intermediate to high
silica content; forms the entire
mass in some anorthosites; less commonly
a vein mineral.

olivine
A mineral group including fayalite, Fe2
SiO4
;
forsterite,
Mg2 SiO4 ; liebenbergite, (Ni,Mg)2 SiO4 ;
and

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c. A term proposed by Maxson and


Anderson (1935) for the land surface of
the old-age stage of the cycle of erosion,
characterized
by
subdued
relief. AGI

tephroite, Mn2 SiO4 ; orthorhombic; olive


green,
grayish
green, brown, or black; members
intermediate in the forsterite-fayalite
crystal solution series are common rockforming
minerals
in
gabbros,
basalts, peridotites, and dunites; alters
hydrothermally
to
serpentine.
Fayalite occurs in some granites and
syenites,
forsterite
in
thermally
metamorphosed dolomites, and tephroite
in iron manganese ore deposits and
their associated skarns..

Old Red Sandstone

olivine rock

A thick sequence of nonmarine,


predominantly red sedimentary rocks,
chiefly sandstones, conglomerates, and
shales, representing the Devonian
System in parts of Great Britain and
elsewhere in northwestern Europe.
AGI

See:dunite

old scrap

olivinite

Scrap derived from consumer goods that


have outlived their usefulness in
the economy; it includes discarded white
goods,
automobiles,
electrical
equipment, machinery, etc.

a. In the International Union of Geological


Sciences
classification,
b. An olivine-rich ore-bearing igneous
rock
that
also
contains
other
pyroxenes and/or amphiboles.

old silver
Silver made to appear old by the
application of graphite and grease.

olivinoid
An olivinelike
meteorites.
Standard, 2

substance

found

in

old waste
Scot. Old or abandoned workings. Fay

oldland

old working

a. Any ancient land; specif. an extensive


area
(such
as
the
Canadian
shield) of ancient crystalline rocks
reduced
to
low
relief
by
long-continued erosion and from which
the materials of later sedimentary
deposits
were
derived.
AGI
b. A region of older land, behind a coastal
plain,
that
supplied
the
material of which the coastal-plain strata
were
formed.
AGI

Mine working that has been abandoned,


allowed to collapse, and perhaps
sealed off. Unless proper safeguards are
taken, old workings can be a
source of danger to workings in
production particularly if they are
waterlogged and their plan position is
uncertain.

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metamorphic rocks of intermediate to high


silica content; forms the entire
mass in some anorthosites; less commonly
a vein mineral.

oleander-leaf texture
Leaf-shaped masses of stromeyerite (or
other minerals) in a matrix of
chalcocite (or other mineral). AGI

oligonite
oleic acid
A former name for manganoan siderite,
(Fe,Mn)CO3 .

Ch3 (CH2 ),CH:CH(CH2 )7 COOH ; a


mono-unsaturated fatty acid used in ore
flotation; insoluble in water; and
soluble in alcohol, ether, and in most other
organic
solvents.
CCD, 2

oligosiderite
A meteorite containing a small amount of
metallic iron. AGI

oligist

oligotrophic peat

See:hematite

Peat poorly supplied with nutrients.


Tomkeieff

oligist iron
olivenite
See:hematite
An orthorhombic mineral, Cu2 AsO4 (OH)
;
adamantine
to
vitreous; a secondary mineral in copper
deposits.

Oligocene
An epoch of the early Tertiary Period,
after the Eocene and before the
Miocene;
also,
the
corresponding
worldwide series of rocks. It is
considered to be a period when the
Tertiary is designated as an era.
AGI

Oliver filter
A continuous-type filter made in the form
of
a
cylindrical
drum
with
filter cloth stretched over the convex
surface of the drum. The drum
rotates slowly about a horizontal axis, and
the lower part is immersed in
a tank containing the pulp to be filtered.
Arrangement
of
pressure
and
suction pipes on the interior of the drum
permits
the
application
of
suction to the filtering surface. As the
filter
passes
through
the
tank,
it picks up a layer of solid material and
emerges
carrying
a
layer
of
filter cake.

oligoclase
A triclinic mineral, (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2
O8
]
;
plagioclase
series of the feldspar group; has NaSi
(albite) 10 to 30 mol % and CaAl
(anorthite) 90 to 70 mol %;
pseudomonoclinic with prismatic cleavage
and
characteristic polysynthetic twinning
commonly visible on cleavage traces;
white; may be chatoyant; a common rockforming mineral in igneous and

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the materials of later sedimentary


deposits
were
derived.
AGI
b. A region of older land, behind a coastal
plain,
that
supplied
the
material of which the coastal-plain strata
were
formed.
AGI
c. A term proposed by Maxson and
Anderson (1935) for the land surface of
the old-age stage of the cycle of erosion,
characterized
by
subdued
relief. AGI

olivine
A mineral group including fayalite, Fe2
SiO4
;
forsterite,
Mg2 SiO4 ; liebenbergite, (Ni,Mg)2 SiO4 ;
and
tephroite, Mn2 SiO4 ; orthorhombic; olive
green,
grayish
green, brown, or black; members
intermediate in the forsterite-fayalite
crystal solution series are common rockforming
minerals
in
gabbros,
basalts, peridotites, and dunites; alters
hydrothermally
to
serpentine.
Fayalite occurs in some granites and
syenites,
forsterite
in
thermally
metamorphosed dolomites, and tephroite
in iron manganese ore deposits and
their associated skarns..

Old Red Sandstone

olivine rock

A thick sequence of nonmarine,


predominantly red sedimentary rocks,
chiefly sandstones, conglomerates, and
shales, representing the Devonian
System in parts of Great Britain and
elsewhere in northwestern Europe.
AGI

See:dunite

old scrap

olivinite

Scrap derived from consumer goods that


have outlived their usefulness in
the economy; it includes discarded white
goods,
automobiles,
electrical
equipment, machinery, etc.

a. In the International Union of Geological


Sciences
classification,
b. An olivine-rich ore-bearing igneous
rock
that
also
contains
other
pyroxenes and/or amphiboles.

old silver
Silver made to appear old by the
application of graphite and grease.

olivinoid
An olivinelike
meteorites.
Standard, 2

substance

found

in

old waste
Scot. Old or abandoned workings. Fay

oldland

old working

a. Any ancient land; specif. an extensive


area
(such
as
the
Canadian
shield) of ancient crystalline rocks
reduced
to
low
relief
by
long-continued erosion and from which

Mine working that has been abandoned,


allowed to collapse, and perhaps
sealed off. Unless proper safeguards are
taken, old workings can be a
source of danger to workings in

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and characteristic polysynthetic twinning


commonly visible on cleavage traces;
white; may be chatoyant; a common rockforming mineral in igneous and
metamorphic rocks of intermediate to high
silica content; forms the entire
mass in some anorthosites; less commonly
a vein mineral.

production particularly if they are


waterlogged and their plan position is
uncertain.

oleander-leaf texture
Leaf-shaped masses of stromeyerite (or
other minerals) in a matrix of
chalcocite (or other mineral). AGI

oligonite
A former name for manganoan siderite,
(Fe,Mn)CO3 .

oleic acid
Ch3 (CH2 ),CH:CH(CH2 )7 COOH ; a
mono-unsaturated fatty acid used in ore
flotation; insoluble in water; and
soluble in alcohol, ether, and in most other
organic
solvents.
CCD, 2

oligosiderite
A meteorite containing a small amount of
metallic iron. AGI
oligotrophic peat

oligist
See:hematite

Peat poorly supplied with nutrients.


Tomkeieff

oligist iron

olivenite

See:hematite

An orthorhombic mineral, Cu2 AsO4 (OH)


;
adamantine
to
vitreous; a secondary mineral in copper
deposits.

Oligocene
An epoch of the early Tertiary Period,
after the Eocene and before the
Miocene;
also,
the
corresponding
worldwide series of rocks. It is
considered to be a period when the
Tertiary is designated as an era.
AGI

Oliver filter
A continuous-type filter made in the form
of
a
cylindrical
drum
with
filter cloth stretched over the convex
surface of the drum. The drum
rotates slowly about a horizontal axis, and
the lower part is immersed in
a tank containing the pulp to be filtered.
Arrangement
of
pressure
and
suction pipes on the interior of the drum
permits
the
application
of
suction to the filtering surface. As the
filter
passes
through
the
tank,
it picks up a layer of solid material and

oligoclase
A triclinic mineral, (Na,Ca)[(Si,Al)AlSi2
O8
]
;
plagioclase
series of the feldspar group; has NaSi
(albite) 10 to 30 mol % and CaAl
(anorthite) 90 to 70 mol %;
pseudomonoclinic with prismatic cleavage

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emerges
carrying
filter cake.

English-English

layer

rutile. Garnet is one of the accessories.


AGI

of

olivine

O.L.P. steel process

A mineral group including fayalite, Fe2


SiO4
;
forsterite,
Mg2 SiO4 ; liebenbergite, (Ni,Mg)2 SiO4 ;
and
tephroite, Mn2 SiO4 ; orthorhombic; olive
green,
grayish
green, brown, or black; members
intermediate in the forsterite-fayalite
crystal solution series are common rockforming
minerals
in
gabbros,
basalts, peridotites, and dunites; alters
hydrothermally
to
serpentine.
Fayalite occurs in some granites and
syenites,
forsterite
in
thermally
metamorphosed dolomites, and tephroite
in iron manganese ore deposits and
their associated skarns..

A steelmaking method similar to the L.D.


except
that
powdered
lime
is
blown with the oxygen stream (therefore,
the
letters
O.L.P.--oxygenlime-powder).
Nelson
ombrogenous peat
Peat, the nature of which is determined by
the
amount
of
rainfall.
Tomkeieff
omnibus
In glassmaking, a sheet-iron cover to
protect,
from
drafts,
the
glass
articles in a leer. Standard, 2

olivinite
omnidirectional hydrophone
a. In the International Union of Geological
Sciences
classification,
b. An olivine-rich ore-bearing igneous
rock
that
also
contains
other
pyroxenes and/or amphiboles.

A hydrophone whose response is


essentially independent of angle of arrival
of the incident sound wave. Hy
omphacite

olivinoid
An olivinelike
meteorites.
Standard, 2

substance

found

A mineral of the pyroxene group


intermediate among aegirine, jadeite, and
augite; i.e., high in aluminum and sodium,
and
of
high-pressure
origin;
monoclinic; pale to grass green; occurs in
eclogites.

in

olivinophyre
Porphyry containing olivine phenocrysts.
Fay

o.m.s.
a. Output (usually in hundredweights) per
manshift.
It
is
a
method
of
expressing the productivity of mines,
miners,
and
management.
Nelson

ollenite
A type of hornblende schist characterized
by abundant epidote, sphene, and

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timbers, and stull is applied to


inclined timbers, or those placed
horizontally.
Lewis

b. N. of England. Output (usually tons)


per
manshift.
Interpretation
depends on the basis for calculating
manshifts, e.g., face o.m.s. is based
on manshifts at the face; seam o.m.s. on
piecework
and
bargain
work
manshifts in the seam; overall (pit) o.m.s.
on
all
manshifts
underground,
including datal labor. Trist

one shot
a. A borehole-survey instrument that
records a single inclination and/or
bearing reading on each round trip into a
borehole.
Long
b. Single shot.

on air
a. The state of a pump which is operating
although having no liquid in its
working
parts.
BS,
10
b. Scot. Said of a pump when air is drawn
at each stroke.

one-shot exploder
See:Little Demon exploder
one-spot strip mining

oncosimeter
Consists of three operations: the top
material is cast out of the way; pay
material is dug and trucked away; and the
top is pushed or cast back in.
Nichols, 1

An instrument for determining the specific


gravity of a molten metal by
the immersion of a ball made of another
metal
and
of
known
weight.
Standard, 2

one-way ram
onegite
A hydraulic cylinder in which fluid is
supplied to one end so that the
piston can be moved only one way by
power.

A variety of goethite. Hey, 1


one on two
A slope in which the elevation rises 1 ft
(m)
in
2
horizontal
ft
(m).
Nichols, 1

one-way ventilation

one-part line

onion-skin weathering

A single strand of rope or cable. Nichols,


1

See:spheroidal weathering

See:peripheral ventilation

onlap
one-piece set
a. An overlap characterized by the regular
and
progressive
pinching
out,
toward the margins or shores of a
depositional basin, of the sedimentary

A term applied to a single stick of timber,


called a post, stull, or prop.
Post and prop are applied to vertical

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units within a conformable sequence of


rocks, in which the boundary of
each unit is transgressed by the next
overlying unit and each unit in turn
terminates farther from the point of
reference.
Also,
the
successive
extension in the lateral extent of strata (as
seen
in
an
upward
sequence)
due to their being deposited in an
advancing sea or on the margin of a
subsiding
landmass.
Ant:
offlap.
b. The progressive submergence of land
by
an
advancing
sea.
CF:transgression

pit bottom, and also the signaling to the


pithead.
In
modern
mines,
the
onsetter is stationed in a cabin and all
controls are within reach for the
loading and unloading of the cages, shaft
signaling, and other car control
equipment at the shaft bottom.. Nelson
b. The person in charge of winding
operations
underground,
who
is
stationed at the shaft side and gives all
signals
to
the
winding
engineman. Mason

on line

Eng. A mechanical apparatus for loading


cages
with
full
tubs
and
discharging the empties, or vice versa, at
one operation. Fay

onsetting machine

a. A linear underground excavation


advancing in compliance with a
predetermined surveyed direction or line.
b. A borehole the course of which is not
deviating
from
the
intended
direction.
Long
c. Said of a diamond drill when its drive
rod is centered on and parallel
to a borehole. Long

on short awn
A face in a direction between bord and
crosscut. Sinclair, 6
on sights

on long awn
A face between end and crosscut.

a. Following sights placed by a surveyor.


Fay
b. On line.

onofrite

Ontarian

A former name for selenian metacinnabar


Hg(S,Se) .

a. Stage in New York State: Middle


Silurian (middle and lower parts of
Clinton
Group).
AGI
b. An obsolete name for the Middle and
Upper Ordovician in New York State.
AGI

on plane
Scot. In a direction at right angles to, or
facing,
the
plane
or
main
joints.

on-the-solid
a. Applied to a blasthole extending into
coal farther than the coal can be
broken
by
the
blast.
Fay
b. That part of a blasthole that cannot be

onsetter
a. The person in charge of loading and
unloading of cages or skips at the

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broken
by
the
blast.
Fay
c. A practice of blasting coal with heavy
charges
of
explosives,
in
lieu
of undercutting or channeling. Fay

oolite
a. A sedimentary rock, usually a
limestone, made up chiefly of ooliths
cemented together. The rock was
originally
termed
"oolith."
AGI
b. A term often used for oolith, or one of
the
ovoid
particles
of
an
oolite. Etymol. Greek oon, egg.
CF:pisolite

on the track
Diamonds inset in the
concentric
circles
diamonds in any one
same groove cut
Long

crown
so
circle
into

of a bit in
that
the
follow the
the rock.

oolith
One of the small round or ovate
accretionary bodies in a sedimentary rock,
resembling the roe of fish, and having
diameters of 0.25 to 2 mm (commonly
0.5 to 1 mm). It is usually formed of
calcium carbonate, but may be of
dolomite, silica, or other minerals, in
successive
concentric
layers,
commonly around a nucleus such as a
shell fragment, an algal pellet, or a
quartz-sand grain, in shallow, waveagitated water; it often shows an
internal radiating fibrous structure
indicating
outward
growth
or
enlargement at the site of deposition.
CF:pisolith
ovulite. AGI

onyx
a. A chalcedonic variety of quartz with
color, chiefly white, yellow, red,
or black, in straight parallel bands; used
esp.
in
making
cameos.
CF:onyx
agate
b. A name applied incorrectly to dyed,
unbanded,
solid-color
chalcedony;
esp.
black
onyx.
c. Adj. Parallel banded; e.g., onyx marble
and
onyx
obsidian.
d. Jet black translucent layers of calcite
from
cave
deposits,
often
called Mexican onyx or onyx marble.
onyx agate

oolitic

Banded agate with straight parallel layers


of differing tones of gray; not
a syn. for onyx. CF:onyx

Pertaining to an oolite, or to a rock or


mineral made up of ooliths; e.g.,
an oolitic ironstone, in which iron oxide or
iron
carbonate
has
replaced
the calcium carbonate of an oolitic
limestone. AGI

onyx marble
Translucent,
generally
layered,
cryptocrystalline calcite with colors in
pastel shades, particularly yellow, brown,
and
green.
Mexican onyx; travertine. ASTM

oolitic limestone
An even-textured limestone composed
almost wholly of relatively uniform
calcareous ooliths, with virtually no

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proportion
of
water
(as
much
as 20% but commonly 3% to 9%); occurs
in nearly all colors; transparent to
nearly opaque; typically shows a marked
iridescent
"play
of
color";
differs from quartz in being isotropic; has
a
lower
refractive
index
than
quartz and is softer, more soluble, and less
dense;
generally
occurs
massive and may be pseudomorphous
after other minerals; deposited at low
temperatures from silica-bearing water;
occurs in cracks and cavities of
igneous rocks, in flintlike nodules in
limestones, in mineral veins, in
deposits of thermal springs, in siliceous
skeletons
of
various
marine
organisms (such as diatoms and sponges),
in
serpentinized
rocks,
in
weathering products, and in most
chalcedony and flint. The transparent
colored varieties exhibiting opalescence
are
valued
as
gemstones.

interstitial material. It is locally


an important oil reservoir (such as the
Smackover Formation in Arkansas),
and is also quarried for building stone.
AGI
oolitic texture
The texture of a sedimentary rock
consisting largely of ooliths showing
tangential contacts with one another. AGI
ooze
a. A soft, slimy, sticky mud. Fay
b. To emit or give out slowly. Webster 3rd
c. A fine-grained pelagic deposit that
contains more than 30% of material
of
organic
origin.
AGI
d. An unconsolidated deposit composed
almost entirely of the shells and
undissolved remains of foraminifera,
diatoms, and other marine life;
diatom ooze and foraminiferal ooze. Hy
opacite

opalescence

A general term applied to swarms of


opaque, microscopic grains in rocks,
esp. as rims that develop mainly on biotite
and
hornblende
phenocrysts
in
volcanic rocks, apparently as a result of
post-eruption
oxidation
and
dehydration.
Opacite
is
generally
supposed to consist chiefly of magnetite
dust. CF:ferrite

A milky or somewhat pearly appearance


or luster of a mineral, such as that
shown by opal and moonstone. CF:play of
color
opaline
a. Any of several minerals related to or
resembling
opal;
e.g.,
a
pale-blue to bluish-white opalescent or
girasol corundum, or a brecciated
impure opal pseudomorphous after
serpentine.
AGI
b. An earthy form of gypsum. AGI
c. A rock with a groundmass or matrix
consisting of opal. adj. Resembling
opal, esp. in appearance; e.g., opaline
feldspar
(labradorite)
or
opaline
silica (tabasheer). AGI

opacity
The quality of being opaque.
opal
An amorphous or microcrystalline
mineral, SiO2 .nH2 O ; may
be tridymite or cristobalite; has a varying

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A mining method consisting of removing


the overlying strata or overburden,
extracting the coal, and then replacing the
overburden.
When
the
overlying
material consists of earth or clay it can be
removed
directly
by
scrapers
or excavators, but where rock is
encountered it is necessary to resort to
blasting to prepare the material into
suitable form for handling by the
excavators.

opalite
See:opal
opalized wood
Silicified wood.
opaque
Said of a material that is impervious to
visible
light
or
has
metallic
luster.
CF:transopaque;
translucent;
transparency; transparent; opacity

opencast mine
See:opencast

opaque-attrite
opencast working
Attritus that is opaque in thin sections.
Tomkeieff

See:opencast; strike working.

opaque attritus

open circuit

Refers to coal material of which the most


prominent
and
important
constituent is opaque matter and also
referred to as opaque matrix, black
fundamental matter or matrix and
residuum. IHCP

In mineral dressing, a flow line in which


the
solid
particles
pass
from
one appliance to the next without being
screened,
classified,
or
otherwise
checked for quality; no fraction is returned
for
retreatment.
Pryor, 2

opaque-durit
open-circuit mill
See:opaque-attrite
A grinding mill without classifiers. Nelson
open area
open-crib timbering
See:effective screening area
Shaft timbering with cribs alone, placed at
intervals. Fay

opencast

opencut

A working in which excavation is


performed from the surface. Commonly
called open pit.Webster 3rd

a. To increase the size of a shaft when it


intersects
a
drift
so
as
to
form a puddle wall behind the sets of
timber.
b. Open pit; surface working in which the

opencast method

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working area is kept open to the


sky.

open fire
Fire occurring in a roadway or at the coal
face in a mine. Such fires may
or may not be easily accessible. They may
be in the roof of a roadway or
seam, or in the kerf of a machine-cut face.
However,
they
are
quite
distinct in their initiation from gob fires.
An open fire may be ignited
by a blown-out shot, electrical failure, or
from
sparks
produced
by
friction.

opencut mine
An excavation for removing minerals
which is open to the weather.

opencut mining
See:surface mining; openpit mining.
open-drive sampler

open fold
A drive-type soil-sampling device that is
essentially
a
headpiece,
threaded to fit a drill rod, to which is
attached a removable length of
thin-wall brass or steel tubing. An
example
is
the
Shelby
tube.
Long

A fold in which the limbs diverge at a


large angle. AGI
open front
The arrangement of a blast furnace with a
forehearth. Fay

open end method


open-graded aggregate
A method of mining pillars in which no
stump is left; the pockets driven
are open on the goaf side and the roof is
supported
on
timbers.
Lewis

Mineral aggregate containing very few


small particles so that the void
spaces are relatively large. Shell
open hearth

opener hole
The form of regenerative furnace of the
reverberatory type used in making
steel by the Martin, Siemens, and
Siemens-Martin
processes.

The first hole or holes fired in a round


blasted off the solid to create
an additional free face in a coal mine.
CFR, 4
open fault

open-hearth furnace

A fault in which the two walls are


separated.
CF:closed
fault
AGI

A reverberatory melting furnace with a


shallow hearth and a low roof. The
flame passes over the charge on the
hearth, causing the charge to be
heated both by direct flame and by
radiation from the roof and sidewalls

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for
ventilation.
Fay
c. Surface entrance to mine workings.

of the furnace. In the ferrous industry, the


furnace
is
regenerative.

opening out
open-hearth process
The formation of a longwall face by
driving headings and cross headings
and connecting the faces to form a
continuous line of coal face. It may be
viewed as the final stage in development,
leading to full coal production.
In pillar-and-stall mining, opening out
would imply the setting off of the
main headings and subsidiary drivages for
the
formation
of
coal
pillars.
Nelson

A process for manufacturing steel, either


acid or basic, according to the
lining of the reverberatory furnace, in
which
selected
pig
iron
and
malleable scrap iron are melted, with the
addition of pure iron ore. The
latter, together with the air, contributes to
the
oxidation
of
the
silicon
and carbon in the melted mass. The final
deoxidation is sometimes produced
by the addition of a small quantity of
aluminum or ferromanganese, which
at the same time desulfurizes and
recarburizes the metal to the required
extent.

openings
a. The parts of coal mines between the
pillars, or the pillars and ribs.
Fay
b. A series of parallel chambers or
openings, separated by pillars or
walls, in slate mining. The width of an
opening varies from 35 to 50 ft
(11 to 15 m) depending on roof
conditions. Nelson

open-hearth steel
See:open-hearth process
open hole
a. Coal or other mine workings at the
surface or outcrop. Also called
opencast;
opencut;
open
pit.
b. A borehole that is drilled without cores.
Nelson
c. Uncased portion of a borehole. Pryor, 3
d. A borehole free of any obstructing
object or material. Long

opening shot
In blasting into solid rock, the wedging
shot, gouging shot, or burn cut.
Leading shot fired to open up the rock
face by creating a cavity and
therefore easing the work done by later
shots in a round. Pryor, 3

opening
opening stock
a. A widening out of a crevice, in
consequence
of
a
softening
or
decomposition of the adjacent rock, so as
to
leave
a
vacant
space
of
considerable
width.
Fay
b. A short heading driven between two or
more parallel headings or levels

Quantity on hand at start of accounting


period--ore,
concentrates,
stores,
etc. Pryor, 3

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open lagging

openpit quarry

Lagging placed a few inches apart.


open light

A quarry in which the opening is the full


size of the excavation. One open
to daylight. Fay

A naked light. Not a safety light. Fay

open pot

open off

Fireclay pot for melting glass--open at the


top. Mersereau, 2

a. To turn stalls off stalls, or to drive


branch
roadways
from
crossheadings.
Nelson
b. Eng. To begin the longwall system
from the shaft pillar, or the far end
of the royalty, or from any headings
previously driven out for the purpose
of commencing such system. Fay
c. To start any new working, as a heading,
entry,
gangway,
room,
etc.,
from another working, as a slope,
gangway, etc. Fay

open rock
Any stratum sufficiently open or porous to
contain a significant amount of
water or to convey it along its bed. AGI
opens
Large, open cracks or crevices and small
and large caverns. Long
open-sand casting

openpit mine
A mine working or excavation open to the
surface. See:strip mine

Casting made in a mold simply excavated


in
sand,
without
a
flask.
Fay

openpit mining

openset

a. A form of operation designed to extract


minerals
that
lie
near
the
surface. Waste, or overburden, is first
removed, and the mineral is broken
and loaded, as in a stone quarry. Important
chiefly in the mining of ores
of
iron
and
copper.
Barger
b. The mining of metalliferous ores by
surface-mining methods is commonly
designated as openpit mining as
distinguished from the strip mining of
coal and the quarrying of other
nonmetallic materials such as limestone,
building stone, etc.

Scot. An unfilled space between pack


walls.
open shop
A shop, or mine, where the union price is
paid, but where the workers are
not all union members. CF:union shop
open split
A split in which no regulator is installed.
Higham

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be as long as 7 ft (2.1 m), are attached


rigidly
to
a
heavy
flat
bar
chain, each strand made of two bars with a
pitch of 2 and with self-oiling
flanged rollers at each intersection. The
elevator rises at an angle of
about 60 degrees , and the rollers run on
ways made of light T-rails. The
buckets have overlapping edges, so that
there is no spill between them.
Pit and Quarry

open stope
a.
An
unfilled
cavity.
Nelson
b. Underground working place either
unsupported, or supported by timbers
or pillars of rock. Pryor, 3
open-stope method
a. Stoping in which no regular artificial
method of support is employed,
although occasional props or cribs may be
used to hold local patches of
insecure ground. The walls and roof are
self-supporting,
and
open
stopes
can be used only where the ore and wall
rocks
are
firm.
Jackson,
2
b. See:overhand stoping

open-top tubbing
A length of tubbing having no wedging
crib on the top of it. Fay
open traverse
A surveying traverse that starts from a
station
of
known
or
adopted
position but does not terminate upon such
a station and therefore does not
completely enclose a polygon. CF:closed
traverse

open-tank method
A method of treating mine timber to
prevent decay in which the timber is
immersed in a tank of hot preservative and
then
in
a
tank
of
cold
preservative. The preservatives used are
creosote,
zinc
chloride,
sodium
fluoride,
and
other
chemicals.
Bethell's process. Lewis

open working
Surface working, e.g., a quarry or
opencast mine. Among the minerals often
exploited by open workings are coal,
brown coal, gems; the ores of copper,
gold, iron, lead, and tin; and all kinds of
stone.
Also
called
open
work.
Nelson

open timbering
The usual method of setting timber or
steel supports in mines--they are
spaced from 2 to 5 ft (0.6 to 1.5 m) apart,
with
laggings
and
struts
to
secure the ground between each set. The
method is used in ground that does
not crumble or flow.

operating carrier
The mechanism used with the automatic
duckbill through which the extension
and retraction of the shovel trough are
controlled. Jones, 1

open-top carrier
The main use of this type of bucket
elevator has been in handling the
product of the larger crushers. Steel
buckets of large capacity, which may

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operate continuously and give the


guaranteed results on a particular quality
of
feed;
(2)
peak
design
capacity, a rate of feed in excess of the
design
capacity,
which
specific
items of plant will accept for short periods
without
fulfilling
the
performance guarantees given in respect
of
them;
and
(3)
mechanical
maximum capacity, the highest rate of
feed at which specific items of
equipment, not subject to performance
guarantees, will function on the
type and quality of feed for which they are
supplied. BS, 5

operating cost
The sum of the costs of mining,
beneficiation, and administration gives
the operating cost of a mine. Nelson
operating engineer
See:hoistman

operating point
A ventilation system is composed of a fan
and a set of connected ducts. In
a mine ventilation system, mine openings
comprise the ducts. At a given
air density and with the fan operating at
constant
speed,
there
is
only
one head and quantity of airflow that can
result.
This
is
an
equilibrium
condition and is known as the operating
point
of
the
system.
Hartman, 2

operative temperature
Operative temperature is that temperature
of an imaginary environment in
which, with equal wall (enclosing areas)
and ambient air temperatures and
some standard rate of air motion, the
human body would lose the same
amount of heat by radiation and
convection as it would in some actual
environment at unequal wall and air
temperatures and for some other rate
of air motion. Strock, 2

operation
In crystallography, the rotation, reflection,
or
inversion
of
an
attribute
of a crystal structure to complete its
symmetry. CF:element

ophicalcite
A recrystallized metamorphic rock
composed of calcite and serpentine,
commonly formed by dedolomitization of
a
siliceous
dolostone.
Some
ophicalcites are highly veined and
brecciated and are associated with
serpentinite. AGI

operational capacities
Figures given on flowsheets to indicate
quantities
passing
various
points
in plant per unit time, taking account of
fluctuations
in
the
rate
of
supply and composition (as to size and
content of impurity), as follows:
(1) design capacity, the rate of feed,
defined by limits expressing the
extent and duration of load variations, at
which
specific
items
of
plant
subject to a performance guarantee must

ophiolite
A group of mafic and ultramafic igneous
rocks
ranging
from
spilite
and
basalt to gabbro and peridotite, including
rocks
rich
in
serpentine,

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over or under a survey station. Also called


optical
plummet
(undesirable
usage). BS, 7

chlorite, epidote, and albite derived from


them
by
later
metamorphism,
whose origin is associated with an early
phase of the development of a
geosyncline. The term was originated by
Steinman in 1905. AGI

optical character
The designation as to whether optically
positive
or
optically
negative;
said of minerals. Fay

ophite
A general term for diabases that have
retained
their
ophitic
structure
although the pyroxene is altered to uralite.
The
term
was
originated
by
Palasson in 1819. AGI

optical constant
In optical mineralogy, any of the
following:
indices
of
refraction,
birefringence, optic sign, axial angles,
extinction
angles,
and
dispersion
of a nonopaque mineral. In ore
microscopy (mineragraphy), any of the
reflectances and anisotropy of opaque
minerals.
optical crystallography

ophitic
Applied to a texture characteristic of
diabases
or
dolerite
in
which
euhedral or subhedral crystals of
plagioclase are embedded in a mesotasis
of pyroxene crystals, usually augite. Also
said of a rock with such a
texture. CF:poikilitic

The study of the behavior of light in


crystals. Hurlbut

optical anomaly

optical diffraction

Optical properties apparently at variance


with
optical
rules,
such
as:
anisotropy in isotropic minerals, such as
birefringent
diamond;
biaxiality
in uniaxial minerals, such as quartz; and
erratic
variation
in
birefringence near optical absorption
bands--e.g., some epidote minerals.

Constructive
interference
monochromatic
light;
labradorescence
plagioclase, fire in opal.

of
e.g.,
in

optical flat
Glass or other surface rendered truly
planar. Pryor, 3

optical calcite
optical glass
Crystalline calcite so clear that it has
value for optical purposes; e.g.,
polarizers.

Carefully made glass of great uniformity


and
usually
special
composition
to give desired transmission, refraction,
and
dispersion
of
light.
CCD, 2

optical centering device


An optical device that enables a theodolite
to
be
accurately
positioned

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optical mineralogy

optical twinning

The determination of optical properties of


minerals
for
the
purpose
of
characterization and identification.

A type of twinning in quartz in which the


parts
of
the
twin
are
alternately left- and right-handed. So
named because it can be recognized
by optical tests in distinction to Dauphine
(electrical)
twinning.
Optical
twinning as ordinarily applied includes all
twin laws in quartz with the
exception of the Dauphine. Also called
Brazil
twinning;
chiral
twinning.
Am. Mineral., 2

optical property
Any of several effects of a substance upon
light.
Refractive
index,
double
refraction,
(and
its
strength,
birefringence), dispersion, pleochroism,
and color are gemmologically the most
important optical properties.

optic angle
optical pyrometer
The angle between the two optic axes of a
biaxial
crystal;
its
symbol
is
2V (less than 90 degrees ), 2Valpha , or
2Vgamma
,
depending on whether the optic direction
X or Z is in the acute bisectrix.

A type of pyrometer that measures high


temperature
by
comparing
the
intensity of light of a particular
wavelength from the hot material with
that of a filament of known temperature. It
is
used
to
determine
the
temperature of incandescent lavas.

optic-axial angle
optical sign
See:optic angle
When a translucent crystal is viewed
under
microscope,
light
travels
through the mineral at a speed which
corresponds
with
its
refractive
index, as this is affected by the crystal
planes. A uniaxial crystal has a
negative optical sign when the velocity of
its
extraordinary
ray
exceeds
that of the ordinary ray and vice versa.
Calcite
is
negative;
quartz
positive. For biaxial crystals, the three
principal
directions
of
vibration are mutually at right angles.

optic axis
A direction of single refraction in a
doubly refracting mineral. Hexagonal
and tetragonal minerals have one such
axis,
and
are
termed
uniaxial;
rhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic
minerals have two optic axes and are
thus
biaxial.
Anderson
optics

optical square

The sub-field of physics that covers the


behavior of light.

A hand-held instrument enabling right


angles to be set out accurately on a
site. Hammond
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optic sign

optimum depth of cut

a. Indicates the type of double refraction


in
a
mineral.
In
uniaxial
minerals, the material is said to be positive
when
the
extraordinary
ray
has a higher refractive index than the
ordinary ray and negative when the
ordinary ray has the greater index. In
biaxial minerals, which have three
basic optical directions, the refractive
index of the intermediate or beta
ray is the criterion; if its refractive index is
nearer
that
of
the
low
or
alpha ray, it is said to be a positive
mineral or stone; if it is nearer
the high or gamma ray, it is said to be a
negative
mineral
or
stone.
b. More technically, in uniaxial minerals,
the
material
is
positive
when
the extreme refractive index (nepsilon ) is
greater
than
the
apparently isotropic one (nomega ) and
negative
when
the
extreme
refractive index is less. In biaxial
minerals,
which
have
extreme
refractive indices both above and below
the apparently isotropic one (n
beta ), the material is positive when the
lower
refractive
index
(n
alpha ) is closer to the apparently isotropic
one
and
negative
when
the higher one (ngamma ) is closer.;
optical character.

That depth of cut required to completely


fill
the
dipper
in
one
pass
without undue crowding. Carson, 1
optimum moisture content
The water content at which a soil can be
compacted to the maximum dry unit
weight by a given compactive effort. Also
called
optimum
water
content.
ASCE
option
a. A privilege secured by the payment of a
certain
consideration
for
the
purchase, or lease, of mining or other
property, within a specified time,
or upon the fulfillment of certain
conditions set forth in the contract.
b. S. Afr. The word option may refer to
shares under option to the holder
of option certificates. In regard to mining
activities,
options
are
granted to acquire the mineral rights
and/or surface rights over some farm
at a price fixed in the agreement. This
price may be a sum of money or a
participation in a mining company still to
be
formed.
The
option
itself
can be acquired for a lump sum or for a
payment of so much per morgen a
year. The option contract is generally
connected with the permission for
the option holder to prospect for minerals
and
briefly
referred
to
as
option and prospecting contract. Beerman

optimization
Coordination of various processing
factors, controls, and specifications
to provide best overall conditions for
technical
and/or
economic
operation. Pryor, 4

optional-flow storage
In coal preparation, optional-flow setups
are
those
where
coal
usually
goes to the plant but can be diverted into

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storage,
either
in
bins
or
hoppers or on the ground. Coal Age, 3

closed; used to obtain


underwater sediment. AGI

opx

orbicular

Abbrev. for orthopyroxene. CF:cpx

Adj. Describes rounded to spherical,


commonly banded, textures within
minerals or rocks; e.g., orbicular diorite.

oral agreement to locate

samples

of

An agreement to locate need not be in


writing. If a party, in pursuance of
an oral agreement to locate at the expense
of
another,
locates
the
claim
in his or her own name, he or she holds
the legal title to the ground in
trust for the benefit of the party for whom
the location was made. Such a
party could, upon making the necessary
proofs, compel the locator of the
mining claim to convey the title to him or
her, although the agreement to
do so was not in writing. Such an
agreement is not within the statute of
frauds. Ricketts

orbicular structure

orange heat

A condition when atoms in a solid


solution arrange themselves in regular
or preferential positions in the lattice,
rather
than
at
random.
Newton, 1

A structure developed in certain


phanerocrystalline rocks (e.g., granite
and diorite) due to the occurrence of
numerous
orbicules.

orcelite
A hexagonal mineral, Ni5-x As2 ; rosebronze;
at
the
Tiebaghe massif, New Caledonia.
ordered solid solution

A division of the color scale, generally


given as about 900 degrees C.
orangepeel

order of crystallization
A variant of the clamshell bucket with
four or five leaves instead of the
clamshell's two. Each leaf ends in a
reinforced point. Its digging ability
is less than that of the clamshell, and its
principal
use
is
for
underwater excavation and digging.
Carson, 1

The apparent chronological sequence in


which
crystallization
of
the
various minerals of an assemblage takes
place,
as
evidenced
mainly
by
textural features.
order of persistence

orangepeel sampler

See:stability series

An apparatus consisting of four movable


jaws that converge to a point when

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to the ordnance datum, the arbitrary mean


sea level at Newlyn in Cornwall,
England. Pryor, 3

order of reaction
A classification of chemical reactions
based on the index of the power to
which concentration terms are raised in
the
expression
for
the
instantaneous velocity of the reaction; i.e.,
on
the
apparent
number
of
molecules which interact. CTD

ordnance survey
Originally, a military mapping activity;
now a precise survey maintained
by government which maps land and
building features of Great Britain in
close detail. Pryor, 3

ordinary kriging
A variety of kriging which assumes that
local means are not necessarily
closely related to the population mean,
and which therefore uses only the
samples in the local neighborhood for the
estimate.
Ordinary
kriging
is
the most commonly used method for
environmental
situations.

ordonezite
A tetragonal mineral, ZnSb2 O6 ; brown.
ore
a. The naturally occurring material from
which a mineral or minerals of
economic value can be extracted
profitably or to satisfy social or
political objectives. The term is generally
but not always used to refer
to metalliferous material, and is often
modified by the names of the
valuable constituent; e.g., iron ore.;
mineral
deposit;
ore mineral. The term ores is sometimes
applied collectively to opaque accessory
minerals, such as ilmenite and magnetite,
in igneous rocks. AGI

ordinary ray
a. In a uniaxial crystal, that ray that travels
with
constant
velocity
in
any direction within it. Anderson
b. In mineral optics, a light ray that,
because
of
its
crystallographic
orientation,
follows
Snell's
law,
n=sini/sinr, where n is the refractive
index, i is the angle of incidence, and r is
the
angle
of
refraction.
In
anisotropic crystals, not all light rays
follow
Snell's
law
and
are,
hence, "extraordinary rays." CF:law of
refraction

ore band
Zone of rock rich in ore.
ore-bearing fluid

ordinate
See:hydrothermal solution
Y-axis; the vertical scale of a graph.
ore bed
ordnance bench mark
a. Metal-rich layer in a sequence of
sedimentary
rocks.
AGI
b. Economic aggregation of minerals

Survey station the level of which has been


officially
fixed
with
reference

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occurring between
sedimentary origin.

or

in

English-English

rocks

of

ore blocked out


See:developed reserve

ore bin
ore boat
a. A receptacle for ore awaiting treatment
or
shipment.
Fay
b. Robustly constructed steel, wooden, or
concrete
structure
which
receives intermittent supplies of mined ore
and
can
transfer
them
continuously
by
rate-controlled
withdrawal systems (bottom gates and ore
feeders) to the treatment plant. Thus a
buffer stock is held which allows
a mine to hoist ore intermittently without
bringing
milling
operations
to
a standstill. It characteristically receives a
weighed-in
input
of
finely
broken ore from the final dry-crushing
section (usually between 1-in and
3/8-in (2.54-cm and 9.5-mm) maximum
particle size). The surge bin is a
much smaller one, able to receive a
dumped load of run-of-mine ore and to
transfer it at a regular rate to the crushing
system
between
arrivals
of
further skip loads. Pryor, 3

A boat constructed esp. for transporting


iron ore on the Great Lakes.
Mersereau, 2
orebody
A continuous, well-defined mass of
material of sufficient ore content to
make extraction economically feasible.
AGI
ore boil
A reaction that occurs in an open-hearth
furnace
in
which
the
carbon
monoxide released by the oxidation of
carbon causes a violent agitation of
the metal as it escapes. Newton, 1
ore bridge
A large electric gantry-type crane which,
by means of a clamshell bucket,
stocks ore or carries it from a stockpile
into bins or a larry car on a
trestle. Fay

ore blending
Method whereby a mine, or a group of
mines, served by a common mill, sends
ores of slightly varied character for
treatment
and
separate
bins
or
stockpiles are provided. From these,
regulated percentages of ores are
drawn and blended to provide a steady
and predictable feed to the mineral
dressing plant. Pryor, 3

ore-bridge bucket
A clamshell grab bucket of 5 to 7 tons
capacity. Fay
ore car
A mine car for carrying ore or waste rock.
Weed, 2

ore block
A section of an orebody, usually
rectangular, that is used for estimates
of overall tonnage and quality.

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beyond the mine itself, in some


instances relating to the overall health of a
national economy.)

ore chute
An inclined passage, from 3 to 4 ft
(approx. 1 m) square, for the transfer
of ore to a lower level, car, conveyor, etc.
It
may
be
constructed
through
waste fills.

ore developed
See:positive ore

ore cluster

ore developing

A genetically related group of orebodies


that may have a common root or
source rock but that may differ
structurally or otherwise. AGI

Ore exposed on two sides. First class,


blocks with one side hidden; second
class, blocks with two sides hidden; third
class,
blocks
with
three
sides
hidden.

ore control
ore dike
Any tectonic, lithologic, or geochemical
features
considered
to
have
influenced the formation and localization
of ore. AGI

An injected wall-like intrusion of


magmatic ore, forced in a liquid state
across the bedding or other layered
structure of the invaded formation.
Schieferdecker

ore crusher
a. A machine for breaking up masses of
ore,
usually
prior
to
passing
through stamps or rolls.

ore district
A combination of several ore deposits into
one common whole or system.

b. See:crusher man
ore dressing
ore delfe
The cleaning of ore by the removal of
certain valueless portions, such as
by jigging, cobbing, vanning, etc.;
beneficiation; preparation.ore preparation.
Fay

a.
Ore
lying
underground.
b. Right or claim to ore from ownership of
land in which it is found.
ore deposit

ore expectant
a.
A
body
of
ore.
b. A mineral deposit that has been tested
and is known to be of sufficient
size, grade, and accessibility to be
producible to yield a profit. (In
controlled economies and integrated
industries, the "profit" decision may
be based on considerations that extend far

The whole or any part of the ore below the


lowest
level
or
beyond
the
range of vision. The prospective value of a
mine beyond or below the last
visible ore, based on the fullest possible
data
from
the
mine
being
examined, and from the characteristics of

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the
ore face

mining

English-English

district.

ore grader
In metal mining, a person who directs and
regulates
the
storage
of
iron
ores of various grades in bins at shipping
docks so that the grade of ore
contained in each bin will contain the
approximate
percentage
of
iron
guaranteed to the buyer (iron and steel
mills). DOT

An orebody that is exposed on one side, or


shows only one face, and of
which the values can be determined only
in
a
prospective
manner,
as
deducted from the general condition of the
mine or prospect. Fay
ore-forming fluid

ore guide
A gas or fluid that dissolves, receives by
fractionation,
transports,
and
precipitates ore minerals. A mineralizer is
typically
aqueous,
with
various hyperfusible gases (CO2 , CH4 ,
H2
S,
HF),
+
simple ions (H , HS, Cl , K, Na, Ca),
complex
ions
(esp. chloride complexes), and dissolved
base
and
precious
metals.

Any natural feature--such as alteration


products,
geochemical
variations,
local structures, or plant growth--known
to be indicative of an orebody or
mineral occurrence. AGI
ore hearth

The origin of ores.

A small, low fireplace surrounded by


three walls, with a tuyere at the
back. Three important types are called:
ore hearth, waterback ore hearth,
and Moffet ore hearth; used in smelting.
Fay

ore geology

oreing down

The branch of applied geology dealing


with the genetic study of ore
deposits.

A blocking operation in which ore is


added to an open-hearth bath to
oxidize the bath and to further reduce the
carbon. Henderson

oregonite

ore in sight

Probably Ni2 FeAs2 ; hexagonal. From


Josephine
Creek,
Josephine County, OR. Named from the
locality.
Also
spelled
oregonit.
Hey, 2

a. A term frequently used to indicate two


separate factors in an estimate,
namely: (1) ore blocked out; i.e., ore
exposed on at least three sides
within reasonable distance of each other;
and
(2)
ore
that
may
be
reasonably assumed to exist, though not
actually blocked out; these two
factors should in all cases be kept distinct,

ore genesis

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because
(1)
is
governed
by
fixed rules, while (2) is dependent upon
individual
judgment
and
local
experience. The expression ore in sight as
commonly
used
in
the
past,
appears to possess so indefinite a meaning
as
to
discredit
its
use
completely. The terms positive ore,
probable ore, and possible ore are
suggested.
b. See:developed reserve

ore partly blocked


Said of an orebody that is only partly
developed, and the values of which
can be only approx. determined.
orepass
A vertical or inclined passage for the
downward transfer of ore; equipped
with gates or other appliances for
controlling the flow. An orepass is
driven in ore or country rock and connects
a level with the hoisting shaft
or with a lower level.

ore intersection
The point at which a borehole, crosscut, or
other
underground
opening
encounters an ore vein or deposit; also, the
thickness
of
the
ore-bearing
deposit so traversed. Long

ore personal property


Ore, or other mineral product, becomes
personal
property
when
detached
from the soil in which it is imbedded.
Ricketts

ore magma
A term proposed by Spurr (1923) for a
magma that may crystallize into an
ore; the sulfide, oxide, or other metallic
facies
of
a
solidified
magma.
AGI

ore pipe
A long and relatively thin deposit
commonly formed at the intersection of
two planes.

ore microscope
ore plot
See:reflected-light microscope
A place where dressed ore is kept. Fay
ore microscopy
ore pocket
The study of opaque ore minerals in
polished
section
with
a
reflected-light microscope.AGI

a. Excavation near a hoisting shaft into


which ore from stopes is moved,
preliminary to hoisting. Pryor, 3
b. Used in a phrase such as a rich pocket
of ore, to describe an unusual
concentration in the lode. Pryor, 3

ore mineral
The part of an ore, usually metallic, which
is
economically
desirable,
as
contrasted with the gangue.

ore preparation
See:ore dressing

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winzes (a connection driven down) and


raises (a connection driven up),
thus forming blocks that are accessible
from four sides. Some companies
record partially developed ore reserves in
which this making of blocks has
not been completed. Newcomers in gold
mining occasionally speak of ore
reserves when they mean the orebodies
contained in a mining area and in
copper mining this method of expression
has
been
accepted
by
large
concerns.
Beerman
e. See:reserve

ore province
A well-defined area containing ore
deposits of a particular kind; e.g.,
the porphyry copper deposits of the
Southwestern United States. Related
to, but not exactly synonymous with,
metallogenic province, which need not
contain economic ore deposits.
ore reserve
a. The term is usually restricted to ore of
which
the
grade
and
tonnage
have been established with reasonable
assurance by drilling and other
means.
Nelson
b. The total tonnage and average value of
proved
ore,
plus
the
total
tonnage and value (assumed) of the
probable
ore.
Hoover
c. A mine's substantial asset, without
which none of the surface works are
economically viable. A body of ore that
has been proved to contain a
sufficient tonnage of amenable valuable
mineral
to
justify
the
mining
enterprise. The British Institution of
Mining
and
Metallurgy,
which
regulates the professional standards of its
membership,
considers
that
the
term ore reserves should be restricted to
ore of which the quantity and
grade have been established with
reasonable assurance by a responsible,
professionally
qualified
person.
Additional ore insufficiently developed
or tested for inclusion in ore reserves
should
be
clearly
described
in
simple terms best suited to the
circumstances;
modes
of
mineral
occurrence
vary too widely to permit standardization
of
categories.
Pryor,
3
d. S. Afr. Orebodies made available for
mining through drives connected by

ore sampling
The process in which a portion (sample of
ore) is selected in such a way,
that its composition will represent the
average composition of the entire
bulk of ore. Such a selected portion is a
sample, and the art of properly
selecting such a sample is called
sampling. Newton, 1
ore separator
A cradle, frame, jigging machine, washer,
or other device or machine used
in separating the metal from broken ore,
or
ore
from
worthless
rock.
Standard, 2
ore shoot
a. An elongate pipelike, ribbonlike, or
chimneylike mass of ore within a
deposit (usually a vein), representing the
more
valuable
part
of
the
deposit.
b. Concentration of primary ore along
certain parts of a rock opening.
Bateman,
2
c. A large and visually rich aggregation of
mineral
in
a
vein.
It
is
a

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from
the
regional
trend
so-called mineral belts. Ballard

more or less vertical zone or chimney of


rich vein matter extending from
wall to wall, and has a definite width
laterally.
Sometimes
called
pay
streak, although the latter applies more
specif.
to
placers.
d. An area of payable lode surrounded by
low values.

of

ore vein
A tabular or sheetlike mass of ore
minerals occupying a fissure or a set
of fissures and later in formation than the
enclosing
rock.
Schieferdecker

ore sill
A tabular sheet of magmatic ore, injected
in
a
liquid
state
along
the
bedding planes of a sedimentary or other
layered formation.

ore washer
A machine for washing clay and earth out
of earthy brown hematite ores.
The log washer is a common type. Fay

ore stamp
ore zone
A machine for reducing ores by stamping.
Standard, 2

A horizon in which ore minerals are


known to occur. Long

ore-storage drier man


Orford process
One who removes moisture from ore or
other
material
preparatory
to
roasting or electrolytic processing, using a
gas
or
hot-air
drier.
Also
called drier operator. DOT

A process for separating the copper and


nickel in the matte obtained by
Bessemerizing. The matte, which consists
of
copper-nickel
sulfides,
is
fused with sodium sulfide, and a
separation into two layers, the top rich
in nickel and the bottom rich in copper, is
obtained.
Also
known
as
top-and-bottom process. CTD

ore strand
Individual mass of quartz with a halo of
alteration
and
ore
minerals,
or
close assemblage of seams of such quartz
and accompanying altered ground.
AGI

organ
A series of closely spaced props placed at
the borders of the chamber at
the coal face. Such an arrangement
protects the future, adjoining chamber
from caving. Stoces

ore trend
A term used on the Colorado Plateau to
indicate
the
extension
of
an
orebody along its major axis; the average
trend
of
ore
in
a
particular
area, or the regional trend of
mineralization over a large area. The local
trend of individual orebodies may vary

organic
Being, containing, or relating to carbon
compounds, esp. in which hydrogen

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is attached to carbon whether derived


from
living
organisms
or
not.
Usually distinguished from inorganic or
mineral.
CF:inorganic
Webster 3rd

organic sulfur

organic ash

organic test

Ash in coal derived from the


incombustible material contained in
plants.
Tomkeieff

A test in which organic matter in soil is


destroyed
by
oxidizing
agents
and the loss measured. This test is used in
preparation
of
soil
for
a
sedimentation test, and gives an indication
of
the
amount
of
organic
matter present.

The difference between the total sulfur in


coal and the sum of the pyritic
sulfur and sulfate sulfur. BS, 1

organic colloid
Any of the depressants used in the
flotation process. They include glue,
gelatin, albumen, dried blood, casein
(proteins),
tannin,
licorice,
quebracho extract, and saponin (complex
polyhydroxy carboxylic acids and
glucosides). Pryor, 3

organogenic
Derived from or composed of organic
materials;
e.g.,
a
crinoidal
limestone.
organolite

organic deposit
Rock formed from organic substances,
esp. those of vegetable origin, such
as coal, oil, resins, and bitumens.
Tomkeieff

A rock or other deposit formed by


organisms or their remains.
organic efficiency

orichalcum
The ratio (normally expressed as a
percentage) between the actual yield of
a desired product and the theoretically
possible
yield
(based
on
the
reconstituted feed), both actual and
theoretical products having the same
percentage of ash. BS, 5

An ancient copper alloy resembling gold


in color. Hess
orient
a. To place a deflection wedge in a
borehole in such an attitude that the
concave surface is pointed in a
predetermined
direction.
Long
b. To place a piece of core in the same
relative
plane
as
it
occupied
below
the
surface.
c. To turn a map or planetable sheet in a
horizontal
plane
until
the
meridian of the map is parallel to the

organic soil
A general term applied to a soil that
consists primarily of organic matter
such as peat soil and muck soil. AGI

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meridian
on
the
ground.
Seelye,
2
d. In a transit, to turn the instrument so
that
the
direction
of
the
0
degrees line of its horizontal circle is
parallel to the direction it had
in the preceding, or in the initial, setup.
Seelye,
2
e. To place a diamond in a bit mold in
such an attitude that when it is
embedded in the crown matrix one of its
hard vector planes will come in
contact with the rock to be abraded or cut
by
the
diamond.
Long
f. The characteristic sheen and
irridescence
displayed
by
pearl.
Anderson
g. To align an optical or crystallographic
direction of a mineral with a
rotation axis of a microscope stage.

oriental powder
An explosive consisting of tan bark,
sawdust, or other vegetable fiber, or
resins, such as gamboge, impregnated
with a nitrate or chlorate and mixed
with gunpowder. Standard, 2
orientation
a. Arrangement in space of the axes of a
crystal with respect to a chosen
reference
or
coordinate
system.
ASM,
1
b. In surveying, the rotation of a map (or
instrument)
until
the
line
of
direction between any two of its points is
parallel
to
the
corresponding
direction
in
nature.
c. In structural petrology, refers to the
arrangement
in
space
of
particles (grains or atoms) of which a rock
is
composed.
AGI
d. The act or process of setting a diamond
in the crown of a bit in such
an attitude that one of its hard vector
planes will contact the rock and
be the surface that cuts or abrades it.
e. As used in borehole surveying and
directional
drilling
practice,
orientation refers to the method and
procedure
used
in
placing
an
instrument or tool, such as a deflection
wedge, in a drilled hole so that
its directional position, bearing, or
azimuth
is
known.
Long
f. The position of important sets of planes
in
a
crystal
in
relation
to
any fixed system of planes. CTD
g. The spatial relationship between
crystallographic axes and principle
optic directions in anisotropic minerals.
h. The characteristic sheen or iridescence
displayed by pearl.

oriental
a. Frequently used in the same sense as
precious when applied to minerals;
from an old idea that gems came
principally from the Orient; e.g.,
oriental amethyst, oriental chrysolite,
oriental
emerald,
and
oriental
topaz, all of which are varieties of
sapphire.
Fay
b. Specially bright, clear, pure, and
precious;
said
of
gems.
Standard, 2
oriental alabaster
Calcium carbonate in the form of onyx
marble.
Gibraltar
stone.
Hess; CTD
oriental cat's-eye
See:cat's-eye; tiger's-eye.

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orientational twinning

oriented core barrel

See:electrical twinning

An instrument used in borehole surveying,


which marks the core to show its
position in space. Hammond

orientation survey
In
geochemical
prospecting,
a
geochemical survey normally consisting
of
a
series of preliminary experiments aimed at
determining
the
existence
and
characteristics of anomalies associated
with
mineralization.
This
information is then used in selecting
adequate prospecting techniques and
in determining the factors and criteria that
have
a
bearing
on
interpretation of the geochemical data.
Hawkes, 2

oriented diamond

oriented

a. In structural petrology, a hand specimen


so
marked
that
its
exact
arrangement in space is known. Billings
b. In paleontology, a fossil whose position
is known in regards to such
features as anterior and dorsal sides,
dorsal and ventral sides, the axis
of coiling, the plane of coiling, etc. AGI

A diamond inset in the crown of a bit in


such an attitude that one of its
hard vector planes will be the surface that
cuts
or
abrades
the
rock.

oriented sample
See:oriented core
oriented specimen

Said of a specimen or thin section that is


so
marked
as
to
show
its
original position in space. AGI
oriented bit
A surface-set diamond bit with individual
stones set so as to bring the
hard vector direction or planes of the
crystal into opposition with the
rock surface to be abraded or cut.

oriented survey
A borehole survey made by lining up a
reference mark on the clinometer
case with that on the drill rods, which in
turn are oriented as they are
lowered into the borehole.

oriented core
A core specimen that can be positioned on
the surface as it was in the
borehole prior to extraction. Such a core is
useful
where
the
general
dip
of the strata is required from one borehole.
A magnetic method may be used
to disclose the polarity the core specimen
possessed
while
in
situ.
borehole surveying; oriented sample.
CF:core orientation

orienting coupling
A rotatable coupling on a Thompson
retrievable wedge-setting assembly that
may be set and locked in a predetermined
position
in
reference
to
the
gravity-control member. This places the
deflection wedge so as to direct

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requires
the
same
pressure
to
force a given volume of air through as is
required
to
force
the
same
volume through the fan. Orifice of
passage O = 0.389 Q/w.g.f., where Q =
volume of air passing in thousands cubic
feet per minute; w.g.f.= loss of
pressure in the fan in inches of water
gage. Nelson

the branch borehole in the desired course.


Long
orientite
An orthorhombic mineral, Ca2 Mn2+
Mn3+2
Si
3 O10 (OH)4 ; forms minute, brown to
black,
radiating,
prismatic crystals.

origin
orifice
The source or ground of the existence of
anything, either as cause or as
occasion; that from which a thing is
derived or by which it is caused;
esp., that which initiates or lays the
foundation; e.g., the origin of ore
deposits. Standard, 2

a. In ventilation, a hole in a very thin


plate.
Mason
b. A hole or opening, usually in a plate,
wall,
or
partition,
through
which water flows, generally for the
purpose of control or measurement.
Seelye,
1
c. The end of a small tube, such as the
orifice
of
a
Pitot
tube,
piezometer,
etc.
Seelye,
1
d. An opening through which glass flows.
In a feeder, an opening in bottom
of spout formed by orifice ring. ASTM
e. Opening. Formerly applied to discs
placed
in
pipelines
or
radiator
valves to reduce the fluid flow to a desired
amount. Strock, 2

original dip
The attitude
immediately
. AGI

of

sedimentary beds
after
deposition.

original hole
See:main hole
original lead

orifice meter
The common lead in a uranium mineral.
AGI

A form of gas or liquid flowmeter


consisting of a diaphragm in which there
is an orifice placed transversely across a
pipe;
the
difference
in
pressure on the two sides of the
diaphragm is a measure of flow velocity.
Lowenheim

original mineral
See:primary mineral
ormolu

orifice of passage

a. Gold ground for use in gilding; also


metal gilded with ground gold.
Webster
3rd
b. A brass made to imitate gold and used
in mounts for furniture and for

Said of a fan with an orifice comparable to


the
equivalent
orifice
of
a
mine; i.e., the area in a thin plate that

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other decorative purposes. Also called


mosaic gold. Webster 3rd

tectogenesis.
orogenic; orogenetic. AGI

ornamental stone

orometer

See:gemstone

An aneroid barometer having a second


scale that gives the approximate
elevation above sea level of the place
where the observation is made.
Webster 3rd

ornansite
A stony meteorite composed of bronzite
and olivine in a friable mass of
chondri. Hess

Adj:

oronite
An enamel paint for protecting metal
surfaces from the action of hot
vapors. Fay

orocline
An orogenic belt with an imposed
curvature or sharp bend, interpreted by
Carey (1958) as a result of horizontal
bending
of
the
crust,
or
deformation in plan. AGI

O'Rourke car switcher


A crossover switch that consists
essentially of a single-acting cylinder
hoist on a crossrail fastened to the roof at
right
angles
to
the
track.
While a car is being loaded, the switcher
picks up the empty car next to
the locomotive and holds it to one side. As
soon as a car is loaded the
locomotive pulls the train back past the
switcher, and the empty car is
placed at the front of the train and pushed
under the slide. Lewis

orogen
A belt of deformed rocks, in many places
accompanied by metamorphic and
plutonic rocks; e.g., the Appalachian
orogen
or
the
Alpine
orogen.
AGI
orogenesis
See:orogeny

orphaned mine land


orogenic
Abandoned and unreclaimed mines for
which no owner or responsible party
can be found. The reclamation and
environmental conditions of such lands
is then defaulted to the State or Federal
Government. SME, 1

Adj. of orogeny.
orogeny
The process by which structures within
fold-belt
mountainous
areas
were
formed, including thrusting, folding, and
faulting in the outer and higher
layers, and plastic folding, metamorphism,
and plutonism in the inner and
deeper layers. mountain building;

orpiment
a. A yellow arsenic trisulfide, As2 S3 ,
containing
61%
arsenic; monoclinic.

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gedrite,
and holmquistite. CF:clinoamphibole

b. A monoclinic mineral, 4[As2 S3 ]; soft;


pearly
lemon
yellow with one perfect cleavage; in
powdery foliated masses and coatings,
botryoidal or fibrous; a low-temperature
alteration
of
other
arsenides;
associated with realgar and gold in hot
springs.

orthochlorite
a. A group name for distinctly crystalline
forms
of
chlorite
(such
as
clinochlore
and
penninite).
b. A group name for chlorites conforming
to the general formula: (R (super
2+) ,R3+ )6 (Si,Al)4 O10 (OH)8 .

Orsat gas-analysis instrument


An instrument for analyzing flue gases.
Although outside its normal field
of application, it may be used for
analyzing mine air. Nelson

orthoclase
A monoclinic mineral, KAlSi3 O8 ;
feldspar
group;
prismatic
cleavage; partly ordered, monoclinic
potassium feldspar dimorphous with
microcline, being stable at higher
temperatures; also a general term
applied to any potassium feldspar that is
or
appears
to
be
monoclinic;
e.g., sanidine, submicroscopically twinned
microcline,
adularia,
and
twinned analbite. It is a common rockforming mineral and occurs esp. in
granites, granite pegmatites, felsic igneous
rocks,
and
crystalline
schists, and is commonly perthitic.
orthose;
pegmatolite. CF:microcline; plagioclase;
anorthoclase.

orthite
A former name for allanite, esp. when
found
in
slender
prismatic
or
acicular crystals.
orthoa. A combining form meaning straight; at
right
angles;
proper.
AGI
b. In petrology, a prefix that, when used
with the name of a metamorphic
rock, indicates that it was derived from an
igneous
rock,
e.g.,
orthogneiss, orthoamphibolite; it may also
indicate
the
primary
origin
of
a crystalline, sedimentary rock, e.g.,
orthoquartzite
as
distinguished
from
metaquartzite.
AGI
c. A prefix to the name of a mineral
species
or
group
to
indicate
orthorhombic symmetry as opposed to
"clino"
indicating
monoclinic
symmetry.

orthoclase gabbro
A descriptive name for rocks now known
as
monzonite,
in
which
the
plagioclase is at least as calcic as
labradorite. Holmes, 2
orthoclasite

orthoamphibole
An
orthoclase-bearing
porphyritic
intrusive rock, such as granite or
syenite. The term is sometimes restricted
to
rocks
containing
more
than

The
orthorhombic
subgroup
of
amphiboles
including
anthophyllite,

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90% orthoclase. Not recommended usage.


AGI

orthohydrous maceral
Maceral having a
content,
such
Tomkeieff

orthoclastic
Cleaving in directions at right angles to
each other. Webster 3rd

normal
as

hydrogen
vitrine.

orthokalsilite
An
artificial
orthorhombic
hightemperature polymorph of KAlSiO4 .

orthodolomite
a. A primary dolomite, or one formed by
sedimentation.
AGI
b. A term used by Tieje (1921) for a
dolomite rock so well-cemented that
the particles are interlocking. AGI

ortholimestone
A term proposed by Brooks (1954) for
sedimentary
limestone.
CF:metalimestone; orthomarble. AGI

orthodome
orthomagmatic
A monoclinic crystal form whose faces
parallel the orthoaxis and cut the
other axes. CF:dome; clinodome. AGI

See:orthomagmatic stage
orthomagmatic stage

orthoferrosilite
An orthorhombic mineral, (Fe,Mg)2 Si2 O
6
;
pyroxene
group; now simply called ferrosilite.
CF:ferrosilite; clinoferrosilite.

Applied to the main stage of


crystallization of silicates from a typical
magma; the stage during which perhaps
90% of the magma crystallizes.
CF:pegmatitic stage

orthogneiss

orthomarble

Applied to gneissose rocks that have been


derived
from
rocks
of
igneous
origin. CF:paragneiss
orthogonal

A crystalline limestone that will take a


polish;
e.g.,
the
Holston
orthomarble
of
Tennessee.
CF:metamarble;
metalimestone;
ortholimestone.

At right angles. Hammond

orthomic feldspar

orthoguarinite

Triclinic feldspar, which by repeated


twinning (orthomimicry) simulates a
higher degree of symmetry with
rectangular cleavages; e.g., orthoclase,
anorthoclase, and cryptoclase. English

Cesaro's name for an orthorhombic form


of guarinite, through superposition
of hemitropic lamellae of the monoclinic
mineral,
clinoguarinite.

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hypersthene,
CF:clinopyroxene

orthophotography
The product of a procedure that corrects
the
distortions
in
aerial
photography due to the instability of the
camera
platform,
the
terrain
relief, and the angle of the light rays
entering
the
camera
lens.
The
ortho instrumentation attached to a stereo
plotting
instrument
rectifies
the image in a transfer process so as to
reposition
it
in
its
correct
planar position. SME, 1

and

ferrosilite.

orthoquartzite
A clastic sedimentary rock that is made up
almost
exclusively
of
quartz
sand (with or without chert), and
relatively
free
of
or
lacks
a
fine-grained matrix, derived by secondary
silicification;
a
quartzite
of
sedimentary origin, or a pure quartz
sandstone.
The
term
generally
signifies a sandstone with more than 90%
to 95% quartz and detrital chert
grains that are well-sorted, well-rounded,
and
cemented
primarily
with
secondary
silica
(sometimes
with
carbonate)
in
optical
and
crystallographic continuity with the
grains. The rock is characterized by
stable but scarce heavy minerals (zircon,
tourmaline,
and
magnetite),
by
lack of fossils, and by prominence of
cross-beds and ripple marks. It
commonly occurs as thin but extensive
blanket
deposits
associated
with
widespread unconformities (e.g., an
epicontinental deposit developed by an
encroaching sea), and it represents intense
chemical
weathering
of
original minerals other than quartz,
considerable transport and washing
action before final accumulation (the sand
may experience more than one
cycle of sedimentation), and stable
conditions of deposition (such as the
peneplanation stage of diastrophism); e.g.,
St.
Peter
Sandstone
(Middle
Ordovician) of midwestern United States.
AGI

orthophyric
Said of the texture of the groundmass in
certain
holocrystalline,
porphyritic, igneous rocks in which the
feldspar
crystals
have
quadratic
or short, stumpy, rectangular cross
sections, rather than the lath-shaped
outline observed in trachytic texture. Also,
said
of
a
groundmass
with
this texture, or of a rock having an
orthophyric groundmass. AGI
orthopinacoid
In the monoclinic system, the form
consisting of two planes parallel to
the vertical and orthodiagonal axes.
Standard, 2
orthoprism
A monoclinic prism, the orthodiagonal
intercept of which is greater than
1. Standard, 2
orthopyroxene
The subgroup name for pyroxenes
crystallizing in the orthorhombic system,
commonly containing no calcium and
little or no aluminum; e.g., enstatite,

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timber, which has considerable variations


of
strength
in
two
or
more
directions at right angles to one another.
Hammond

orthorhombic
a. Any mineral crystallizing with
orthorhombic
symmetry.
b. See:orthorhombic system

Orton cone
orthorhombic system
a. Pyrometric cone made in one of two
sizes: 2-1/2 in (6.4 cm) high for
industrial kiln control, and 1-1/8 in (3.2
cm)
high
for
pyrometric
cone
equivalent
testing.
b. Used in the United States for heat
recording, Orton cones are similar
to Seger cones, but the same numbers do
not
indicate
the
same
temperatures; e.g., Orton cone 14
corresponds
to
Seger
cone
13.
Rosenthal

In crystallography, that system of crystals


whose
forms
are
referred
to
three unequal mutually perpendicular
axes.
orthoschist
A schist derived from an igneous rock.
CF:paraschist;
schist.
AGI
orthoscope

oryctognosy
A polarizing microscope in which light is
transmitted
by
the
crystal
parallel to the microscope axis, in contrast
to the conoscope, in which a
converging lens and Bertrand lens are
used. CF:conoscope

The
description
and
systematic
arrangement of minerals; mineralogy.

oryctologist

orthose

See:mineralogist

A name for the whole feldspar family


before it was divided into separate
species.

oryctology

orthotectic

Osann's classification

See:magmatic

A purely chemical system of classification


of igneous rocks. AGI

See:mineralogy

orthotectic stage
osarizawaite
See:orthomagmatic stage
A trigonal mineral, PbCuAl2 (SO4 )2
(OH)6
;
alunite group; the aluminum analog of
beaverite;
a
yellow,
powdery

orthotropic
The description applied to the elastic
properties
of
material,
such
as

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secondary crust; at the Osarizawa Mine,


Akita prefecture, Japan.

oscillator plate
A thin slab of quartz which, by
mechanical vibration, controls the
frequency of a radio transmitter. Hurlbut

oscillating beam
See:walking beam

oscillator quartz
oscillating conveyor
Flawless quartz, which can be used in the
manufacture
of
oscillator
plates.

A type of vibrating conveyor having a


relatively low frequency and large
amplitude of motion.

oscillatory twinning
oscillating feeder
Repeated twinning in which a
made
up
of
thin
alternately
in
reversed
polysynthetic twinning; found
feldspars.

See:conveyor-type feeder
oscillating grease table
An assembly of 4 to 8 metal trays, usually
30 in (76.2 cm) wide and 8 to
15 in (20.3 to 38.1 cm) long, arranged in
series in the direction of flow.
The trays are detachably mounted in the
assembly by steps, so that the
overflow from one tray overlaps the next
tray by 1 in (2.54 cm) and is 2
to 4 in (5.1 to 10.2 cm) above it. The trays
are
inclined
downward
in
the
direction of the flow at an angle adjustable
from 14 degrees to 18 degrees.
The entire assembly is mechanically
oscillated
transversely
to
the
direction of the flow at about 200
strokes/min with an adjustable stroke
of about 1/2 in (1.27 cm). The storage bin
and
feed
roller
are
independently mounted and discharge a
layer
1
grain
thick.
Chandler

crystal is
lamellae
position;
in some

oscillatory zoning
Repetitious concentric compositional
variation in minerals resulting from
cyclical changes in the chemical
environment during crystal growth; e.g.,
garnet and plagioclase.
oscillogram
A record of phenomena observed on an
oscillograph. ASM, 1
oscillograph
An instrument that renders visible, or
automatically
traces,
a
curve
representing the time variations of various
phenomena.
The
recorded
trace
is an oscillogram. AGI

oscillation

oscilloscope

Independent movement through a limited


range,
usually
on
a
hinge.
Nichols, 1

An instrument for showing visual


representations of electrical outputs
from measuring devices. Hunt

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osmite

other valuable deposits

See:iridosmine

Includes nonmetalliferous as well as


metalliferous
deposits.
Ricketts

osmium

otisca process

The native element, Os; occurs in


magmatic deposits in mafic and
ultramafic rocks and placers derived from
them.

A process that uses an inert heavy liquid


with a specific gravity between
that of coal and free mineral matter to
separate coarse or fine-size coal
in a static bath or cyclone separator.

osmosis
The passage of a solvent through a
membrane from a dilute solution into a
more concentrated one, the membrane
being permeable to molecules of
solvent but not to molecules of solute.
AGI

Otisca-T process
A selective agglomeration process under
development,
in
which
ultra-fine
grinding of the feed coal to 15 mu m
releases almost all the associated
impurities prior to agglomeration with a
low-molecular-weight
hydrocarbon.
The agglomerant is then recovered and
recycled.

osteolite
A massive, earthy
consisting of an
phosphate.

mineral (apatite)
impure, altered

Otto cycle
ostracod

A trigonal mineral, CdCO3 ; calcite group;


associated
with
oxidized
base-metal ores.

In a four-stroke internal combustion


engine two complete revolutions of
the crankshaft correspond with the
working cycle-inlet stroke (suction
downstroke of piston in cylinder);
compression upstroke; explosion at peak
of compression followed by expansion of
hot
exploded
gases
on
driving
downstroke; rising exhaust stroke to
complete the cycle. Pryor, 3

other rock in place

Ouachita stone

As used in the Mining Law of 1872,


means any rocky substance containing
mineral matter. Ricketts

See:novaculite

A minute crustacean with a bean-shaped


bivalve shell completely enclosing
the body. AGI
otavite

oued
See:wadi

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outburst

outcrop map

The name applied to the violent evolution


of
combustible
gases
(usually
together with large quantities of coal dust)
from
a
working
face.
The
occurrence is violent and may overwhelm
the workings and fill the entire
district with gaseous mixtures. Roadways
advancing
into
virgin
and
stressed areas of coal are particularly
prone
to
outbursts
in
certain
seams and faults often intersect in the
area. Roberts, 1

A special type of geologic map that


represents only actual outcrops. Areas
without exposures are left blank. Stokes
outcropping
See:outcrop
outcrop water
Rain and surface water that seeps
downward through outcropping porous
and
fissured rock, fault planes, old shafts, or
surface drifts. AGI

outby
Nearer to the shaft, and therefore away
from the face, toward the pit
bottom or surface; toward the mine
entrance. The opposite of inby. Also
called outbyeside.

outdoor stroke
That stroke of a Cornish pumping engine
by which the water is forced
upward by the weight of the descending
pump rods, etc.

outcrop
a. The part of a rock formation that
appears at the surface of the ground.
Webster
3rd
b. A term used in connection with a vein
or lode as an essential part of
the definition of apex. It does not
necessarily
imply
the
visible
presentation of the mineral on the surface
of
the
earth,
but
includes
those deposits that are so near to the
surface as to be found easily by
digging.
Fay
c. The part of a geologic formation or
structure
that
appears
at
the
surface of the Earth; also, bedrock that is
covered
only
by
surficial
deposits such as alluvium. CF:exposure
outcropping.
AGI
d. To appear exposed and visible at the
Earth's
surface;
to
crop
out.
AGI

outer continental shelf


All submerged lands lying seaward and
outside of the area of lands beneath
navigable waters as defined in Section 2
of
the
Submerged
Lands
Act
(Public Law 31, 83rd Congress, 1st
Session), and of which the subsoil and
seabed appertain to the United States and
are
subject
to
its
jurisdiction
and control. Abbrev. OCS.
outer core
The outer or upper zone of the Earth's
core, extending from a depth of
2,900 km to 5,100 km, and including the
transition zone; it is equivalent
to the E layer and the F layer. It is inferred
to
be
liquid
because
it
does not transmit shear waves. Its density

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ranges from 9 to 11 g/cm (super


3) . The outer core is the source of the
principal
geomagnetic
field.
CF:inner core

distant from the main ore zone of


a district.

outer gage

a. Bits and reaming shells having set


inside or outside diameters greater
or lesser than those specified as standard.
Long
b. A borehole the inside diameter of which
is
undersize
or
oversize.
Long

out of gage

Syn. for outside diameter. Long


outer stone
A diamond set on the outside wall of a bit
crown.
Also
called
reamer;
reamer stone.

out-over

outfall

See:outby

a. Eng. A seam cropping out at a lower


level.
b. The mouth of a stream or the outlet of a
lake; esp. the narrow end of a
watercourse or the lower part of any body
of water where it drops away
into
a
larger
body.
AGI
c. The vent or end of a drain, pipe, sewer,
ditch,
or
other
conduit
that
carries waste water, sewage, storm runoff,
or
other
effluent
into
a
stream, lake, or ocean. AGI

output
a. The quantity of coal or mineral raised
from a mine and expressed as
being so many tons per shift, per week, or
per
year.
Nelson
b. The power or product from a plant or
prime mover in the specific form
and for the specific purpose required..
Nelson
c. Amount delivered; e.g., volume of a
liquid discharged by a pump; volume
of air discharged by a compressor;
horsepower delivered by a motor.
Long
d. Current or signal delivered by any
circuit
or
device.
NCB
e. The terminal or other point at which a
current
or
a
signal
may
be
delivered. NCB

outlay
a. The act of laying out or expending.
Webster
3rd
b. Something that is laid out; expenditure.
Webster
3rd
c. The cost of equipping a mine and
placing it on a producing basis.
Fay

output device
Machine that prints information computed
from
its
memory
or
store.
Pryor, 3

outlier
a. An isolated mass or detached group of
rocks surrounded by older rocks;
e.g., an isolated hill or butte. CF:inlier
b. Ore or favorable geologic indications

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output shaft

outside wall

A shaft that transmits power from a


transmission
or
clutch.
Nichols, 1

That part of a bit crown, bit shank,


reaming shell, core barrel, drill
rod, casing, or other piece of downhole
equipment that when in use, comes
in contact with the wall of a borehole.
Long

outrigger
An outward extension of a frame that is
supported by a jack or block. Used
to increase stability. Nichols, 2

outside work

See:angling

Drilling operations conducted on the


surface, as opposed to drilling done
in underground or enclosed workplaces.
Long

outside clearance

outslope

One-half the total difference between the


outside diameter of any piece of
downhole equipment and the inside
diameter of the borehole. Long

The face of the spoil or embankment


sloping downward from the highest
elevation to the toe.

outside angling

outstation
outside face
The peripheral portion or that part of a bit
crown,
roller
bit
cutter,
or
any cutting edge of a bit in contact with
the walls of a borehole while
drilling. Long

A location which provides local


monitoring and control, and provides a
communications interface between a
sensor and the trunk connected to a
central station computer. Also called field
data station. SME, 1

outside foreman

outtake

In bituminous coal mining, a person who


supervises all operations at the
surface of a mine. DOT

The passage by which the ventilating


current is taken out of the mine; the
upcast. The return air course. An outlet.
Fay

outside upset
oval socket
The act or process of thickening a length
of
tubing
at
its
ends
by
increasing its outside diameter without
changing the inside diameter; a
length of tubing or drill rod so processed.
Long

A fishing tool used to recover broken drill


rods
from
a
borehole.
Long

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oven

overall fan efficiency

A chamber in which substances are


artificially heated for the purposes of
baking, roasting, annealing, etc.; specif.:
(1) a kiln, such as a coke
oven; and (2) a leer, which is used in
glassmaking. Standard, 2

The ratio of the horsepower in the air to


the horsepower absorbed by the
driving motor of the fan. BS, 8
overall reduction ratio
With reference to a crusher, mean size of
feed/mean
size
of
product.

overaging
Aging at a higher temperature, or for a
longer
time,
or
both,
than
required for critical dispersion, thus
causing particle agglomeration of
the precipitating phase and, as a result,
loss
of
strength
and
hardness.

overall ventilation efficiency


The ratio between the air horsepower and
the
indicated
horsepower
of
a
driving unit. The percentage is expressed
by
air
horsepower
x
100/indicated hp of driving unit.
Measurements are taken of the air
pressure and volume in the fan drift, and
the
power
absorbed
by
the
driving
unit.
Nelson

overall concentration
The ratio of pithead output in tons (P) to
length of main haulage roads in
yards (L) or tons per yard of main haulage
roads;
i.e.,
P/L.

over-and-under conveyor
Two endless chains or other linkage
between which carriers are mounted and
controlled, so that the carriers remain in
an
upright
and
horizontal
position throughout the complete cycle of
the conveyor.

overall drilling time


The sum of the times required for actual
rock
drilling,
setting
up
and
withdrawal, moving drills from hole to
hole
and
machine
delays.
The
overall drilling time is a better basis for
estimating
drilling
efficiency
than penetration speed alone. Nelson

overarching weight
The pressure of the rocks over active mine
workings. It is the roof weight
that acts on the packs and the solid coal in
the
working
area.
Nelson

overall efficiency
a. Of an air compressor, the product of the
compression
efficiency
and
the
mechanical
efficiency.
Fay
b. Ratio of power output of an engine to
the power input; the measure of
the difference between indicated and
brake horsepower. Brantly, 2

overbreak
Excessive breakage of rock beyond the
desired excavation limit.

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boulders or underwater to and through


bedrock. Eng. Min. J., 2

overbreaking
See:overhand stoping

overcast
overburden
a. An enclosed airway that permits an air
current to pass over another one
without
interruption.
b. To place the overburden removed from
coal in surface mines in an area
from which the coal has been mined.
c. Pushed forward, so as to overlie other
rocks, such as in thrust faults

a. Designates material of any nature,


consolidated or unconsolidated, that
overlies a deposit of useful materials, ores,
or
coal--esp.
those
deposits
that are mined from the surface by open
cuts.
Stokes
b. Loose soil, sand, gravel, etc. that lies
above the bedrock. Also called
burden, capping, cover, drift, mantle,
surface.:baring;
burden;
top. Stokes

.
overcasting
A procedure used in certain mining
activities including strip mining and
in some heavy construction work such as
channel
excavation.
Overcasting
may be performed in a simple operation
consisting
of
digging
out
the
material, lifting it from one position,
moving it over, and dumping it in
the spoil position where it remains, for
practical
purposes,
indefinitely.
The mechanics of the operation are called
"simple
overcasting."
Woodruff

overburden bit
A special diamond-set bit, similar to a set
casing
shoe,
used
to
drill
casing through overburden composed of
sand,
gravel,
boulders,
etc.
Long
overburden drilling
a. A technique developed in Sweden that
involves
the
sinking,
by
percussive-rotary drilling, of a drill casing
through
the
overburden
to
where it seats in the underlying rock. A
rotary
percussion
drill
hole
is
then continued to the desired depth in the
rock. While the casing is being
sunk through the overburden it is coupled
to the drill rod and rotates and
reciprocates with it. The rock bit on the
end of the drill rod projects
about an inch beyond the end of the ring
bit with which the casing is
fitted and acts as a pilot bit for the casing
bit.
Woodruff
b. A drilling method whereby drilling is
carried out through subsoil and

overcharging
Adding material in excess of the capacity
of
the
equipment
used
for
processing.
overconsolidated soil deposit
A soil deposit that has been subjected to
an
effective
pressure
greater
than the present overburden pressure.
ASCE

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overcrossing

overdense medium

See:air crossing; overcast.

Medium of specific gravity greater than


that
in
the
separating
bath;
usually produced in the medium recovery
system and used to maintain the
desired specific gravity in the bath. BS, 5

overcurrent relay
Relay used to trip circuit breakers when
an abnormal current of two to
three times the normal flow is detected in
a
circuit.
Relays
are
adaptable
to transmission lines, buses, feeder
circuits, transformers, and motors.
Coal Age, 3

overdrilling
The act or process of drilling a run or
length of borehole greater than
the core-capacity length of the core barrel,
resulting
in
loss
of
the
core. Long

overcut

overdrive

a. A machine cut made along the top or


near the top of a coal seam;
sometimes used in thick seams or a seam
with sticky coal. By releasing the
coal along the roof, its mining becomes
easier.
turret
coal
cutter.
Nelson
b. The process of producing a larger size
hole
than
the
outside
diameter
of a bit and/or reaming shell used, due to
the
eccentric
rotational
movements of the bit, core barrel, or drill
stem. Long

The act of inducing a velocity higher than


the steady state velocity in a
column of explosive material upon
detonation by the use of a powerful
primer or booster; it is a temporary
phenomenon and the explosive quickly
assumes its steady state velocity.
overfired
A term related to the condition of a
ceramic product which has been heated
to a temperature in excess of that required
to
produce
proper
vitrification.

overcutting machine
Coal-cutting machine that is an adaptation
of
a
shortwall
machine,
designed to make the cut, or kerf, at
desired place in the coal seam some
distance above the floor. The main
difference between an overcutting
machine and an ordinary shortwall
machine is that the cutter bar in the
overcutting machine is mounted at the top
of the machine instead of at the
bottom.

overfiring
Heating ceramic materials or ware above
the
temperature
required
to
produce the necessary degree of
vitrification.
Usually
results
in
bloating, deformation, or blistering of the
ware.

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and the stope is self-draining. Pryor, 3


b. An overhand stope is made by working
upward from a level into the ore
above. McKinstry

overflow stand
A standpipe in which water rises and
overflows at the hydraulic gradeline.
Seelye, 1

overhand stoping
overgate
a. In this method, which is widely used in
highly
inclined
deposits,
the
ore is blasted from a series of ascending
stepped
benches.
Both
horizontal
and vertical holes may be employed.
Horizontal breast holes are usually
more efficient and safer than vertical
upper holes, although the latter
are still used in narrow stopes in steeply
inclined
orebodies.
McAdam,
2
b. The working of a block of ore from a
lower level to a level above. In a
restricted way overhand stoping can be
applied to open or waste-filled
stopes that are excavated in a series of
horizontal
slices
either
sequentially or simultaneously from the
bottom of a block to its top.
Stull timbering or the use of pillars
characterize the method. Filling is
used in many instances. Modifications are
known
as
backfilling
method;
back stoping; block system; block system
of
stoping
and
filling;
breast
stoping; combined side and longwall
stoping; crosscut method of working;
cross stoping; Delprat method; drywall
method;
filling
system;
filling-up
method; flatback stoping; longwall
stoping; open cut system; open stope
and filling; open-stope method; openstope, timbering with pigsties, and
filling; overhand stoping on waste;
resuing; rock filling; room-and-pillar
with waste filling; sawtooth back stoping;
side
stoping;
slicing-and-filling system; stoping and
filling;
stoping
in
horizontal

See:air crossing; overcast.


overgrinding
Comminution of ore to a smaller particle
size
than
is
required
for
effective liberation of values before
concentrating treatment. Opposite of
undergrinding. Pryor, 3
overhand cut-and-fill
In this method, two level drives are first
connected, the lower and upper
one by a raise, from the bottom of which
mining
is
begun.
The
work
proceeds upwards, filling the mined-out
room, but in the filling, chutes
are left through which the broken ore falls.
In
inclined
seams
the
chutes,
also inclined, have to be timbered. The
lower-level
drive
is
protected
either by timbering or vaulting, or by a
fairly
strong
pillar
of
vein
fillings. Stoping in the different cuts
always proceeds upwards, but as a
whole it proceeds between the two level
drives in a horizontal direction.
Overhand cut-and-fill, esp. in mining
irregular orebodies of greater size,
is also called back stoping. Stoces
overhand stope
a. Stope in which the ore above the point
of
entry
to
the
stope
is
attacked, so that severed ore tends to
gravitate toward discharge chutes

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d. Applied to inspection, cleaning, and


repairing of machines or plant.
Nelson

layers;
transverse
with
filling.;
Delprat method; overbreaking. CF:backfilling
system;
chimney
work;
underhand stoping.

overhead cableway
overhand stoping and milling system
A type of equipment for the removal of
soil or rock. It consists of a
strong overhead cable, usually attached to
towers at either end, on which
a car or traveler may run back and forth.
From this car a pan or bucket
may be lowered to the surface,
subsequently raised and locked to the car,
and transported to any position on the
cable where it is desired to dump
its contents.

See:combined overhand and underhand


stoping
overhand stoping on waste
See:overhand stoping
overhand stoping with shrinkage and
delayed filling
See:shrinkage stoping

overhead conveyor
overhand vertical slice
See:trolley conveyor
See:square-set stoping
overhead monorail
overhang
This system is popular for use in mines
since it can be suspended from the
roadway supports as the face advances
and
can
carry
supplies
over
equipment installed in the roadway;
transport is by means of endless,
main-and-tail, or main-rope winches.
They are generally slow-moving and
can carry light loads into and around
many places inaccessible to other
forms of transport.

a.
Cliff
overhang.
AGI
b. A part of the mass of a salt dome that
projects out from the top of the
dome much like the cap of a mushroom.
AGI
overhaul
a. Describes a condition when a journey
travels towards a haulage engine
at a faster rate than the rope, which then
becomes
slack
and
liable
to
foul the drum. Also called overrun. Nelson
b. The transportation of excavated
material
beyond
certain
specified
limits.
Seelye,
1
c. In many highway contracts, a
movement of dirt far enough so that
payment, in addition to excavation pay, is
made
for
its
haulage.
Nichols,
1

overhead-rope monorail
In this system, the loads are carried by
bogies running on a taut wire
rope instead of steel joists or flatbottomed
rails.

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overhead shovel

overlap auxiliary ventilation

A tractor loader that digs at one end,


swings the bucket overhead, and
dumps at the other end. Nichols, 1

To combine the forcing and exhausting


systems, it is not necessary to
provide two ducts, one forcing and one
exhausting, throughout the length
of the heading. An arrangement that
serves the same purpose is the overlap
system. In this system a main exhausting
duct is used within a convenient
distance of the face, often about 100 ft
(30.5 m). Some of the intake air
in the heading, before reaching the end of
this
duct,
enters
a
short
length of tubing and is blown onto the
face.
The
advantages
of
both
systems are thus obtained. Precautions
must be taken against recirculation
of air by the forcing unit, to prevent
concentration
of
dust,
and
in
collieries, combustible gases, at the face.
The two ducts must overlap by
a minimum distance which, in practice, is
usually taken as 30 ft (9.1 m).
Roberts, 1

overhead traveling crane


A crane that traverses the whole width of
a workshop along the rails on
which it runs. Hammond
overhead trolley conveyor
See:trolley conveyor
overlap
a. A general term referring to the
extension of marine, lacustrine, or
terrestrial strata beyond underlying rocks
whose
edges
are
thereby
concealed or overlapped, and to the
unconformity
that
commonly
accompanies
such a relation; esp. the relationship
among conformable strata such that
each successively younger stratum
extends beyond the boundaries of the
stratum lying immediately beneath.
CF:onlap
b. The area common to two successive
aerial or space photographs or images
along the same flight strip, expressed as a
percentage
of
the
photo
area.
AGI
c. The portion of a borehole that must be
redrilled
after
caving
of
the
hole, cementing a section of the hole, or
bypassing
unrecoverable
material.
Long
d. A reversed fault or thrust. BS, 11
e. The lineal portion of a branch hole that
nearly
parallels
the
parent
hole. Long

overlap fault
a.
See:thrust
fault
b. A fault structure in which the displaced
strata
are
doubled
back
upon
themselves. AGI
overlay
a. Scot. The material above the rock in a
quarry.
Fay
b. Graphic data on a transparent or
translucent sheet to be superimpossed
on another sheet (such as a map or
photograph) to show details not
appearing, or requiring special emphasis,
on
the
original.
Also,
the
medium or sheet containing an overlay.
AGI

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overlay tracing

overpoled copper

A tracing on which the workings in a


seam are shown. A series of such
tracings allows the workings in several
seams to be seen in their correct
horizontal relationship. Also called
layover tracing (undesirable usage).
BS, 7

In refining blister copper by reducing its


oxides
through
stirring
a
molten bath of metal with a green timber
pole,
continuation
of
this
process until the desirable characteristic
fracture
of
tough-pitch
refined
metal is lost. Some reoxidation then
becomes
necessary.

overload
overprint

a. In general, a load or weight in excess of


the
designed
capacity.
The
term may be applied to mechanical and
electrical
engineering
plants,
to
loads on buildings and structures, and to
excess
loads
on
haulage
ropes
and
engines.
Nelson
b. To apply an excessive pressure, by
stretching beyond the yield point,
to a drill string and bit. CF:crowd

The superposition of a new set of


structural features on an older set.
AGI
override
A royalty or percentage of the gross
income from production deducted from
the working interest. Wheeler, R.R.

overloader
overriding royalty
A loading machine of the power-shovel
type
for
quarry
and
opencast
operations. It may be either pneumatictired
or
continuous-tracked.
It
need not turn from the face to the truck if
the
latter
can
be
spotted
parallel to the face. The bucket is filled,
the
machine
retracted,
and
the
bucket swung over to the discharge point;
used chiefly in sand and gravel
pits. Nelson

The term applied to a royalty reserved in a


sublease
or
assignment
over
and above that reserved in the original
lease. Ricketts
overrope
A winding or hoisting rope. Fay
overrope haulage

overmining

Usually applied to endless rope haulage in


which the rope is carried on
top of the mine cars, which may be either
clipped or lashed to the rope.

S. Afr. Mining a grade of ore above the


average grade of the ore reserves.
This practice has the effect of leaving the
lower
grade
ore
in
the
reserves. The opposite is undermining.
Beerman

overrun
See:overhaul

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might
BS, 5

overrun brake
A special brake fitted to a towed vehicle
that operates as soon as the
towing vehicle slows down. Hammond

interfere

with

its

operation..

oversize core

A coupling that transmits rotation in only


one
direction,
and
disconnects
when the torque is reversed. Nichols, 1

a. Core cut by a thin-wall bit, as opposed


to
a
standard-diameter
core.
Long
b. A core the diameter of which is greater
than
a
standard
size.
Long

oversaturated rock

oversize coupling

A rock that contains silica in excess of


that necessary to form saturated
minerals from the bases present.
CF:saturated rock

a.
See:swelled
coupling
b. Sometimes used in Canada as a
synonym for reaming shell. Long

overrunning clutch

oversize hole
overshot
A fishing tool for recovering lost drill pipe
or
casing.
Inst. Petrol.

A borehole the diameter of which is


excessive because of the whipping
action or eccentric rotation of the drill
string and bit. Long

overside

oversize rod

Discharging over the side; e.g., by a


dredge. Standard, 2

See:drill collar; guide rod.


overspringing

oversize
See:springing
a. In reference to a mixture of material
screened or classified into two
products of definite size limits, the larger
is
the
oversize
and
the
smaller
the
undersize.
b. In quarry or opencast blasting, that size
of rock or ore which is too
large to handle without secondary
blasting. Nelson

overstressed area
In strata control, describes an area where
the
force
is
concentrated
on
pillars. This type of area is said to be
overstressed
or
superstressed.
This superstressing is limited by the
strength of the seam or pillar.
CF:destressed area

oversize control screen


A screen used to prevent the entry into a
machine
of large
particles
that
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Overstrom table

overthrust slice

Similar to a Wilfley table but of diamond


shape
(rhomboid),
thus
eliminating the waste corners. Liddell

See:overthrust nappe

over-the-road hauling

The period beyond the normal shift time


when a worker, on request by the
management, performs emergency tasks
that are necessary for safety or
efficient operation of the oncoming shift.
Nelson

overtime

Hauling over public highways, usually by


a
dump
truck.
Various
restrictions, such as weight, width of
vehicle,
safety
features,
guard
against spillage, etc. must be considered in
the
type
equipment
used.
CF:off-the-road hauling

overtopping
Flow of water over the top of a dam or
embankment. Nichols, 1

overthrust
A low-angle thrust fault of large scale,
with
displacement
generally
measured in kilometers. CF:underthrust
AGI

overtravel
See:overwind
overtub system

overthrust block
An endless-rope system in which the rope
runs over the tubs or cars in the
center of the rails. This system is
generally adopted on undulating roads,
where the tension in a heavily loaded rope
would cause the rope to lift in
swilleys and derail tubs. It is also
generally adopted in highly inclined
roads, as the lashing chain, often adopted
with
this
method
of
haulage,
obtains a good positive grip on the rope
and is easier to detach than a
clip. The rope is kept from rubbing on
roof
supports
by
holding-down
pulleys: six or eight small pulleys are
mounted
in
circular
cheeks,
allowing chains or clips to be
accommodated in the spaces between the
pulleys; or large diameter pulleys may be
used, of the hat or mushroom
shape, often starred to provide recesses for
chains
and
clips.
Similar

See:overthrust nappe
overthrust fault
See:overthrust
overthrust nappe
The body of rock that forms the hanging
wall of a large-scale overthrust;
a
thrust
nappe.;
overthrust slice. AGI
overthrust plane
See:thrust plane
overthrust sheet
See:overthrust nappe

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large pulleys direct the rope around


curves.
CF:undertub
system
Sinclair, 5

electrolysis begins, and the reversible


electrode
potential.
ASM, 1

overturned

overvoltage relay

Said of a fold, or the limb of a fold, that


has
tilted
beyond
the
perpendicular. The sequence of strata thus
appears
reversed.
. AGI

Relay that serves primarily the same


purpose as an overcurrent relay
except that it is connected in the line by a
potential
transformer
which
measures the voltage across the line.
When an overvoltage exists the relay
operates and opens the circuit breaker.
Coal Age, 3

overturning skip
A type of skip commonly used at metal
mines, but not as often at coal
mines, because of increased breakage.
This skip consists of a rectangular
receptacle for the material and a
suspending frame of bail to an upper
crosspiece of which is attached a
suspension gear connecting the rope to
the skip. Three guide shoes are generally
provided at each side of the
bail to keep it vertical. The skip body
turns about a horizontal shaft at
the lower end of the bail. Two rollers on
the upper part are mounted on a
shaft and cause the skip to tilt at an angle
of 35 degrees at the tipping
point in the headgear, where rollers run
onto
the
curved
guides.
To
prevent shocks in the case of an overwind
the
skips
are
fitted
with
overwind guides which glide along rollers
fitted to the headgear above the
tipping point. Sinclair, 5

overwind
a. To hoist a cage into or over the top of a
headframe.
Fay
b. In hoisting through a mine shaft, failure
to
bring
a
cage
or
skip
smoothly to rest at the proper unloading
point at the surface. If severe,
it can lead to a serious accident unless the
special
preventive
devices
function effectively. Overwind can also
cause a cage to be lowered into
the sump at the bottom of the shaft, also
with
serious
consequences.
Pryor, 3
overwinder
One of the best known overwinder
prevention devices consists of two
vertical-screwed spindles, each carrying
two
traveling
nuts
and
chain
driven from the drum shaft so as to rotate
in
opposite
directions.
The
nuts are prevented from rotating by
projections engaging with a fixed
plate and therefore travel up and down
according to the movement of the
cages. The upper nut takes care of
overwinding and the lower nut of
overspeeding. Mason

overventilation
Too much air in the mine workings. Fay
overvoltage
The difference between the actual
electrode potential, when appreciable

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overwinding

Owen's jet dust counter

a. A term applied to a continued pull on


the
hoisting
rope
of
a
cage,
after the cage has reached the top of the
shaft.
The
result
of
this
carelessness, or accident, is a broken
hoisting rope and all the danger
that
implies.
Stauffer
b. A rope or cable wound and attached so
that it stretches from the top of
a drum to the load. Nichols, 1

An instrument similar to the konimeter but


differing in that the air to be
sampled undergoes humidification prior to
being blown through the jet. The
velocity of impingement is about 200 to
300 m/s and the jet is rectangular
instead
of
circular.
The
prior
humidification of the air causes
condensation of moisture upon the dust
particles by super saturation due
to the pressure drop at the jet, and so
assists
in
the
deposition
and
retention of the particles on the slide. The
Bausch and Lomb dust counter
is the American counterpart of this
instrument. Osborne

overwind switch
A switch that may be used on winders, or
haulages, to cause the power to
cut off from the driving motor, or engine,
and the brakes to be applied.
Such a switch may be: (1) situated in the
headgear
and
operated
by
the
conveyance, (2) mounted on the automatic
contrivance, or (3) operated by
the depth or distance indicator. BS, 13

oxacalcite
See:whewellite
oxalite

ovulite

See:humboldtine

See:oolith

oxammite

Owen process

An orthorhombic mineral, (NH4 )2 C2 O4


.H
(sub
2) O ; transparent; yellowish-white; forms
lamellar
and
pulverent
masses
in guano.

A flotation process involving the violent


agitation of the pulp in cold
water to which a small percentage of
eucalyptus oil, about 62.5 g, is
added. Fay

oxialyphite

Owen's borehole surveying instrument

A variety of aliphite hydrocarbon


containing oxygen; light-yellow; soft.
Tomkeieff

A clockwork photographic apparatus that


records
clinometer
and
compass
readings on sensitized paper. It is used
during
borehole
surveying.
Hammond

oxidate
Sediment composed of the oxides and
hydroxides of iron and manganese,
crystallized from aqueous solution. It is

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one
of
Goldschmidt's
groupings
of
sediments
or
analogues
of
differentiation stages in rock analysis.
AGI

oxide discoloration
Discoloration of a metal surface caused by
oxidation
during
thermal
treatment. Light Metal Age

oxidation
oxide mineral
a. The firing of a kiln in such a manner
that combustion is complete and
in consequence the burning gases are
amply supplied with oxygen, which
causes metals in clay and glazes to give
their
oxide
colors.
ACSG,
1
b. Combination with oxygen; increase in
content of a molecular compound;
increase in valency of the electropositive
part of compound, or decrease
in valency of the electronegative part.
Pryor,
3
c. A reaction in which there is an increase
in
valence
resulting
from
a
loss
of
electrons.
CF:reduction
d. In fuel practice, the combination of
oxygen with a substance, with or
without the production of food. Francis, 2

A mineral formed by the union of an


element with oxygen; e.g., corundum,
hematite, magnetite, and cassiterite. Leet,
1
oxide of iron
An iron ore with oxygen as its main
impurity;
also
iron
rust.
Mersereau, 2
oxidized deposit
A deposit that has resulted from surficial
oxidation. Bateman, 2
oxidized ore
Metalliferous
minerals
altered
by
weathering and the action of surface
waters, and converted, partly or wholly,
into
oxides,
carbonates,
or
sulfates.
These
compounds
are
characteristic of metalliferous deposits at
the surface and often to a considerable
depth.
Nelson

oxidation of coal
The absorption of oxygen from the air by
coal, particularly in the crushed
state; this engenders heat which can result
in
fire.
Ventilation,
while
dispersing the heat generated, supports
oxidation
that
increases
rapidly
with a rise in temperature. Fresh air
should not gain access to the coal.

oxidized zone
The portion of an orebody near the surface
that: (1) has been leached by
percolating water carrying oxygen, carbon
dioxide, or other gases; or (2)
in which sulfide minerals have been
partially dissolved and redeposited at
depth, the residual portion changing to
oxides,
carbonates,
and
sulfates.

oxide
A compound of oxygen with another
element. CTD

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CF:gossan;

sulfide

English-English

use. Oxyacetylene welding and cutting is


used in almost every metalworking
industry. Crispin

zone.

oxidizer
oxyacetylene cutter
A material that readily yields oxygen or
other oxidizing substances needed
for an explosive reaction to take place;
solid
oxidizers
common
in
industrial explosives are ammonium
nitrate and sodium nitrate.

An appliance for cutting metals by means


of
a
flame
obtained
from
acetylene and compressed oxygen, which
are
stored
in
separate
steel
cylinders. Oxyhydrogen and oxycoal gas
flames
are
also
used.
Nelson

oxidizing flame
In blowpiping, the outer, least visible, and
less
intense
part
of
the
flame, from which oxygen may be added
to
the
compound
being
tested.

oxychloride cement

oxidizing fusion

oxygen

An oxidation process used for fire refining


bismuth,
gold,
and
silver;
the
crude metals are melted down with
oxidizing fluxes, so that the impurities
are oxidized during the melting period and
become
part
of
the
slag.
Newton, 1

An explosive prepared by dissolving


picric
acid
in
nitric
acid.
Fay

A
nonmetallic
element,
normally
colorless,
odorless,
tasteless,
nonflammable diatomic gas. Symbol, O.
Occurs uncombined in the air to the
extent of about 21% by volume and is
combined in water, in most rocks and
minerals, and in a great variety of organic
compounds.
Oxygen
is
very
reactive and capable of combining with
most
elements.
Essential
for
respiration in all plants and animals and
for
practically
all
combustion.
Oxygen enrichment of steel blast furnaces
accounts for the greatest use of
the gas. Used in manufacturing ammonia,
methanol,
and
ethylene
oxide.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 3

oxyacetylene

oxygen balance

A mixture of oxygen, O2 , and acetylene


H2
,
gas,
C2
in such proportions as to produce the
hottest flame known for practical

The amount of oxygen in an explosive


mixture, expressed in weight percent,
liberated as a result of complete
conversion of explosive material to CO

A plastic cement formed by mixing finely


ground caustic magnesite with a
solution of magnesium chloride. AGI

oxidizing smelting
See:pyritic smelting
oxonite

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, H2 O, SO2 , Al2 O3 , and other


non-toxic gases; referred to as positive
oxygen
balance;
negative
oxygen
balance is a deficient amount of oxygen
leading to incomplete oxidation of
explosive materials resulting in the
possible formation of toxic gases,
such as CO and NO.

oxygen-free copper

oxygen-Bessemer

A process used in steel making in which


pure oxygen is blown down onto the
bath in a converterlike vessel. Osborne

Electrolytic copper free from cuprous


oxide; produced without the use of
residual
metallic
or
metalloidal
deoxidizers. ASM, 1
oxygen impingement process

A steelmaking process in which the air


blown through the bottom tuyeres is
enriched with oxygen. If oxygen alone is
used, tuyere wear is excessive.
Oxygen plus steam or oxygen plus carbon
dioxide can be used. Also called
oxy-Thomas.

oxygen index
Volumetric ratio of oxygen to the total
gases
in
a
mixture.
Van Dolah

oxygen consumption

oxygen lance

A person working hard requires about 10


ft3
/min
(283
L/min)
of
air to supply adequate oxygen. Hammond

See:anoxia

A device made up of a welding oxygen


bottle and a length of rubber hose
attached to a valve which is fitted to a
steel pipe, so that when the tip
of the lance is ignited it can be used to
melt the solidified metal out of
the iron tap hole in a blast furnace.

oxygen-deficient atmosphere

oxygen process

A concentration of oxygen in the


atmosphere equal to or less than 19.5% by
volume. OSHA

A process for making steel in which


oxygen is blown upon or through molten
pig iron, whereby most of the carbon and
impurities
are
removed
by
oxidation. Harbison-Walker

oxygen deficiency

oxygen-enriched atmosphere
An atmosphere containing more than
23.5% oxygen by volume. OSHA

oxygen steel
The use of oxygen instead of air to
convert molten pig iron into steel.
The oxygen is used in different ways in
different
furnaces,
but
the
fastest ones utilize the direct oxidation
effects
of
a
relatively
pure
(99.5%) oxygen.

oxygen-flash smelting process


Employed as an autogeneous matte
smelting
process
for
smelting
copper-nickel concentrate. Newton, 1

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An allotropic, triatomic form of oxygen,


O3
;
a
faintly
blue,
irritating gas with a characteristic pungent
odor, but at -112 degrees C
it condenses to a blue magnetic liquid. It
occurs
in
minute
quantities
in
the air near the Earth's surface and in
larger
quantities
in
the
stratosphere as a product of the action of
ultraviolet
light
of
short
wavelengths on ordinary oxygen. Ozone is
generated usually in dilute form
by a silent electric discharge in oxygen or
air.
It
decomposes
to
oxygen
(as when heated) and it is a stronger
oxidizing agent than oxygen. Used
chiefly
in
disinfection
and
in
deodorization (such as in water
purification and in air conditioning), in
oxidation and bleaching (such as
in the treatment of industrial wastes), and
in ozonolysis (such as in the
manufacture of azelaic acid from oleic
acid). Webster 3rd

oxyhornblende
A hornblende with (OH+F+Cl) less than
1.0.
Also
called
basaltic
hornblende.
oxyhydrogen
Of, relating to, or utilizing a mixture of
oxygen
and
hydrogen.
Webster 3rd
ozarkite
A white, massive variety of thomsonite,
from Arkansas. Fay
ozocerite
A mineral paraffin wax, of dark yellow,
brown, or black color with a
melting point of 55 to 110 degrees C and
sp gr, 0.85 to 0.95. Is soluble
in gasoline, benzene, and turpentine and is
found
near
the
Caspian
Sea
region and in Utah as narrow seams in
sandstone. Also called mineral wax;
fossil wax; native paraffin; earth wax.
Also
spelled
ozokerite.

ozonizer
Electrical
apparatus
that
converts
atmospheric oxygen to ozone; used in
sterilizing water for drinking purposes and
for
purifying
air.
Pryor, 3

CF:hatchettine; hatchettite. CTD


ozone

To Go At beginning the Dictionary

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P
the
areas
of
Harker's
Atlantic
and Pacific suites, the terms are now
seldom used to indicate kindred rock
types. CF:Mediterranean suite

pachnolite
A monoclinic mineral, NaCaAlF6 .H2 O ;
white;
distinct
cleavage; dimorphous with thomsenolite;
an alteration of cryolite.

pacite
An iron arsenosulfide near arsenopyrite in
composition.

Pachuca tank
A cylindrical tank with a conical bottom.
It
contains
a
pipe
that
is
coaxial with the leaching tank and open at
both
ends;
compressed
air
is
introduced at the lower end of this pipe,
which behaves as an air lift.
The density of the pulp within the pipe is
less
than
that
of
the
pulp
surrounding it because of the column of
air bubbles contained in the pipe,
and the pressure of the denser pulp causes
the pulp in the central pipe to
rise and overflow, thus circulating the
entire
charge.
.
Newton, 1

pack
a. A pillar, constructed from loose stones
and
dirt,
built
in
the
waste
area or roadside to support the roof.
solid stowing; strip packing. Nelson
b. A pack built on a longwall face
between the gate-side packs is called
an
intermediate
pack.
SMRB
c. Waste rock or timber support used for a
roof
over
underground
workings
or used to fill excavations. Also called fill.
Pryor,
3
d. To cause the speedy subsidence of ore
in the process of washing by
beating a keeve or tub with a hammer.

Pacific suite
pack builder
One of two large groups of igneous rocks,
characterized
by
calcic
and
calc-alkalic rocks. Harker (1909) divided
all
Tertiary
and
Holocene
igneous rocks of the world into two main
groups,
the
Atlantic
suite
and
the Pacific suite. Because there is such a
wide
variation
in
tectonic
environments and associated rock types in

a. Person who builds packs or pack walls.


b. In anthracite and bituminous coal
mining, a worker who: (1) fills
worked-out rooms, from which coal has
been mined, with rock, slate, or
other waste to prevent caving of walls and
roofs;
(2)
builds
rough
walls
and columns of loose stone, heavy boards,

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timber,
or
coal
along
haulageways and passageways and in
rooms where coal is being mined, to
prevent caving. Also called packer.
waller. DOT

The space adjacent to a gate end at the


face and between the face end of a
gate-side pack and the coal face into
which packs will be inserted when
the gate is ripped or dinted. TIME

pack cavity system

packing

See:methane drainage

a. Occurs in crushing plants when the


material in the chamber is so
compacted as to be nearly without voids.
It occurs when free downward
movement is inhibited. South Australia
b. The filling of a waste area with stones
and
dirt.
c. The method of giving support to a roof
by
the
insertion
of
waste
material placed or built into space from
which
coal
or
ore
has
been
extracted.
TIME
d. The spacing or density pattern of the
mineral
grains
in
a
rock.
CF:fabric
e.
See:blocking
f. With gyratories, packing copy refers to
an accumulation of sticky fines
on the diaphragm. South Australia

pack drawer
In anthracite and bituminous coal mining,
a laborer who draws (tears down)
stone or timber packs (pillars constructed
by pack builders in the working
place to support the roof during extraction
of coal) to permit the roof to
cave behind as the mining of the coal
recedes toward the entrance of the
working area. DOT
packer
a. A short expansible-retractable device
deliberately set in a cased or
uncased well bore to prevent upward or
downward fluid movement; generally
for
temporary
use.
AGI
b. A miner employed in stowing or
packing the waste area. Also called
gobber. Nelson

packing density
The bulk density of a granular material,
when
packed
under
specified
conditions. It is commonly determined,
particularly for foundry sands.

packfong

packing factor

Chinese. A silver-white alloy of copper,


zinc, and nickel; German silver.

Ratio of true volume to bulk volume. Van


Vlack

pack hardening

packing gland

Case carburizing, using a solid carburized


medium, followed by a hardening
treatment. CTD

An
explosion-proof
entrance
for
conductors through the wall of an
explosion-proof enclosure, to provide
compressed
packing
completely

pack hole

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surrounding the wire or cable, for not less


than 1/2 in (1.27 cm) measured
along the length of the cable.

paddle loader
A belt loader equipped with chain-driven
paddles that move loose material
to the belt. Nichols, 1

packsand
A very fine-grained sandstone that is so
loosely consolidated by a little
calcareous cement as to be readily cut by a
spade. AGI

paddle mixer
A form of worm conveyor having two
noncontinuous
spirals
that
form
paddles; the shafts are contrarotating and
the
spirals
opposite.

pack wall
A dry-stone wall built along the side of a
roadway, or in the waste area,
of a coal or metal mine. The wall helps to
support the roof and also to
retain the packing material and prevent it
spreading
into
the
roadway.
Nelson

paddle-type mixing conveyor


A type of conveyor consisting of one or
more
parallel
paddle
conveyor
screws.; paddle conveyor.
paddle washer

pad
A type of conveyor consisting of one or
two
inclined
parallel
paddle
conveyor screws in a conveyor trough
having a receiving tank and an
overflow weir at the lower end and a
discharge opening at the upper end.

a. Ground-contact part of a crawler-type


track.
Nichols,
1
b.
See:wallplate
c. The refractory brickwork below the
molten iron at the base of a blast
furnace. Dodd

paddle-wheel fan
paddle
A centrifugal fan with radial blades.
Strock, 2

a. Numbered wooden marker which


shovelers put in the cans of ore that they
load.
Hess
b. A straight iron tool for stirring ore in a
furnace.
Standard,
2
c. A bat or pallet, as used in tempering
clay.
Standard,
2
d. A scoop for stirring and mixing, as used
in
glassmaking.
Standard, 2

paddy
A borehole drill bit having cutters that
expand on pressure. Also called
expansion bit; paddy bit. Long
paddy bit
See:paddy

paddle conveyor
See:paddle-type mixing conveyor
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paddy lamp

paint gold

A portable battery-operated lamp attached


to
the
front
or
rear
of
a
personnel train. BS, 13

A very thin coating of gold on minerals.

padlock sheave

The painting of the mine roof with a coaltar paint that seals the bottom
strata of the roof to prevent air from
entering the crevices of the roof.
Kentucky

painting

a. The bucket sheave on a dipper or hoe


shovel.
Nichols,
1
b. A sheave set connecting inner and outer
boom lines. Nichols, 1

paint mill
page
A machine for grinding mineral paints.
Fay

a. A small wooden wedge used in securing


the
timbering
for
excavations.
Hammond
b. In brickmaking, a track carrying the
pallets
bearing
newly
molded
bricks. Standard, 2

paint rock
A soft, incompetent, fine-grained mass of
quartz,
pyrolusite,
and
kaolin
with subangular fragments of chert,
hematite,
and
goethite.
Woodruff

pagodite
Ordinary massive pinite in its amorphous
compact
texture
and
other
physical characters, but containing more
silica.
The
Chinese
carve
the
soft stone into miniature pagodas and
images.;
lardite; pinite. CTD

paint-rock ore
See:natural ore
pair
A party of co-workers; a gang. Also
spelled pare. Webster 2nd; Fay

Pahrump
A provincial series of the Precambrian in
California.

pair production
The transformation of a high-energy
gamma ray into a pair of particles (an
electron and a positron) during its passage
through matter. Lyman

paint
a. A term used in the western United
States for an earthy, pulverulent
variety
of
cinnabar.
b. A film of molybdenite in fractures and
veinlets.

palagonite
Devitrified basaltic glass.

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palasome

paleoecology

The host rock or mineral in a replacement


deposit.

The science of the relationship between


ancient
organisms
and
their
environments. AGI

pale brick
paleogeography
Brick that is underfired. Fay
a. The study and description of the
physical geography of the geologic
past, such as the historical reconstruction
of the pattern of the Earth's
surface or of a given area at a particular
time in the geologic past, or
the study of the successive changes of
surface
relief
during
geologic
time.
b. The study of the relative positions of
land masses as part of tectonic
reconstructions of Earth history.

paleoa. A combining form denoting great age or


remoteness
in
regard
to
time
(Paleozoic),
or
involving
ancient
conditions (paleoclimate). Sometimes
given as pale- (palevent). Also spelled:
palaeo;
palaio-.
AGI
b. A prefix indicating pre-Tertiary origin,
and
generally
altered
character, of a rock to the name of which
it
is
added,
such
as
paleopicrite; by some the prefix has been
applied
to
pre-Carboniferous
rocks or features, such as the
PaleoAtlantic Ocean. AGI

paleogeologic map
A map that shows the areal geology of an
ancient surface at some time in
the geologic past; esp. such a map of the
surface
immediately
below
an
unconformity, showing the geology as it
existed at the time the surface of
unconformity was completed but before
the
overlapping
strata
were
deposited. Paleogeologic maps were
introduced
by
Levorsen
(1933).
AGI

paleobotany
The study of plants of past geological ages
through
the
investigation
of
fossils. CF:paleontology; palynology.
paleoclimatology
The branch of science that treats of
climatological conditions during the
history of the Earth.

paleolithologic map
A paleogeologic map that shows
lithologic variations at some buried
horizon or within some restricted zone at a
particular
time
in
the
geologic past. AGI

paleocurrent
A current, generally of water, that
influenced sedimentation or other
processes or conditions in the geologic
past.

paleomagnetism

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some pre-existing structure or texture are


preserved.

Faint magnetic polarization of rocks that


may have been preserved since
the accumulation of sediment or the
solidification of magma whose magnetic
particles were oriented with respect to the
Earth's
magnetic
field
as
it
existed at that time and place. AGI

palingeness
Formation of a new magma by the melting
of pre-existing magmatic rock in
situ. Considered incorrectly by some
workers as a syn. of anatexis. Adj:
palingenic. AGI

paleontological facies
a. The paleontological aspect of a
particular sedimentary lithology; e.g.,
nummulitic facies, crinoid facies, etc.
Schieferdecker
b. Sedimentary facies differentiated on the
basis of fossils. AGI

palladinite
A poorly defined ocherous coating on
palladian gold, probably PdO.
palladium

paleontologist
A soft, ductile, steel-white metallic
element
of
the
platinum group
metals. Symbol, Pd. Found along with
platinum and other metals of the
platinum group in placer deposits; also
found
associated
with
nickel-copper deposits. Used as a catalyst,
in
dentistry,
watchmaking,
surgical instruments, and electrical
contacts.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 3

Person who studies the fossilized remains


of
animals
and/or
plants.
AGI
paleontology
A science that deals with the life of past
geological
periods,
based
on
the study of fossil remains of plants and
animals,
and
gives
information
esp. about the phylogeny and relationships
of
modern
animals
and
plants
and about the chronology of the history of
the
Earth.
CF:paleobotany;
paleoclimatology;
paleogeography.
Webster 3rd

palladium amalgam
A former name for potarite.
palladium gold

paleozoology

Same as porpezite, or gold, containing


palladium up to 10%.

That branch of paleontology dealing with


the study of fossil animals, both
invertebrate and vertebrate. AGI

pallas iron
See:pallasite

palimpsest
Said of a structure or texture of
metamorphic rocks in which remnants of
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bottom
Osborne

pallasite
a. Any ultramafic rock, whether of
meteoric or terrestrial origin, that
contains approx. 60% iron if meteoric, or
more iron oxides than silica if
terrestrial.
AGI
b. A stony-iron meteorite composed
essentially of large single glassy
crystals of olivine embedded in a network
of
nickel-iron.
Pallasites
are
believed to have been formed at the
interface of the stony mantle and
metal core of a layered planetoid.

of

the

tube.

paludal
Pertaining to swamps or marshes, and to
organic, clay, or other material
deposited in a swamp environment.
CF:palustrine
paludification
Process of formation of a peat bog. This
requires a steady growth of new
peat-forming plants in phase with a steady
general
sinking
of
the
depression in which this occurs. Pryor, 3

palleting
A light platform in the bottom of powder
magazines to preserve the powder
from dampness. Fay

palustrine

pallet molding

Pertaining to material deposited in a


swamp
or
marsh
environment.
CF:paludal

A method of forming bricks in sanded


molds, from which they are dumped on
a board called a pallet. Standard, 2

palygorskite
a. A monoclinic and orthorhombic
mineral,
(OH)2
(Mg,Al)4
(Si,Al)8 O20 .8H2 O ; fibrous; in desert
soils.
b. A general name for lightweight fibrous
clay
minerals
showing
significant substitution of aluminum for
magnesium;
characterized
by
distinctive rodlike shapes under an
electron microscope.

pallet-type conveyor
A series of flat or shaped wheelless
carriers propelled by and attached to
one or more endless chains or other
linkage.
Palo-Travis analyser
A
sedimentation
apparatus
for
determining particle size, based upon the
settling of powder through a long
sedimentation tube filled with liquid.
The
instrument
consists
of
the
sedimentation tube, a smaller reservoir at
the top joined to the tube through a large
bore stopcock, and a calibrated
capillary mounted concentrically at the

palynology
a. A branch of science concerned with the
study of pollen of seed plants
and spores of other embryophytic plants,
whether
living
or
fossil,
including their dispersal and applications
in
stratigraphy
and
paleoecology.
AGI

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b. The study of the fossilized spores and


pollen
grains
of
the
plants,
esp. those whose remains contributed to
the
formation
of
coal
seams.
CF:paleobotany; paleontology. Nelson

pan-amalgamation process
Method of recovering silver and gold from
their ores, in which a cast iron
pan or barrel is used for contacting a
slurry of the crushed ore with
salt, copper sulfate, and mercury; the
released silver and gold form an
amalgam with the mercury.

pan
a. A shallow steel or porcelain dish in
which drillers or samplers wash
drill sludge to a gravity concentrate and
separate the particles of heavy
minerals from the lighter-density rock
powder to ascertain if the rocks
traversed by the borehole contain minerals
of
value.
Long
b.
Hardpan.
c. Fireclay or underclay of coal seams.
d. A trough or section of a pan conveyor
or
shaker
conveyor.
Nelson
e. The framework of a belt or chain
conveyor.
Mason
f. A circular steel dish from 10 to 16 in
(25 to 40 cm) in diameter at the
top, from 2 to 2-1/2 in (5.1 to 6.4 cm)
deep, and with sides sloping at 35
degrees to 40 degrees to the horizontal,
used
for
testing
and
working
placer
deposits.
CF:dish
g. A carrying scraper.

a.
See:ribbon
b. Any of concrete discs that are stacked
to
form
concrete
columns
for
stope support. They are cast at the surface
and
are
usually
30
in
(76.2
cm) diameter by 4 in (10.2 cm) thick with
reinforcement
from
wire
rope.
Higham

panabase

pan conveyor

See:tetrahedrite

a. A conveyor comprising one or more


endless chains or other linkage to
which usually overlapping or interlocking
pans
are
attached
to
form
a
series of shallow, open-topped containers.
Some pan conveyors have been
known also as apron conveyors.
b. Jigging conveyor; a trough down which
coal
slides
after
mining
and

Pan-American jig
Mineral jig developed for treatment of
alluvial sands. Pryor, 3
pancake

panclastite
An explosive composed of liquid nitrogen
tetroxide
mixed
with
carbon
disulfide or other liquid combustible, in
the proportion of three volumes
of the former to two of the combustible.
Fay

panabasite
A former name for tetrahedrite.
pan amalgamation
See pan-amalgamation process.

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loading in dipping seams, with motion


being aided by a shaking action.

panel barrier
The pillar of coal left between the
adjacent panels. These pillars are
often worked on the retreat after the coal
in
the
panels
has
been
extracted. In the panel system of bordand-pillar
mining,
the
panel
barrier may be 22 yd (20 m) (minimum)
wide and about 300 yd (274 m) apart.
In longwall panel mining, the barriers may
be made of sufficient width for
extraction by a conveyor face on the
retreat. Also called panel pillar.

c. A trough conveyor or gravity conveyor.


Nelson
pandermite
a.
See:priceite
b. A name for firm, compact,
porcelainlike masses of colemanite.
pan-edge
a. A runner mill for grinding or mixing
granular
material.
b. Steel supporting plates on which
furnace
bottom
refractories
are
placed.

panel slicing
a. In stoping, the process of mining out a
panel either from above, below,
or one side as described by a qualifying
term.
Pryor,
3
b. See:top slicing and cover caving

panel
a. A large rectangular block or pillar of
coal.
b. A method of working whereby the
workings of a mine are divided into
sections, each surrounded by solid strata
and
coal
with
only
necessary
roads through the coal barrier. Also
spelled
pannel.
Mason
c. The working of coal seams in separate
panels
or
districts;
e.g.,
single
unit
panel.
d. Rectangle of lode ore that is defined by
means of levels and winzes and
then considered to be proved as regards
volume
for
valuation
purposes.
Pryor,
3
e. A group of breasts or rooms separated
from the other workings by large
pillars.
Fay
f. A small portion of coal left uncut.
Webster 3rd

panel working
a. Working laid out in districts or panels,
which
are
then
extracted
as
single units. The panel system of working
may
be
adopted
with
pillar-and-stall and longwall methods.
b. A system of working coal seams in
which the colliery is divided up into
large squares or panels isolated or
surrounded by solid ribs of coal of
which a separate set of breasts and pillars
is
worked,
and
the
ventilation
is kept distinct; i.e., every panel has its
own
circulation,
the
air
of
one not passing into the adjoining one, but
being
carried
direct
to
the
main return airway. Zern
pan feeder
See:conveyor-type feeder

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pan-feeder operator

pantograph

See:mill feeder

a. A type of drawing instrument consisting


of rods linked together in the
form of a parallelogram, used for copying
a drawing to any required scale.
Hammond
b. The hinged diamond-shaped structure
mounted on the roof of an electric
locomotive to collect electric power from
an
overhead
wire.
Hammond

panhead
A head to a rivet or screw having the
shape
of
a
truncated
cone.
Hammond
panidiomorphic
A textural term for rocks in which all or
almost
all
of
the
mineral
constituents are idiomorphic or euhedral.

pan-type car
Doorless car of two-way, side-dump
design; built in capacities from 4 to
10 yd3 (3.1 to 7.6 m3 ). The car body is
reversible
and
may be dumped to either side. Dumping is
accomplished
by
means
of
an
external hoist at the dumping point. Pit
and Quarry

panman
a. A worker who places in position and
tends the operation of underground
trough conveyors for the transportation of
coal
or
other
minerals.
These
conveyors are built in sections, and the
principal task of the panman is
to move the sections from one position to
another.
Hess
b. One engaged in dismantling or building
conveyors.
Also
called
panner.
Mason

Panzer conveyor
See:armored flexible conveyor
Panzer-Forderer snaking conveyor
A very strong, armored conveyor that is
moved forward behind a coal plow
by means of a traveling wedge pulled
along by the plow or by means of
jacks or compressed-air-operated rams
attached
at
intervals
to
the
conveyor structure. Sinclair, 5

panning
A technique of prospecting for heavy
metals, such as gold, by washing
placer or crushed vein material in a pan.
The lighter fractions are washed
away, leaving the heavy metals behind in
the pan.AGI

papa
pantellerite
a. A bluish white, massive New Zealand
clay like pipe clay; used for
whitening fireplaces. When hard, it is
called
papa
rock.
Etymol:
Polynesian.

A peralkaline rhyolite or quartz trachyte


with
normative
quartz
exceeding
10%. It is more mafic than comendite.
AGI

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c.
Indicating
a
polymorph.
d. Indicating a schist or gneiss derived
from
a
sedimentary
protolith.
e. A matrix-rich clastic sedimentary rock.
f. In chemistry, a prefix indicating: (1) an
isomeric
or
polymeric
modification; such as paracyanogen,
paraldehyde, etc.; (2) a modification
or a similar compound that is not
necessarily isomeric or polymeric; such
as, paramorphine; (3) a benzene
diderivative in which the substituted
atoms or radicals are directly opposite
each
other
on
the
benzene
ring--i.e., occupying the positions 1 and 4-such as paraxylene; or (4) an
inactive
isomer
produced
by
a
combination of its dextro- and levomodifications--such as, paratartaric acid.
A Greek prefix meaning beside.
Abbrev.,
p-.
g. A Greek prefix meaning beside. In the
name of a metamorphic rock, such
as paragneiss, it means derived from an
original
sediment.
Webster 3rd

b. Sp. A nugget of gold or silver.


c. A nodule of mineral.
papagoite
A monoclinic mineral, CaCuAlSi2 O6
(OH)3
;
forms
blue
crystals; secondary; at Ajo, Pima County,
AZ.
paper clay
A fine-grained, white, kaolinic clay with
high
retention
and
suspending
properties, high reflectance, and a very
low content of free silica. It is
used for coating or filling paper. AGI
paper coal
a. Coal in which cuticular matter may be
prominent.
AGI
b. A variety of brown coal deposited in
thin layers like sheets of paper.
Fay
paper shale

parabola
A shale that easily separates on
weathering into thin layers or laminae
suggesting sheets of paper; it is often
highly carbonaceous. AGI

The shape taken by the curve of a bending


moment diagram for a uniformly
distributed load on a beam simply
supported. Hammond

paper spar
parabutlerite
A crystallized variety of calcite found in
thin
lamellae
or
paperlike
plates. Standard, 2

An orthorhombic mineral, Fe3+ (SO4


)(OH).2H2
O
;
dimorphous with butlerite: orange; an
alteration product of copiapite.

para-

paracelsian

a. A prefix applied to the names of


metamorpic rocks that have been
derived from sediments; e.g., paragneiss.
Stokes
b. Prefix meaning beside or nearby.

A monoclinic mineral, BaAl2 Si2 O8 ;


feldspar
group;
pale yellow; dimorphous with celsian; at

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Candoglia,

English-English

striated
equant
crystals;
at
Ojuela Mine, Durango, Mexico.

Italy.

parachrosis

paraffin shale

Discoloration in minerals from exposure


to weather. Standard, 2

See:oil shale

the

paragenesis
paraconformity
A characteristic association or occurrence
of
minerals
or
mineral
assemblages in ore deposits, connoting
contemporaneous
formation.
CF:mineral sequence

An unconformity at which strata are


parallel and the contact is a simple
bedding plane. AGI
paraconglomerate

paragenetic
A term proposed by Pettijohn (1957) for a
conglomerate
that
is
not
a
product of normal aqueous flow, but is
deposited
by
such
agents
as
subaqueous turbidity slides and glacier
ice; it contains more matrix than
gravel-sized fragments (pebbles may form
less
than
10%
of
the
rock).
Examples
include
tillites,
pebbly
mudstones, and relatively structureless
clay or shale bodies in which pebbles or
cobbles are randomly distributed.

a. Pertaining to paragenesis. AGI


b. Pertaining to the genetic relations of
sediments
in
laterally
continuous and equivalent facies. AGI
paragneiss
In petrology, a gneiss formed by the
metamorphism of a sedimentary rock.
CF:orthogneiss
Paragon

paracoquimbite

Trade name for a nonrotating rope of 12


by 6 over 3 by 24 strand
construction. Hammond

A trigonal mineral, Fe3+2 (SO4 )3 .9H (sub


2) O ; dimorphous with coquimbite; pale
violet;
astringent
tasting;
secondary; in oxidized iron sulfide
deposits.

paragonite
A monoclinic mineral, NaAl2 (AlSi3 )O10
(OH)2;
mica group; pseudohexagonal with basal
cleavage;
forms
fine-grained,
massive, scaly aggregates; occurs in
metamorphic rocks and in soils; not
common as it is incompatible with
potassium
feldspar
(albite
plus
muscovite is more stable); rarely

paradamite
A triclinic mineral, Zn2 (AsO4 )(OH) ;
rare;
dimorphous
with
adamite and isomorphous with tarbuttite;
transparent;
vitreous;
pale
yellow; forms sheaflike aggregates and

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identified because of its similarity to


muscovite.

paralic
Said of deposits laid down on the
landward side of a coast, in shallow
fresh water subject to marine invasions.
Thus,
marine
and
nonmarine
sediments are interbedded; as exemplified
in the lower part of the Coal
Measures, the nonmarine (paralic)
predominate, with relatively thin marine
bands. CF:limnic

paragonite schist
A variety of schist in which paragonite
supplants muscovite or biotite.
paraguanajuatite
A trigonal mineral, Bi2
paramorphous
orthorhombic guanajuatite.

(Se,S)3 ;
after

paralic coal basin


A coal basin that originated near the sea-as
opposed
to
a
limnic
coal
basin. AGI

parahilgardite
A mineral trimorphous with monoclinic
hilgardite
and
triclinic
hilgardite.
:hilgardite

parallax
a. In survey work, incorrect reading of a
graduation
on
an
instrument
if
the observer's eye is not truly normal to
the
graduated
plate.
Pryor,
3
b. The change in bearing or apparent
position of an object produced by a
change in the observer's position. NCB
c. The apparent displacement, or change
in position, of the crosshairs of
a focusing telescope with reference to the
image of an object, as the eye
is moved from side to side, when the
focus of the eyepiece or objective is
imperfect. Seelye, 2

parahopeite
A colorless hydrous zinc phosphate, Zn3
(PO4
)2
.4H
2 O , triclinic. Minute tabular or prismatic
crystals;
fan-shaped
aggregates. From Broken Hill, Northern
Rhodesia;
Salmo,
BC.
English
parajamesonite
An orthorhombic mineral, Pb4 FeSb6 S14 ;
dimorphous
with
jamesonite;
metallic;
black;
distinguished by its X-ray pattern.

parallel blasting circuit


paralaurionite
An electric blasting circuit in which the
leg wires of each detonator are
connected across the firing line directly or
in
parallel
through
bus
wires.
Atlas

A monoclinic mineral, PbCl(OH);


dimorphous with laurionite; soft; forms
white pseudo-orthorhombic prismatic
crystals; a secondary mineral in lead
deposits.

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parallel circuit firing

parallel entry

A method of connecting together a


number of detonators that are to be
fired electrically in one blast. The electric
detonators
are
connected
to
two common points. Each detonator offers
a path for the electric current,
independent of all the other detonators in
the
circuit,
and
therefore
calls for a higher amperage than a series
circuit in which there is but
one path. Nelson

Usually an intake airway parallel to the


haulageway. USBM, 1
parallel extinction
In mineral optics, refers to crystal edges or
cleavage
traces
parallel
to
the optic directions of the mineral.
CF:extinction
parallel firing

parallel cut

The firing of detonators in a round of


shots by dividing the total supply
current between the individual detonators.
CF:series
firing
BS, 12

Group of parallel holes, not all charged


with explosive, that creates the
initial cavity to which the loaded holes
break in blasting a development
round. Pryor, 3

parallel flow

parallel displacement fault

Flow in the same direction of two or more


streams within a stream system.

A fault along which all straight lines on


opposite sides of the fault and
outside the dislocated zone that were
parallel before the displacement are
parallel afterward. AGI

parallel fold
A fold in which beds maintain the same
thicknesses
throughout.
CF:similar fold; supratenuous fold.

parallel drum
parallel growth
A cylindrical form of drum on which the
haulage or winding rope is coiled.
The drum roll may be plain or grooved.
For deep winds, multilayering of
rope is often used to reduce the drum size
required.
Also,
for
deep
winding (3,000 ft or 915 m or more), a
balance rope is almost essential
with a parallel drum.

Two or more crystals with corresponding


faces parallel. Fay
parallel lines
Lines that lie in the same plane and are
equally distant from each other
at all points. The term is ordinarily applied
to
straight
lines.
Jones, 2

parallel duplex mine cable


See:portable parallel duplex mine cable

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fastened metal spikes about 6 to 7 in


(15 to 18 cm) long. The electrodes are
connected by some 150 ft (46 m) of
wire that runs down the rods to the spikes.
If a head telephone is placed
in the circuit, the absence of sound in the
telephone
indicates
that
the
two electrodes are at the same potential.
By
this
method,
the
equipotential lines can be traced. Lewis

parallelogram
Quadrilateral that has opposite sides
parallel and opposite angles equal.
Jones, 2
parallel ripple mark
A ripple mark with a relatively straight
crest and an asymmetric profile;
specif. a current ripple mark. AGI

paramagnetic
parallel series
Having a small positive magnetic
susceptibility. A paramagnetic mineral
such as olivine, pyroxene, or biotite
contains magnetic ions that tend to
align along an applied magnetic field but
do
not
have
a
spontaneous
magnetic order. CF:diamagnetic

Two or more series of electric blasting


caps
arranged
in
parallel.

parallel series circuit


A method of connecting together a
number of detonators to be fired
electrically in one blast. The circuit
consists of a number of series
circuits
connected
in
parallel.
Nelson

paramagnetism
a. The magnetism of a paramagnetic
substance. The property by which the
north pole of a magnet that is magnetized
by induction is repelled to 180
degrees by the north pole of the inducing
magnet.
Standard,
2
b. The property possessed by a substance
of
producing
a
higher
concentration of magnetic lines of force
within
itself
than
in
the
surrounding magnetic field when it is
placed
in
such
a
field.
Miall
c. A property of many substances, related
to ferromagnetism, by virtue of
which, when placed in a nonuniform
magnetic field, they tend to move
toward the strongest part. Permanent
magnetism is practically absent and
the susceptibility, which is much less than
that
of
iron,
is
constant
at
any given temperature, but in most
substances it is nearly inversely

parallel unconformity
See:disconformity
parallel wire method
An electrical prospecting method using
equipotential lines or curves in
prospecting for orebodies. In the parallel
wire
method,
two
bare
copper
wires about 3,000 ft (915 m) long, placed
about 2,000 ft (610 m) or more
apart, are used as electrodes. Current is
supplied from the generator, and
the electrodes are connected to the ground
at 100 ft (30 m) intervals by
iron grounding pins. Equipotential lines
are located by two electrodes or
wooden rods, to one end of which are

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ones

proportional to the absolute temperature.


CF:ferrimagnetism;
diamagnetism. Holmes, 1

are

built

up.

paramoudra
paramelaconite
Large flint nodule.
A tetragonal mineral, Cu+2
O3 ; purplish black; at Bisbee, AZ.

Cu2+2
pararammelsbergite

parameter

An orthorhombic mineral, NiAs2 ;


loellingite
group;
trimorphous
with rammelsbergite and krutovite;
metallic tin-white; commonly massive.

a. A constant or variable in a
mathematical
expression
that
distinguishes
various
specific
situations.
b. In crystallography, one of the three
non-coplanar
vectors
which
describe a lattice.

pararealgar
A monoclinic mineral, AsS ; trimorphous
with
realgar
and
alpha-AsS;
powdery; bright yellow to orange-brown;
easily mistaken for orpiment.

paramontroseite
An orthorhombic mineral, VO2 ; forms by
loss
of
hydrogen
and
iron
from montroseite in an initial stage of
oxidation
of
uranium-vanadium
deposits.

paraschist
A schist derived from a sedimentary rock.
schist.
paraschoepite

paramorph
An orthorhombic mineral, UO3 .(2-x)H2 O
;
bright
yellow;
a
dehydration product of schoepite.
Formerly
called
schoepite
III.

A pseudomorph with the same


composition as the original crystal, caused
by
a phase transformation; e.g., calcite with
aragonite
morphology.
CF:pseudomorph

parasymplesite
A monoclinic mineral, Fe2+3 (AsO4 )2 .8H
2 O ; vivianite group; dimorphous with
symplesite
and
isomorphous
with koettigite; bluish green.

paramorphism
a. The alteration of one mineral into
another
without
change
of
composition, such as augite into
hornblende
in
uralitization.
Fay
b. With metamorphism, it describes such
thorough changes in a rock that
its old components are destroyed and new

paratacamite
A trigonal mineral, Cu2 (OH)3 Cl ; forms
twinned
rhombohedra; massive or powdery; green

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to green-black; a secondary mineral


in copper deposits.

Parian marble
One of the most famous of ancient
statuary marbles; from the island of
Paros, Greece.

paratellurite
A tetragonal mineral, TeO2 ; rutile group;
soft;
waxy;
gray-white;
dimorphous with tellurite; at Cananea,
Mexico.

parisite

Having planes of cleavage inclined to the


axis;
also,
abounding
with
facets of cleavage. Standard, 2

A trigonal mineral, 6[(Ce,La,Nd)2 CaCO3


)3
F2
] ; vitreous to resinous; forms acute
hexagonal bipyramids; in veins, such
as the emerald deposits of Columbia; also
in alkalic pegmatites. Named for
J.J. Paris.

parautochthonous granite

parkerite

A mobilized portion of an autochthonous


granite that has moved higher in
the crust or, more usually, into tectonic
domains
of
lower
pressure.
It
shows variable marginal relations, in some
places
migmatitic
in
others
characterized by a thermal aureole.
Schieferdecker

A monoclinic mineral, Ni3 (Bi,Pb)2 S2 ;


metallic;
bronze; has three cleavages; in a
magmatic sulfide deposit, Insizwa, South
Africa.

paratomous

Parkerizing
Treatment of steel in hot aqueous solution
of
free
phosphoric
acid
and
manganese dihydrogen phosphate, other
salts
sometimes
being
used
as
accelerators. A fine-grained insoluble film
of
ferric
phosphate
is
formed
in a few minutes, which is corrosion
resistant. Pryor, 3

paravauxite
A
triclinic
mineral,
FeAl2(PO4
)2(OH)2.8H2O
;
colorless;
forms small prismatic crystals; at
Llallagua, Bolivia.
parbigite

Parker process
See:messelite
A method for producing low-temperature
coke in which each retort is a
monobloc iron casting 9 ft (2.7 m) high,
containing 12 tubes, which taper
from 4-1/2 in (11.4 cm) at the top to 5-1/4
in (13.3 cm) at the bottom. A
battery contains 36 retorts in 2 rows of 18.
Retorts
and
combustion
chambers are arranged alternately, so that

pargasite
A monoclinic mineral, NaCa2 (Mg,Fe)4
Al(Si6
Al
(sub
2) )O22 (OH)2 ; amphibole group;
prismatic
cleavage;
occurs
in dolomitic marbles and in skarns.

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contents
and
to
make
corrections for the changes taking place in
these
during
combustion.
The
Parr formula for doing this is: total
inorganic
matter=moisture+1.08
ash+0.55 sulfur, where moisture, ash, and
sulfur
represent
the
percentages
of these substances found by analysis of
the coal. Francis, 1

each
retort
is
located
in
a
radiation chamber formed by the walls of
adjacent combustion chambers. The
retorts are heated only by radiation from
these walls, so that there is no
overheating and the inside temperature of
the
retorts
can
be
maintained
accurately at 1,112 degrees F (600 degrees
C). A cooling chamber is fitted
below each pair of retorts, of a size
sufficient to hold the coke from
both. The pairs of retorts are charged and
discharged
every
4
h.

Parrish arm
Long arm made of a flexible board for the
suspension
of
a
shaker
screen.
Zern

Parkes process
Parrish shaker
A process used to recover precious metals
from lead. It is based on the
principle that if 1% to 2% of zinc is stirred
into
molten
lead,
a
compound
of zinc with gold and silver separates out
and
can
be
skimmed
off.
ASM, 1

A screening shaker with flexible wooden


hangers and flexible drive arms;
used for sizing anthracite. Mitchell
Parr's classification of coal
A classification system based on the
proximate
analysis
and
calorific
value of ash-free, dry coal. The heating
value of raw coal is obtained,
and from these data a table is drawn up, at
one
end
of
which
are
the
celluloses and woods of about 7,000
Btu/lb (16.3 MJ/kg). These data are
then plotted against the percentage
volatile
matter
in
unit
coal.
Hess

parmalee wrench
A wrench that has a smooth segmented
sleeve that when tightly clamped
around the tube of a core barrel, will not
mar
or
distort
the
thin
tube
when the core barrel is taken apart. Long
parral agitator
An agitator using a number of small
airlifts disposed about a circular,
flat-bottomed tank in such a way as to
impart a circular swirling motion
to the pulp. Liddell

parsonsite
A triclinic mineral, Pb2 (UO2 )(PO4 )2 .2H
2 O ; forms pale citron-yellow crusts,
powders,
and
tiny
laths;
nonfluorescent; radioactive; a secondary
mineral in uraniferous pegmatites
and other uranium deposits.

Parr formula
The simplest method for determining the
amount of mineral matter present
in a coal is to determine the ash and sulfur

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range of temperatures; melting starts at the


solidus
temperature
and
continues, nonlinearly, as the temperature
increases
to
the
liquidus
temperature when the rock is totally
molten.
Fowler
b. A situation in which only certain
minerals in a rock are melted, due to
their lower melting temperature.

part
In founding, a section of a mold or flask
specif.
distinguished
(in
a
three-part flask) as top part, middle part,
and
bottom
part.
Standard, 2
part 90 miner

partial pressure

A miner employed at an underground coal


mine or at a surface work area of
an underground coal mine who has
exercised the option under the old
section 203b program (36 FR 20601,
October 27, 1971), or under 90.3 (Part
90 option; notice of eligibility; exercise of
option)
of
this
part
to
work
in an area of a mine where the average
concentration of respirable dust in
the mine atmosphere during each shift to
which that miner is exposed is
continuously maintained at or below 1.0
mg/m3
of
air,
and
who
has
not waived these rights. CFR, 1

a. That part of the total pressure of a


mixture of gases contributed by
one of the constituents. Strock, 2
b. See:Dalton's law
partial pyritic smelting
Blast furnace smelting of copper ores in
which
some
of
the
heat
is
provided by oxidation of iron sulfide and
some
by
combustion
of
coke.

partial roasting
part-face blast
Roasting carried out to eliminate some but
not all of the sulfur in an
ore. CTD

Either of two stages of blasts when the


height of the rock face is too
great to blast in one operation. McAdam, 2

partial subsidence
partially fixed
Any amount of subsidence that is less than
full
subsidence;
such
as
with
solid or strip packing. Nelson

An end support to a beam or a column that


cannot
develop
the
full
fixing
moment. Hammond

particle
partial melting
A general term, used without restriction as
to
shape,
composition,
or
internal structure, for a separable or
distinct unit in a rock; e.g., a
sediment particle, such as a fragment or a
grain,
usually
consisting
of
a
mineral. AGI

a. Melting of part of a rock; because a


rock
is
composed
of
different
minerals, each with its own melting
behavior, melting does not take place
at one temperature (as for ice at 0 degrees
C)
but
takes
place
over
a

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particle-size
analysis.;
size-frequency distribution. AGI

particle diameter
The length of a straight line through the
center of a sedimentary particle
considered as a sphere; a common
expression
of
particle
size.

particle-size reduction
The process of crushing or grinding
material to reduce the particle size.
BS, 2

particle mean size


particle sorting
See:particle size
Separation of solid particles, in a fluid
(air,
water,
etc.),
because
of
different densities or masses. Bennett

particle size
The general dimensions (such as average
diameter
or
volume)
of
the
particles in a sediment or rock, or of the
grains
of
a
particular
mineral
that make up a sediment or rock, based on
the
premise
that
the
particles
are spheres or that the measurements
made can be expressed as diameters of
equivalent spheres. It is commonly
measured by sieving, by calculating
settling velocities, or by determining areas
of
microscopic
images.

particle velocity
A measure of the intensity of ground
vibration generated from a blasting
event, specif. the time rate of change of
the
amplitude
of
ground
displacement, given in inches (or
millimeters) per second.
particulate
Refers to particles collected by filtration
from
ambient
air.
SME, 1

particle-size analysis
Determination
of
the
statistical
proportions or distribution of particles
of defined size fractions of a soil,
sediment, or rock; specif. mechanical
analysis.

parting
a. A lamina or very thin sedimentary layer
separating
thicker
strata
of
a
different type; e.g., a thin layer of shale or
slate
in
a
coal
bed,
or
a
shale break in sandstone. Strata tend to
separate
readily
at
partings.
CF:band
b. A small joint in coal or rock, or a layer
of
rock
in
a
coal
seam.

particle-size distribution
The percentage, usually by weight and
sometimes by number or count, of
particles in each size fraction into which a
powdered
sample
of
a
soil,
sediment, or rock has been classified-such as the percentage of sand
retained on each sieve in a given size
range. It is the result of a

c. The physical property of some


specimens of mineral species to break
along specific crystallographic planes
because of twinning or chemical

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alteration along them; e.g., rhombohedral


parting
in
corundum.
CF:cleavage;
fracture.
d. Cutting simultaneously along two
parallel lines or along two lines
which balance each other in the matter of
side
thrust.
e. The final process after cupellation to
remove the silver from bullion
bead.
f. A side track or turnout in a haulage road
on which empty or loaded cars
are collected for distribution to points for
loading or for haulage to the
surface or to the shaft or slope bottom for
hoisting.

parting liquid
Any of several liquids--such as
tetrabromethane, ethylene dibromide,
pentachlorethane, and trichlorethylene-that
are
used
in
the
DuPont
mineral separation process.
parting powder
A powder made from chalk, bone meal, or
similar
nonsiliceous
material,
suitably waterproofed, which is applied to
a
pattern
to
ensure
a
clean
strip from the molding sand. Osborne
parting slate

parting and connection man


A term applied to a thin layer of slate
between
two
seams
of
coal.
Fay

In bituminous coal mining, a laborer who


directs the movement of mine cars
from a parting (a side track). Also called
connection man; parting boy.

partition curve

parting cleaner

A curve indicating, for each specific


gravity
(or
size)
fraction,
the
percentage that is contained in one of the
products
of
the
separation;
e.g., the reject.

In bituminous coal mining, one who only


picks out seam partings (layers of
rock) in the coal working face prior to
blasting,
using
a
long-handled
pick.

partition density

parting density

The density corresponding to 50%


recovery as read from a partition curve.

Density maintained in the bath in dense


media separation. Pryor, 4
partition factor
parting flask
The percentage of a specific gravity (or
size) fraction recovered in one
of the products of the separation; e.g., the
reject.

A flask used to separate gold and silver,


such
as
by
quartation,
in
assaying procedures.
parting glass
See:parting flask

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partitioning method

party manager

A resistivity method in which a special


electrode
configuration
is
used,
consisting of five electrodes, instead of
the usual number of four, to
provide a check on the observations.
Schieferdecker

a. In seismic prospecting, this person's


function
is
to
handle
the
operational phases of the work,
particularly those involving logistics and
access in difficult or remote areas, giving
the party chief more time for
interpretation of the data. Dobrin
b. In gravity and magnetic prospecting,
the
person
in
charge
of
the
operations of a field party. AGI

partition size
The separation size corresponding to 50%
recovery as read from a size
partition curve. BS, 5

Pasadenian orogeny

partly filled stope

Mid-Pleistocene diastrophism. AGI

See:square-set stoping

Pascal's law

parts of line
Separate strands of the same rope or cable
used
to
connect
two
sets
of
sheaves. Nichols, 1

The component of the pressure in a fluid


in
equilbrium
that
is
due
to
forces externally applied is uniform
throughout
the
fluid.
Webster 3rd

part-swing shovel

pascoite

A power shovel in which the upper works


can rotate through only part of a
circle. Nichols, 1

A monoclinic mineral, Ca3 V10 O28 .17H2


O
;
forms yellow-orange to dark red-orange
crusts and tiny laths; a secondary
vanadium mineral in uranium-vanadium
deposits of the Colorado Plateau, and
at Minasragra, Peru.

party chief
In seismic prospecting, the person who
supervises the personnel of the
crew and generally is in charge of
interpretation
of
the
data.
Dobrin

pass
a. An inclined opening in a mine, a raise
or a winze, through which coal
or ore is delivered from a higher to a
lower level. At the lower end, the
pass is normally provided with a chute or
hydraulic gate through which the
material is discharged into cars or trams.
Nelson
b. A raise or winze for workers to travel in

party foreman
In seismic prospecting, the person who
supervises the work of a field
party. Subordinate to a nonresident party
chief who is responsible for the
interpretation of the data. AGI

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from
one
level
to
another.
Zern
c. The running of a sample through a
sample
divider.
d. In surface mining, a complete excavator
cycle
in
removing
overburden.
BCI

passivation

passage

A type of inhibitor that changes the


electrode
potential
of
a
metal,
causing it to become more cathodic or
electropositive.

The changing of the chemically active


surface of a metal to a much less
reactive state. CF:activation
passivator

a. A cavern opening or underground


tunnel having greater length than
height or width; large enough for human
entrance and larger by comparison
than
a
lead.
AGI
b. See:pass

passive coefficient of earth pressure


The maximum ratio of the major principal
stress
to
the
minor
principal
stress. This is applicable where the soil
has
been
compressed
sufficiently
to develop an upper limiting value of the
major
principal
stress.
ASCE

passby
a. The double-track part of any singletrack
system
of
transport.
Mason
b. A siding in which cars pass one another
underground;
a
turnout.
Zern

passive earth pressure


The maximum value of lateral earth
pressure exerted by soil on a
structure, occurring when the soil is
compressed
laterally,
causing
its
internal shearing resistance along a
potential
failure
surface
to
be
completely mobilized; the maximum
resistance of a vertical earth face to
deformation by a horizontal force.
CF:active
earth
pressure
AGI

passing boss
See:motor boss
passing point
a. On haulage roads, the point at which the
loaded trams going outby pass
the empty trams going inby. Nelson
b. In shafts, the point at which the loaded
ascending
cage
or
skip
passes
the empty descending cage or skip. Nelson

passive fault
Fault not liable to further movement.
CF:active
fault
Carson, 2

passing track
A sidetrack with switches at both ends.
Kentucky

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communication with one tub and open to


the interior of a shaft. Fay

passive metal
A metal on which an oxide film that
prevents further attack on the metal
is readily formed. When a metal other
than a noble metal has a high
resistance to corrosion, it is because of
passivity;
e.g.,
chromium,
nickel aluminum, tin, and various alloys.
CTD

paste
a. The claylike matrix of a dirty
sandstone; e.g., the microcrystalline
matrix of a graywacke, consisting of
quartz,
feldspar,
clay
minerals,
chlorite, sericite, and biotite. AGI
b. The mineral substance in which other
minerals are embedded; groundmass
(as of a porphyry). Webster 2nd
c. An imitation gemstone made from a
certain type of lead glass; loosely
applied to all glass imitation gemstones.
Anderson
d.
A
white
clay
body.
e. In magnetic particle suspension, finely
divided
ferromagnetic
particles
in paste form used in the wet method.
f. A slurry of sulfur and water, usually
containing 30% to 50% of finely
divided
elemental
sulfur.
g. Material of which a porcelain body is
formed. Hard paste (pite dure),
composed of china stone and china clay, is
true
porcelain.
Soft
paste
(pite tendre), composed of glass or frit
with
white,
is
artificial
porcelain.
h. Comparatively concentrated dispersion
(greater than 10% by volume) of
fine-solid or semisolid particles in a
liquid;
often
shows
elastic
or
plastic behavior. Bennett

passive state of plastic equilibrium


Plastic equilibrium obtained
compression of a mass. ASCE

by

passive transducer
A transducer whose output waves are
independent of any sources of power
controlled by the actuating waves. Hy
passivity
a. A metal that is normally active
according to its position in the
electromotive-force series is said to be
passive
whenever
its
electrochemical behavior is that of a less
active
metal.
b. A metal is passive when it is relatively
resistant
to
corrosion
in
an
environment in which a large decrease in
free
energy
is
associated
with
the
corrosion
reaction.
c. A condition in which a piece of metal,
because
of
an
impervious
covering of oxide or other compound, has
a potential much more positive
than the metal in the active state. ASM, 1

paste fill
a. A class of backfills that has low water
content;
high
densities
(>
or
=75% by lot); and consistency, transport,
and
deposition
properties
different from those of traditional lowconcentration
slurries
or
other
types of high-concentration backfill. Aref

pass pipe
An iron pipe connecting the water at the
back of one set of tubbing with
that of another, or a pipe only in

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be paid. The procedure of obtaining


a patent is divided into five steps: (1) a
mineral
surveyor
is
paid
to
make a patent survey, to adjust boundaries
and
correct
errors,
in
which
case an amended location should be made;
(2)
at
least
$500
worth
of
improvement must have been made per
claim; (3) the presence of valuable
mineral must be proven beyond
reasonable doubt; (4) the matter is taken
up
with the local land office, and the proper
notices
must
be
published
in
the papers for a specified time; and (5) the
purchase price of the land is
paid and the patent is received. Lewis

b. Paste fill (high pulp density) that does


not
settle
out
of
suspension
at zero flow density and does not produce
free water when placed in a
stope. Uncemented paste fill can generally
be
mobilized
reasonably
easily
by pumping if left standing in a pipe for
many hours.
paste pumping
The transport and placement of highconcentration, low-slump material by
positive displacement through pipelines
by pumps, similar to those used
for concrete pumping.
pasting

patent ax
The operation of mudcapping or plaster
shooting whereby rock is blasted
without drilling. An explosive is placed on
top of the rock and covered by
a cap of mud or similar material.

A type of surfacing machine employed to


remove
irregularities
from
the
surface of blocks of stone.
patented claim

patch
A claim to which a patent has been
secured from the U.S. Government, in
compliance with the laws relating to such
claims.

a. A mine village, usually built and owned


by a coal company.
patchy

patented rope
Distributed in an irregular manner, as
when ore occurs in bunches or
sporadically. Fay

Galvanized steel rope. Pryor, 3


patent survey

pat coal
An accurate survey of a mineral claim by
a
U.S.
deputy
surveyor
as
required by law to secure a patent (title) to
the claim. Fay

Scot. The bottom, or lowest, coal sunk


through in a shaft. Fay
patent

Patera process
A document that conveys title to the
ground, and no further assessment
work need be done; however, taxes must

A metallurgical process consisting of a


chloridizing
roasting,
leaching

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with water to remove base metals (some


silver is dissolved and must be
recovered), leaching with sodium
hyposulfite
for
silver,
and
the
precipitation of silver by sodium sulfide.
The
process
was
first
carried
out by von Patera at Joachimstal
(Jachymov),
Czech
Republic.
Liddell; Fay

patinated chert
Chert nodules with weathered or casehardened surface layers. AGI
patio
a. Mex. Cloth used by miners.
b. Sp. Place where minerals are
concentrated. The patio floor is one on
which silver and/or gold ore is
amalgamated.
arrastre. Pryor, 3

paternoster pump
A chain pump; named from fancied
resemblance of the disks and endless
chain to a rosary. Standard, 2

patio process

pathfinder

The patio process, dating back to the 16th


century,
was
a
crude
chemical
method for the recovery of silver by
amalgamation in low heaps with the
aid of salt and copper sulfate (magistral).
Liddell

In geochemical exploration, a relatively


mobile element or gas that occurs
in close association with an element or
commodity being sought, but can be
more easily found because it forms a
broader halo or can be detected more
readily by analytical methods. A
pathfinder serves to lead investigators
to a deposit of a desired substance. Often
called
indicator
element,
but
this latter term is restricted by some
authors
to
elements
that
are
important components of the ores being
sought. AGI

patronite
A monoclinic mineral, VS4 (?) ; synthetic
VS4
is
soft,
gray-black, fine-grained; impure material
constitutes
an
important
ore
mineral in the vanadium deposit at
Minasragra, Peru.
pattern

path of percolation
a. As applied to diamond bits, the design
formed
by
spacing
and
distributing the diamonds in conformance
with
a
predetermined
geometric
arrangement on the crown of a bit.;
eccentric
pattern.
Long
b. The system followed in spacing
boreholes, pattern shooting. Long

See:line of creep
patina
Strictly, the green film formed on copper
and bronze after long exposure
to the atmosphere. By extension, the term
is applied to a film of any sort
formed on wood, marble, chert, or other
material after weathering or long
exposure.

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a portable barometer. It is useful in


making a survey of the drop in
ventilation pressure throughout a mine.

pattern molder
One who makes sand molds for castings; a
molder. Standard, 2

paulingite
pattern shooting
An isometric mineral, (K2 ,Ca,Na2 ,Ba)5
[Al10
Si32 O84 ].34-44H2 O ; zeolite group;
forms
rhombic
dodecahedra; at the Columbia River Rock
Island Dam, Wenatchee, WA.

In seismic prospecting, the use of a


number of energy sources arranged in
a definite geometric pattern. AGI
Patterson agitator

Pauling's rules

An agitator of the Pachuca-tank type in


which
air
is
replaced
by
a
solution or water, under pressure from a
centrifugal
pump.

Generalizations
about
coordination
polyhedra and the ways they fit
together in stable ionic crystal structures:
(1)
A
coordination
polyhedron
of anions forms about each cation. (2)
Electronic neutrality is maintained
over short atomic distances. (3)
Coordination polyhedra tend not to share
edges or faces. (4) Highly charged cations
minimize
sharing
of
polyhedral
elements.

Pattinson process
A process for separating silver from lead
in
which
the
molten
lead
is
slowly cooled, so that crystals poorer in
silver
solifidy
out
and
are
removed, leaving the melt richer in silver.
ASM, 1

pavement
Pattinson's pots
a. A layer immediately underlying coal or
any
other
workable
material.
Arkell
b.
The
floor
of
a
mine.
c. Any construction superimposed on a
subgrade to reduce loading stresses
and to protect it against the abrasive
effects
of
traffic
and
weather.
Nelson
d.
See:base
rock
e. A bare rock surface that suggests a
paved road in smoothness, hardness,
horizontally, surface extent, or close
packing of its units; e.g., boulder
pavement, glacial pavement, desert
pavement, limestone pavement, erosion
pavement. AGI

A series of pots for separating silver and


lead by making use of the fact
that the melting point of their alloys rises
as
the
percentage
of
silver
increases. Standard, 2
Paulin altimeter
This instrument measures barometric
pressure and is quite accurate for a
portable instrument. It can be used for
finding the difference in pressure
between points at various elevations
without checking the setting of the
pointer, or it can be checked against a
mercury barometer and then used as

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Pryor,
3
b. S. Afr. The same as payable ore, but in
an
alluvial
deposit.
Also
called
pay
rock.
c. Earth, rock, etc., that yields a profit to a
miner. Webster 3rd

pavilion
Any of the undersides and corners of a
brilliant-cut gem; they lie between
the girdle and the collet. Hess
paving breaker

pay formation
An air hammer that does not rotate its
steel. Nichols, 1

A layer or deposit of soil or rock whose


value
is
sufficient
to
justify
excavation. Nichols, 1

paving sand

pay gravel

A type of commercial sand with


applications divided into three general
classes: concrete pavements, asphaltic
pavements, and grouting.

a. Gravel containing sufficient heavy


mineral to make it profitable to
work.
Nelson
b. In placer mining, a rich strip or lead of
auriferous
gravel.

pavonite
A monoclinic mineral, (Ag,Cu)(Bi,Pb)3 S5
;
at
the
Porvenir
Mine, Bolivia. The synthetic phase, AgBi3
S5
,
has
the
same
X-ray pattern.

pay limit
S. Afr. Grade below which the mining of
ore
is
considered
to
become
unpayable. There has been much
discussion about mining below the pay
limit
for technical reasons, as a result of
taxation, or to conserve natural
resources. Beerman

pawl
A tooth or set of teeth designed to lock
against
a
ratchet.
Nichols, 1
paxite

pay load
A monoclinic mineral, CuAs2 ; pseudoorthorhombic;
forms
intergrowths with novakite, koutekite, and
arsenic;
in
Bohemia,
Czech
Republic.

a. In any winding or haulage system, the


pay load is the weight of coal,
ore, or mineral handled as distinct from
dirt,
stone,
or
gangue.
Nelson
b. The mineral raised up the shaft from an
underground
mine.
Sinclair, 5

pay dirt
a. Gravel. Of alluvial deposits, sand rich
enough
to
be
excavated
and
treated to recover its valuable contents.

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pass through a 3/8-in (9.5-mm)


mesh. When buckwheat coal is made, the
size marketed as pea is sometimes
larger than the above; known also as No. 6
coal.

pay material
The mineral to be recovered. Austin
pay ore
Rock that, at current cost of discovery,
development,
and
exploitation,
can be mined, concentrated and/or smelted
profitably
at
the
ruling
market
value of products. Ore below this value or
cut
(the
threshhold
value)
is
unpay.

peacock coal

pay out

peacock ore

To slacken or to let out rope.

See:pay ore

Informal name for an iridescent copper


mineral
having
a
lustrous,
tarnished surface exhibiting variegated
colors, such as chalcopyrite and
esp. bornite. Also called peacock copper.

pay shoot

pea gravel

A portion of a deposit composed of pay


ore;
generally
a
dipping
band
within a more continuous vein.

Clean gravel, the particles of which are


similar in size to that of peas.
AGI

pay streak

pea grit

a. The area of economic concentration of


gold
in
a
placer
deposit.
Bateman,
2
b. The part of a vein or area of a placer
deposit
that
carries
the
profitable or pay ore.. CF:pay ore

The term pea grit has been used for a


coarse
pisolitic
limestone.
Such
usage should be discontinued; it is
erroneous. The term grit should be
reserved for a coarse-grained sandstone
composed
of
angular
particles.
Rice, 1

Iridescent coal, the iridescence of which is


due to a thin film of some
substance deposited on the surface of the
coal
along
minute
cracks.
Arkell

pay rock

peachblossom ore
pea iron ore
See:erythrite
A variety of pisolitic limonite or "bean
ore" occurring in small, rounded
grains or masses.

pea coal
In anthracite only, coal small enough to
pass through a mesh 3/4 to 1/2 in
(1.9 to 1.3 cm) square, but too large to

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peak load

pearl

Maximum permitted power draft from an


electric
supply
main.
Pryor, 3

The maximum number of tons of a


specified material to be carried by a
conveyor per minute in a specified period
of time. NEMA, 2

A dense spherical calcareous concretion,


usually
white
or
light-colored,
consisting of occasional layers of
conchiolin and predominant nacrous
layers of aragonite (or rarely calcite);
deposited
concentrically
about
a
foreign particle within or beneath the
mantle
of
various
marine
and
freshwater mollusks; occurs either free
from or attached to the shell.

peak particle velocity

pearl ash

The maximum rate of change of ground


displacement with time.

Potassium carbonate, K2 CO3 ; esp., an


impure
product
obtained by partial purification of potash
from
wood
ashes.
Webster 3rd

peak loading

peak stope
Flat stope advanced (overhand if deposit
is
inclined)
in
slanted
steps,
each flat forming a separate working
place. Pryor, 3

pearlite
The lamellar mixture of ferrite and
cementite in the microstructure of
slowly cooled iron-carbon base alloys
occurring normally as a principal
constituent of both steel and cast iron.
Webster 3rd

pea ore
a. Eng. Rounded grains of hydrated
peroxide of iron, or silicate of iron,
commonly found in cavities of Jurassic
limestone.
b. A variety of pisolitic limonite or bean
ore occurring in small, rounded
grains or masses.

pearlite iron
a. In general, pearlite iron is gray cast iron
consisting
of
graphite
in
a
matrix of pearlite; i.e., without free ferrite.
CTD
b. In particular, pearlite iron is a German
proprietary
name
denoting
an
iron of low silicon content, which is
caused to solidify gray by the use
of heated molds. CTD

pearceite
A monoclinic mineral, Ag16 As2 S11 ,
having
copper
as
an apparent necessary minor component;
forms
pseudorhombohedral
tabular
crystals or may be massive; metallic
black;
brittle;
in
low-to
moderate-temperature silver and basemetal ores.

pearl mica
See:margarite

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friable; in its natural state it


can be cut; further, it has a very high
moisture
content
(above
75%,
generally above 90%). It can be
distinguished from brown coal by the fact
that the greater part of its moisture content
can
be
squeezed
out
by
pressure (e.g., in the hand). Peat also
contains more plant material in a
reasonably good state of preservation than
brown
coal.
Individual
plant
elements, such as roots, stems, leaves, and
seeds, can commonly be seen in
it with the unaided eye. Failing that,
treatment
of
peat
with
dilute
alkali will make visible many of these
plant
tissues.
Further,
peat
is
richer in cellulose than brown coal
(reaction with Fehling's solution).
Unlike brown coal, peat still contains
cellulose, protected by lignin or
cutin, which gives a reaction with
chlorzinc iodide. Correspondingly, peat
shows under the microscope tissues that
have
not
undergone
either
lignification,
suberinization,
or
cutinization; this is not the case in
brown coal. The reflectance of peat is low
(about
0.3%).
Microscopic
examination is best undertaken with
transmitted light. IHCP

pearl opal
See:cacholong
pearl sinter
A
Fay

variety

of

opal.

pearl spar
Dolomite occurring in rhombohedrons
having
a
pearly
luster.
.
pearlstone
See:perlite
pearly
Applied to minerals having a luster like a
pearl;
e.g.,
talc,
brucite,
and
stilbite.
peastone
See:pisolite
peat
There are two types of peat, low moor
(Flachmoor) and high moor (Hochmoor)
peat. Low moor peat is the most common
starting material in coal genesis.
It therefore constitutes a caustobiolith of
low
diagenetic
degree.
Peat
is
formed in marshes and swamps from the
dead, and partly decomposed remains
of the marsh vegetation. Stagnant ground
water
is
necessary
for
peat
formation to protect the residual plant
material from decay. Peat has a
yellowish brown to brownish black color,
is
generally
of
the
fibrous
consistency, and can be either plastic or

peat bed
An accumulation of peat. Fay
peat blasting
A method enabling a road to be built
across peat deposits. Hard filling is
first dumped over the route to a height
equal to the ascertained depth of
the peat, into which blasting charges are
inserted.
By
the
action
of
blasting, the peat is displaced outwards
and the hard fillings sink into

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at an intermediate stage, and by further


compression
and
alteration,
bituminous and anthracite coals were
formed.
Nelson

place and can then be consolidated.


Hammond
peat bog
A bog containing peat; an accumulation of
peat. Webster 3rd

pebble
a. A general term for a small, roundish,
esp. waterworn stone; specif. a
rock fragment larger than a granule and
smaller than a cobble, having a
diameter in the range of 4 to 64 mm (-2 to
-6 phi units, or a size between
that of a small pea and that of a tennis
ball), being somewhat rounded or
otherwise modified by abrasion in the
course
of
transport.
In
Great
Britain, the range of 10 to 50 mm has been
used. The term has been used to
include fragments of cobble size; it is
frequently used in the plural as a
syn.
of
"gravel".
b. Transparent and colorless quartz
crystal, such as Brazilian pebble.
Webster
3rd
c. Grinding media for ball or semiautogeneous mills. As a rule, these are
either hard-flint pebbles or hard-burned,
white porcelain balls.

peat hag
A pit or quag formed by digging out peat.
Standard, 2
peat machine
A machine for grinding and briquetting
peat. Webster 3rd
peatman
A digger or seller of peat. Webster 3rd
peat moss
Any moss from which peat has formed or
may form. Webster 3rd
peat press
A machine for making bricks of peat fuel.
Standard, 2

pebble armor
peat spade
A concentration of pebbles coating a
desert area. The pebbles are usually
the residual product of wind erosion and
are closely fitted together so as
to cover the surface in the manner of a
mosaic.
Also
called
desert
pavement.

A spade with an L-shaped blade for


cutting
out
peat
in
blocks.
Webster 3rd
peat-to-anthracite theory
The theory that there were progressive
stages
in
the
conversion
of
vegetable matter into the various grades of
coal
of
the
Carboniferous
system. Thus, peat forms at an early stage
in
coal
formation
and
lignite

pebble dike
a. A clastic dike composed largely of
pebbles.
AGI
b. A tabular body containing sedimentary

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fragments in an igneous matrix,


as from the Tintic district in Utah; e.g.,
one whose fragments were broken
from underlying rocks by gaseous or
aqueous fluids of magmatic origin and
injected upward into country rock,
becoming rounded owing to the milling
and/or
corrosive
action
of
the
hydrothermal fluids. AGI

pebblestone
See:pebble
pecopteris
A fernlike tree of the coal forest, with
small
ovate
pinnules
that
are
attached to the pinnate axis by their whole
breadth. Nelson

pebble gravel
Pecos ore
An unconsolidated deposit consisting
mainly of pebbles. AGI

a. A gossan containing lead and silver.


Fay
b. Tasmania. A yellowish, earthy mixture
of
oxides
of
iron,
lead,
and
antimony containing silver; mostly
massicot. Fay

pebble jack
Sphalerite in small crystals or pebblelike
grains
not
attached
to
rock,
but found in clay in wall rock cavities.

pectolite
pebble mill
Horizontally mounted cylindrical mill,
charged
with
flints
or
selected
lumps of ore or rock. Usually long and
high
discharge.

A triclinic mineral, NaCa2 Si3 O8 (OH) ;


isomorphous
with serandite; forms compact masses or
fibers; commonly associated with
zeolites in cavities and veins in mafic
rocks.

pebble phosphate

pedalfer

A secondary phosphorite of either residual


or
transported
origin,
consisting of pellets, pebbles, and nodules
of
phosphatic
material
mixed
with sand and clay, such as occurs in
Florida; e.g., land-pebble phosphate
and river-pebble phosphate.

Soil enriched in alumina and iron in


regions of high temperature and humid
climate that are marked by forest cover.
CF:pedocal
pedestal
A relatively slender neck or column of
rock capped by a wider mass of rock
and produced by undercutting as a result
of
wind
abrasion
(as
in
the
Southwestern United States.) or by
differential
weathering.

pebble powder
A gunpowder or black powder pressed
and cut into large cubical grains so
as to make it slow burning. Webster 3rd

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sufficiently to meet another pediment


slope extending into the mountain from
the other side.

pedestal boulder
a. A class of blocks perched on pedestals
of
limestone.
AGI
b. Isolated masses or rock above and
resting on a smaller base or
pedestal.

pedion
A crystal form consisting of a single
crystal face.

pedestal rock
pediplane
An isolated, residual or erosional mass of
rock
supported
by
or
balanced
on a pedestal. The term is also applied to
the
entire
feature.

Broad, rock-cut, thinly alluviated surface


formed
by
the
coalescence
of
adjacent pediments and desert domes.
pedis possessio

pedestrian-controlled dumper
The actual possession of a piece of
mineral land to the extent needed to
give the locator room to work and to
prevent probable breaches of the
peace, but not necessarily to the extent of
a mining claim.

A small dumper controlled by a person


walking
alongside
it.

pediment
A broad, gently sloping rock-floored
erosion surface or plain of low
relief, typically developed by running
water in an arid or semiarid region
at the base of an abrupt and receding
mountain
front
or
plateau
escarpment; underlain by bedrock that
may be bare, but is more often
partly mantled with a thin discontinuous
veneer of alluvium derived from
the upland masses and in transit across the
surface. AGI

pedocal
Soil enriched in calcium carbonate,
accumulating in regions of low
temperature, low rainfall, and prairie
vegetation. CF:pedalfer
pedogenesis
The formation of soil from parent
material.
pedogeochemical prospecting

pedimentation
The process of pediment formation.

Synonymous with
survey. Hawkes, 1

pediment pass

pedology

A narrow, flat, rock-floored tongue


extending upslope from the main
pediment and penetrating a mountain

The science that treats soils, their origin,


character,
and
utilization.
AGI

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geochemical

soil

Dictionary Technical: Technical

English-English

pedometer

pegleg

A pocket-size instrument that registers the


number of steps taken by the
person carrying it. AGI

An abrupt change or sharp bend in the


course of a borehole. Also called
dogleg. Long

pedosphere

pegmatite

The part of the Earth in which soilforming processes occur.

An exceptionally coarse-grained igneous


rock,
with
interlocking
crystals,
usually found as irregular dikes, lenses, or
veins, esp. at the margins of
batholiths. Most grains are 1 cm or more
in diameter. Although pegmatites
having gross compositions similar to other
rock
types
are
known,
their
composition is generally that of granite;
the composition may be simple or
complex and may include rare minerals
rich in such elements as lithium,
boron, fluorine, niobium, tantalum,
uranium, and rare earths. Pegmatites
represent the last and most hydrous
portion of a magma to crystallize and
hence contain high concentrations of
minerals
present
only
in
trace
amounts in granitic rocks. Adj:
pegmatitic.

peeler
a. One of a set of blades that picks up and
channels
water
moved
outward
by the impeller of a centrifugal pump.
Nichols,
1
b. An iron implement with a flattened end
and ring handle, which is used
by a baller in placing blooms, ingots, etc.,
in
a
reheating
furnace.
Standard,
2
c. See:calk
Peerless explosive
High explosive; used in mines. Bennett
peg

pegmatitic

a.
A
surveyor's
mark.
b. To mark out a miner's claim at the four
corners
by
pegs
bearing
the
claimant's name. Sometimes used as "peg
out." Webster 3rd; Fay

a. Said of the texture of an exceptionally


coarsely
crystalline
igneous
rock.
AGI
b. Occurring in, pertaining to, or
composed
of
pegmatite.

peg adjustment
The adjustment of a spirit-leveling
instrument of the dumpy-level type in
which the line of collimation is made
parallel with the axis of the spirit
level by means of two stable marks (pegs)
the
length
of
one
instrument
sight apart. AGI

pegmatitic stage
a. A final stage in the normal sequence of
crystallization
of
a
magma
at
which the residual fluid is sufficiently
enriched in volatile materials to
permit the formation of coarse-grained

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rocks (pegmatite) more or less


equivalent in composition to the parent
rock.
CF:orthomagmatic
stage
AGI
b. The late stages of magma
crystallization in S-type, 2-mica granites.

Peirce-Smith process
A basic converting process for copper
matte
in
a
magnesite-lined
converter. The iron of the matte is fluxed
by
silica
added
before
the
process begins. Liddell

pegmatitization
Peissenberg ram
The process of formation of, introduction
of, or replacement by pegmatite.

See:ram scraper.

pegmatoid

PEL

See:pegmatitic

See:permissible exposure limit

pegmatolite

pelagic deposit or sediment

See:orthoclase

Deposit found in deep water far from


shore and may be predominantly either
organic or inorganic in origin. Such
deposits are light colored, reddish
or brown, fine grained, and generally
contain some skeletal remains of
plankton organisms. Those that contain
less than about 30% of organic
remains are called red clay; those that
contain more than about 30% of
organic remains are known as oozes. Hunt

peg point
A pointed bar in a slide clamp. Used to
brace
a
machine
during
work.
Nichols, 2
peg structure
A structure characterized by tiny pegshaped cavities, some with intricate
profiles, penetrating the interior of
crystals;
typical
of
melilite.
AGI

pelagochthonous
A term applied to coal deposits formed
from
submerged
forests
and
driftwood. Tomkeieff

Pehrson-Prentice process

Pelatan-Clerici process

A method of producing steel direct from


ore. Osborne

A continuous process of dissolving silver


or gold in cyanide solution and
simultaneously precipitating the precious
metals with mercury in the same
vessel, with an electrical current assisting
precipitation.
Liddell

Peirce-Smith converter
A cylindrical-type converter having a
basic (magnesite) lining; used for
treating copper. Newton, 1

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peldon

pelitic

An English term for a very hard, smooth


compact sandstone with conchoidal
fracture that occurs in coal measures.

a. Pertaining to or characteristic of pelite;


esp.
said
of
a
sedimentary
rock composed of clay, such as a pelitic
tuff
representing
a
consolidated
volcanic ash consisting of clay-size
particles.
AGI
b. Said of a metamorphic rock derived
from
a
pelite;
e.g.,
a
pelitic
hornfels or a pelitic schist, derived by
metamorphism of
an
argillaceous
or a fine-grained aluminous sediment. AGI

Pele's hair
A natural spun glass formed by blowingout during quiet fountaining of
fluid lava, cascading lava falls, or
turbulent
flows,
sometimes
in
association with Pele's tear pyroclast. A
single
strand,
with
a
diameter
of less than 1/2 mm, may be as long as 2
m. Etymol: Pele, Hawaiian goddess
of fire. AGI

pelitic gneiss
A gneiss derived from the metamorphism
of argillaceous sediments.

Pele's tears
pelitic hornfels
Small, solidified drops of volcanic glass
behind which trail pendants of
Pele's hair. They may be tear shaped,
spherical,
or
nearly
cylindrical.
Etymol: Pele, Hawaiian goddess of fire.
AGI

A fine-grained, nonfissile metamorphic


rock derived from an argillaceous
sediment.
pelitic schist
A schistose metamorphic rock derived
from
an
argillaceous
sediment.

pelite
a. A sediment or sedimentary rock
composed of the finest detritus (clayor mud-size particles); e.g., a mudstone, or
a
calcareous
sediment
composed of clay and minute particles of
quartz. The term is equivalent to
the Latin-derived term lutite. AGI
b. A fine-grained sedimentary rock
composed of more or less hydrated
aluminum silicates with which are
mingled small particles of various other
minerals; an aluminous sediment. Etymol:
Greek
pelos,
clay
mud.
AGI

pelletizing
A method in which finely divided material
is rolled in a drum or on an
inclined disk, so that the particles cling
together
and
roll
up
into
small, spherical pellets. The addition of a
binder
may
be
required
to
produce a pellet of acceptable mechanical
strength. Newton, 1
Pelletol
A waterproof, free-running blasting agent.
Pelletol
is
a
high
explosive,

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but is not considered cap sensitive and


normally cannot be initiated with
a cap, except under perfect confinement in
small-diameter
boreholes.
Du Pont, 1

pelyte

pellet powder

A large stone or boulder. Etymol: Spanish,


"rock."

See:pelite
pena

Black powder pressed into cylindrical


pellets 2 in (5.1 cm) in length and
varying from 1-1/4 to 2 in (3.2 to 5.1 cm)
in diameter. Each pellet has a
3/8-in (9.5-mm) hole through its center to
permit
fuse
insertion.
Carson, 1

penalty
a. In connection with a contract for
purchase of mineral concentrates by a
custom smelter, a deduction from an
agreed price for failure to reach an
agreed assay value or to eliminate
specified contaminants; charged at so
much per unit of mineral or metal
concerned.
Pryor,
3
b. In a construction contract, a penalty
clause is one that imposes a
penalty for failure to complete work to
agreed
time,
specification,
etc.
Pryor, 3

pellet texture
A concretionary texture characterized by
minute
pellets
of
colloidal
or
replacement origin and closely resembling
oolites. Schieferdecker
pell-mell structure
Coarse deposits of waterworn materials in
which there is an absence of
bedding. AGI

Penang tin
Pig tin of about 99.95% purity, obtained
from
the
Penang
Mines
in
Malaysia. Bennett

pelter
A worker employed in a coal mine to take
down pelt (shaly stone) from the
roof of a narrow seam, to make enough
height for a coal cutting machine.
CTD

Penberthy anoloader
A simple powder loader with a high air
velocity that is used in Canada in
underground work for charging holes with
a depth of up to 14 ft (4 m).

Pelton wheel
pencil-core bit
An impulse water turbine with buckets
bolted to its periphery, which are
struck by a high velocity jet of water. This
turbine
is
most
efficient
under a head of from 900 to 1,000 ft (274
to
305
m)
or
more.

The very-thick-wall, medium-round nose


bit that cuts a pencil-size core.
The bit is essentially a noncoring bit, and
in
most
instances
no
attempt
is made to recover the very-smalldiameter core as a sample.

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pencil-coring crown

pendant

See:pencil-core bit

See:roof pendant

pencil ganister

pendletonite

A variety of ganister characterized by fine


carbonaceous
streaks
or
markings; so called from the likeness of
these
to
pencil
lines.
The
carbonaceous
traces
are
often
recognizable as roots and rootlets of
plants. AGI

See:karpatite
pendulum
In mechanized mining, the arm that
extends between the fulcrum jack and
the swivel or angle trough or turn. Jones,
1

penciling
pendulum buffer
Reduction in the fire face area of the
brick, in which slag erosion at the
joints is pronounced.

In Vermont, large wooden blocks covered


with felt pads that are propelled
back and forth by means of a crank and
pitman.
Used
for
polishing
monumental stone.

pencil mark
Aust. A thin bed of dark slate, about the
thickness
of
the
lead
of
a
carpenter's pencil, that is parallel to the
indicator.
indicator

pendulum mill
See:Griffin mill; Huntington mill.
penecontemporaneous structure

pencil ore
Small folds and faults that form in
sediments shortly after they are
deposited, in igneous rocks as they
solidify, and in metamorphic rocks as
they recrystallize.

Hard, fibrous masses of hematite that can


be
split
up
into
thin
rods.
CMD
pencil stone

peneplanation
A compact pyrophyllite used for making
slate pencils. Webster 3rd

The subaerial degradation of a region


approx. to base level, forming a
peneplain.

pencil structure
A very pronounced lineation, such as that
produced by intersecting bedding
and cleavage planes in slate.

penetrating pulley
A pulley around which a wire cable runs
in cutting marble. Its thickness
is less than the diameter of the wire and

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consequently, it can follow


wire as the latter cuts into the stone.

English-English

distance required to produce a given


penetration into soil of a pile,
casing, or sampling tube. Also called
standard
penetration
resistance;
proctor penetration resistance. ASCE
b. The unit load required to maintain
constant rate of penetration into
soil by a probe or instrument. ASCE
c. The unit load required to produce a
specified penetration into soil at
a specified rate by a probe or instrument.
For
a
proctor
needle,
the
specified penetration is 2-1/2 in (6.35 cm)
and the rate is 1/2 in/s (1.27
cm/s). ASCE

the

penetration feed
See:feed rate
penetration log
The penetration speed of a drill related to
the size of the hole and bit,
mud pressure, speed of rotation, weight on
bit,
etc.
From
the
results,
which are plotted as penetration curves,
the thickness of coal and dirt
bands in the borehole can be determined
with
reasonable
accuracy.
Nelson

penetration resistance curve


The curve showing the relationship
between the penetration resistance and
the water content. Also called proctor
penetration curve. ASCE

penetration macadam
Screened gravel or crushed stone
aggregate, bound by bituminous grouting,
the binder being introduced after
compaction
of
the
aggregate.
Nelson

penetration speed
The speed at which a drill can cut through
rock or other material.

penetration per blow


penetration test
The distance a drive-type soil sampler,
casing,
drivepipe,
pile,
or
penetrometer is driven into the formation
being
tested
by
each
blow
delivered by a specific-size drivehammer
allowed
to
fall
a
specific
distance. Long

A test to determine the relative densities


of noncohesive soils, sands, or
silts; e.g., the standard penetration test that
determines
the
number
of
blows required by a standard weight,
when dropped from a standard height
(30 in or 76.2 cm per blow), to drive a
standard sampling spoon a standard
penetration (12 in or 30.5 cm); or the
dynamic
penetration
test,
which
determines the relative densities of
successive layers by recording the
penetration per blow or a specified
number
of
blows.

penetration rate
The actual rate of penetration of drilling
tools.
penetration resistance
a. The number of blows of a hammer of
specified weight falling a given

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penetration twin

penning gate

A twin crystal in which two parts


interpenetrate with each other and share
a common volume.

Regulating device used to govern the draft


of
water
from
a
dam;
may
incorporate arrangements for holding back
sediment
or
floating
detritus.
Pryor, 3

penetrometer
An instrument to assess the strength of a
coal
seam,
its
relative
workability, and the influence of roof
pressure.;
coal penetrometer. Nelson

penninite
A green crystallized chlorite from the
Penninic
Alps.
Composition
essentially the same as that of clinochlore,
(Mg,Fe2+
)5
Al(Si3
Al)O10
(OH)8
.
Fay

pennant flag
Unproductive grit and sandstone between
the Lower and Upper Coal Measures,
South Wales and Bristol, England,
coalfield. Largely quarried for paving
and building. Also called pennan grit;
pennant stone. Arkell

Pennsylvanian
A period of the Paleozoic Era (after the
Mississippian
and
before
the
Permian), thought to have covered the
span of time between 320 million
years and 280 million years ago; also, the
corresponding
system
of
rocks.
It is named after the state of Pennsylvania
in which rocks of this age are
widespread and yield much coal. It is the
approximate
equivalent
of
the
Upper Carboniferous of European usage.
AGI

pennantite
A monoclinic mineral, Mn5 Al(Si3 Al)O10
(OH)8;
chlorite group; excellent cleavage with
flexible
laminae;
commonly
associated with manganese deposits.
pennine

pennyweight
A pseudotrigonal variety of clinochlore.
One-twentieth troy ounce (1.56 g). Used
in
the
United
States
and
in
England for the valuation of gold, silver,
and jewels. Abbrev.: dwt; pwt.
Standard, 2

Pennine system
Eng. The original and typical series of
Carboniferous
rocks,
comprising
the Upper Old Red Sandstone, the
Mountain limestone, the Millstone grit,
and the Coal Measures. Standard, 2

penroseite
An isometric mineral, (Ni,Co,Cu)Se2 ;
pyrite
group;
cubic
cleavage;
forms radiating columnar masses; occurs

penning
See:cribbing

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in
Bolivian
mines
near
Colquechaca. Formerly called blockite.

Pentelic marble
One of the most famous of ancient
statuary marbles; from Mount Pentelicus,
Greece.

penstock
a. A sluice or gate for restraining,
deviating, or otherwise regulating
the flow of water, sewage, etc.; a
floodgate.
Webster
3rd
b. The barrel of a wooden pump.
c. A closed conduit for supplying water
under pressure to a water wheel or
turbine. Seelye, 1

penthrit
See:penthrite
penthrite

pentagon

Pentaerythritol tetranite. Used as an


explosive.;
niperyth. Bennett

A polygon having five sides. Jones, 2

pentice

pentahydrite

a. A rock pillar left, or a heavy timber


bulkhead placed, in the bottom of
a two-or-more-compartment-deep shaft
through which to sink it further. A
small, auxilliary steam or air hoist,
dumping apparatus, and pocket or bin
are installed above the pentice; through an
opening
in
it,
sinking
by
short lifts is carried on while the shaft is in
use
above
the
pentice.
Practiced in the Michigan copper country.
Hess
b. A cover, protection, or roof over a
sinking shaft. The cover contains a
trapdoor through which the rope and bowk
pass.
Nelson
c. In shaft sinking, a solid rock pillar left
in
the
bottom
of
the
shaft
for overhead protection of miners while
the shaft is being extended by
sinking.

A triclinic mineral, MgSO4 .5H2 O ;


chalcanthite
group;
highly soluble. Formerly called allenite.
pentahydroborite
A triclinic mineral, CaB2 O(OH)6 .2H2 O ;
colorless;
forms small anhedra at a skarn in the Ural
Mountains, Russia.
pentasol xanthate
Collector agent use in flotation, in which
the hydrocarbon group is crude
and unfractionated amyl alcohol. Symbol,
Z-6. Pryor, 3
pentavalent
a. Having a valence of five. Webster 3rd
b. Having five valences. Webster 3rd;
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 2

pentlandite
a. An isometric mineral, (Fe,Ni)9 S8 ;
octahedral
parting;
metallic;
pale
bronze-yellow;

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nonmagnetic; generally associated with


pyrrhotite, less commonly associated with
chalcopyrite
in
magmatic
sulfide
deposits; the principal sulfide ore of
nickel.
b. The mineral group argentopentlandite,
cobalt
pentlandite,
geffroyite,
manganese-shadlunite, pentlandite, and
shadlunite.

electrolytes
or
other
substances. Brantly, 1

chemical

pentolite

Said of igneous rocks in which the


molecular proportion of alumina is less
than that of soda and potash combined.

peptize
To bring into colloidal solution; to convert
into a solution.
peralkaline

A mixture of PETN and TNT used


primarily for boosters and cast primers;
military grade pentolite is usually 50% of
each
ingredient
by
weight;
commercial pentolite often has a lower
PETN content.

peraluminous
Said of igneous rocks in which the
molecular proportion of alumina exceeds
that of soda, potash, and lime combined.

pentrough
percentage extraction
The trough in which the penstock of a
water wheel is placed. Fay

The proportion of a coal seam that is


removed from a mine. The remainder
may represent coal in pillars or coal that is
too
thin
or
inferior
to
mine
or is lost in mining. Shallow coal mines
working
under
townships,
reservoirs, etc., may extract only about
50% of the entire seam, the
remainder being left as pillars to protect
the
surface.
Under
favorable
conditions, longwall conveyor mining
may extract from 80% to 95% of the
entire seam. With pillar methods of
working, the extraction ranges from
50% to 90%, depending on local
conditions. Nelson

peon
a. The movable vertical post of an
arrastre.
b.
A
prop,
post,
or
stall.
c. Mex. Helper; a common laborer.
pepper-and-salt texture
Said of disseminated ores, esp. with dark
grains
in
a
light
matrix.
AGI
peptization

percentage ore

a. Liquefaction of a gel; deflocculation


and dispersion of solids in a
pulp; conversion of a substance to its
colloidal
state
by
subdivision.
Pryor,
3
b. A dispersion due to the addition of

N.S.W. In most cases, understood to be


the
percentage
of
the
metallic
element present in the ore. New South
Wales

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flows gently upward or downward


through a bed of ore-bearing material
sufficiently coarse textured to permit this
flow.

percentage subsidence
The measured amount of subsidence
expressed as a percentage of the
thickness of coal extracted.

b. Slow laminar movement of water


through small openings within a porous
material. Also used as a syn. of
infiltration. Flow in large openings such
as caves is not included. CF:infiltration

percentage support
The percentage of the total wall area of a
mine
that
will
actually
be
covered by supports. Spalding

percolation leaching
perch
The selective removal of the metal values
from a mineral by causing a
suitable solvent or leaching agent to seep
into and through a mass or pile
of material containing the desired mineral.

a. Any of various units of measure for


stonework,
(including
24-3/4
ft
3
(0.70 m3 ) representing a pile 1 rod (5.0
m)
long
by
1
ft (0.3 m) by 1-1/2 ft (0.46 m); or 16-1/2
ft3
(0.47
m3
3
3
); or 25 ft (0.71 m ). Webster 3rd
b. A measure of length equal to 5-1/2 yd
or 16-1/2 ft (5.0 m); a rod, or
pole; also, a square rod (25.3 m2 ).
Webster 2nd

percolation rate
The rate, expressed as either velocity or
volume,
at
which
water
percolates through a porous medium. AGI
percussion bit

perched ground water


A rock-drilling tool with chisellike cutting
edges,
which
when
driven
by
impacts against a rock surface, drills a
hole
by
a
chipping
action.
Long

Unconfined ground water separated from


an underlying main body of ground
water by an unsaturated zone. AGI
perched water

percussion cap
See:perched ground water
See:detonator; primer.
perched water table
percussion drill
The water table of a body of perched
ground
water.
See:vertical sand drain

a. Drill in which the drilling bit falls with


force
onto
rock.
Also,
a
pneumatic drill in which a piston delivers
hammer
blows
rapidly
on
the
drill
shank.
Pryor,
3
b. Sometimes limited to large blasthole

percolation
a. In the leaching treatment of minerals, a
process
whereby
a
solvent

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drills
of
Nichols, 1

the

percussion

English-English

type.

percussive boring
A system of boring using solid or hollow
rods or ropes; may be used for
exploratory drilling and for blasting
purposes.:boring
Nelson

percussion drilling
Act of using a percussion drill.
percussion figure

percussive drill
A pattern of radiating lines produced on a
section of a crystal by a blow
from a sharp point.

A pneumatic drill that is used widely in


mining for exploration and for
blasting purposes.

percussion machine
percussive drilling
See:percussion drill
a. A method of drilling whereby repeated
blows are applied by the bit,
which is repositioned by intermittent
rotation.
BS,
12
b. A form of drilling in which the rock is
penetrated
by
the
repeated
impact of a reciprocating drill tool.
Fraenkel

percussion powder
Powder so composed as to ignite by a
slight
percussion;
fulminating
powder. Fay
percussion sieve
An apparatus in which material is sorted
according
to
size.
It
consists
essentially of superimposed, oppositely
inclined sieves, both mechanically
agitated by vertical lever and having water
sluices.

percussive machine

percussion system

perfect-discharge elevator

Applicable to drill machines and/or the


methods used to drill boreholes by
the chipping action of impacts delivered to
a chisel-edged bit.

In the so-called perfect-discharge elevator,


there
is
an
extra
set
of
traction or sprocket wheels on the
discharge side, so set that they bend
the chains back under the head wheels. As
a
consequence,
the
discharging
chute may be placed directly under the
buckets. This elevator will also
handle material that packs, and both types
of
gravity-discharge
elevators
may be run much slower than the
centrifugal type. Pit and Quarry

Any of several types of machine,


including heading machines, air picks,
and the numerous types of percussive
drills. Mason

percussion table
Early form of shaking table.concussion
shaking
table.
table;
Pryor, 3

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perfect frame

periclase

A structural frame that is stable under


loads imposed upon it from any
direction, but which would become
unstable if one of its members were
removed or one of its fixed ends became
hinged. Hammond

a. An isometric mineral, MgO; cubic


cleavage; colorless to yellow or
brown; may be strongly colored by
inclusions; occurs in high-temperature
metamorphic
rocks
derived
from
dolomite.
b. The mineral group bunsenite,
manganosite, monteponite, periclase, and
wuestite.

performance curve
Any curve used to show the relationship
between properties of coal and
results of a specific treatment. BS, 5

periclasite
See:periclase

perhydrous maceral
periclinal
Maceral having a high hydrogen content,
such
as
exinite
and
resinite.
Tomkeieff

Said of strata and structures that dip


radially outward from, or inward
toward, a center, to form a dome or a
basin.
CF:quaquaversal;
centroclinal. AGI

periA prefix meaning around or beyond. AGI

pericline
periblain
a. A general term for a fold in which the
dip of the beds has a central
orientation; beds dipping away from a
center form a dome, and beds dipping
toward a center form a basin. The term is
generally
British
in
usage.
dome;
quaquaversal.
AGI
b. A variety of albite elongated in the
direction of the b-axis and often
twinned with this as the twinning axis. It
occurs
in
veins
as
large
milky-white opaque crystals. Pericline is
probably
an
albitized
oligoclase. AGI

A kind of provitrain in which the cellular


structure
is
derived
from
cortical material. CF:suberain; xylain. AGI
periblinite
a. The micropetrological constituent, or
marceral,
of
periblain.
It
consists of cortical tissue almost jellified
in
bulk,
but
still
showing
indications of cell structure under a
microscope.
AGI
b. A distinction of telinite based on
botanical
origin
(cortical
tissue).
CF:suberinite

pericline twin
A twin crystal, in the monoclinic system,
whose
twinning
axis
is
the
orthoaxis of the crystal. Fay

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peridot

perimeter of airway

a. A transparent to translucent green gem


variety
of
forsterite
in
the
olivine group. Also spelled peridote. b. A
yellowish-green
or
greenish-yellow
variety of tourmaline, approaching
olivine in color. It is used as a
semiprecious stone.

In mine ventilation, the linear distance in


feet
of
the
airway
perimeter
rubbing surface at right angles to the
direction of the airstream.
perimorph
A crystal of one species enclosing one of
another
species.
Webster 3rd

peridote
See:peridot

period
peridotite
a. The geochronologic unit lower in rank
than era and higher than epoch,
during which the rocks of the
corresponding system were formed. It is
the
fundamental unit of the worldwide
geologic
time
scale.
AGI
b. A term used informally to designate a
length
of
geologic
time;
e.g.,
glacial
period.
AGI
c. The interval of time required for the
completion of a cyclic motion or
recurring event, such as the time between
two consecutive like phases of
the
tide
or
a
current.
AGI
d. The duration of one complete cycle of a
periodic
function;
the
reciprocal of the frequency of such a
function. The independent variable
is
limited
to
time.
ASM,
1
e. The elements between an alkali metal
and the rare gas of next highest
atomic number, inclusive, occupying one
(a short period) horizontal row or
two (a long period) horizontal rows in the
periodic
table.
CTD
f. The time required for the power level of
a
reactor
to
change
by
the
factor 2.718, which is known as e. Lyman

A general term for a coarse-grained


plutonic rock composed chiefly of
olivine with or without other mafic
minerals
such
as
pyroxenes,
amphiboles, or micas, and containing little
or
no
feldspar.
Accessory
minerals of the spinel group are
commonly
present.
Peridotite
is
commonly
altered to serpentinite. AGI
peridot of Ceylon
See:Ceylonese peridot; peridot.
perimeter blasting
A method of blasting in tunnels, drifts,
and raises, designed to minimize
overbreak and leave clean-cut solid walls.
Holes in the outside row are
loaded with very light, continuous
explosive charges and are fired
simultaneously, so that they shear from
one
hole
to
the
other.
Nelson

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develop several times the head


obtained from a centrifugal pump having
the same-diameter impeller and the
same speed. The maximum head
developed does not have the same relation
to
the impeller diameter and speed of the
centrifugal pump; it involves size
and spacing of the impeller vanes, fluid
channels,
and
other
factors.
Pit and Quarry

periodic law
The physical and chemical properties of
the
elements
depend
on
the
structure of their atoms and are for the
most part periodic functions of
the atomic number.
periodic reverse
Pertains to periodic change in the
direction of flow of the current in
electrolysis. It applies to the process and
also
to
the
machine
that
controls the time for both directions.
Symbol, PR. ASM, 1

peripheral ventilation
A mine ventilation system in which the
upcast shaft for taking air out of
a mine is situated at the limits of the
mining field or away from the
downcast shaft. Also called transverse or
one-way
ventilation.

periodic table
An arrangement of elements based on the
periodic
law
and
proposed
in
various forms that are usually either short
with only short periods (as in
Mendeleev's original table) or long with
long as well as short periods (as
in most modern tables).

peritectic
Said of an isothermal reversible reaction
in a crystallizing melt or magma
in which a liquid phase reacts with a solid
phase to produce another solid
phase on cooling. ASM, 1

peripheral fault
A fault along the perimeter of a
geologically elevated or depressed
region. AGI

perlite
a. A siliceous volcanic glass having
numerous concentric spherical cracks
that give rise to an onion-skin structure.
Most perlite has a higher water
content than obsidian. When perlite is
heated to the softening point, it
expands, or pops to form a light fluffy
material similar to pumice. It is
used as lightweight aggregate in concrete,
as
insulation
for
liquid
fuels,
and
in
potting
soils.
b. A pearly volcanic glass.

peripheral speed
The distance a given point on the
perimeter of a rotating circular object
travels, expressed in feet or meters per
second;
sometimes
incorrectly
called lineal travel by some drillers.
peripheral-turbine pump
This
pump--sometimes
called
a
regenerative pump--is classified with
centrifugal pumps, but is designed to

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perlitic

permanent expansion

a. Said of the texture of a glassy igneous


rock that has cracked owing to
contraction during cooling, the cracks
forming small spheruloids. It is
generally confined to natural glass, but
occasionally found in quartz and
other noncleavable minerals and as a relict
structure
in
devitrified
rocks.
AGI
b. Pertaining to or characteristic of perlite.
AGI

Increase in bulk volume as a result of


decrease in specific gravity.
permanent hardness
Hardness of water that cannot be removed
by boiling. Opposite of temporary
hardness.
permanent hard water
Hard water that cannot be softened by
boiling; water containing magnesium
sulfate or calcium sulfate. Bennett

permafrost
A permanently frozen layer of soil or
subsoil, or even bedrock, which
occurs to variable depths below the Earth's
surface
in
arctic
or
subarctic
regions. It underlies about one-fifth of the
world's land area.

permanent magnetism
Magnetic property of a substance
maintained without external excitation.
Pryor, 3

permafrost drilling

permanent monument

a. Boreholes drilled in subsoil and rocks in


which
the
contained
water
is
permanently
frozen.
Long
b. Holes drilled into perenially frozen
ground that may be superficial
unconsolidated material, bedrock, and ice.
When no ice is present, it is
called dry permafrost.

A monument of a lasting character for


marking a mining claim. It may be a
mountain, hill, ridge, hogback, butte,
canyon,
gulch,
river,
stream,
waterfall, cascade, lake, inlet, bay, arm of
the
sea,
stake,
post,
monument of stone or boulders, shafts,
drifts,
tunnels,
open
cuts,
or
well-known adjoining patented claims.
Fay

permalloy
An iron-nickel alloy with high magnetic
permeability. Nelson

permanent pump
A permanent main pump is one on which
a mine depends for the final
disposal of its drainage. As it is usually
not moved during the life of
the mine, its location, installation, and
design
require
careful
consideration. A permanent main pump
may discharge on the surface, into an

permanent adjustment
The adjustment of a surveying instrument
that is made infrequently and not
at each setup.

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shape of the pores, the size and shape of


their
interconnections,
and
the
extent of the latter. It is measured by the
rate
at
which
a
fluid
of
standard viscosity can move a given
distance through a given interval of
time. The unit of permeability is the
darcy.;
coefficient
of
permeability.
AGI
b. In geophysics, the ratio of the magnetic
induction
to
the
magnetic
intensity in the same region. In
paramagnetic matter, the permeability is
nearly independent of the magnetic
intensity; in a vacuum, it is strictly
so. But in ferromagnetic matter, the
relationship is definite only under
fully
specified
conditions.
AGI
c.
See:coefficient
of
permeability
d. In magnetism, a general term used to
express
various
relationships
between
magnetic
induction
and
magnetizing forces. These relationships
are
either absolute permeability, which is the
quotient
of
a
change
in
magnetic induction divided by the
corresponding change in magnetizing
force, or specific (relative) permeability,
the
ratio
of
the
absolute
permeability to the permeability of free
space.
ASM,
1
e. In founding, the characteristics of
molding
materials
which
permit
gases to pass through them. Permeability
number
is
deteremined
by
a
standard
test.
ASM,
1
f. In powder metallurgy, a property
measured as the rate of passage under
specified conditions of a liquid or gas
through a compact. ASM, 1

underground sump, or into some other


part of a mine.
permanent set
The amount of permanent deformation of
a material that has been stressed
beyond its elastic limit. AGI
permanent shaft support
After a shaft has been sunk to a certain
depth,
the
final
or
permanent
lining is inserted. This may consist of:
brick
walling;
concrete
blocks
shaped to the curvature of the shaft;
concrete lining put in liquid form
behind shuttering; brick coffering; and
cast-iron
tubbing.
The
permanent
lining is generally built up in sections,
during
which
operation
the
temporary lining (such as skeleton
tubbing) is removed. Concrete is now
widely used as a permanent shaft support.;
lining; steel rectangular shaft supports.
Nelson
permanent way
The completed assembly of rails, sleepers,
fixings,
and
ballast
forming
the finished track for a railway. Hammond
permanganate
A salt of permanganic acid of the type,
MnO4
;
dark
purple;
good
oxidizing agent; often used as a
disinfectant. Enam. Dict.
permeability

permeable

a. The permeability (or perviousness) of


rock
is
its
capacity
for
transmitting a fluid. Degree of
permeability depends upon the size and

Pertaining to a rock or soil having a


texture that permits passage of

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liquids or gases under the pressure


ordinarily found in earth materials.

permissible dustiness
See:dust-free conditions

permeameter
An
instrument
permeability. AGI

permissible explosive
for

measuring

Explosive that has been tested for safety


in handling and approved for use
in mines by the U.S. Mine Safety and
Health Administration.

permineralization
A process of fossilization wherein the
original hard parts of an animal
have additional mineral material deposited
in
their
pore
spaces.
AGI

permissible exposure limit


An exposure limit published and enforced
by the U.S. Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) as a
legal standard. NSC, 2

permissible
permissible hydraulic fluid
a. Means completely assembled and
conforming in every respect with the
design formally approved by the U.S.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
for use in gassy and dusty mines.
b. A machine or explosive is said to be
permissible
when
it
has
been
approved by the U.S. Mine Safety and
Health
Administration
for
use
underground under prescribed conditions.
All flameproof machinery is not
permissible, but all permissible machinery
is flameproof.

Any of several commercially available,


fire-resistant
fluids
that
are
water-in-oil emulsions and can be
substituted for flammable hydraulic
fluids by users of large machinery,
whether the equipment is operated
underground or on the surface.
permissible lamp
Any electric or flame safety lamp that is
similar
in
all
respects
to
a
lamp tested and approved by the U.S.
Mine
Safety
and
Health
Administration. Hess

permissible blasting device


Any device, other than explosives, for
breaking down coal that is approved
by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health
Administration.

permissible machine
Any drill, mining machine, loading
machine, conveyor, or locomotive that
is similar in all respects to machines tested
and
approved
by
the
U.S.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
for use in gassy mines.

permissible blasting unit


An electrical device for firing blasts,
approved by the U.S. Mine Safety
and Health Administration.

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permissible mine equipment

permitted explosive

Equipment that is formally approved by


the U.S. Mine Safety and Health
Administration after having passed the
inspections,
the
explosion
tests,
and other requirements specified by the
Administration. (All equipment so
approved must carry the official approval
plate
required
as
identification
for permissible equipment.)

a. Explosive that has passed the Buxton


tests and has been placed on the
British list of authorized explosives,
implying that they are reasonably
safe to manufacture, handle, transport, and
use in safety-lamp mines. Upon
detonation, a permitted explosive: (1)
gives off the minimum possible
quantity of noxious gases, and (2)
produces a flame of the lowest possible
temperature and shortest possible
duration, to lessen the risk of
combustible gases ignition. The explosive
contains cooling agents, such as
sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate.
The
first
British
list
of
permitted explosives was published in
1899.
Nelson
b. A permitted explosive is one that has
been approved for use in coal
mines where there is any possible risk of
igniting
combustible
gases
or
coal dust. In Great Britain, an explosive is
approved
by
the
Minister
of
Power and placed on the Permitted List
after it has passed the official
gallery tests prescribed for the particular
class
of
explosives
to
which
it belongs. These tests are carried out at
the
Safety
in
Mines
Research
Establishment's Testing Station at Buxton.
McAdam,
2
c. Permitted explosives are divided into
four
groups:
P.1.,
normal
permitted explosives; P.2., sheathed
explosives;
P.3.,
eq.s.
explosive;
P.4., permitted explosives that have
passed additional and more stringent
tests.
BS,
12
d. The term "permissible explosive" is
used
in
the
United
States.

permissible mine locomotive


See:electric permissible mine locomotive
permissible motor
A motor the same in all respects as a
sample motor that has passed certain
tests made by the U.S. Mine Safety and
Health Administration and installed
and used in accordance with the
conditions
prescribed
by
the
Administration.
permissible velocity
The highest velocity at which water may
be carried safely in a canal or
other conduit; the highest velocity
throughout a substantial length of a
conduit that will not scour. Seelye, 1
permit man
A member of a geophysical field party
whose duty is to obtain permission
from landowners for the party to work on
their
lands,
or
from
public
officials for the party to work along
highways. AGI
permitted
See:permitted explosive; permitted light.

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cubic crystals; yellow, brown, or grayish


black;
occurs
in
silica-deficient metamorphic and igneous
environments such as skarns; also
occurs in mafic and alkaline igneous
rocks.
Also
spelled
perofskite.
b. The mineral group latrappite, loparite,
leushite, and perovskite.

permitted light
Locked safety lamp or any other means of
lighting, the use of which below
ground in British coal mines is authorized
by
Regulations
under
the
Act.

permitting process
perpend
A process in which an applicant files
forms to a regulatory agency with
required narratives, maps, mine plans,
etc., to ensure in advance of
mining that the proposed operation will be
in
compliance
with
the
applicable environmental standards. SME,
1

a. A header extending through a wall so


that one end appears on each side
of it; a perpendstone border, bondstone,
throughstone;
through
binder.
Also called parping; perpender; perpent.
Fay
b. A vertical joint, such as in a brick wall.
Standard, 2

Permocarboniferous
perpendicular separation
Strata not differentiated between the
Permian and Carboniferous systems,
particularly in regions where there is no
conspicuous
stratigraphic
break
and fossils are transitional. AGI

The separation of a fault as measured at


right angles to the fault plane.
AGI
perpendicular slip

Permotriassic
The component of the slip of a fault that is
measured
perpendicular
to
the
trace of the fault on any intersecting
surface. AGI

Strata not differentiated between the


Permian
and
Triassic
systems,
particularly in regions where the boundary
occurs within a nonmarine, red
beds succession. AGI

perpendicular throw
The distance between the two parts of a
disrupted bed, dike, vein, or of
any recognizable surface, measured
perpendicular to the bedding plane or
surface in question. It is measured in a
vertical plane at right angles to
the strike of the disrupted surface.

Perosa process
A process by which beryllium is extracted
from beryl.
perovskite
a. An orthorhombic mineral, CaTiO3 ;
may have Ca replaced by rare
earths and Ti replaced by niobium and
tantalum; pseudocubic; massive or in

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persilicic

perthorite

A term proposed by Clarke (1908) to


replace
acidic.
CF:subsilicic; mediosilicic. AGI

A deep-seated igneous rock consisting of


alkali feldspar with less than 3%
dark minerals. Feldspar, both orthoclase
and albite, may be perthitically
intergrown as cryptoperthite or as
anorthoclase. Hess

persistent
Continuous; orebodies are often persistent
in
depth
and
metal
contents.
von Bernewitz

pervious
See:permeable

personnel proximity survey


petalite
A survey of radiation conditions at
positions
occupied
by
personnel
working
near
apparatus
emitting
radioactivity. NCB
persorption

A monoclinic mineral, LiAlSi4 O10 ;


perfect
cleavage;
vitreous; resembles spodumene; a source
of
lithium
salts;
in
granite
pegmatites.

Deep sorption of gas by liquid. Pryor, 3

petaloid

persuader

Resembling a flower petal in form,


appearance, or texture. Applied to the
structure seen in minerals that split into
pieces
with
a
smooth
polished
concave-convex surface that fit into one
another somewhat like the petals
of an unopened flower bud. Webster 3rd;
Fay

A common term for crowbar, lever, or


some such article used as a manual
aid in moving heavy objects. Crispin
perthite
A variety of alkali feldspar consisting of
parallel
or
subparallel
intergrowths in which the potassium-rich
phase
(commonly
microcline)
appears to be the host from which the
sodium-rich phase (commonly albite)
exsolved; such exsolved areas may be
visible to the naked eye, typically
forming strings, lamellae, blebs, films, or
irregular
veinlets;
where
texture is invisible to the eye but can be
resolved
with
a
microscope,
it
is
microperthite.
CF:antiperthite;
cryptoperthite; microperthite.

petcock
A small drain valve. Nichols, 1
peter
To fail gradually in size, quantity, or
quality;
e.g.,
the
mine
has
petered out. Also called peter out. Fay

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petering out

retaining

The gradual thinning of a vein until it


disappears.
Statistical Research Bureau

petrification

the

structure.

See:petrifaction
Petersen grab
petrified moss
In the Petersen (or van Veen) type of grab,
two
semicircular
buckets
of
varying sizes are hinged along a central
axis. The buckets are held apart
for lowering from a ship to the bottom by
some form of catch. On striking
the bottom, this is released so that on
hoisting, the buckets move around
on their axis, take a bite out of the
sediment, and come together to form
a
closed
container.
With
this
configuration, the rate at which the grab
hits the bottom affects the bite, and when
the
ship
is
drifting,
a
poor
sample may be obtained if the grab does
not
hit
the
bottom
vertically.

See:tufa
petrified rose
An aggregate or cluster of tabular crystals
of
barite,
forming
chiefly
in
sandstone, enclosing sandy grains within
the crystals; sand cemented by
barite with the crystal form of the latter.

petrified wood
See:silicified wood
petro-

PETN

Combining form meaning stone or rock.

Abbrev. for pentaerythritol tetranitrate.


Bennett

petrochemical
Any of several materials and compounds
present
in,
or
derived
from,
natural gas or crude petroleum by physical
refining
or
by
chemical
reaction. Bennett

petralite
An explosive compounded of ammonium
carbonate, nitrated wood or charcoal,
and saltpeter. Standard, 2

petrochemistry
petrifaction
a. The study of the chemical composition
of
rocks.
AGI
b. The study of the chemistry of petroleum
and its products. AGI

A process of fossilization whereby


organic matter is converted into a
stony substance by the infiltration of water
containing
dissolved
inorganic matter (e.g., calcium carbonate,
silica),
which
replaces
the
original organic materials, sometimes

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petrofabrics

petrographic province

The study of spatial relations, esp. on a


microscale,
of
the
structural-textural units that comprise a
rock, including a study of the
movements that produced these elements.
The units may be rock fragments,
mineral grains, or cleavages.

A natural region within which some or all


of
the
igneous
rocks
present
certain well-marked peculiarities in their
mineralogical
and
chemical
composition, structure, texture, etc., that
set them apart from rocks of
other
petrographic
provinces.
Consanguineous,
comagmatic.

petrogenesis
petrography

A branch of petrology that deals with the


origin
of
rocks.
CF:genesis

petrogeny

A general term for the science dealing


with
the
description
and
systematical classification of rocks, based
on
observations
in
the
field,
on hand specimens, and on thin sections.
Petrography is thus wider in its
scope than lithology, but more restricted
than
petrology,
which
implies
interpretation as well as description.
Holmes, 2

See:petrogenesis

petroleum coke

petrographer

Cokelike material found in cavities of


igneous
rocks
intrusive
into
carbonaceous sediments. Tomkeieff

petrogenic element
An element that is characteristically
concentrated in ordinary rock types
as
opposed
to
ore
deposits.
CF:metallogenic element

Person who is versed in or engaged in


petrography, or the study of rocks.
Fay

petroleum ether
A mixture of hydrocarbons boiling from
40 to 60 degrees C; a mixture of
low-boiling liquid alkanes. Handbook of
Chemistry and Physics, 1

petrographic
Pertaining to the study of rocks. Stokes
petrographic microscope

petroleum-oil cannel coal


A microscope specially fitted with optical,
esp.
polarizers,
and
mechanical accessories for identifying and
studying
the
properties
of
minerals in granular form or in thin
section.

See:oil shale
petrology
A general term for the study, by all
available methods, of the natural

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history of rocks, including their origins,


present
conditions,
alterations,
and
decay.
Petrology
comprises petrography on the one hand,
and petrogenesis on the other, and
properly considered, its subject matter
includes ore deposits and mineral deposits
in general, as well as rocks in
the more limited sense in which that term
is
generally
understood.
Holmes, 2

pH
The negative logarithm (base 10) of the
hydrogen-ion
activity.
It
denotes
the degree of acidity or of basicity of a
solution. At 25 degrees C, 7 is
the neutral value. Acidity increases with
decreasing values below 7, and
basicity increases with increasing values
above 7. ASM, 1
phacellite

petrolo-shale
See:kaliophilite
See:oil shale
phacolith
petrophysics

petrotectonics

A concordant intrusive in the crest of an


anticline
and
trough
of
a
syncline; in cross section, it has the shape
of a doubly convex lens. Adj:
phacolithic.

See:structural petrology

phanerite

petrous

An igneous rock having the grains of its


essential
minerals
large
enough
to be seen macroscopically. AGI

Study of the physical properties of rock.


AGI

Said of a material that resembles stone in


its
hardness;
e.g.,
petrous
phosphates. Little used. AGI

phaneritic
Said of the texture of an igneous rock in
which
the
individual
components
are distinguishable with the unaided eye,
i.e.,
megascopically
crystalline. Also, said of a rock having
such texture.

petuntze
See:china stone
petzite
An isometric mineral, Ag3 AuTe2 ;
metallic;
steel
gray
to
iron black; massive; sp gr, 8.7 to 9.02; in
gold-bearing
telluride
veins;
may be a significant source of gold and
silver.

Phanerozoic
That part of geologic time represented by
rocks in which the evidence of
life is abundant, i.e. Cambrian and later
time.

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phantom crystal

phase

A crystal or mineral aggregate within


which
an
earlier
stage
of
crystallization or growth is outlined by
dust,
tiny
inclusions,
or
bubbles; e.g., a trigonal scalenohedron of
calcite
coated
with
hematite
and overgrown with a clear calcite
rhombohedron
in
crystallographic
continuity.

a. The sum of all those portions of a


material system that are identical
in chemical composition and physical
state.
CTD
b. A homogeneous, physically distinct
portion of matter in a heterogeneous
system.
AGI
c. An interval in the development of a
given process; esp. a chapter in
the history of the igneous activity of a
region,
such
as
the
volcanic
phase and major and minor intrusive
phases.
AGI
d. A lithologic facies, esp. on a small
scale, such as a minor variety
within a dominant or normal facies, or a
facies of short duration or local
occurrence; e.g., a marine phase or a
fluviatile phase. AGI

phantom horizon
a. In seismic reflection prospecting, a line
drawn
on
seismic
sections
so
that it is parallel to nearby dip segments
thought
to
indicate
structural
attitude. It is used where actual events are
not
continuous
enough
to
be
used
alone.
AGI
b. Horizon on a reflection profile that is
obtained by averaging the dips
of the reflections within a band, thus
indicating the trend of the dip,
but not necessarily coinciding with an
actual
boundary
plane.
Schieferdecker

phase angle
An angle expressing phase or phase
difference. Webster 3rd
phase-balance relay

pharmacolite

Relay that protects an electrical system


from
faults
occurring
in
any
phase of a three-phase system. Quite often
a
fault
current
will
not
be
large enough to trip the overcurrent relay,
but
will
operate
the
phase-balance mechanism. Coal Age, 3

A monoclinic mineral, CaHAsO4 .2H2 O ;


white
to
gray;
forms
silky fibers; occurs in the oxidized parts of
arsenical
deposits.

pharmacosiderite

phase control

An isometric mineral, KFe4 (AsO4 )3


(OH)4
.6-7H2 O; crystallizes in cubes or
tetrahedra
with
cubic
cleavage;
rarely massive; occurs widely as an
oxidation product of arsenical ores.

The process of varying the point within


the
cycle
at
which
anode
conduction is permitted to begin. Coal
Age, 1

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mineral
CF:crystallogeny

phase converter
A machine for converting an alternating
current
into
an
alternating
current of a different number of phases
and
the
same
frequency.
Webster 3rd

genesis.

phase inversion
In the Convertol process, replacement of
the film of water covering a coal
particle by a film of oil. BS, 5

phase diagram
phasemeter
A graph designed to show the boundaries
of the fields of stability of the
various phases of a system. The
coordinates are usually two or more of the
intensive variables temperature, pressure,
and
composition,
but
are
not
restricted to these.

A device for measuring the difference in


phase of two alternating currents
or electromotive forces. Webster 3rd
phase rule
The statement that for any system in
equilibrium, the number of degrees of
freedom is two greater than the difference
between
the
number
of
components and the number of phases. It
may be symbolically stated as F =
(C-P) + 2.

phase disengagement
In solvent extraction or liquid-liquid
extraction procedures, allowing the
mixture of aqueous liquor and organic
solution phases to separate for
individual recovery and further treatment.

phase shifter
phase disengagement rate
A device employed to alter the phase of a
wave. NCB

In solvent extraction technology, the rate


of
disengagement
of
phases
(aqueous and organic carrier).

phase system

phase displacement

Any portion of the universe that can be


isolated
completely
and
arbitrarily from the rest for consideration
of the changes that may occur
within it under varied conditions. In a
closed system, energy may cross
the system boundary, but matter may not.
In an open system, both energy
and matter may enter or leave as required.
An equilibrium system is closed
with all phases in their lowest energy
states. The variance (degrees of
freedom) of an equilibrium system is its
number of components minus its

The angle by which the amount of


difference of phase between two
alternating-current
magnitudes
is
expressed. Standard, 2
phase equilibria
The study and determination of stable
phases
present
under
various
conditions of pressure, temperature, and
composition
according
to
the
Gibbs phase rule; used in the study of

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was
swept
from
the
adjoining
land.
Tomkeieff
b. Refers to vegetable matter deposited
under water in contrast to that
laid down on a wet substratum.
CF:crypthydrous

number of phases plus two. A steady-state


system is open with all phases
in their lowest energy states while matter
streams through it. Systems may
be described by the number of their
components; e.g., unary for one
component, binary for two, ternary for
three, etc. They are commonly
defined in terms of their components; e.g.,
the
system
CaO-MgO-SiO2
-H2 O is a quaternary system.

phenocryst
A term for large crystals or mineral grains
floating
in
the
matrix
or
groundmass of a porphyry.

phase transformation
phenocrystalline
The inversion of one crystalline
assemblage of components from one
symmetry to another; e.g., calcite to
aragonite.

See:phaneritic
phenol

phenacite

A soluble, crystalline acidic compound;


C6
H5
OH
;
has
a
characteristic odor. It is present in coal tar
and
in
wood
tar.
It
is
a
powerful caustic poison and in a dilute
solution,
a
useful
disinfectant.
Used chiefly in making resins and
plastics, dyes, and pharmaceuticals
(such as aspirin).; carbolic acid.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 2

See:phenakite
phenakite
A trigonal mineral, Be2 SiO4 ; colorless to
yellow,
red,
or
brown; a minor gemstone sparsely found
in
granite
pegmatites.
It
is
sometimes confused with quartz. Not to
be
confused
with
fenaksite.

phi grade scale


A logarithmic transformation of the
Wentworth grade scale in which the
negative logarithm to the base 2 of the
particle
diameter
(in
millimeters)
is substituted for the diameter value
(Krumbein, 1934); it has integers
for the class limits, increasing from -5 for
32 mm to +10 for 1/1,024 mm.
The scale was developed specif. as a
statistical
device
to
permit
the
direct application of conventional
statistical practices to sedimentary
data.

phengite
a. A variety of muscovite having high
silica.
b. A transparent or translucent stone
(probably crystalline gypsum) used
by the ancients for windows.
phenhydrous
a. Applied to certain conditions under
which coal was formed, namely those
of open waters into which the plant debris

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phlogopite

Philadelphia rod
A leveling rod in which the
feet, or eighths of
marked by alternate bars
width
of
the
Nichols, 1

A monoclinic mineral, K2 Mg6 (Si6 Al2 O


(sub
20) )(F,OH)4 ; a magnesium-rich endmember
of
the
biotite
crystal
solution
series;
mica
group;
pseudohexagonal with perfect basal
cleavage;
occurs in crystalline limestones as a
product
of
dedolomitization,
in
potassium-rich ultramafic rocks, as an
alteration
mineral
in
sulfur-rich
hydrothermal assemblages, and in
kimberlites.;
amber mica; brown mica.

hundredths of
inches, are
of color the
measurement.

phillipite
A compact, blue, hydrated copper and iron
sulfate,
Fe2
Cu(SO
(sub
4) )4 .12H2 O , produced by
decomposition
of
chalcopyrite.
Standard, 2
phillipsite

pH modifier
A monoclinic mineral, (K,Na,Ca)1-2
(Si,Al)8
O16
.6H
2 O ; zeolite group; commonly occurs in
complex
twinned
crystals;
in
basalt amydules, in pelagic red clays, in
palagonite
tuffs,
in
alkaline
saline lakes from silicic vitric volcanic
ash,
in
alkaline
soils,
and
around hot springs in Roman baths.

Proper functioning of a cationic or anionic


flotation
reagent
is
dependent
on the close control of pH. Modifying
agents used are soda ash, sodium
hydroxide, sodium silicate, sodium
phosphates, lime, sulfuric acid, and
hydrofluoric acid. Fuerstenau
pholerite

Phleger corer
A claylike mineral closely related to or
identical
with
kaolinite.
Fay

Designed to obtain cores up to about 4 ft


(1.2 m) in length, the Phleger
corer is utilized where only the upper
layers of the sea bottom are to be
analyzed. Hunt

pholidoide
The group of aluminous glauconites
grading into normal (ferruginous)
glauconite and occurring in sedimentary
rocks.
Includes
skolite
and
bravaisite. Distinct from pholidolite of
Nordenskiold.

phloem
In coal, the outer conducting part of the
central
cylinder
or
vascular
tissues. It consists primarily of sieve tubes
and
companion
cells,
phloem
fibers or bark fibers, stone cells, and
parenchymatous cells. Hess

phonolite
The extrusive equivalent of nepheline
syenite. The principal mineral is

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secondary enrichment of phosphatic


material, or a phosphatic shale
representing mixtures of primary and
secondary phosphate and clay minerals.
CF:vanadate

soda orthoclase or sanidine. Other major


minerals
are
nepheline
and
aegirine diopside, usually with other
feldspathoidal
minerals
such
as
sodalite or haueyne. Accessories include
apatite and sphene. Phonolite is
an important ore progenitor, as at Cripple
Creek, CO.

phosphate lands
In mining law, a leased area for phosphate
lands
may
not
exceed
2,560
acres (1,034 ha). A certain expenditure for
mine
development
and
operations is required. A royalty of not
less than 2% of the gross value
of the output must be paid, and an annual
rental, similar to that for coal
lands, is imposed. Lewis

phosgenite
A tetragonal mineral, 4[Pb2 (CO3 )Cl2 ] ;
forms
stubby crystals; may be massive;
adamantine;
sp
gr,
6.13;
a
secondary mineral in lead deposits and
from action of seawater on lead
slags and artifacts; commonly associated
with
cerussite
and
anglesite.

phosphate of lime
See:apatite

phosphalite
phosphate rock
Phosphorite that occurs as beds of small
concretions
resting
on
clay
surfaces or scattered in sands and
limestone. AGI

Any rock that contains one or more


phosphatic
minerals
of
sufficient
purity and quantity to permit its
commercial use as a source of phosphatic
compounds or elemental phosphorus.
About 90% of the world's production is
sedimentary
phosphate
rock,
or
phosphorite; the remainder is igneous rock
rich in apatite.

phosphate
a. n. Any mineral containing essential
tetrahedral
phosphate,
(PO4
)3- , structural entities; e.g., apatite,
amblygonite,
or
monazite.
b. A mineral commodity supplying
phosphorus, usually for agricultural or
chemical purposes. The source materials
for
phosphate
are
marine
phosphorite and, less commonly, guano
and
apatite-rich
igneous
rocks.
c. Adj., phosphatic. Pertaining to or
containing phosphates or phosphoric
acid; said esp. of a sedimentary rock
containing phosphatic minerals, such
as phosphatic limestone produced by

phosphatic nodule
Black to brown, rounded mass, variable in
size from a few millimeters to
30 or more centimeters. Usually consists
of
coprolites,
corals,
shells,
and bones, more or less enveloped in
crusts of collophane. Found in many
horizons of marine origin. Also covering
the
ocean
floors
at
many
locations around the world. AGI

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also, the light so produced. The


duration of the emission is temperaturedependent,
and
has
a
characteristic
rate
of
decay.
CF:fluorescence;
luminescence.
Webster
3rd
b. A misnomer for the property of
emitting light without sensible heat;
luminescence. Although light is produced
by
a
biochemical
reaction
involving phosphorus, bioluminescence is
the preferred term. Hy

phosphide
A compound that is a combination of
phosphorus
with
a
metal;
e.g.,
schreibersite, (Fe,Ni)3 P .
phosphochalcite
See:pseudomalachite
phosphophyllite
A monoclinic mineral, Zn2 (Fe,Mn)(PO4
)2 4H2 O ; forms tabular crystals with
perfect cleavage; vitreous; colorless to
pale blue-green; a secondary mineral from
pegmatites;
possibly
in
some
oxidized base-metal deposits.

phosphoric acid

a. To combine or to impregnate with


phosphorus;
as
phosphorated
oil.

A clear, colorless, sparkling liquid or a


transparent
orthorhombic
crystal; H3 PO4 (orthophosphoric acid),
depending
on
the
concentration and the temperature. At
ordinary atmospheric temperature (20
degrees C), the 50% and 75% acids are
mobile liquids, the 85% acid is
syrupy, and the 100% acid is in crystals;
specific
gravity,
1.834
(at
18
degrees C); melting point, 42.35 degrees
C; boiling point, 260 degrees C;
soluble in water and in alcohol; and very
corrosive to ferrous metals and
alloys. CCD, 2; Handbook of Chemistry
and Physics, 2

b. To make phosphorescent. Standard, 2

phosphorite

phosphor bronze

A sedimentary rock with a high enough


content of phosphate minerals to be
of economic interest. Most commonly it is
a
bedded
primary
or
reworked
secondary marine rock composed of
microcrystalline carbonate fluorapatite
in the form of laminae; pellets; oolites;
nodules;
skeletal,
shell,
and
bone fragments; and guano. Aluminum
and
iron
phosphate
minerals
(wavellite, millisite) are usually of

phosphor
Any material that has been prepared
artificially and has the property of
luminescence, regardless of whether it
exhibits
phosphorescence.
CCD, 2; Lee
phosphorate

An elastic, hard and tough alloy,


composed of 80% to 95% copper, 5% to
15%
tin, with phosphorus up to 2.5%. Nelson
phosphorescence
a. Luminescence in which the stimulated
substance continues to emit light
after the external stimulus has ceased;

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secondary
formation.
bone phosphate; pebble phosphate. AGI

phosphorus steel

phosphorize

Steel in which phosphorus is the principal


hardening element. Fay

See:phosphorate

phosphosiderite

phosphorized copper

See:pseudomalachite

A monoclinic mineral, Fe3+ PO4 .2H2 O ;


iron
may
be
replaced by aluminum; dimorphous with
strengite;
isomorphous
with
metavariscite; forms tabular crystals or
reniform
crusts;
vitreous;
occurs
in a wide variety of settings where iron
and phosphate are in proximity.
Formerly
called
metastrengite,
clinostrengite.

phosphorogen

phosphuranylite

A
substance
that
promotes
phosphorescence in a mineral or other
compound.
Hess

An orthorhombic mineral, Ca(UO2 )3 (PO4


)2
(OH)2 .6H2 O ; radioactive; deep yellow;
earthy
or
as
crusts
or tiny scales; associated with autunite and
other
secondary
uranium
minerals, esp. in pegmatites.

A general term applied to copper


deoxidized with phosphorus. The most
commonly used deoxidized copper. ASM,
1
phosphorochalcite

phosphorus
A nonmetallic element of the nitrogen
group. Symbol, P. Never found free
in nature, but is widely distributed in
combination
with
minerals.
An
important source is phosphate rock, which
contains
the
mineral
apatite.
Ignites spontaneously, and is very
poisonous; must be kept under water.
Used in safety matches, pyrotechnics,
pesticides, incendiary shells, smoke
bombs, tracer bullets, and fertilizers.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 3

photicite
Described as altered rhodonite; carbonated
rhodonite. Dana, 1
photoelasticity
A property of certain transparent
substances that enables the presence of
strain to be detected by examination in
polarized
light.
If
models
of
complicated engineering structures are
made of such a substance, the
stress distribution in the structure may be
resolved.

phosphorus copper
Copper that contains about 15%
phosphorus. Used chiefly as a deoxidizer
for molten metals. Henderson

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photoelectric cell

photographic borehole survey

Broadly, any device in which the


incidence of light causes a change in the
electrical state. Nelson

A method of checking verticality and/or


orientation of a long borehole. A
compact camera inserted at a known depth
takes a photograph of a magnetic
needle and/or a clinometer. Instruments
have been developed by Oehman,
Owen, and Wright. Pryor, 3

photofluorography
The photography of images produced on a
fluorescent
screen
by
X-rays.
Varieties
include
photoradiography,
photoroentgenography,
miniature
radiography. ASM, 1

photographic interpretation
See:photointerpretation

photogeology

photographic-paper recorder

The identification, recording, and study of


geologic
features
and
structures by means of photography;
specif. the geologic interpretation of
aerial and space photographs and images
and
the
presentation
of
the
information so obtained. It includes the
interpretation
of
second-generation photographs obtained
by photographing images recorded on
television-type
tubes
(the
images
recording wavelengths outside the
visible spectrum). AGI

A
small
device
for
registering
photographically the passage of flame.
This
must not be confused with the
photographing of the flame on the
manometer
record. Rice, 2
photointerpretation
The extraction of information from aerial
photographs
and
images
for
a
particular purpose, such as mapping the
geologic
features
of
an
area.

photogeomorphology
Study of earth forms as revealed by aerial
photographs.

photolithotroph
Autotrophic microorganism that derives
energy to do metabolic work by
converting radiant energy into chemical
energy and assimilates carbon as
CO2 , HCO3- , or CO32- (photosynthesis).

photogrammetry
The art and science of obtaining reliable
measurements
from
photographic
images. Methods utilize horizontal,
vertical, and oblique views, with or
without the aid of the stereoscopic
principle
and
with
or
without
computer-based image processing and
analysis.

photomagnetic borehole surveying


A method of borehole surveying,
consisting essentially of a timing clock,
batteries and light bulb, a floating lighttransparent
compass,
an

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inclination unit, and a photographic film


for recording both the position
of the compass and the crosshairs of the
inclinometer.
The
instrument
is
enclosed in a nonmagnetic casing.
Nelson

photon
A discrete quantity of electromagnetic
energy. Photons have momentum but
no mass or electrical charge. Lyman
photosensitive

photometric method
Term applied to minerals (e.g.,
chlorargyrite, utenbogaardite) that are
visibly injured by light.

A dust-sampling method in which samples


of dust are collected on filter
paper and then placed in a photometer.
The instrument shows the intensity
of a beam of light after it has passed
through the paper, and the fall in
intensity is a direct measure of the dust
concentration.
With
dark
dust,
such as in coal mines, a rough indication
of the dustiness may be obtained
by comparison of the depth of tone with a
graded
series
of
samples
that
have been calibrated against some other
instrument. There are two methods
of collecting samples for photometric
estimation: (1) by passing the air
through a filter paper, as for gravimetric
estimation;
or
(2)
by
impingement, as in the konimeter.
Spalding

photostat printing
A method of reproducing a drawing on
opaque paper by printing from a
photographic negative, which enables the
original drawing to be enlarged
or reduced. Hammond
phototheodolite
A ground-surveying instrument used in
terrestrial
photogrammetry,
combining the functions of a theodolite
and a camera mounted on the same
tripod. AGI
phototropism

photomicrograph

The reversible change in color of a


substance produced by the formation of
an isomeric modification when exposed to
radiant
energy
(such
as
light).
Webster 3rd

A photographic enlargement of a
microscopic image such as a petrologic
thin section; a type of micrograph. Lesspreferred Webster 3rd

phragmites peat
photomultiplier
Peat composed of reed grass and other
grasses. Tomkeieff

A sensitive detector of light in which the


initial
electron
current,
derived from photoelectric emission, is
amplified by successive stages of
secondary electron emission. NCB

phreatic
Pertaining to ground water. AGI

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phreatic explosion

phthanite

A volcanic eruption or explosion of steam,


mud, or other material that is
not incandescent; it is caused by the
heating and consequent expansion of
ground water due to an underlying
igneous heat source. AGI

Siliceous shale. The term is used esp. by


European
geologists.
Also
spelled phtanite. AGI
phthisis
Miner's occupational disease, a form of
lung consumption associated with
or aggravated by work in dusty
surroundings, such as badly ventilated
underground workings.

phreatic gas
Any of the vapors and gases of
atmospheric or oceanic origin which,
coming
into contact with ascending magma, may
provide
the
motive
force
for
volcanic eruptions. CTD

phyllic alteration

See:water table

Hydrothermal
alteration
typically
resulting from removal of sodium,
calcium, and magnesium from calc-alkalic
rocks, with pervasive replacement
of silicates, muting the original rock
texture. It is a common style of
alteration in porphyry base-metal systems
around
a
central
zone
of
potassic alteration.

phreatic water

phyllite

A term that originally was applied only to


water that occurs in the upper
part of the zone of saturation under watertable
conditions
(syn.
of
unconfined ground water, or well water),
but has come to be applied to all
water in the zone of saturation, thus
making it an exact syn. of ground
water. AGI

a. A metamorphic rock, intermediate in


grade
between
slate
and
mica
schist. Minute crystals of sericite and
chlorite impart a silky sheen to
the surfaces of cleavage (or schistosity).
Phyllites
commonly
exhibit
corrugated cleavage surfaces. CF:illite;
phyllonite.
AGI
b. A general term for minerals with a
layered
crystal
structure.
AGI
c. A general term used by some French
authors for the scaly minerals, such
as
micas,
chlorites,
clays,
and
vermiculites.

phreatic line
See:line of seepage
phreatic surface

pH regulator
Substance used in flotation processes to
control
the
hydrogen-ion
concentration.

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phyllite-mylonite

phyre

See:phyllonite

A suffix used in naming rocks that are


porphyritic,
such
as
vitrophyre,
orthophyre, or granophyre.

phyllitic cleavage
Rock cleavage in which flakes are
produced that are barely visible to the
unaided eye. It is coarser than slaty
cleavage and finer than schistose
cleavage. Leet, 1

physical depletion

phyllonite

physical geology

A rock that macroscopically resembles


phyllite but that is formed by
mechanical degradation (mylonization) of
initially
coarser
rocks
(e.g.,
graywacke, granite, or gneiss). Silky films
of
recrystallized
mica
or
chlorite, smeared out along schistosity
surfaces,
and
formation
by
dislocation
metamorphism
are
characteristic.

A broad division of geology that concerns


itself
with
the
processes
and
forces involved in the inorganic evolution
of
the
Earth
and
its
morphology, and with its constituent
minerals, rocks, magmas, and core
materials. CF:historical geology

The exhaustion of a mine or a petroleum


reservoir
by
extracting
the
minerals. Williams

physical mineralogy
That branch of mineralogy which treats of
the
physical
properties
of
minerals. CF:chemical mineralogy

phyllonitization
The processes of mylonitization and
recrystallization
to
produce
a
phyllonite. AGI

physical oceanography
That marine science which treats of the
Earth's water mass as a fluid and
studies its physical properties of motion,
density, temperature, etc.

phylloretin
Crystalline hydrocarbon similar to
fichtelite and extracted along with
fichtelite from fossil pine wood. Tomkeieff

physical shock
A state of collapse that interferes with the
normal
heart
action,
respiration, and circulation. This condition
is
probably
due
to
derangement or lack of proper balance
within
the
sympathetic
nervous
system and may be caused by any number
of things, such as serious injury,
loss of blood, severe burns, fright, and

phyllovitrinite
Vitrain in which the plant remains are
discernible
under
a
microscope.
Tomkeieff

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not be perpetuated by and during


carbonification
(coalification).
Phyterals are recognized with increasing
difficulty in high rank coals. In
contrast to macerals which represent a
purely petrographical concept, the
concept
phyteral
demands
strict
correlation with certain organs of the
initial plant material. IHCP

many others. It is important to


look for shock when rendering first aid
since it may cause death even when
the injury is less serious. Kentucky
physics
The science, or group of sciences, that
treats of the phenomena associated
with matter in general, esp. in its relations
to
energy,
and
of
the
laws
governing these phenomena, excluding
the special laws peculiar to living
matter (biology) or to special kinds of
matter (chemistry). Physics treats
of the constitution and properties of
matter, mechanics, acoustics, heat,
optics, electricity, and magnetism. More
generally,
it
includes
all
the
physical sciences. Standard, 2

phytogenous rock
Rock formed
Tomkeieff

from

plant

remains.

phytolith
A rock formed by plant activity or
composed chiefly of plant remains. The
term was applied by Grabau to a large
group
including
coal,
peat,
lignites, some types of reef limestones,
and oolites. AGI

physiographic province
A region of which all parts are similar in
geologic
structure
and
which
has consequently had a unified
geomorphic history; a region whose
pattern
of relief features or landforms differs
significantly
from
that
of
adjacent regions. AGI

phytoplankton
The plant life division of plankton,
including
diatoms
and
algae.
Unattached plants that are at the mercy of
the currents. Hy
piano wire screen

phyteral
A screen formed by piano wires stretched
tightly, lengthwise, on a frame 2
to 3 ft (0.61 to 0.91 m) wide and 4 to 8 ft
(1.2
to
2.4
m)
high.
The
screen is set up at an angle of about 45
degrees and crushed material is
fed to it from above. The mesh size varies
from about 4 to 16. Because
there are no cross wires, and because the
taut wires can vibrate, there is
less tendency for blinding, but some
elongated particles inevitably pass
the screen. Dodd

The term was introduced by G. H. Cady in


1942, to designate plant forms or
fossils in coal as distinguished from the
material
of
which
the
fossils
may be composed. Phyterals are identified
in general botanical terms that
are usually morphological, such as spore
coat,
sporangium,
cuticle,
resin,
wax, wood substance, bark, etc. The initial
composition
of
the
phyterals
differed; these or other differences
produced during diagenesis may or may

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A peak or sharply pointed hill or


mountain; commonly a volcanic rock. The
term is used in desert regions of the
Southwestern United States.

stopping
the
flow
of
the
circulating liquid; no additional drilling
can be done without irreparably
damaging the bit until the barrel is pulled
and the blocked inner tube is
cleared. Long

pick

pick boy

a. Steel cutting point used on a coal-cutter


chain.
b. A miner's steel or iron digging tool with
sharp
points
at
each
end.
It
weighs from 3 to 6 lb (1.4 to 1.7 kg) and
has a wood handle, fitted to the
center or head, from 2 to 3 ft (0.6 to 0.9
m)
in
length.

In bituminous coal mining, a person who


carries sharpened picks or bits
for coal-cutting machines to the machine
operator
in
underground
working
places. Also called pick carrier. DOT

picacho

pick breaker
A breaker developed as the mechanical
equivalent of the miner's pick. In
the modern type, the picks are mounted on
alternating
arms,
the
primary
and secondary picks being at different
spacings
so
that
breaking
is
performed in two stages. The breaker and
plate
belt
are
usually
supplied
as a standard unit driven from a common
motor. Nelson

c. To dress the sides of a shaft or other


excavation.
d. To remove shale, dirt, etc., from coal.
e. To select good ore out of a heap.
f. In seismic prospecting, any selected
event
on
a
seismic
record.
AGI
pick-a-back conveyor
A short conveyor which takes the coal
from, and advances with, a face
power loader or continuous miner. It
delivers the coal onto a gate
conveyor over which it runs on a bogey.

pick carrier
See:pick boy
picker
a. An employee who picks or discards
slate and other foreign matter from
coal in an anthracite breaker or at a
picking table, or one who removes
high-grade ore, iron, or scrap wood from
ore as it passes on a conveyor
belt
to
crushers.
BCI;
DOT
b. A mechanical arrangement for
removing
slate
from
coal.
c. A miner's needle, used for picking out
the tamping of a charge that has
failed to explode.

pick-and-shovel miner
See:pick miner
Pickard core barrel
A double-tube core barrel in X-group
sizes. The distinguishing feature of
the Pickard barrel is that when blocked,
the
inner
barrel
slides
upward
into the head, closing the water ports and

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reserves; "picking the eyes out" of a mine.


d. Rough sorting of ore. Webster 2nd

pickeringite
A monoclinic mineral, MgAl2 (SO4 )4
.22H2
O
;
hallotrichite group; forms acicular crystals
and
tufts;
astringent
taste;
a product of surficial acid sulfate attack on
aluminous
rocks
in
mines
and
arid regions.

picking belt
A continuous conveyor (e.g., in the form
of a rubber belt or of a steel
apron, steelplate, or link construction) on
which
raw
coal
or
ore
is
spread so that selected ingredients may be
removed
manually.
BS, 5

picket
a.
A
sighting
hub.
b. A short ranging rod about 6 ft (1.8 m)
long. An iron rod, pointed at
one end, and usually painted alternately
red and white at 1-foot (30.5-cm)
intervals; used by surveyors as a line of
sight.
CTD; Fay

picking chute
A chute along which workers are stationed
to
pick
slate
from
coal.

picking conveyor

picking

See:picking belt

a. Operation performed between mine and


mill in which waste rock, wood,
detritus, steel (tramp iron), or any
specially
separated
mineral
is
removed from the run-of-mine ore
material by hand sorting. Usually done
during transit of material on belt
conveyors, preferably after very large
lumps and smalls have been screened off
and the ore to be picked has been
sufficiently washed to display a true
surface. Also done on a picking
table, a rotating circular disc around
which hand sorters stand or sit to
remove part of the ore fed radially from a
central
point.
Picking
can
also
be
mechanized.
Pryor,
3
b. The falling of particles from a mine
roof
about
to
collapse.
c. Extracting over a prolonged period an
undue proportion of the richest
ore from a mine, thus lowering the
average grade of the remaining ore

picking out eyes


Mining in which only the high-grade spots
are taken out. Hoover
picking table
A flat, or slightly inclined, platform on
which the coal or ore is run to
be picked free from slate or gangue.
picking conveyor.
pick lacing
The pattern to which the picks are set in a
cutter
chain.
In
this
respect,
it may be a balanced or an unbalanced
cutter
chain.
Pick
lacing
is
important as it has a bearing on the
stability of the machine, on dust
formation, and even on dangerous
sparking. Nelson

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pickle

pick money

a. An acid dip used to remove oxides or


other compounds from the surface
of a metal by chemical action. Lowenheim
b. To use such an acid dip.

An earlier practice whereby miners paid a


blacksmith
for
sharpening
their
picks. Nelson
pickrose hoist

pickling
A small haulage engine used for pulling
light loads over short distances;
used at junctions, loading points, and
haulage
transfer
points.
Nelson

The process of removing scale or oxide


from metal objects by immersion in
an acid bath to obtain a chemically clean
surface prior to galvanizing or
painting. Hammond

pick tongs
pick machine
Tongs for handling hot metal. Webster 3rd
Coal-cutting
machine
which
acts
percussively, and cuts with a large chisel
fixed at the end of a piston reciprocated by
compressed
air
in
much
the
same way as a rock drill is operated. Kiser

pickup
a. Syn. for lift, as applied to hoisting drill
rods
from
a
borehole.
Long
b. An angular crosscut, through which
coal is hauled from one entry to
another.
c.
See:geophone;
detector.
d. Transfer of metal from tools to a part,
or from a part to tools, during
a
forming
operation.
ASM,
1
e. In Alaska, a gold nugget picked up
during mining operations prior to
sluicing.

pick mine
A mine in which coal is cut with picks.
Kiser
pick miner
In anthracite and bituminous coal mining,
a person who: (1) uses hand
tools to extract coal in underground
workings; (2) cuts out a channel
under the bottom of the working face of
coal (undercutting) with a pick,
working several feet back into the seam;
(3) breaks down a coalface with a
pick; (4) bores holes with an augerlike
drill
for
blasting,
and
inserts
and sets off explosives in holes to break
down coal; (5) shovels coal into
cars and pushes them to a haulageway.
Also called hand cutter; hand miner;
hand pick miner; pick-and-shovel miner.
DOT

pickup test
A laboratory procedure used in
investigating the floatability of minerals.
A few grains, sized between 60 and 120
mesh, are placed, after suitable
surface cleansing, under water in an
observation cell which is controlled
for
pH,
reagent
concentration,
temperature, and conditioning time. An air
bubble is pressed down on the particles
and then raised; the degree and

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tenacity with which they cling to it are


observed. Pryor, 3

and sills. Commonly contains 50% or


more olivine. AGI

pickwork

picrochromite

Cutting coal with a pick, as in driving


headings. Fay

A steel bar, usually of 7/8-in (2.22-cm)


stock and about 4 ft (1.2 m)
long, with each end sharpened, bent out at
an angle of 45 degrees , the
bends being 3 to 6 in (7.6 to 15.2 cm)
from each end. Hess

Magnesium chromite, MgCr2 O4 ; melting


point,
2,250
degrees
C; sp gr, 4.41. This spinel can be
synthesized by heating a mixture of the
two oxides at 1,600 degrees C; it is
formed (usually with other spinels in
solid solution) in fired chrome-magnesite
refractories.
Picrochromite
is
highly refractory but when heated at 2,000
degrees
C,
the
Cr2
O
slowly
volatilizes.
3

picotite

picrolite

A former name for chromian spinel,


(Mg,Fe)(Al,Cr)2 O4 .

An asbestiform antigorite serpentine.

picky poke bar

picromerite
picral
a. A monoclinic mineral, K2 Mg(SO4 )2
.6H2
O
;
forms highly soluble masses or crusts
around
fumaroles;
also
a
rare,
advanced desiccation constituent of
marine evaporites. Formerly called
schoenite.
b.
A
mineral
group
including
boussingaultite, cyanochroite, mohrite,
nickel-boussingaultite, and picromerite.

An etching reagent consisting of a 2% to


5% solution of picric acid in
ethyl alcohol. It may be used for plain
carbon
and
low-alloy
steels.
Osborne
picric acid
A yellow crystalline compound, C6 H3 N3
O7
,
obtained variously, such as by the action
of nitric acid on phenol. It is
used in dyeing and is an ingredient in
certain
explosives.
Also
called
carbazotic acid; chrysolepic acid;
trinitrophenic
acid.
Standard, 2

picture
A screen to shelter workers from falling
water. Zern
Pidgeon process
A process for the production
magnesium by the reduction
magnesium
oxide with ferrosilicon. ASM, 1

picrite basalt
Olivine-rich basalt, as formed by the
settling of olivine in thick flows

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of

Dictionary Technical: Technical

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from Piemonte, a region of NW Italy at


the foot of the Alps. AGI

pie
A local term for an intermediate pack
without
supporting
walls.
TIME

piedmont alluvial plain


See:bajada

piecemeal stoping
piedmontite
A process by which magma eats into its
roof by engulfing relatively small
isolated blocks, which presumably sink to
depth
where
they
are
assimilated.

See:piemontite
piedmont plain
See:bajada

piece weight
piedmont scarp
See:effective piece weight
A small fault scarp at the foot of a
mountain
range
and
essentially
parallel to the range. AGI

piecework
The performance of underground work on
the basis of an agreement between a
miner and the mine manager. Payment
may be made by the yard of advance of
a heading or tunnel or per ton or cubic
yard of coal or ore removed. In
ripping work, payment may be made by
the yard advance of excavation to a
specified width and height; strip packing
may be built at a certain sum
per yard advance or cubic yard of filling.;
yardage. Nelson

piel
An iron wedge for piercing stone.
Standard, 2
piemontite
A monoclinic mineral, Ca2 (Al,Mn,Fe)3
(OH)O(Si2 O7 )(SiO4) ; epidote group; less
common
than
epidote;
occurs
in a variety of environments: low-grade
regional
metamorphic
rocks,
manganese
deposits,
and
some
intermediate to silicic volcanic rocks,
perhaps
due
to
metasomatism.
piedmontite.
CF:withamite

piedmont
Adj. Lying or formed at the base of a
mountain or mountain range; e.g., a
piedmont terrace or a piedmont pediment.--n.
An
area,
plain,
slope,
glacier, or other feature at the base of a
mountain; e.g., a foothill or a
bajada. In the United States, the Piedmont
is a plateau extending from New
Jersey to Alabama and lying east of the
Appalachian
Mountains.
Etymol:

pier
A rectangular or sometimes circular form
of column, constructed usually of
concrete, hard brickwork, or masonry, and
designed
to
support
heavy

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concentrated loads from arches or a bridge


superstructure. Hammond

piezocrystallization
Crystallization of a magma under
pressure, such as pressure associated
with orogeny. AGI

pier cap
The upper or bearing part of a bridge pier;
usually
made
of
concrete
or
hard stone; designed to distribute
concentrated loads evenly over the area
of the pier. Hammond

piezoelectric axis
One of the directions in a crystal in which
either
tension
or
compression
will cause the crystal to develop
piezoelectric charges. Gaynor

piercement
Salt plug that rises and penetrates rock
formations
to
shallow
depths.
Wheeler, R.R.

piezoelectric detector

A blasting needle.

A type of detector that depends upon the


piezoelectric effect by which an
electric charge is produced on the faces of
a
properly
cut
crystal
of
certain materials, particularly quartz and
Rochelle salt, when the crystal
is strained. The detector is constructed
from a pile of such crystals with
intervening metal foil to collect the
charge. An inertia mass is mounted
on the top of the crystal stack that is
included in an electronic circuit.
AGI

piercing

piezoelectricity

A prospecting method used in soft soil


free from stones, in which small
drivepipes are used to secure samples of
underlying
material
or
to
determine the thickness of the soil. Lewis

The property exhibited by some


asymmetrical crystalline materials which
when subjected to strain in suitable
directions
develop
electric
polarization proportional to the strain.
Inverse
piezoelectricity
is
the
effect in which mechanical strain is
produced
in
certain
asymmetrical
crystalline materials when subjected to an
external
electric
field;
the
strain is proportional to the electric field.
Quartz
is
an
industrially
important example. Hunt

piercement dome
See:diapir
piercement fold
See:diapir
piercer

pier dam
Dam or jetty to influence current. CF:weir
pietra della raja
It. A fine-grained Permian sandstone
suitable for sawing and finishing.
Hess

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piezometer

pig bed

An instrument for measuring pressure


head; usually consisting of a small
pipe tapped into the side of a closed or
open conduit and flush with the
inside; connected with a pressure gage,
mercury, water column, or other
device for indicating head.

A series of molds for iron pigs, made in a


bed of sand. Connected to each
other and to the taphole of the blast
furnace by channels, along which the
molten metal runs. CTD

piezometric surface
See:potentiometric surface

Person who pours molten metal into hand


ladles, and from ladles into molds
to form ingots. DOT

pig

pigeonhole

a. A crude casting of metal convenient for


storage,
transportation,
or
melting; esp. one of standard size and
shape for marketing run directly
from the smelting furnace. CF:ingot
b. A mold or channel in a pig bed.
Webster
3rd
c. A heavily shielded container (usually
lead) used to ship or to store
radioactive
materials.
d. An air manifold having a number of
pipes which distribute compressed
air coming through a single large line.
Nichols, 1

a. A room driven directly into a coal seam


from the edge of a strip pit.
b. Any small poorly equipped coal mine.
c. A hole in the shaft house floor through
which
the
bucket
or
skip
is
raised
or
lowered.
Hess
d. An opening left at the meeting of two
sections of arch work, permitting
the workers to close the arch and to come
out.
The
pigeonhole
itself
is
closed from below. Stauffer

pig caster

pigeonhole checker
An arrangement of checkerbrick such that
each course of brick is laid in
spaced parallel rows with the brick end to
end;
each
alternate
course
above and below has its parallel rows at
right
angles
to
the
intervening
course. ARI

pig and ore process


Modification of the open-hearth process
of steel manufacture with pig iron
and iron ore as the charge. Bennett
pig and scrap process

pigeonite
Modification of the open-hearth process
of steel manufacture with pig iron
and steel as the charge. Bennett

A
monoclinic
mineral,
(Mg,Fe,Ca)(Mg,Fe)Si2 O6 ; pyroxene
group; crystallographically distinct from
augite;
occurs
only
in
quickly
chilled lavas. CF:augite

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pig foot

pig metal

a. An iron clamp shaped like a pig's foot


used to attach the jack to the
feed chain of a continuous electric coal
cutter.
Fay
b. A pipe jack with a pig foot at one end.
Fay

Metal, such as brass or copper, in its first


rough
casting.
Standard, 2
pigotite
A salt of alumina and organic acid, 4Al2
O3
.C12
H
O
.27H
O
;
formed
on
the
surface
of
10
8
2
granite
under
the influence of wet vegetation. Tomkeieff

Piggot corer
A device for sampling bottom sediments.
A
core
barrel
is
driven
into
unconsolidated material by an explosive
charge. AGI

pigsticker

piggyback conveyor

A person delegated to the duty of


punching or knocking pig iron out of
chills or molds at a blast-furnace or pigcasting machine. Fay

See:long piggyback conveyor


pig handler

pigsty
A laborer who removes metal pigs from
molds manually and stamps heat
numbers on pigs with hammer and punch.
DOT

Timber support used in stopes to hold up


the roof, consisting of a square
frame of chocked round timbers and filled
with
waste
rock.

pig lead
pigsty timbering

Commercial lead in large oblong masses


or pigs.

Hollow pillars built up of logs laid


crosswise
for
supporting
heavy
weights.

pigment mineral
A mineral having economic value as a
coloring agent. The most important
are the red and yellow ochers and brown
sienna,
which
consists
of
iron
oxides with some impurities, and the
brown umbers in which manganese oxide
is also present. When the iron-oxide
content is high the term oxide is
used in preference to ocher. AGI; Nelson

pig tailer
A laborer who helps a pusher to push
loaded mine cars over long distances
and up inclines where mechanical or mule
haulage is not used. Also called
helper-up. DOT

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e. Long thick laths, etc., answering in


shafts in loose or quick ground,
the same purpose as spills in levels, piles
being driven vertically.

pike
A term used in England for any summit or
top of a mountain or hill, esp.
one that is peaked or pointed. Also, a
mountain or hill having a peaked
summit. AGI

pile dam
A dam made by driving piles and filling
the interstices with stones. The
surfaces are usually protected with
planking.

Pike process
A method for the direct production of
steel by passing reducing gases over
iron oxide ore, carburizing the reduced
ore,
and
alloying
it
in
an
electric furnace. Thus, a reducing gas,
heated to 900 degrees C is passed
over iron oxide ore to produce metallic
iron
and
spent
gas.
The
carburized, partially reduced metal is
melted, reduced, and alloyed in the
electric furnace. Osborne

pile drawer
See:pile extractor
pile driver
a. A machine for driving down piles;
usually consisting of a high frame
with appliances for raising and dropping a
pile
hammer
or
for
supporting
and guiding a steam or air hammer. Also
called
pile
engine.
Webster
3rd
b. An operator of a pile driver. Webster
3rd

piking
See:cobbing
pilarite
An aluminous variety of chrysocolla.
Standard, 2

pile extractor
A sheet piling extractor that works on the
same
principle
as
the
piledriving hammer, except that the force
of the blow is upward rather
than down. Carson, 1

pile
a. A timber, steel, or reinforced concrete
plate
or
post
that
is
driven
into the ground to carry a vertical load
(bearing
pile)
or
a
horizontal
load from earth or water pressure (sheet
pile).
Nelson
b. A spiked or sharped-edged plank,
beam, or even pipe or girder that is
forced forward or downward (sinking)
into running ground with a view to
support.
Mason
c. A stack of ore or stones. Gordon
d. A prop of timber. Gordon

pile group
A number of piles driven or cast in situ,
will sustain a much heavier load
than a single pile can carry, esp. when
connected
by
a
pile
cap.
Hammond

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forming a mat that acts as a


barrier against which other hole-plugging
agents may collect and help seal
off the opening. Long

pilehammer
This may be a drophammer, a steam
hammer, or a diesel hammer of which the
last two are completely automatic. Steam
hammers are also able to operate
on compressed air.

pillar
a. A column of coal or ore left to support
the overlying strata or hanging
wall in a mine, generally resulting in a
"room and pillar" array. Pillars
are normally left permanently to support
the
surface
or
to
keep
old
workings water tight. Coal pillars, such as
those
in
pillar-and-stall
mining, are extracted at a later period.
b. A block of ore entirely surrounded by
stoping,
left
intentionally
for
purposes for ground control or on account
of
low
value.
Spalding
c. A column of rock remaining after
solution of the surrounding rock.

pile head
The top of a precast concrete pile,
protected during driving by packing
under a pile helmet and sometimes by a
timber dolly. The top of a timber
pile is protected by a driving band.
Hammond
pile helmet
A cast-steel cap covering and protecting
the
head
of
a
concrete
pile
during driving.
pile sinking

pillar-and-breast
A method of sinking a circular or
rectangular shaft through 20 to 30 ft
(6.1 to 9.1 m) of sand or mud at the
surface. It cannot be used for
greater depths as each ring of piles
reduces the inside dimensions of the
shaft.

A system of coal mining in which the


working places are rectangular rooms
usually five or ten times as long as they
are broad, opened on the upper
side of the gangway. The breasts usually
from 5 to 12 yd (4.6 to 11.0 m)
wide, vary with the character of the roof.
The
rooms
or
breasts
are
separated by pillars of solid coal (broken
by small cross headings driven
for ventilation) from 5 to 10 yd (4.6 to 9.1
m) or 12 yd (11 m) wide. The
pillar is really a solid wall of coal
separating the working places. When
the object is to obtain all the coal that can
be
recovered
as
quickly
as
possible, the pillars are left thin; but where
this
plan
is
likely
to
induce a crush or squeeze that may
seriously injure the mine, larger

piling
A structure or group of piles.
pill
A loosely rolled cylinder of burlap and
1/4-in-mesh (0.6-cm-mesh) hardware
cloth pushed down into a borehole ahead
of a string of drill rods to the
point where a large crevice or small cavity
has
been
encountered.
At
this
point the cylinder tends to unroll partially,

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roadways, driven at right angles to each


other,
and
thus
the
seam
is
divided into a large number of square or
rectangular
pillars.
These
pillars are extracted at a later period. The
driving
of
the
narrow
roadways is termed working the whole
while pillar working is known as
working the broken. The width of the
roadways and their distance apart are
governed by the thickness and nature of
the coal seam and the type of roof
and floor. The main headings are driven
forward and connected at intervals
by crosscuts or stentons for ventilation
and as a second exit. The bords
are driven off the main headings at fixed
distances
apart,
and
are
connected at intervals by walls. The width
of
the
main
headings,
crosscuts, and bords varies from 3 to 5 yd
(2.7 to 4.6 m). The bords are
driven from 15 to 60 yd (13.7 to 54.9 m)
apart. The walls are about 2 to 3
yd (1.8 to 2.7 m) wide and driven at
similar
or
greater
intervals
according to the size of pillars to be
formed.
Modern
pillar-and-stall
mining
is
highly
mechanized.;
mechanized
heading
development;
stenton. Also called bord-and-pillar.
Nelson

pillars are left and after the mine has been


worked
out,
the
pillars
are
"robbed" by mining from them until the
roof comes down and prevents
further working. In the steeply inclined
seams of the anthracite regions
the pillar-and-breast system is employed
by working the bed in "lifts".
Also called pillar-and-stall; post-and-stall;
bord-and-pillar.
Fay
pillar-and-chamber
A pillar method of working often adopted
in
extracting
a
proportion
of
thick deposits of salt or gypsum. The
method may be adopted where the
value of the mineral in the pillars is less
than
the
cost
of
setting
artificial supports. Nelson
pillar-and-room
A system of mining whereby solid blocks
of coal are left on either side of
miner's working places to support the roof
until
first-mining
has
been
completed, when the pillar coal is then
recovered.

pillar-and-stall
pillar boss
a. A system of working coal and other
minerals where the first stage of
excavation is accomplished with the roof
sustained
by
coal
or
ore.
b. One of the earliest methods of working
coal seams in Great Britain. It
is employed in thick seams and where
valuable surface buildings require
protection from damage by subsidence. A
number of narrow roadways are
driven in the coal seam to a predetermined
boundary. There are two sets of

In bituminous coal mining, a person who


supervises the work of robbers in
removing pillars of coal that were left to
support
the
roof
of
working
places during mining operations.
pillar burst
Failure of remnants, promontories, as well
as
pillars,
by
crushing.
Spalding

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pillar caving

pillar man

Removal of ore from a series of stopes or


rooms,
leaving
pillars
between.
Eventually the pillars are forced or
allowed to cave under the weight of
the roof.

A person who builds stone packs in mine


workings.

pillar coal

Methods of working coal seams, which


have been given different names in
different coalfields, such as stoop-androom in Scotland; bord-and-pillar
in Durham, England; and single and
double stalls in South Wales. There are
many modifications of pillar mining, but
in general, there are two stages:
(1) the driving of narrow roadways and
thus forming a number of coal
pillars, and (2) the extraction of the
pillars--often
on
the
retreating
system. Pillar methods of mining are
widely used in the United States,
while the longwall method is favored in
Great Britain. Pillar methods also
are used for working stratified deposits of
ironstone,
rock
salt,
slate,
and other layered minerals. Nelson

pillar methods of working

Coal secured in pillar robbing. Fay


pillar drive
A wide irregular drift or entry, in firm dry
ground, in which the roof is
supported by pillars of natural earth or by
artificial
pillars
of
stone,
without using timber. Fay
pillar extraction
The recovery or working away of the
pillars of coal that were left during
the first operation of working in the pillarand-stall
method.
Also
called
pillar
mining.
Nelson

pillar mining system


pillaring back
The operation of extracting coal pillars, on
the
retreating
system,
in
a
pillar method of working. Nelson

Any of several systems, including the


room-and-pillar system, the block
system, and the bord-and-pillar system.
Woodruff

pillar line

pillar recovery

a. The line along which pillars are being


mined.
b. Air currents which have definitely
coursed
through
an
inaccessible
abandoned panel or area or which have
ventilated
a
pillar
line
or
a
pillared area, regardless of the methane
content or absence of methane in
such air.

Mining of pillars during retreat mining to


increase
the
overall
recovery
of the reserve.
pillar road
a. Roadway formed in coal pillars. Nelson
b. Working road or incline in pillars

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having a range of longwall faces on


either side.

that has erupted under an appreciable


depth of water.

pillar robbing

pillow block

a. The systematic removal of the coal


pillars or ore between rooms or
chambers to regulate the subsidence of the
roof.
Also
called
pillar
drawing.
Fay
b. The removal of ore pillars in sublevel
stoping
or
slicing.
c. Formerly, in pillar-and-stall mining, the
coal
pillars
left
were
too
small, and miners were satisfied to gain
some coal by robbing the pillars,
usually from middle portions, the
remaining coal being too dangerous to
extract. Nelson

A metal-cased rubber block that allows


limited motion to a support or
thrust member. Nichols, 1

pillar split

A structure, observed in certain extrusive


igneous
rocks,
that
is
characterized by discontinuous pillowshaped masses ranging in size from a
few centimeters to a meter or more in
greatest dimension (commonly between
30 cm and 60 cm). The pillows are closefitting,
the
concavities
of
one
matching the convexities of another. The
spaces between the pillows are
few and are filled either with material of
the
same
composition
as
the
pillows, with clastic sediments, or with
scoriaceous
material.
Grain
sizes
within the pillows tend to decrease toward
the
exterior.
Pillow
structures
are considered to be the result of
subaqueous extrusion, as evidenced by
their association with sedimentary
deposits, usually of deep-sea origin.

pillow lava
A general term for lava that exhibits
pillow structure, mostly basalts and
andesites that erupted and flowed under
water. The ocean floor sodium-rich
basalts known as spilites are commonly
pillowed.
pillow structure

An opening or crosscut driven through a


pillar
in
the
course
of
extraction.
pillar strength
The formula for pillar strength can be
expressed as follows: S = C (L/T)
1/2
where the coefficient, C, is directly
dependent
upon
friction,
L is the least pillar width, and T is the
thickness. Coal Age, 3
pillar working
Working coal in much the same manner as
with the pillar-and-stall system.
pillow

pilot

A rock texture characterized by piles of


lobate,
pillow-shaped
masses;
individual pillows range up to several
meters across; typical of basalt

a. A cylindrical steel bar extending


through and about 8 in (20 cm) beyond

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the face of a reaming bit. It acts as a guide


that
follows
the
original
unreamed part of the borehole and hence
forces the reaming bit to follow
and be concentric with the smallerdiameter, unreamed portion of the
original
borehole.
Long b. A cylindrical diamond-set plug, of
somewhat smaller diameter than the
bit proper, set in the center and projecting
beyond
the
main
face
of
a
noncoring bit.

pilot drill
A small drill used to start a hole in order
to
insure
a
larger
drill
running true to center. Crispin
pilot hole
a. A small hole drilled ahead of a fullsized,
or
larger
borehole.
Long
b. A borehole drilled in advance of mine
workings
to
locate
water-bearing
fissures
or
formations.
Long
c. A small tunnel driven ahead of, and
subsequently
enlarged
to
the
diameter required in the following fullsize tunnel. Long

pilotaxitic
Said of the texture of the groundmass of a
holocrystalline
igneous
rock
in
which lath-shaped microlites (typically
plagioclase)
are
arranged
in
a
glass-free mesostasis and are generally
interwoven in irregular unoriented
fashion. CF:trachytic

pilot-hole cover
See:cover

pilot bit

pilot lamp

A noncoring bit with a cylindrical


diamond-set plug of somewhat smaller
diameter than the bit proper set in the
center and projecting beyond the
main face of the bit.

A small electric bulb that lights when


power is turned on in a circuit.
Hammond

pilot bob

The method of excavating a tunnel by


driving a small tunnel ahead, and
then enlarging its dimensions.

pilot method

The weight attached to a shaft plumbline


for the purpose of lowering the
line down the shaft. BS, 7

pilot plant

pilot burner

A small-scale processing plant in which


representative tonnages of ore can
be tested under conditions which
foreshadow (or imitate) those of the
full-scale operation proposed for a given
ore. Pryor, 4

A small burner kept lighted to rekindle the


principal
burner
when
desired
(as in a flash boiler). The light so
maintained is called a pilot light or
pilot flame. Webster 3rd; Fay

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pilot reamer

pilot tunnel

An assemblage of a pilot, a pilot reaming


bit,
and
a
reaming
barrel.

A small tunnel or shaft excavated in the


center, and in advance of the
main drivage, to gain information about
the ground and create a free face,
thus simplifying the blasting operations.
lson

pilot reaming bit


A box-threaded, diamond-set, annularshaped bit designed to be coupled to
a pilot and used to ream a borehole to a
specific
casing
size.

pilot valve
a. A small balanced valve, operated by a
governor
or
by
hand,
which
controls a supply of oil under pressure to
the piston of a servometer or
relay connected to a large control valve,
which it is desired to operate.
Also
called
relay
valve.
CTD
b. In a compressor, an automatic valve
that
regulates
air
pressure.
Nichols, 1

pilot sampling
The taking of preliminary samples of a
mineral deposit to study its mode
of occurrence and its detailed structure.
Nelson
pilot sequence

pilot wedge
Sequence control by means of a pilot
cable is effected by means of a
low-voltage supply from one contactor
panel to the next, or by means of a
line voltage pilot cable. Each contactor
has
an
auxiliary
contact
that
controls the supply to the next contactor.
In
the
low-voltage
system,
the
secondary of each potential transformer is
earthed
at
the
preceding
panel
through an auxiliary switch which closes
with
the
contactor.
Until
these
secondary potential transformer circuits
are
completed,
by
closing
the
auxiliary contact, the next conveyor
cannot
start.

A half-cylinder member, about 5 in (12.7


cm) long, coupled to the lower
end of a Hall-Rowe deflection wedge, by
means
of
which
the
deflection
wedge may be oriented in a specific
manner in reference to a matching
half-cylinder surface on the upper end of
the wedge (drive wedge). This is
driven into the wooden plug placed about
8 ft (2.4 m) below the point in a
borehole where a deflection is to be made.
Also
called
wedge
pilot.
Long
Pilz furnace
A circular or octagonal shaft furnace,
maintaining
or
increasing
its
diameter toward the top, and having
several tuyeres; used in smelting lead
ores. Fay

pilot shaft
See:pilot tunnel

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pimelite

pinchbar

A massive or earthy, apple-green, nickelbearing


phyllosilicate;
probably
willemseite or kerolite having disordered
stacking;
(Ni,Mg)6
Si
O
(OH)
.
8 20
4

A kind of crowbar with a short projection


and a heel or fulcrum at the
end; a pinch. Used to pry forward heavy
objects. Standard, 2
pinched

pimple metal
Where a vein narrows, as if the walls had
been
squeezed
in.
Where
the
walls meet, the vein is said to be pinched
out.
pinch.

Crude copper matte of about 78% copper,


obtained
from
the
smelting
of
sulfide copper ores. Bennett
pin

pinching out
See:wedge rock
Where a lode or stratum narrows down
and
disappears.pinch
BCI

pinacoid
An open crystal form consisting of two
parallel faces. AGI

pinch out
To taper or narrow progressively to
extinction; to thin out. AGI

pinch
a. A marked thinning or squeezing of a
rock layer; e.g., a coming-together
of the walls of a vein, or of the roof and
floor of a coal seam, so that
the ore or coal is more or less completely
displaced.nip
CF:make;
want.
Standard,
2
b. A thin place or a narrow part of, an
orebody; the part of a mineral
zone that almost disappears before it
widens out in another place to form
an
extensive
orebody.
AGI
c. The binding action caused when
drillhole walls close in before casing
is emplaced, resulting from failure of soft
or
plastic
formations.
Long

pinder concentrator
A revolving table on which are tapering
spiral copper cleats on a linoleum
cover. The tailings are washed over the
riffles and off the edge, while
the concentrates are delivered at the end
of the riffles. Liddell
pineapple
a. A cast roller, designed to keep the
haulage rope centered between rail
tracks. Spiral grooves on the sides return a
straying
rope
to
the
central
grooves. Works in one direction only.
Pryor,
3
b. See:line oiler

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scapolite,
feldspar.

pine tar
Very viscous; dark brown to black; liquid
or
semisolid;
strong
characteristic odor; sharp taste; translucent
in
thin
layers;
hardens
with
aging; sp gr, 1.03 to 1.07; boiling point,
ranges from 240 to 400 degrees
C; soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform,
acetone,
glacial
acetic
acid,
fixed and volatile oils, and sodium
hydroxide; and insoluble in water.
Chief constituents are complex phenols;
also
present
are
turpentine,
rosin, toluene, xylene, and other
hydrocarbons.
Used
in
flotation.
CCD, 2

spodumene,

and

pinnacle
a. Any high tower or spire-shaped pillar of
rock,
alone
or
cresting
a
summit. A tall, slender, pointed mass;
esp.,
a
lofty
peak.
AGI
b. A sharp pyramid or cone-shaped rock
under water or showing above it.
AGI
c. In alluvial mining, a spine or pillar in
limestone
bedrock
of
an
irregular and serrated type, in which it is
difficult
for
dredge
buckets
to work. Pryor, 3

ping

pinned coupling

An acoustic pulse signal projected by an


echo-ranging
transducer.
Hy

A former name for nontronite.

A drill-rod coupling that has been


permanently attached to the body of the
rod by a metal dowel (or pin) driven into a
small
hole
drilled
at
the
point in the rod where the coupling is
screwed into the body of the rod.
Long

pinion

pinnel

Smaller of a pair of toothed wheels, e.g.,


the pinion geared to the driven
crown wheel of a ball mill. Pryor, 3

a. Boulder clay, from Cumberland,


Northumberland,
and
Lancashire,
England,
and
North
Wales.
Arkell
b.
Coarse
gravel
or
sandstone
conglomerate. Arkell

pinguite

pinion gear
A drive gear that is smaller than the gear it
turns. Nichols, 1

pin puller
A laborer who removes studs from
aluminum reduction pots by operating a
motor-driven hydraulic jack. DOT

pinite
A compact, fine-grained, generally impure
mica
near
muscovite
in
composition; dull-gray, green, or brown;
derived
from
the
alteration
of
other minerals, esp. cordierite, nepheline,

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upper jaw, and a socket between them to


hold
a
tow
ring.
Nichols, 1

pintadoite
a.
A
vanadium
ore.
Osborne
b. A mineral, Ca2 V2 O7 .9H2 O ; green;
forms
water-soluble efflorescences; associated
with uranium-vanadium deposits of
the Colorado Plateau.

pin-to-box
The currently accepted term for a
coupling, one end of which is threaded
on the outside (pin) and the opposite end
threaded
on
the
inside
(box).
Formerly designated as a male-to-female
coupling. Long

pin thread
A thread on the outside surface of a
cylindrical
or
tubular
member.

pin-to-pin
The currently accepted term for a
coupling, both ends of which are
threaded on the outside. Formerly
designated as a male-to-male coupling.
Long

pin timbering
A roof support method following two
basic principles: (1) that of drilling
holes vertically or at an angle into the roof
and
anchoring
roof
bolts
into a strong firm structure above the
lower
weak
layers,
thereby
suspending the weak roof on bolts from
the strong roof above; and (2) the
binding of several layers of weak strata
into a beam strong enough to
support its weight across the working
place.
The
advantage
of
pin
timbering is that support can be provided
at the face without posts being
in the way of equipment and more
freedom is provided for shuttle cars and
other
equipment
in
tramming.
Kentucky

pin-type slat conveyor


Two or more endless chains to which
crossbars are attached at spaced
intervals, each having affixed to it a series
of
pointed
rods
extending
in
a vertical plane on which work is carried.
Used principally in spraying or
washing operations where the least
amount of area of the product is
contacted.
pion
An elementary particle; the contraction of
pi-meson. The mass of a charged
pion is about 273 times that of an electron.
An
electrically
neutral
pion
has a mass 264 times that of an electron.

pintle
A vertical pin fastened at the bottom that
serves as a center of rotation.
Nichols, 1

pioneer bench
pintle hook
The first bench in a quarry which is
blasted out. It is usually at the top
of the rock to be quarried.

A towing device consisting of a fixed


lower jaw, a hinged and lockable

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pioneer road

pipe clamp

A primitive, temporary road built along


the route of a job, to provide
means for moving equipment and
workers. Nichols, 1

a. A device similar to a casing clamp, used


in the same manner on pipe as
a casing clamp is used on casing.
b. A pipe wrench constructed like a
parmalee wrench. Long

pioneer wave
pipe clay
U.K. The advance vibration set up by a
coal
dust
explosion.

a. Originally a clay suitable for making


tobacco pipes, but the term is
now used to include any white-burning
plastic
clay.
Nelson
b. A mass of fine clay, generally of
lenticular form, found embedded in or
below a placer gravel bank.

piotine
See:saponite
pipe

pipe coil
a. A cylindrical, more or less vertical
orebody.
shoot;
stock.
AGI
b. A vertical conduit through the Earth's
crust;
e.g.,
a
kimberlite
pipe
of South Africa, through which magmatic
materials
have
passed.
It
is
usually filled with volcanic breccia and
fragments of older rock. As a
zone of high permeability, it is commonly
mineralized.
AGI
c. A tubular cavity from several
centimeters to a few meters in depth,
formed esp. in calcareous rocks, and often
filled
with
sand
and
gravel;
e.g., a vertical joint or sinkhole in chalk,
enlarged
by
solution
of
the
carbonate material and filled with clastic
material.

A device which measures only the density


of the magnetic components of a
slurry. This electromagnetic sensing unit
is
mounted
on
a
section
of
rubber or stainless-steel pipe which is
installed
as
a
section
of
the
slurry-carrying pipeline. All components
are exterior to the pipe, and
there is no obstruction to flow. The pipe
coil is used widely in magnetic
taconite and heavy-media plants. By
combining this device with other
instruments, it is possible to continuously
measure
the
ore-to-media
ratio. Nelson
pipe coupling
An internally threaded, short, sleevelike
member of ordinary steel used to
join lengths of pipe. Sometimes
incorrectly called pipe collar; pipe
sleeve. Long

pipe bit
A bit designed for attachment to standard
coupled pipe for use in securing
the pipe in bedrock. Can be set with
diamonds or other abrasive materials.
Long

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the
true
drill
pipe
area
and
distance, any discrepancy being due to
inrush of sands or forcing out of
sand by the pumping action during
drilling.
Pryor,
3
b. The assumed cross-sectional area of a
length
of
borehole
when
estimating the in situ volume of a core
sample. Also called pipe constant.
Nelson

pipe cutter
A tool for cutting wrought iron or steel
pipes.
The
curved
end
which
partly encircles the pipe carries one or
more
cutting
disks.
Crispin
piped air
Air conducted to workings or a tunnel
face
through
air
pipes.

pipe fitting
A general term referring to any of the ells,
tees,
various
branch
connectors, etc., used in connecting pipes.
Crispin

pipe drivehead
a. A drivehead that is coupled to a pipe.
b. Extra thick walled pipe or casing
coupling against which the blow of a
drive block is delivered when driving or
sinking
drivepipe
or
casing.
Long
c. An oversize rod or casing coupling on
which the blows of a drive block
are delivered when casing is being driven
or an attempt is being made to
jar loose stuck casing or a drill-rod string.
Long
d. Incorrectly used as a synonym for drive
shoe;
drive
hammer.
Long

pipe friction

pipe elevator

An iron pipe with a clamp or pigfoot on


one end and a curved point on the
other. It is wedged between the floor and
roof of a mine room to hold the
feed chain of a continuous electric coal
mining machine. Fay

The drag created on the outside of a pipe


being
driven
into
overburden
material, which presses and rubs against
the outside surface of the pipe
and its couplings.
pipe grab
A clutch for catching and raising a well
pipe. Standard, 2
pipe jack

A device similar to a casing elevator, used


to
raise
and
lower
outside-coupled pipe in a borehole. Long
pipe factor

pipeline transport
a. Correction made when drilling running
ground,
alluvial
gravels,
and
sands. The volume actually extracted over
a
measured
depth
is
compared
with that which would be obtained over

Long distance pipeline used for hydraulic


transport
of
coal,
gilsonite,
copper concentrates and similar materials.

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pipeman

pipestone

a. A person engaged in laying or repairing


pipelines.
Also
called
pipefitter.
BS,
10
b. Mine worker who repairs, lengthens,
and maintains the pipelines for air
and
water
in
mines.
Stoces
c. A worker in charge of a pipe, esp. in
hydraulic
mining.
Webster 2nd

See:catlinite

pipe prover

A method for the determination of particle


size.

pipette analysis
The size analysis of fine-grained sediment
made by removing samples from a
suspension with a pipette. AGI
pipette method

An apparatus for testing the tightness of a


pipeline
or
system,
usually
by
hydraulic pressure. Standard, 2

piping

piper

a. In hydraulic mining, discharging water


from
nozzles
at
auriferous
gravel.
b. The act or process of driving standpipe,
drivepipe,
or
casing
into
and
through
overburden.
Long
c. Erosion by percolating water in a layer
of
subsoil,
resulting
in
caving
and in the formation of narrow conduits,
tunnels, or pipes through which
soluble or granular soil material is
removed; esp. the movement of
material, from the permeable foundation
of a dam or levee, by the flow or
seepage of water along underground
passages.
AGI
d. The flow of water under or around a
structure
built
on
permeable
foundations that will remove material
from
beneath
the
structure.
Nelson
e. The tubular depression caused by
contraction during cooling, on the top
of iron and steel ingots.

Sometimes applied to a blower of gas in


coal mines. Nelson
pipe sampler
A device for sampling a pile of ore,
consisting simply of a small iron
pipe that is driven into the pile and which,
when withdrawn, brings a core
of ore with it.
pipe sampling
Sampling by means of a drivepipe in
accumulations of crushed residues or
of material where the larger pieces are not
usually greater than 2 in (5.1
cm). The advancing end of the pipe is
generally sharpened to provide a
cutting edge, and sometimes contracted in
diameter
so
that
material
once
entered will not readily fall out when the
pipe is lifted. Also called gun
sampling.

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Stream piracy.

structure. The term is sometimes used to


refer to the rock made up of
pisoliths. CF:oolith

pirssonite

pisolitic tuff

An orthorhombic mineral, Na2 Ca(CO3 )2


.2H2
O;
forms colorless to white short prisms or
tablets;
in
nonmarine
evaporites, particularly the Green River
oil shales in Wyoming, and Borax
Lake, CA.

An
indurated
pyroclastic
deposit
composed chiefly of accretionary lapilli
or pisolites. AGI

piracy

pistacite
A pistachio-green ferric-iron-rich variety
of
epidote.
Also
spelled
pistazite.

pisanite
A blue to green cuproan melanterite
(Fe,Cu)SO4 .7H2 O .

pistol pipe
In metalworking, the tuyere of a hot-blast
furnace. Fay

pisolite
a. A sedimentary rock, usually a
limestone, made up chiefly of pisoliths
cemented together; a coarse-grained
oolite.
b. A term often used for a pisolith, or one
of
the
spherical
particles
of
a pisolite.---Etymol: Greek pisos, pea.
CF:oolite
c. An individual unit in a mass of
accretionary lapilli. AGI

piston
The working part of a pump, hydraulic
cylinder, or engine that moves back
and forth in the cylinder; it is generally
equipped
with
one
or
several
rings or cups to control the passage of
fluid. It ejects the fluid from
the cylinder, as in a pump, or receives
force from the fluid, which causes
a reciprocating motion, as in an engine.
Long

pisolith
One of the small, round or ellipsoidal
accretionary
bodies
in
a
sedimentary rock, resembling a pea in size
and shape, and constituting one
of the grains that make up a pisolite. It is
often
formed
of
calcium
carbonate, and some are thought to have
been produced by a biochemical
algal-encrustation process. A pisolith is
larger and less regular in form
than an oolith, although it has the same
concentric
and
radial
internal

piston corer
An oceanographic corer containing a
piston inside the cylinder which
reduces friction by creating suction. There
are
several
varieties,
including the Ewing corer, the Mackereth
sampler,
and
the
Kullenberg
corer.

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etc.
g. In hydraulic mining, the excavation in
which piping is carried forward.
h. Commonly, a coal mine, but not usually
called so by workers, except in
reference to surface mining where the
workings may be known as a strip
pit.
BCI
i. See:abyss

piston drive-sampler
See:piston sampler
piston sampler
A drive sampler equipped with either a
free or a retractable-type piston
that retreats up into the barrel of the
sampler in contact with the top of
the soil sample as the sampler is pressed
into
the
formation
being
sampled. CF:drive sampler

pit ash
Ash in coal derived from the dirt bands,
adjoining
shales
or
cleat
minerals. Tomkeieff

piston speed

pit bank

Total feet or meters of travel of a piston in


1 min. Nichols, 1

a. Eng. The raised ground or platforms


upon which the coal is sorted and
screened
at
the
surface.
b. Scot. The surface of the ground at the
mouth of a pit, or shaft.

piston-type sampler
See:piston sampler
piston-type washbox

pit bar
See:plunger-type washbox
One of the wooden props bracing the sides
of a pit. Standard, 2

pit

pit boss

a. Depression produced in a metal surface


by
nonuniform
electrodeposition
or
by
corrsion.
Lowenheim
b. Excavation to hold quantities of water
and
drilling
fluids.
Wheeler,
R.R.
c. So. Wales. Long, open-air fire for
converting
coal
into
coke
for
blast-furnace
purposes.
Fay
d. A mine, quarry, or excavation worked
by the open-cut method to obtain
material
of
value.
e. The shaft of a mine; a shaft mine; a trial
pit.
Nelson
f. The underground portion of a colliery,
including all workings. Used in
many combinations, as pit car, pit clothes,

A mine foreman who is in direct charge of


workers in a specific portion of
a pit or mine. Also called shift boss.
pit bottom
The bottom of a shaft and all the
equipment and roadways around it.

pit brow
The pithead, and in particular, the mouth
of the shaft. The edge or brow
of a pit.

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horizontal
foot
(or
meter).
f. The distance between tooth centers, as
in a gear wheel, or the number
of teeth per unit of diameter. The grade of
an incline or the rise of a coal seam. BCI
h. The solid or semisolid residue from the
partial
evaporation
of
tar.
Strictly, pitch is a bitumen with
extraneous matter, such as free carbon,
residual
coke,
etc.
Nelson
i. The angular inclination of an ore shoot
with
respect
to
the
surface,
measured in the direction of the strike.
Nelson
j. Of a lode, angle of deviation from the
vertical taken by a section of
ore having some special characteristic,
such
as
enhanced
value.
Pryor,
3
k. The angle that a directional feature, for
example,
slickensides,
in
a
plane makes with a horizontal line within
the
plane.
BS,
11
l. In dredging, the distance between the
center of any pin and that of the
pin in the next adjacent bucket. Fay
m.
See:dip
n. The slope of a surface or tooth relative
to
its
direction
of
movement.
Nichols,
1
o. In a roller or silent chain, the space
between pins, measured center to
center.
Nichols,
1
p. The amount of advance of a singlethread screw in one turn, expressed
in lineal distance along or parallel to the
axis, or in turns per unit of
length.
Standard,
2
q. The distance between corresponding
points
on
adjacent
projections
produced on work by a cutting tool.

pit cage
The structure used in mine shafts for
transport
purposes.

pit-car loader
A short, electrically powered, lightweight
elevating
conveyor
designed
for
use in working places, to facilitate the
loading of large cars or to aid
in shoveling long distances. The loader
shovels into the hopper end and
the conveyor carries the coal to the car.
Jones, 1
pit-car-loader operator
In bituminous coal mining, a person who
operates a machine to load coal in
mine (pit) cars. DOT
pit-car repairer
See:mine-car repairman
pitch
a. The angle between the horizontal and
any linear feature, such as an ore
shoot or lineation, measured in the plane
containing
the
linear
feature.
b. The angle between the horizontal and
an axial line passing through the
highest or lowest points of a given stratum
in
an
anticline
or
syncline.
c. Loosely, the grade, rise, or incline of a
seam
or
bed.
d. A vein-form deposit that follows
dipping joint planes. This usage is
confined largely to the Upper Mississippi
Valley
lead-zinc
deposits.
e. The slope of a roof, in inches (or
centimeters), of vertical rise per

pitch arm

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One of the rods, usually adjustable, which


determine the digging angle of
a blade or bucket. Nichols, 2

pitching seam
A highly inclined seam. In coal mining,
called edge coal. Nelson

pitchblende
pitch length
The massive variety of uraninite, UO(2+x) ;
radioactive;
black
to
dark brown; the most important ore of
uranium;
occurs
widely
in
hydrothermal veins and the disseminated
uranium-vanadium deposits of the
Colorado Plateau type.

The length of an ore shoot in its greatest


dimension.
pitch line
a. The line on which the pitch of gear
teeth is measured; an ideal line,
in a toothed gear or rack, bearing such a
relation to a corresponding line
in another gear with which the former
works that the two lines will have a
common velocity, as in rolling contact.
Webster
3rd
b. The line along which the pitch of a rack
is
marked
out,
corresponding
to the pitch circle of a spur wheel. CTD

pitch circle
The circle passing through the chain joint
centers
when
the
chain
is
wrapped on the sprocket. Jackson, 1
pitch diameter
The diameter of a circle that passes
through the points of average contact
between the teeth of two gears running in
mesh, or between the teeth of a
sprocket and the roller of its companion
chain, or between a male and a
female thread that are engaged. Brantly, 2

pitch off
A quarry worker's term for trimming an
edge of a block of stone with a
hammer and set. Fay

pitcher

pitch ore

One who picks over dumps for pieces of


ore. Webster 3rd

See:pitchblende; pitchy copper ore.


pitchstone

pitching bar
A dark, resinous volcanic glass.
A kind of pick used, esp. by miners, in
beginning
a
hole.
Webster 2nd

pitchwork
In coal mining, work done on shares.
Standard, 2

pitching chisel
A chisel used for making an edge on the
face
of
a
stone.
Also
called
pitching tool. Webster 3rd

pitch working
Mine working in a steeply inclined seam.

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pit frame

pitchy
adj. Resembling the
properties of pitch.

appearance

a. The framework carrying the pit pulley.


Fay
b. The framework in a coal mine shaft.
Standard, 2

or

pitchy copper ore

pit guide

a. A dark, pitchlike oxide of copper.


b. A mixture of chrysocolla and limonite.

An iron column that guides the cage in a


mine shaft. Standard, 2

pitchy iron ore

pit hand

a. An old syn. for pitticite. See:pitticite


b. See:triplite

In the iron and steel industry, a general


term
applied
to
workers
who
perform varied duties around the
processing furnaces. DOT

pit efficiency
In order to allow for the friction of the
skips on the guides and between
the air and the skips in the shaft and for
other small losses, it is usual
to divide the total static torque at any
point of the wind by 0.9 for a
new shaft with rope guides, or 0.85 for an
old
shaft
with
rigid
guides.
This factor is generally referred to as pit
efficiency.
Sinclair, 5

pithead
a. Landing stage at the top of a shaft.
Pryor,
3
b. The top of a mine shaft including the
buildings,
roads,
tracks,
plant,
and machines around it.
pithead output
The total tonnage of raw coal produced at
a
colliery,
as
distinct
from
saleable output. It is the tonnage of coal as
weighed
before
it
enters
the
coal-preparation plant.

pit eye
Bottom of a pit shaft from which the sky
is visible. Pryor, 3
pit-eye pillar

pit lamp
A barrier of coal left around a shaft to
protect
it
from
caving.
Fay

An open lamp worn on a miner's cap, as


distinguished from a safety lamp.

pit foreman

pit limit

In bituminous coal mining, a foreman who


is in immediate charge of all
mining operations in a strip mine.

Either the vertical or lateral extent to


which the mining of a mineral
deposit by open pitting may be
economically carried. The cost of

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Pitot-static tube, and as such they can be


used
as
an
anemometer.
The
tubes are usually arranged concentrically.
When they are connected to the
opposite sides of a manometer, the
dynamic or velocity pressure will be
measured directly. Roberts, 1

removing overburden or waste material


versus the minable value of the ore so
exposed is usually the factor controlling
the limits of a pit.
pitman
a. The worker who regularly examines the
condition
of
mine
infrastructure.
Nelson
b. A connecting rod, such as in the Blake
type
of
jaw
crusher;
the
vertical member linking the eccentric
shaft with the toggles between the
frame and the lower end.

Pitot tube
Consists of two concentric tubes bent in
an L shape. In operation, the
instrument is pointed in the direction of
air flow: the inner tube, open
at the end directed upstream, measures
total head, and the outer tube,
perforated with small openings transverse
to the air flow, records static
head. Each tube is connected to a leg of a
manometer,
when
reading
velocity head. Hartman, 1

pitman arm
An arm having a limited movement
around a pivot. Nichols, 1
pitmen

pit pony
Workers employed in shaft sinking or
shaft inspection and repair.

A pony used for packing or haulage in a


mine. Webster 3rd

pit mining
pit prop
Surface mining in which the material
mined is removed from below the
surrounding land surface.

a. A piece of timber used as a temporary


support
for
a
mine
roof.
Zern
b. Length of timber used as a roof support
in
longwall
mining.
Modern
variants include expandable steel props
which
can
be
hydraulically
or
mechanically
lengthened;
used
in
stratified deposits. Pryor, 3

pitotmeter
An instrument that consists essentially of
two pitot tubes one of which is
turned upstream and the other downstream
and
that
is
used
to
record
autographically the velocity of a flowing
liquid
or
gas.

pit quarry
An openpit quarry sunk below ground
level. Access is gained by stairs,
ladders, or mechanical hoists, and material
is conveyed from the quarry by
inclined tracks, trucks, derricks, or

Pitot-static tube
When the Pitot tube and static tube are
combined,
they
form
the

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washed and screened it is a good


sand for general purposes. Zern
b. Sand from a pit, as distinct from river
or sea sand. Arkell

cableway hoists. These pits may


reach depths of several hundred feet. A
drainage scheme will in most cases
be necessary, as the pit will form a natural
sump
for
both
surface
and
subsoil water. This type of quarry is often
used
for
gravel
or
soft
rock
that can be extracted by some form of
digging.

pit shale
The name given to the shale from a drift
opened in the side of the ravine
at a level 62 ft (18.9 m) below that of the
Pittsburgh
coal
seam.
Rice, 2

pit room
a. The number of working places, or the
length
of
a
longwall
face,
available in a mine for coal production.
Nelson
b. The extent of the opening in a mine; pit
space. Fay

pit slope
The angle at which the wall of an open pit
or cut stands as measured along
an imaginary plane extended along the
crests of the berms or from the
slope crest to its toe.

pit rope
pittasphalt
Eng. Winding rope; a hoisting rope. Fay
An old name give to viscid bitumen.
pit sampling
a. Use of small untimbered pits to gain
access
to
shallow
alluvial
deposits or ore dumps for purpose of
testing
or
valuation.
Pryor,
3
b. Sampling shallow deposits by means of
trial pits, usually about 2 to 3
ft (0.6 to 0.9 m) in diameter. In reasonably
dry
ground,
depths
of
50
ft
(15.2 m) or more may be reached. Pit
sampling is often used to assist site
investigations as it provides the maximum
of
information
regarding
the
nature of deposits and bedrock.

pitticite
The mineral amorphous, hydrous, ferric
arsenate sulfate. It is brown to
yellow and red; earthy; occurs as crusts
and botryoidal layers; a common
oxidation product of arsenical ores. Also
spelled
pittizite.

pitting
a. The act of digging or sinking a pit. Fay
b. Testing an alluvial deposit by the
systematic sinking of small shafts,
the material recovered being subsequently
tested. The practice is confined
to shallow depths; i.e., down to about 50 ft
(15.2
m)
in
fairly
dry
soft
ground. Nelson

pit sand
a. Sand usually composed of grains that
are
relatively
angular;
it
often
contains clay and organic matter. When

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chains that operate in suitable guides or


casing
in
horizontal,
vertical,
inclined or a combination of these paths
over
drive-corner
and
takeup
terminals. The buckets remain in the
carrying position until they are
tipped or inverted to discharge.

Pittsburgh bed
The Pittsburgh coal which outcrops
prominently
in
the
vicinity
of
Pittsburgh and extends under a large area
of
western
Pennsylvania,
northern West Virginia, northwestern
Maryland, and eastern Ohio. It
belongs in the Carboniferous system,
Pennsylvanian series, at the base of
the Monongahela formation. Rice, 2

pivot shaft
A tractor dead axle, or any fixed shaft that
acts
as
a
hinge
pin.
Nichols, 1

pit water
Water from the underground workings of
a mine. BS, 5

pivot tube
A hollow hinge pin. Nichols, 1

pit wood
place
The various kinds of timber used at a
mine,
mainly
as
supports.
Nelson

a.
See:in
situ
b. The part of a mine in which a miner
works by contract is known as his
"place"
or
"working
place."
c. A point at which the cutting of coal is
being carried on.

pitwork
Cornish pumps and other engineering
appliances in and near a mine shaft.
Pryor, 3

placer
A deposit of sand or gravel that contains
particles
of
gold,
ilmenite,
gemstones, or other heavy minerals of
value. The common types are stream
gravels and beach sands.; beach placer.

pivot
A nonrotating axle or hinge pin.
pivoted-bucket carrier

placer claim

The highest type of combined elevator and


conveyor.
It
consists
of
two
long-pitch roller chains joined by
crossbars on which are hung the buckets
in such a way that they can be completely
turned over.
pivoted-bucket conveyor

a. A mining claim located upon gravel or


ground whose mineral contents are
extracted by the use of water, by sluicing,
hydraulicking,
etc.
The
unit
claim is 1,320 ft2 (122.6 m2 ) and contains
10 acres (4.1 ha).

A type of conveyor using pivoted buckets


attached
between
two
endless

b. Ground with defined boundaries that


contains
mineral
in
the
earth,

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the
sake
of
the
loose
deposits on or near its surface. Ricketts

sand, or gravel; ground that includes


valuable deposits not fixed in the
rock.
c. The maximum size of a placer claim is
20
acres
(8.1
ha).
Association
claims of two or more persons may be
located up to an area of 160 acres
(64.8 ha) for eight persons. Placer claims
must
have
a
discovery.
They
should be staked, a location notice posted,
and
recorded
in
the
same
manner as for lode claims, stating the
mineral for which the location in
made. Lewis

placer mine
a. A deposit of sand, gravel, or talus from
which some valuable mineral is
extracted.
Hess
b. See:placer mining
placer mining
a. The extraction of heavy mineral from a
placer
deposit
by
concentration
in running water. It includes ground
sluicing, panning, shoveling gravel
into a sluice, scraping by power scraper
and
excavation
by
dragline,
dredge or other mechanized equipment.
Nelson
b. Extracting the gold or other mineral
from
placers,
wherever
situated--in dry channels and in channels
temporarily
filled
with
water.
The mineral may be found in deep
channels, in navigable streams, or in
estuaries or creeks and rivers where the
sea
ebbs
and
flows.
Ricketts
c. That form of mining in which the
surficial detritus is washed for gold
or other valuable minerals. When water
under pressure is employed to break
down the gravel, the term hydraulic
mining is generally employed. There
are deposits of detrital material containing
gold which lie too deep to be
profitably extracted by surface mining,
and which must be worked by
drifting beneath the overlying barren
material. The term "drift mining" is
applied to the operations necessary to
extract
such
auriferous
material.

placer digging
a. The action of mining by placer
methods.
Craigie
b. A place at which placer mining is or
may be carried on. Craigie
placer gold
Gold occurring in more or less coarse
grains or flakes and obtainable by
washing the sand, gravel, etc., in which it
is
found.
Also
called
alluvial
gold.
placer ground
Ground where placer mining can be done;
i.e., where valuable minerals can
be obtained by digging up the earth and
washing it for the valued mineral.
Craigie
placer location
A location of a tract of land for mineralbearing
or
other
valuable
deposits upon or within it that are not
found within lodes or veins in
rock in place; a claim of a tract of land for

d. The extraction and concentration of


heavy metals or minerals from

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zoning. The term was originally applied to


all feldspars having an oblique
angle between the two main cleavages.
CF:alkali
feldspar;
orthoclase.

placer deposits by various methods,


generally
using
running
water.
CF:alluvial mining; hydraulic mining;
drift mining. AGI
placodine

plagioclase rhyolite
See:maucherite
A porphyritic extrusive rock with
phenocrysts of plagioclase and quartz in
a groundmass of orthoclase and quartz.
Also
called
plagioliparite.

plaffeiite
A fossil resin found in Switzerland.
Tomkeieff
plagihedral

plagioclastic

See:plagiohedral

Having the cleavage of plagioclase;


breaking
obliquely.
Standard, 2

plagioclase

plagiohedral

a. Any of a group of feldspars containing


a mixture of sodium and calcium
feldspars, distinguished by their extinction
angles;
crystal;
triclinic;
Mohs hardness, 6; and sp gr, 2.6 to 2.7.
Bennett
b. A series of triclinic feldspars of general
formula:
(Na,Ca)Al(Si,Al)Si
2 O6 ; at high temperatures it forms a
complete
crystal
solution series from albite, NaAlSi3 O8 , to
anorthite,
An,
CaAl2 Si2 O8 ; the series is arbitrarily
subdivided
and named according to increasing mole
fraction
of
the
An
component:
albite (An 0% to 10%), oligoclase (An
10% to 30%), andesine (An 30% to
50%), labradorite (An 50% to 70%),
bytownite (An 70% to 90%), and
anorthite (An 90% to 100%). The Al:Si
ratio ranges with increasing An
content from 1:3 to 1:1. Plagioclase
feldspars are common rock-forming
minerals, have characteristic polysynthetic
twinning,
and
commonly
display

Having an oblique spiral arrangement of


faces; specif., being a group of
the isometric system characterized by 13
axes of symmetry but no center or
planes. Also spelled plagihedral. Webster
3rd
plagionite
A monoclinic mineral, Pb5 Sb8 S17 ;
metallic
black
to
lead-gray; forms stubby tablets; an
uncommon associate of other lead
sulfosalts in hydrothermal veins.
plain
a. An extent of level, or nearly level, land;
a
region
not
noticeably
diversified with mountains, hills, or
valleys.
Fay
b. A flat, gently sloping or nearly level
region
of
the
sea
floor.
Hunt

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c. Archaic. Relatively free of gaseous


inclusions. ASTM

plan
a. A map showing features--such as mine
workings,
geological
structures,
and
outside
improvements--on
a
horizontal
plane.

plain clinometer
A clinometer having only its upper end
threaded to fit drill rods. Also
called end clinometer. Long

b. A scheme or project for mine


development.
Nelson
c. The system on which a colliery is
worked,
such
as
longwall,
room-and-pillar, etc. Zern

plain concrete
Concrete
Hammond

with

no

reinforcement.

plain detonator

planar

A detonator for use with a safety fuse. It


consists
of
an
aluminum
tube
closed at one end and partly filled with a
sensitive
initiating
explosive.
The tube is only partially filled because a
plain
detonator
is
always
used
in conjunction with a safety fuse, and the
empty space enables the fuse to
be inserted into the tube until it comes into
contact
with
the
detonating
composition. The safety fuse is then
secured in position by indenting the
detonator tube, this process being known
as crimping. The combination of
safety fuse and plain detonator is called a
capped
fuse.
BS, 12; McAdam, 2

Lying or arranged as a plane or in planes,


usually
implying
more
or
less
parallelism, as in bedding or cleavage. It
is
a
two-dimensional
arrangement, in contrast to the onedimensional
linear
arrangement.
AGI

plain pilot

planar element

A pilot in the surface of which no cutting


points,
such
as
diamonds
or
slugs, are inset.

A fabric element having two dimensions


that are much greater than the
third; e.g., bedding, cleavage, and
schistosity.
CF:linear
element
AGI

planar cross-bedding
a. Cross-bedding in which the lower
bounding surfaces are planar surfaces
of erosion. It results from beveling and
subsequent
deposition.
AGI
b. Cross-bedding characterized by planar
foreset beds. AGI

plaiting

planar flow structure

A texture seen in some schists that results


from
the
intersection
of
relict bedding planes with well developed
cleavage planes. AGI

See:platy flow structure

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planar gliding

plane engineer

Uniform slippage along plane surfaces.


AGI

See:slope engineer
plane fault

planar structure
See:platy flow structure

A fault with a surface that is planar rather


than curved.

planation

plane figure

The widening of valleys through lateral


corrasion by streams after they
reach grade and begin to meander and
form
floodplains.
Also,
by
the
extension, the reduction of divides and the
merging
of
valley
plains
to
form a peneplain; peneplanation.

A plane surface bounded either by straight


lines or curved lines or by a
combination of straight and curved lines.
Jones, 2
plane group
The 17 possible combinations of
symmetry elements which may coexist in
2
dimensions. CF:space group

plane
a. Any roadway, generally inclined but not
necessarily so, along which ore
or workers are conveyed by mechanical
means from one bed to another or to
a lower elevation in the same bed.;
slope.
Nelson
b. A road on the natural floor of a seam.
Mason
c. A two-dimensional form that is without
curvature;
ideally,
a
perfectly
flat or smooth surface. In geology the term
is applied to such features as
a bedding plane or a planation surface.
Adj:
planar.
d. In crystallography, a plane of symmetry
dividing
a
crystal
structure
into
two
mirror
images.
e. A level surface bounded by straight
lines,
such
as
the
faces
of
crystals. Gordon

plane man
See:incline man
plane of saturation
See:water table
plane of stretching
A low-angle gravity (normal) fault
resulting from stretching of the
solidified top of an igneous intrusion.
plane of symmetry
Any plane which divides a crystal, crystal
structure,
or
crystal
symmetry
such that each side is a mirror reflection of
the
other.
Represented
as
m
or 2 and graphically as a solid or heavy
line.

plane course
Scot. In the direction facing the joint
planes.

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plane or rectangular coordinate

plane shear

Either of two perpendicular distances of a


point
from
a
pair
of
rectangular coordinate axes. Seelye, 2

One of four types of slope failure. Plane


shear
failure
results
when
a
natural plane of weakness, such as a fault,
a shear zone, or bedding plane
exists within a slope and has a direction
such
as
to
provide
a
preferential path for failure. Large intact
portions of the slope rock may
slide along this plane surface. Woodruff

plane-polarized light
Light with its electric vector confined to a
plane.
planer

plane strain
a. First developed as a fixed-blade device
for
continuous
longwall
mining
of narrow seams of friable coal, this
machine is pulled along the coal
face, planing a narrow cut. Vibratingblade planers were designed later in
an attempt to apply the technique to
harder coal; they have also been
experimented with in the phosphate mines
in western Montana and northern
Idaho.
b. A machine provided with a cutting tool
having
lateral
and
vertical
adjustment that is widely used in stone
trimming. Both sides and tops of
blocks may be planed to desired
dimensions. Some planers may be
adjusted to cut curved forms.

A state of strain in which all


displacements that arise from deformation
are parallel to one plane, and the
longitudinal strain is zero in one
principal direction. AGI
plane stress
A state of stress in which one of the
principal stresses is zero.
plane surveying

A triclinic mineral, Al6 (PO4 )2 (PO3 OH)


(sub 2) (OH)8 .4H2 O ; turquoise group.

Ordinary field and topographic surveying


in
which
Earth
curvature
is
disregarded and all measurements are
made or reduced parallel to a plane
representing the surface of the Earth. The
accuracy
and
precision
of
results obtained by plane surveying may
decrease
as
the
area
surveyed
increases in size. CF:geodetic surveying

plane schistosity

plane table

A type of schistosity characterized by the


arrangement
of
tabular
and
prismatic grains in parallel planes.

a. An instrument for plotting the lines of a


survey
directly
from
the
observations; consisting essentially of a
drawing
board
mounted
on
a
tripod and fitted with a ruler that is
pointed at the object observed,
usually with the aid of a sighting device,

planerite

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such
as
Webster
b. An inclined
Standard, 2

English-English

gears meshed with both the sun and


the ring. Nichols, 1

telescope.
3rd
ore-dressing table.

plane tender

planetary geared drum

See:slope engineer

A drum containing planetary gearing that


is used to control the motion of
the rope drums on certain types of mining
machines.
In
planetary
gearing,
which is used when a large ratio of speed
reduction
with
only
a
few
operating gears is required, some or all of
the
gear
wheels
in
the
train
of mechanism have a motion about an axis
and a revolution about the same
axis. Jones, 1

planet gearing

planetary lap

planimetric analysis

A type of machine lap employing a


number of geared workholders that rotate
with an epicyclic motion between two
stationary
lapping
plates.
The
crystals being lapped, when contained in
pentagonal
holes
in
the
workholder, have an imposed rotatory
motion.
Also
known
as
the
Hunt-Hoffman lap or Bendix lap. Am.
Mineral., 2

Analysis of patterns in a fabric diagram


based on distribution of points
and areal comparisons. AGI

Gearing in which one gear wheel revolves


around another. Mason
planimeter
An instrument for measuring the area of
any plane figure by passing a
tracer around its boundary line. Webster
3rd

planimetric map
A map that presents only the relative
horizontal positions of natural or
cultural features, by lines and symbols. It
is
distinguished
from
a
topographic map by the omission of relief
in
measurable
form.

planetary mill
Mill used for making very large
reductions on slabs by one pass through
the mill. The mill consists of two large
plain rolls, each surrounded by
many small work rolls. Osborne

planimetry
a. The measurement of plane surfaces;
e.g.,
the
determination
of
horizontal distances, angles, and areas on
a
map.
AGI
b. The plan details of a map; the natural
and
cultural
features
of
a
region (excluding relief) as shown on a
map. AGI

planetary set gear


A gearset consisting of an inner (sun)
gear, an outer ring with internal
teeth, and two or more small (planet)

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planisher

planning

A device for flattening thin sections cut


for
microscopic
examination.
Standard, 2

The predesign of the detailed layout, main


roadways,
and
workings
of
a
mine or group of mines. The scheme
usually involves the introduction of
mechanical equipment for the working
and transport of the coal or mineral.
The selection of mining methods and
machines properly adapted to the local
conditions is part of planning. Nelson

plank timbering
The lining of a shaft with rectangular
plank
frames.

plankton

planning engineer

The whole community of rifting small


plants and animals in layers of the
water. This term is frequently used to
describe all life forms, regardless
of size, which have no means of
significant
self-locomotion.
This
community can be divided into the
phytoplankton
(plants)
and
the
zooplankton (animals). Hy

A mining engineer responsible for mine


planning. The engineer is attached
to the planning department of a large mine
or a group of smaller mines and
is qualified by training, experience, and
technical
qualifications
to
envisage new development work and
coordinate the ideas of other experts
such as a mechanization engineer,
ventilation engineer, mining geologist,
etc. Nelson

plankton bloom
The rapid growth and multiplication of
plankton,
usually
plant
forms,
producing an obvious change in the
physical appearance of the sea surface,
such as coloration or slicks. Also called
sea
bloom;
florescence.
Hy

planometric projection

planktonic

A great soil group in the 1938


classification system; an intrazonal,
hydromorphic group of soils having a
leached
surface
layer
above
a
definite clay pan or hardpan. These soils
develop
on
nearly
flat
upland
surfaces under grass or trees in a humid to
subhumid climate. AGI

Pictorial view of an object showing it in


plan with oblique lines showing
the front, side, and thickness.
planosol

Relating to the chiefly simple types of


floating
and
surface-dwelling
forms of organisms of the ocean waters.
Schieferdecker
plank tubbing
The lining of a shaft with planks, spiked
on
the
inside
of
curbs.

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plant

plant scrap

a. The shaft or slope, tunnels, engine


houses,
railways,
machinery,
workshops, etc., of a colliery or other
mine.
b. To place gold or any valuable ore in the
ground, in a mine, or the like
to give a false impression of the richness
of the property. To salt, as to
plant
gold
with
a
shotgun.
c. In mining, the mechanical installations,
machines,
and
their
housings.
Earthworks are sometimes loosely
included.
Pryor,
3
d. Used to include the machinery,
derricks, railway, cars, etc., employed
in tunnel work. Stauffer

Scrap metal produced in the plant itself;


e.g.,
sprues
and
gates
in
a
foundry or defective ingots and hot tops in
a steel mill. Also called home
scrap. Newton, 1
plasma
a. Gas comprising equal amounts of
positively and negatively charged
particles; a fourth state of matter (solid,
liquid,
gas,
plasma)
capable
of conducting magnetic force. Pryor, 3
b. A bright-, leek-, to emerald-green
subtranslucent
variety
of
cryptocrystalline (chalcedonic) quartz.
The green color is attributed to
chlorite.
CF:bloodstone;
heliotrope.
c. That part of a soil which can be or has
been
moved,
reorganized,
and/or
concentrated by soil-forming processes.

plant mix
The process of soil stabilization in which
the
soil
is
carried
to
a
stationary mixer, returned to the site after
mixing
and
then
spread.
CF:mix-in-place

plasma jet
a. A jet formed by passing a high-speed
current of nitrogen or a mixture
of nitrogen and hydrogen over a tungsten
electrode
placed
in
a
specially
designed narrow orifice in a cutting torch.
An arc is struck between this
electrode and the earthed nozzle of the
torch, which is cooled by a water
jacket. When a plasma jet is used to cut
rock,
two
separate
zones
of
action can be expected. Min. Miner. Eng.,
1
b. Ionized gas produced by passing an
inert gas through a high-intensity
arc, causing temperatures up to tens of
thousands
degrees
centigrade.
Harbison-Walker

plant-mixed concrete
Concrete that is mixed at a central mixing
plant and delivered to a site
in special equipment designed to prevent
its segregation. Hammond
plant-mix method
A method of preparing aggregates for
bituminous
surfaces
in
which
aggregates and bitumen are combined in a
plant situated at the road or at
a relatively long distance from the road.
Also
known
as
the
premixed
method. Pit and Quarry

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plaster pit

such that the explosive can be shaped by


moderate pressure to fill a drill
hole. The difference between plastic and
semiplastic
form
is
primarily
dependent on the difference in equipment
which has been found necessary in
manufacturing cartridges of the explosive.
The
viscosity
of
the
plastic
type makes it possible to produce
cartridges by a process of extrusion
through tubes. Fraenkel

Derb. A gypsum mine.

plastic clay

plaster shooting

Any clay, but chiefly kaolinite, which,


when mixed with water, is easily
shaped and retains this shape until fired.

plastering
See:mudcapping
plaster mill
A machine consisting of a roller or set of
rollers
for
grinding
lime
or
gypsum to powder. Fay

a. A surface blasting method used when


no rock drill is available or is
not necessary. It consists of placing a
charge of gelignite, primed with
safety fuse and detonator, in close contact
with the rock or boulder and
covering it completely with stiff damp
clay. The charges vary from 8 to 16
oz/yd3 (297 to 593 g/m3 ) of rock.;
snakeholing.
Nelson
b. A form of secondary blasting in which
the
explosive
is
detonated
in
contact with the rock without the use of a
shothole.
. BS, 12

plastic deformation
a. Permanent deformation of the shape or
volume of a substance, without
rupture. It is mainly accompanied by
crystal
gliding
and/or
recrystallization.
AGI
b. Deformation by one or both of two
grain-scale mechanisms: slip, and
twinning. This is a metallurgical
definition,
increasingly
used
by
geologists. Sometimes called crystal
plasticity.
AGI
c. Rheological term for deformation
characterized by a yield stress, which
must be exceeded before flow begins. AGI
d. An elastic deformation of brittle
minerals--such
as
olivine
under
mantle conditions, or quartz, during
metamorphism;
deformation
occurs
along well-defined crystallographic planes
in
specific
directions,
which
may be preserved as thin deformation
lamellae or as deformation twinning.
It
may
be
annealed
out
by
recrystallization. CF:elastic deformation
e. Irreversible deformation of metallic

plaster stone
See:gypsum
plastic
Said of a body in which strain produces
continuous,
permanent
deformation
without rupture. CF:elastic
plastic and semiplastic explosive
Any of several explosives used for
commercial purposes. The consistency is

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minerals,

such

as

gold

English-English

or

copper.

plasticity
The property of a material that enables it
to
undergo
permanent
deformation without appreciable volume
change,
elastic
rebound,
or
rupture.
plastic soil; plastic state; plasticity index.
ASCE

plastic design
The design of steel or reinforced-concrete
structural
frames
which
is
based on the assumption that plastic
hinges form at points of maximum
bending moment. plastic modulus.
Hammond

plasticity index
The water-content range of a material at
which
it
is
plastic,
defined
numerically as the liquid limit minus the
plastic
limit.
CF:Atterberg limits; plastic limit.

plastic explosive
See:plastic and semiplastic explosive
plastic firebrick

plasticizer

A common term for both high duty and


super-duty
fire
clay
plastic
refractories.

A material, usually organic, capable of


imparting
plastic
properties
to
nonplastics or improving the plasticity of
ceramic
mixtures.

plastic flow
See:plastic deformation
plastic fracture

plastic limit

The breakage of a solid material under


load
when
being
permanently
deformed. Hammond

a. The water-content boundary beyond


which a soil can be rolled into a
thread approx. 3 mm in diameter without
crumbling, i.e., beyond which it
is
plastic.
b. The water content of a soil or clay
material
corresponding
to
an
arbitrarily defined boundary between a
plastic
and
a
semisolid
state.
CF:Atterberg limits; plasticity index.

plastic igniter cord


A corklike device for lighting a safety
fuse. When the cord is ignited an
intense flame passes along its length at a
uniform
rate
and
ignites
the
blackpowder core of an ordinary safety
fuse. Two types are made: the fast
has a nominal burning speed of 1 s/ft (3.3
s/m);
the
other
is
about
10
times as slow. Nelson

plastic modulus
A factor used in the plastic design of steel
structures.
It
is
a
constant
for each particular shape of section.
Hammond

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checking; made at a saving of time and


labor,
of
laminated
and
cast
components, and cemented into highly
stable industrial tools, chiefly with
epoxy and some with polyester resins.
Epoxies are strong adhesive resins,
particularly useful because of their low
shrinkage
factor.
Polyesters
have
a cost advantage and are easy to handle.
Crispin

plastic soil
a. A soil that can be rolled into 1/8-in
(1.6-mm) diameter strings without
crumbling.
Nichols,
1
b. A soft, rubbery soil. Nichols, 1
c. A soil that exhibits plasticity. ASCE
plastic solid
A solid that undergoes change of shape
continuously and indefinitely after
the stress applied to it passes its elastic
limit.

plastic yield
The term commonly applied to plastic
deformation. Hammond

plastic state
plastic zone
The range of consistency within which a
soil exhibits plastic properties.

In explosion-formed-crater nomenclature,
this
zone
differs
from
the
rupture zone by having less fracturing and
only
small
permanent
deformations. There is no distinct
boundary between the rupture and
plastic zones. Min. Miner. Eng., 2

plastic strain
In rocks, which are composed of many
crystals
commonly
belonging
to
several mineral species, the term applies
to
any
permanent
deformation
throughout which the rock maintains
essential
cohesion
and
strength
regardless of the extent to which local
microfracturing
and
displacement
of individual grains may have entered into
the process.

Plast-Sponge
High-quality iron powder made by
reduction of iron oxide; used in powder
metallurgy. Bennett
plat

plastic tamping rod


a. The map of a survey in horizontal
projection, such as of a mine,
townsite,
etc.
b. A diagram drawn to scale showing land
boundaries
and
subdivisions,
together with all data essential to the
description of the several units.
A plat differs from a map in that it does
not
show
additional
cultural,
drainage, and relief features. Seelye, 2
c. A platform, floor, or surface in or about

A tamping rod or stemmer, of a rigid


nature, made from plastic possessing
suitable dielectric properties. A plastic
conducive to the building up of
heavy charges of static electricity is
unsuitable. Nelson
plastic tooling
Dies, jigs, and fixtures for metal forming,
boring,
assembly,
and

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with the large, square opening in


the frame; the solution and passageways
connect with the gridiron surface
of the plate. The Dehne and the Merrill
are
well-known
types.
Liddell

a mine used esp. for loading


and unloading ore, etc. Webster 3rd
plate
a. A flat iron or steel sheet laid around a
mine-shaft
collar,
at
the
shaft bottom, or at any level station, to
enable
mine
cars
and
other
equipment to be easily turned and moved
about.
Also,
a
cast-iron
plate
with a circular ridge on which mine rail
cars are turned at the junction
of
roads.
b. A horizontal timber laid on a floor or
sloping
wall
to
receive
a
framework
of
timbers.
c. A torsionally rigid thin segment of the
Earth's
lithosphere,
which
may
be assumed to move horizontally and
adjoins
other
lithosopheric
plates
along zones of seismic activity.

plate apron feeder


An automatic arrangement by which coal
or ore is fed forward on steel
plates forming segments linked together in
an endless chain.
plateau
Broadly, any comparatively flat area of
great
extent
and
elevation;
specif. an extensive land region
considerably elevated (more than 150 to
300 m in altitude) above the adjacent
country or above sea level; it is
commonly limited on at least one side by
an abrupt descent, has a flat or
nearly smooth surface but is often
dissected
by
deep
valleys
and
surmounted by high hills or mountains,
and has a large part of its total
surface at or near the summit level. A
plateau is usually higher and has
more noticeable relief than a plain (it
often
represents
an
elevated
plain), and it is usually higher and more
extensive than a mesa; it may be
tectonic, residual, or volcanic in origin.
CF:mesa

plate amalgamation
Use of copper or copper-alloy plates
coated with enough mercury to form a
soft adherent film, in order to trap gold
from
crushed
ore
pulp
as
it
flows over the plates. The resulting
amalgam, containing up to 40%
metallic gold, is periodically scraped off
and more mercury is added to
the film. Pryor, 3
plate-and-frame filter
A filter press consisting of plates with a
gridiron
surface
alternating
with hollow frames, all of which are held
by means of lugs, on the press
framework. The corners of both frames
and plates are cored to make
continuous passages for pulp and solution;
the filter cloth is placed over
the plates. The pulp passageway connects

plateau basalt
A term applied to those basaltic lavas that
occur
as
vast
composite
accumulations
of
horizontal
or
subhorizontal flows, which, erupted in
rapid succession over great areas, have at
times
flooded
sectors
of
the
Earth's surface on a regional scale. They

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drive from the driveheads that can


be installed at intermediate points as well
as at the head or tail ends. A
plate conveyor can negotiate bends down
to about 20 ft (6.1 m) radius;
available in widths 400, 540, and 640 mm
with running speeds from 3 to 4
ft/s (0.9 to 1.2 m/s) with a carrying
capacity from 100 to 400 st/h (90.7
to 362.8 t/h).

are generally believed to be the


product of fissure eruptions. CF:shield
basalt
AGI
plateau gravel
A sheet, spread, or patch of surficial
gravel, often compacted, occupying
a flat area on a hilltop, plateau, or other
high region at a height above
that normally occupied by a streamterrace gravel. It may represent a
formerly extensive deposit that has been
raised by earth movements and
largely removed by erosion. AGI

plate coordinate
In photographic mapping, either of two
rectangular coordinates measured on
a photograph with reference to the
principal
point
as
origin.
Seelye, 2

plate bearing test

plated crystal

A method by which the load bearing


capacity of a soil may be estimated.

A crystal with a conductive surface film


of
gold,
silver,
aluminum,
or
other metal produced by cathode
sputtering, evaporation, or chemical
methods. The films, to which lead wires
may be soldered, take the place of
the
conventional
clamped
metal
electrodes. Am. Mineral., 2

plate cleaner
A device for cleaning raw coal which uses
the
difference
in
the
coefficient of resilience or friction
between clean coal and an inclined
plate, commonly of steel, and that
between refuse and the plate to allow
the clean coal to jump over a gap while
the
refuse
falls
through.
BS, 5

plate feeder
The mechanical plate feeder is a device
for feeding material at a fixed
and uniform rate. It is generally applied at
the tail end of a conveyor or
elevator which feeds a plant, but may be
applied
to
feeding
any
other
single unit. It relieves the pressure and
drag,
with
the
consequent
unnecessary wear on the belt, which is
ordinarily
experienced
if
feeding
from a hopper directly to a belt. It not only
cuts
maintenance
costs
by
eliminating uneven wear, but increased
output can be obtained by steady

plate conveyor
A conveyor in which the carrying medium
is a series of steel plates, each
in the form of a short trough, joined
together with a slight overlap to
form an articulated band. The plates are
attached
either
to
one
center
chain or to two side chains. The chains
connect
rollers
running
on
an
angle-iron framework and transmit the

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feeding. This type of feeder also handles


wet
aggregate.
.
Pit and Quarry; ACSG, 2

plate tongs

plate former

platform

Used for lining shafts, winzes, and rises;


usually
constructed
of
comparatively thin steel sheeting,
stiffened around the edges with angles.
Plates should be of such size that they can
be conveniently handled in the
skips or buckets used for sinking.
Spalding

a. The place on top of a breaker where the


freshly
mined
coal
is
weighed
by a weigh boss just before it is dumped
into
the
machinery.
Korson
b. A wooden floor on the side of a
gangway at the bottom of an inclined
seam, to which the coal runs by gravity,
and from which it is shoveled
into
mine
cars.
c. A plank or mesh steel-covered level
area at the base of a drill tripod
or derrick, used as a working space in
front of a drill machine around the
collar of the borehole. Sometimes the
platform is large enough to act as a
foundation and anchor for the drill
machine.
Long
d.
A
scaffold.
Fay
e. A wood mat used in sets to support
machinery on soft ground. Also
called
pontoon.
Nichols,
1
f. An operator's station on a large
machine,
particularly
on
rollers.
Nichols,
1
g. In the breaker, a flat or slightly inclined
floor
covered
with
iron
plates onto which coal is run from the
main screen bars and cleaned by
platform
workers.
Korson
h. Also a similar floored area in the tripod
or derrick on which a laborer
stands while working in a tripod or
derrick.

Tongs for grasping and handling iron or


steel plates. Standard, 2

plate girder
A built-up riveted or welded steel girder,
having
a
deep
vertical
web
plate, with a pair of angles riveted along
each edge to act as compression
and tension flanges. For heavier loads,
flange
plates
are
riveted
or
welded to the angles. Hammond
plate roll
A smooth roll for making sheet iron or
plate iron, as distinguished from
iron having grooves for rolling rails,
beams, etc. Standard, 2
plate tectonics
A theory of global tectonics in which the
lithosphere
is
divided
into
a
number of plates whose pattern of
horizontal movement is that of
torsionally rigid bodies that interact with
one
another
at
their
boundaries, causing seismic and tectonic
activity
along
these
boundaries.
AGI

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occurs in ultramafic rocks, quartz veins,


and
in
placers.
b. A malleable and ductile silvery-white
metal, when pure. Symbol: Pt.
Occurs native, accompanied by small
quantities
of
iridium,
osmium,
palladium, ruthenium, and rhodium. Used
in
jewelry,
wire,
vessels
for
laboratory use, and in many valuable
instruments
including
thermocouple
elements. Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics, 3

platform gantry
A gantry constructed for carrying a portal
crane
or
a
similar
structure.
Hammond
platform hoist
A power-driven hoist, having a lifting
capacity ranging from 200 lb (90.7
kg) to about 2-1/2 st (2.27 t), which can be
raised
on
a
loading
platform
up to 200 ft (61 m) high. Hammond

platinum-group metal
platina
(PGM). Any of the minerals native
platinum, osmium, iridium, palladium,
rhodium, ruthenium, and their alloys, such
as
osmiridium
(Ir,Os)
,
ruthenosmiridium
(Ir,Os,Ru)
,
rutheniridosmine (Os,Ir,Ru) , and
platiniridium (Ir,Pt) . Other alloys of PGM
are
exemplified
by
stanopalliadinite, (Pd,Cu)3 Sn2 (?) ; and
potarite,
PdHg
.
Other sources of PGM are sperrylite,
PtAs2
;
cooperite,
(Pt,Pd,Ni)S;
stibiopalladinite, Pd5 Sb2 ; braggite,
(Pt,Pd,Ni)S
;
vysotskite, (Pd,Ni)S ; ruthenarsenite,
(Ru,Ni)As
;
cuproiridsite;
CuIr
2 S4 ; cuprorhodsit, CuRh2 S4 ; malanite,
Cu(Pt,Ir)2 S4 ; and dayingite, CuCoPtS4 .
Varietal
terms include plyxene and ferroplatinum
for iron alloys and cuproplatinum
for copper alloys.

a. Twisted silver wire. Standard, 2


b. Crude native platinum. AGI
platinic gold
Said to be a native alloy containing 84.6%
gold,
2.9%
silver,
0.2%
iron,
0.9% copper, and the remainder 11.4%
platinum. Hess
platiniridium
An isometric mineral, (Ir,Pt) , with Ir 50%
to 80% (atomic) of Ir + Pt;
forms silver-white grains having sp gr,
22.6
to
22.8;
Mohs
hardness, 6 to 7.
platinize
To coat or combine with platinum, esp. by
electroplating.
Standard, 2

platinum sponge
Metallic platinum in a gray, porous,
spongy form; obtained by reducing
ammonium
chloroplatinate,
which
occludes large volumes of oxygen,
hydrogen, and other gases. Webster 3rd

platinum
a. An isometric mineral, native platinum
4[Pt] with variable Pd, Ir, Fe,
Ni; malleable; ductile; metallic; sp gr,
21.45;
corrosion
resistant;

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by soluble salts. The term is


also applied to the basin containing an
expanse of playa, which may be
marked
by
ephemeral
lakes.
c. A small, generally sandy land area at
the mouth of a stream or along
the shore of a bay. Etymol: Spanish,
beach, shore, coast. AGI

platting
Brick laid flatwise on top of a kiln to keep
in the heat. Fay
plattman
In
bituminous
coal
mining,
a
colloquialism of English origin for a
pusher
who pushes loaded mine cars onto a cage
from
a
platt
(an
enlarged
underground opening at the shaft where
cars
are
gathered
prior
to
hoisting). DOT

playa basin
See:bolson
playa lake
A shallow, intermittent lake in an arid or
semiarid
region,
covering
or
occupying a playa in the wet season but
drying up in summer; an ephemeral
lake that upon evaporation leaves or forms
a playa.

plattnerite
a. A tetragonal mineral, PbO2 ; rutile
group;
dimorphous
with
scrutinyite; iron black; occurs in lead
mines.
b. Erroneous spelling of planerite.

AGI

platy flow structure

play of color

An igneous rock structure of tabular


sheets suggesting stratification. It
is formed by contraction during cooling;
the structure is parallel to the
surface of cooling and is commonly
accentuated by weathering.

A pseudochromatic optical effect resulting


in
flashes
of
colored
light
from certain minerals, such as fire opal
and
labradorite,
as
they
are
turned in white light. Periodic spacings of
phases
with
slightly
differing
refractive indices act as optical diffraction
gratings
in
these
minerals.
CF:fire; opalescence; pseudochromatism.
plenargyrite

platynite
A trigonal mineral, PbBi2 (Se,S)3 metallic;
iron-black; forms thin plates like graphite;
at Falun, Sweden. Also spelled platinite.

See:matildite

playa

plenum

a. A term used in southwestern United


States for a dry, vegetation-free,
flat area at the lowest part of an undrained
desert
basin,
underlain
by
stratified clay, silt, or sand, and commonly

a. A system of ventilation in which air is


forced
into
an
inclosed
space,
such as a room or a caisson, so that the
outward pressure of air in the
space is slightly greater than the inward

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shows various colors or tints when it is


traversed
by
plane
polarized
light and the orientation of the crystal is
varied
with
respect
to
the
plane of polarization. It is a common and
diagnostic
property
of
many
minerals, and is easily observed under the
petrographic
microscope
or
a
dichroscope.
AGI
d. The capacity of strongly anisotropic
minerals
to
change
absorption
colors with changing electric vector in
plane-polarized
light;
e.g.,
as
seen with a polarized-light microscope.
Uniaxial minerals may be dichroic
and biaxial ones trichroic. Qualitative
pleochroism is change of intensity
in the same color; quantitative
pleochroism shows change of color with
change of orientation. Adj: pleochroic.
CF:dichroism;
trichroism.

pressure
from
the
outside,
and
thus leakage is outward instead of inward.
b. A mode of ventilating a mine or a
heading by forcing fresh air into it.
c. Use of compressed air to hold soil from
slumping
into
an
excavation.
Nichols, 1
pleochroic
See:pleochroism
pleochroic halo
a. A minute zone of color or darkening
surrounding and produced by a
radioactive mineral crystal or inclusion.
AGI
b. Any of the concentrically colored
aureoles
in
minerals--e.g.,
micas,
fluorite, and cordierite--centered by
minute grains of minerals containing
radioactive elements, such as zircon and
monazite.
This
discoloration
results from crystal structural radiation
damage from alpha decay.

pleomorphism
See:polymorphism

pleochroism

pleonaste

a. The property of exhibiting different


colors in different directions by
transmitted
polarized
light.
AGI
b. More precisely, the property of
absorbing
differently,
light
that
vibrates in different directions in passing
through
a
crystal.
If
the
crystal is uniaxial the change of color is
called
dichroism;
if
the
crystal is biaxial, the change of color is
called
pleochroism.
AGI
c. The property of birefringent crystals
(minerals)
to
absorb
various
wavelengths of light differentially
depending on the vibration direction
of the light within the crystal. Thus a
mineral
displaying
pleochroism

See:ceylonite
plessite
A fine grained intergrowth of kamacite
and taenite.
pliable armored cable
A flexible cable having collective armor
comprising
stranded
groups
of
fine, galvanized, steel wires. BS, 13
pliable support
A support composed of elastic materials
that either yields to the roof

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along the longwall face by a powerful


chain. The broken coal is loaded
onto an armored flexible conveyor which,
with the aid of hydraulic rams,
holds the plow up to the coal face and
causes the knives to bite into the
coal as they are pulled along. The plow is
a
continuous
mining
machine.
b. Applied to V-shaped belt scrapers that
are
attached
to
the
belt
conveyor frame and which press against
the return belt. They are intended
to remove coal or other material that
might stick to the return belt and
be crushed as the belt passes over the
driving rolls or the return pulley.
Jones, 1

pressure, or permits the subsidence of the


roof without the support being
completely destroyed and losing its
significance. Stoces
plication
Intense, small-scale folding. Adj: plicated.
CF:crenulation
AGI
ploat
Eng. To dress down or remove loose stone
from
the
roof
or
sides.
SMRB
plombierite

plow cut
A mineral, Ca5 H2 Si6 O18 .6H2 O(?) .
See:V-cut
plot mark
plow deflector
A mark made in a bit mold, bit die, or
blank bit where a pip or hole is
drilled to receive or to encompass a
diamond. Long

a. A steel plate attached to the end of a


cutter loader for deflecting cut
coal onto the face conveyor. Nelson
b. A device for removing or diverting the
dust
and
dirt
off
a
belt
conveyor and thus prevent it being carried
back
along
the
return
belt.
Nelson

plotting instrument
A large drawing machine by means of
which stereoscopic pairs of vertical
photographs can be viewed in conjunction
with their ground control points
and mechanically translated into accurate
maps. Hammond

plow steel
A high-tensile steel used
manufacture of hoisting ropes.

in

the

plotting scale
plow-type machine
A scale used for setting off the lengths of
lines in surveying.

Plows may be divided into two classes:


(1) machines that peel the coal to
a depth of from 1 to 12 in (2.54 to 30.5
cm) by knives of various designs
and the cut coal is then loaded onto a
heavy type scraper chain conveyor;

plow
a. In coal mining, a cutter loader with
knives or blades, which is pulled

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be provided with serrations, inset


diamonds, or other types of cutting
edges.
Long
d.
See:block
e.
See:cartridge
f. A cylindrical piece of wood or an
expandable metal apparatus placed in
a borehole to act as a base into which the
drive
wedge
of
a
borehole
deflection
device
is
driven.
g. Small wooden pin driven into a hole in
the rock roof of a tunnel. The
axis of the tunnel is marked on such plugs
by
tacks,
or
by
small
iron
hooks from which a plummet lamp may
be suspended for sighting upon.
Stauffer
h. To plug a well by cementing a block
inside casing or capping the well
with a metal plate. Wheeler, R.R.
i. Any block installed within casing to
prevent
movement
of
fluids.
Wheeler,
R.R.
j. A steel wedge used in quarrying
dimension
stone.
See:plug-and-feather
method
k. A vertical, pipelike body of magma that
represents
the
conduit
to
a
former volcanic vent. CF:neck

and (2) machines that peel a thin slice up


to 2 in (5.1 cm) in thickness,
by knives attached to each end of a steel
box, and the coal is dragged
along the face inside the box. From the
aspect of speed of travel, plows
may be divided into: (1) slow-moving
types of 10 to 20 ft/min (3.0 to 6.1
m/min), which remove a thicker slice; and
(2)
fast-moving
types
at
about
80 ft/min (24.4 m/min), which take a
relatively thin slice.
plucking
a. Describes the sudden jerking or
plucking on heavy endless-rope haulage
when the rope again takes the load,
following rope coils. Instead of
slipping smoothly sideways, the rope
tends to stick until the pressure of
oncoming coils overcomes the friction;
these slip suddenly, producing a
momentary slackening followed by a
sudden jerk or pluck as the rope again
takes the load. This may loosen chains or
clips and cause derailments and
runaway
sets.
Sinclair,
5
b. The disruption of blocks of rock by a
glacier
or
stream.
Standard, 2

plug-and-feather hole
A hole drilled for the purpose of splitting
a block of stone. These holes
are usually in rows. The plug is a slightly
wedge-shaped
piece
of
iron
driven between two L-shaped irons, or
feathers,
inserted
in
the
hole.
Stauffer

plug
a. A watertight seal in a shaft formed by
removing
the
lining
and
inserting a concrete dam, or by placing a
plug
of
clay
over
ordinary
debris used to fill the shaft up to the
location
of
the
plug.
BS,
10
b.
See:hoisting
plug
c. A steel cylinder placed inside the
annular opening in a coring bit to
convert it for use as a noncoring bit. The
face of the plug may or may not

plug-and-feather method
A method used in quarrying to reduce
large masses of stone to smaller
size. By using a hammer drill, a row of
shallow holes is made along the

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d. A blocked core barrel or bit. Long


e. A coring bit in which a plug has been
inserted.
Long

line where a break is desired. The feathers


consist
of
two
iron
strips
flat on one side for contact with the
wedge, and curved on the other to
fit the wall of the drill hole. They are
placed in the hole and the plug
(a steel wedge) is placed between them.
They
are
sledged
lightly
in
succession until a fracture appears.
Wherever possible, such fractures are
made parallel with the rift of the stone.

plugged bit
a.
See:noncoring
bit
b. A core bit, the annular opening of
which is tightly closed or blocked
by a piece or the impacted fragments of a
core. Long

plug bit

plugged crib

a. A diamond bit that grinds out the full


width of a hole.

A curb supporting the walling in a shaft


and is itself supported on plugs
or bolts driven into the ground around the
shaft. The crib may be removed
when the walling from below is carried up
to it.

b. A noncoring diamond-set bit that can be


in the form of a bullnose bit,
pilot bit, or concave bit. Also called
bullnose bit; concave bit; noncore
bit; pilot bit. BS, 9

plugging

plug box

a. The stopping of the flow of water into a


shaft
by
plugs
of
clay.
Zern
b. The material used, the act, or the
process of inserting a plug in a
borehole to fill it or the cracks and
openings in the borehole sidewalls.
Long
c. The act or process of drilling a borehole
with
a
noncoring
bit.
Long
d. The practice of filling holes and cavities
in
castings
with
porous
silicate mixture (cast iron filler) before the
application
of
cover
coats.
The filler must be firmly forced into the
casting
holes,
since
any
entrapped air beneath the filler will
expand during firing and force the
material out causing blowholes. Enam.
Dict.

Eng. A wooden water pipe used in


coffering.
plug drill
A stonecutter's percussion drill. Webster
3rd
plugged
a. A borehole that has been filled or
capped with a long plug, or in which
a plug has been inserted. Long
b. Cracks or openings in the rocks in the
walls of a borehole that have
been filled or sealed with cement or other
substances.
Long
c. A borehole that has been drilled with a
plug
or
noncoring
bit.
Long

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plughole

plug shot

a. A passageway that is left open, while


working
on
an
explosion-proof
stopping, for the purpose of maintaining
the ventilation of the fire area
at or as near the normal quantity as
possible, to prevent any increase in
the combustible gases content in the air.
After the stopping is completed,
this hole is plugged up with sandbags in
order to completely seal off the
mine area. The plughole is generally a
tapered passageway of about 3.5 ft
(1.1 m) square at the inby side of the
stopping and 2.5 ft (0.76 m) square
at the outby side. McAdam, 1
b. See:block hole

Scot. A small charge exploded in a hole to


break up a stone of moderate
size.
plug valve
A valve or cock opened or closed by the
turning of a plug, usually conical
in shape. Not to be confused with needle
valve
or
globe
valve.
Long
plum
a. A large random-shaped stone dropped
into a large-scale mass of concrete
to economize on the volume of the
concrete.
Hammond
b. An old form of plumb. Fay

plughole stopping
A stopping in which the floor and the
sidewalls of the passage are built
of sandbags, and the roof may be the roof
of
the
roadway
or
covering
boards used between the webs of steel
arches,
or
preferably,
corrugated
steel sheeting used as lagging behind steel
arches.
The
plughole
or
passage is generally tapered from the inby
end from 3 to 3.5 ft (0.9 to
1.1 m) square to 2.5 ft (0.76 m) square so
that,
in
the
event
of
an
explosion, the plug of sandbags in the
passage is subjected to a wedging
action assisting to retain the plug in place.
The
plughole
may
be
placed
in the most convenient position and
although this is often at the top, it
is sometimes placed to the side and
reasonably
near
the
floor.
Sinclair, 1

plumb
a.
See:vertical
bob;
plumbline.
b.
See:plumb
c. To carry a survey into a mine through a
shaft
by
means
of
heavily
weighted fine wires hung vertically in the
shaft.
The
line
of
sight
passing through the wires at the surface is
thus
transferred
to
the
mine
workings. An important piece of work: in
mine shafts, and in transferring
courses or bearings from one level to
another. Fay
plumbago
a. A special quality of powdered graphite
used to coat molds, and in a
mixture with clay, to make crucibles.
c. Impure graphite or graphitic rock.
d. Minerals resembling graphite; e.g.,
molybdenite.

plugman
See:pumping engineer

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under, in underground work) which


it is set. Special plumblines are used in a
vertical
shaft
to
transfer
a
fixed or an azimuth angle from the surface
to underground workings for the
purpose of orientation. Also known as
plumb
bob;
plummet.

plumbago crucible
Highly refractory crucible composed of a
mixture of about equal parts of
refractory clay and graphite. Osborne
plumb bob
a. A small weight or bob, hanging at the
end of a cord, which under the
action of gravity is oriented in a vertical
direction.
Also
called
a
plummet.
CTD
b. A pointed weight hung from a string.
Used
for
vertical
alignment.
Nichols, 1

plumbocalcite
A variety of calcite containing a small
amount of lead carbonate.
plumboferrite
A trigonal mineral, PbFe4 O7 ; black; at
Jakobsberg, Sweden.

plumber's dope
A soft sealing compound for pipe threads.
Nichols, 1

plumbogummite
A trigonal mineral, PbAl3 (PO4 )2 (OH)5
.H
2 O ; crandallite group; forms yellow to
brown
encrustations;
in
Cumberland, United Kingdom.

plumbic
Of, pertaining to, or containing lead, esp.
in
its
higher
valence.
CF:plumbous

plumbojarosite
plumbiferous
A trigonal mineral, PbFe6 (SO4 )4 (OH)12 ;
alunite group; forms minute brown tabular
crystals
with
rhombohedral
cleavage.

Containing lead. Webster 3rd


plumbing

plumbomicrolite

Transferring a point at one level to a point


vertically
below
or
above
it
by means of a weight (plumb bob or
plummet) suspended at the end of a
string or wire (plumbline).; string survey.
Nelson

An isometric mineral, (Pb,Ca,U)2 Ta2 O6


(OH);
pyrochlore group. It occurs in greenishyellow and orange masses and
octahedra from Kivu, Zaire.

plumbline
A device used to produce a vertical line
between a survey instrument and
the reference point over (or sometimes
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plumbous

plump

Of, pertaining to, or containing lead, esp.


in
its
lower
valence.
CF:plumbic

Corn. A corruption of the word pump.

plumb pneumatic jig

See:puddingstone

Mineral concentrator in which air is


pulsed upward through a porous deck
by means of a rotary valve. Pryor, 3

plunge

plum-pudding stone

plummet

a. The vertical angle between a horizontal


plane and the line of maximum
elongation
of
an
orebody.
b. The inclination of a fold axis or other
linear
structure,
measured
in
the vertical plane. CF:apparent plunge;
dip.
AGI
c. To set the horizontal cross wire of a
theodolite in the direction of a
grade when establishing a grade between
two
points
of
known
level.
AGI
d. To reverse the direction of the telescope
of
a
theodolite
by
rotating
it 180 degrees about its horizontal axis.

See:plumbline

plunger

plumose

a. In blasting, a rod designed for thrusting


into
a
drill
hole
and
ascertaining the position of a cartridge.
Standard,
2
b. The piston of a force pump. Fay
c. A piston and its attached rod. Long

plumb post
One of the vertical posts at the side of a
tunnel
resting
on
sills
and
carrying the wallplates; collectively, they
support
the
tunnel
roof
by
means of centering. Stauffer
plumites
A feathery variety of jamesonite.

Having a feathery appearance. Fay


plumose antimony
A feather-ore variety of jamesonite or
boulangerite;
also
called
feather
ore. Also spelled plumites, plumosite.

plunger bucket

plumose mica

A pump piston without a valve. Also


called
plunger
lift.
Webster 3rd

A feathery variety of muscovite.


plunger case
plumosite
The pump barrel, or cylinder, in which a
solid
piston
or
plunger
works.
Also called pole case. Fay

A feathery variety of jamesonite or


boulangerite.

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with
Lewis

plunger jig washer


A washer in which water is forced upward
and
then
downward
through
a
screen by the action of a plunger in an
adjoining
compartment.
Although
these machines are still in use, the term
"jig washer" is now applied to
the fixed-screen, air-pulse jig, which is
directly
descended
from
the
first Baum washer used in 1892.
Nelson

double-acting

plungers.

plunger-type washbox
A washbox in which pulsating motion is
produced
by
the
reciprocating
movement of a plunger or piston.
plus distance

Scot. A pump and attached column of


pipes, that raises water by means of a
ram or piston. Fay

Fractional part of 100 ft or m used in


designating the location of a point
on a survey line--such as, 4+47.2,
meaning 47.2 ft or m beyond Station 4;
or 447.2 ft or m from the initial point,
measured along a specified line.
Seelye, 2

plunger press

plush copper ore

A press in which the pressure is applied


by
a
plunger,
with
a
reciprocating motion, to charges of feed
contained in molds in a vertical
or horizontal table. BS, 5

See:chalcotrichite; cuprite.

plunger lift

plus mesh
The portion of a powder sample retained
on
a
screen
of
stated
size.
Osborne

plunger pump
a. Reciprocating pump used for moving
water or pulp, in which a solid
piston displaces the fluid. Pryor, 3
b. A displacement-type pump may be of
various types, such as: (1) the
triplex pump, a vertical or horizontal,
single-acting
plunger
type
for
small heads with three single-acting
cylinders in the pump frame driven by
a motor mounted on the outside of the
frame
and
connected
to
the
crankshaft of the pump through gearing;
(2) the quadruplex or quintuplex
pump, a pump having four or five
cylinders; and (3) the duplex pump, a
crank-and-flywheel type for high heads,

plus sight
See:backsight
pluton
A body of medium- to coarse-grained
igneous rock that formed beneath the
surface by crystallization of a magma.
plutonic
a. Pertaining to igneous rocks formed at
great
depths.
CF:hypabyssal
AGI
b. Pertaining to rocks formed by any

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process
. AGI

at

great

English-English

depth.

pluviometer
See:rain gage

plutonic metamorphism
ply
Deep-seated regional metamorphism at
high
temperatures
and
pressures,
often accompanied by strong deformation;
batholithic
intrusion
with
accompanying metasomatism, infiltration,
and
injection
(or,
alternatively,
differential fusion or anatexis) is
characteristic.
CF:injection metamorphism

a. U.K. A thin band of shale lying


immediately over a coal seam.
b. U.K. A rib or successive ribs; e.g., of
clayband
with
very
thin
partings.
c. Limy ply; a limestone bed; Edinburgh,
U.K.
pneumatic

plutonic ore deposit


Set in motion or operated by compressed
air. Nelson

Collectively, the major group of ore


deposits of magmatic origin that have
been formed under abyssal conditions.
Schieferdecker

pneumatic blowpipe

Igneous rock formed deep within the


Earth under the influence of high heat
and
pressure,
hypogene
rocks;
distinguished from eruptive rock formed
at
the surface. Hess

A long, 3/4-in-diameter (1.9-cm-diameter)


metal pipe, connected to an air
supply; used to blow out dust and
chippings from vertical blast holes at
quarries. The blowpipe is generally used
for holes exceeding about 12 ft
(3.66 m) deep. A stream of water is
sometimes used instead of an air jet.
Nelson

plutonic series

pneumatic caisson

A series of different igneous rocks that


evolved from the same original
magma through various differentiation
stages.

Closed casing in which air pressure is


maintained equal to the pressures
of the water and soils on the outside. The
deeper
the
caisson,
the
higher
the pressure that must be maintained.
Carson, 1

plutonic rock

plutonism
a. The obsolete belief that all of the rocks
of
the
Earth
solidified
from
an original molten mass. CF:neptunism
b. A general term for the phenomena
associated with the formation of
plutons. AGI

pneumatic cartridge loader


A cartridge loader widely used for
underwater
blasting,
for
blasting
without removing the overburden, and for
long-hole
blasting.
It
is
also

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operated by compressed air. Nelson


b. An arrangement of tubes or ducts
through which bulk material or objects
are conveyed in a pressure and/or vacuum
system.

being used increasingly for tunneling and


other
sorts
of
rock
blasting.
Langefors
pneumatic cleaning

pneumatic drill

Mineral cleaning by machines that utilize


air
currents
as
the
primary
separating medium. The air machines can
generally be divided into three
types: (1) pneumatic jigs, in which the air
current
is
pulsated;
(2)
pneumatic tables, in which the refuse is
diverted
from
the
direction
of
flow of the clean mineral by a system of
riffles fixed to the deck; and
(3) pneumatic launders, in which the
products are flowing in the same
direction, and the clean mineral is
skimmed off the top of the bed and/or
the refuse is extracted from the bottom in
successive
stages.
Mitchell

Compressed-air
drill
worked
by
reciprocating piston, hammer action, or
turbo drive. Pryor, 3
pneumatic drill leg
See:air-leg support
pneumatic filling
A filling method in which compressed air
is
utilized
to
blow
filling
material into a mined-out stope. Stoces
pneumatic flotation cell

pneumatic concentrator

Machine in which the air used to generate


a
mineralized
froth
is
blown
into the cell, either through a porous
septum at or near the bottom, or by
pipes that bring low-pressure air to that
region. Pryor, 3

Gravity jig, shaking table, or other device


in
which
suitably
ground
minerals are separated by gravity during
their exposure to a continuous or
pulsating current of air. Pryor, 3

pneumatic friction clutch


pneumatic conveying
This clutch transmits power through
friction shoes carried on the tube of
cord and rubber construction. The
pneumatic clutch is self-adjusting for
wear owing to the natural resilience of the
rubber
tube.
Disengagement
is
complete and automatic when the air
under pressure is released. The clutch
is controlled by finger pressure on a valve.
The valve can be installed at
the place most convenient for the
operator. Pit and Quarry

Use of compressed air to move fairly fine


aggregates
laterally
and/or
vertically. Pryor, 3
pneumatic conveyor
a. A pipe or tube through which granular
material
is
transported
by
airblast. It is used for pulverized coal,
crushed
rock
(pneumatic
stowing), cement, etc. The term could also
be
applied
to
a
conveyor

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cloth,
frit,
or
rubber
surface
forming the wall of a wind box. Gaudin, 2

pneumatic hammer
A hammer that uses compressed air for
producing the impacting blow.

pneumatic mortar
Mortar applied to a surface with a cement
gun
in
the
same
manner
as
gunite. Such mortar has a cube crushing
strength of 3,000 psi (20.7 MPa)
at 7 days and of 6,000 psi (41.4 MPa) at
28
days,
with
a
water-cement
ratio of 0.45. Hammond

pneumatic hoist
A device for hoisting; operated by
compressed air. Standard, 2
pneumatic injection
A method for fighting underground coal
fires.
This
air-blowing
technique
involves the injection of an incombustible
mineral, like rock wool or dry
sand, through 6-in (15.2-cm) boreholes
drilled
from
the
surface
to
intersect underground passageways in the
mines.

pneumatic pick
A compressed-air-operated hand tool used
to excavate coal, ore, and rock,
with a punching action. Without the pick
steel, its length is about 18 in
(46 cm) and weight about 24 lb (10.8 kg).
It
delivers
about
2,500
blows/min. The latest type is the watercontrolled pick, so designed that
the air valve is operated by water pressure.
The
water
assists
in
suppressing the dust made during cutting.
Nelson

pneumatic jig
a. Air jig used in desert countries for
concentrating
ore.
Pryor,
3
b. A jigging machine in which an airblast
performs the work of separation
of
minerals.
Standard,
2
c. See:Kirkup table; plunger jig washer.

pneumatic ram
A ram fed by a compressed-air pipeline.
The piston is about 8 in (20 cm)
in diameter, giving an area of 50 in2 (323
cm2
)
and
exerts a pushing force of up to 4,000 lb
(1,800 kg). Nelson

pneumatic lighting
a. Underground lighting produced by a
compressed-air turbomotor driving a
small
dynamo.
Pryor,
3
b. The use of compressed air to generate
electric light.

pneumatic riveter
A compressed-air tool used for driving
rivets.
Hammond

pneumatic method
In flotation, a method in which gas is
introduced
under
slight
pressure
near the bottom of the flotation vessel, the
device
used
for
introduction
being either a submerged pipe or a porous

pneumatic rod puller


An air-driven rod puller.

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pneumatics

pneumatic table

The branch of physics that deals with the


mechanical
properties
of
gases,
such as their pressure, elasticity, density,
and
also
of
pneumatic
mechanisms; sometimes it includes
acoustics. Standard, 2

An appliance for the dry cleaning of ore or


coal.
It
consists
of
a
perforated deck, with vertical ribs or
riffles, which is reciprocated; the
motion keeps the bed of raw coal
sufficiently mobile for the blast of air
from below to effect a process of
stratification (or layering). The coal
rises to the surface, with dirt at the base
and
a
central
layer
of
middlings.;
Kirkup
table;
Vee table; air table. Nelson

pneumatic shaft sinking


a. Shaft sinking with the aid of a drop
shaft
fitted
with
an
air-tight
deck to form a working chamber.
b. The caisson-sinking process now
largely obsolescent in mining practice.
Nelson

pneumatic tamper
Essentially a long-stroke piston with a
mushroom-shaped foot about 4 in
(10 cm) in diameter. It operates on
compressed air, which is used to lift
the piston and footpiece; their combined
weight, in falling, supplies the
impact. Carson, 1

pneumatic stowing
A system of filling mined cavities in
which crushed rock is carried along
a pipeline by compressed air and
discharged at high velocity into the
space to be packed, the intense projection
ensuring a very high density of packed
material. For stowing shallow workings-up
to
200
yd
(183
m)
in
depth--the stowing plant may be installed
on the surface. The air pressure
is about 60 psi (414 kPa). For deeper
workings, the plant may be installed
underground, and the crushed rock taken
down from the surface. The stowing
pipes are about 5 to 6 in (approx. 13 to 15
cm) in diameter. The system is
often employed if important surface
structures
require
protection.
The
material used is from old dirt heaps,
screen dirt, and washery rejects.
The material is crushed to -2-1/2 in (-6.35
cm) and preferably without the
-1/2-in
(-1.27-cm)
material.;
crusher stower; hydraulic stowing; lowpressure
air
stower.
Nelson

pneumatic tool
Tool operated by air pressure. Crispin
pneumatic transport
System composed of: a compressor, which
provides airflow; a feeder, which
meters the flow of material into a pipeline;
and
the
pipeline-for
transporting coarse, dry, noncohesive
material. SME, 1
pneumatic water barrel
A special type of water barrel for
removing water from a shaft sinking. By
means of a hose connection to an air pump
at the surface, a partial vacuum
is created inside the barrel and the water
lifts
the
valve
and
fills
the

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barrel. The hose is then detached and the


barrel is hoisted to the surface
and discharged. Also called vacuum tank.
Nelson

pneumatolytic stage
That stage in the cooling of a magma
during which the solid and gaseous
phases are in equilibrium. AGI

pneumatogenic
pneumoSaid of a rock or mineral deposit formed
by
a
gaseous
agent.
CF:hydatogenic; hydatopneumatogenic;
pneumatolytic. AGI

A combining form taken from the Greek


meaning lung, and used in connection
with the terminology of geologic
processes and effects involving gases and
vapors. Stokes

pneumatolysis
Alteration of a rock or crystallization of
minerals
by
gaseous
emanations
derived from solidifying magma. Adj:
pneumatolytic. AGI

pneumoconiosis
A disease of the lungs caused by habitual
inhalation
of
irritant
mineral
or metallic particles. It occurs in any
workplaces
where
dust
is
prevalent, such as mines, quarries,
foundries, and potteries. Also called
miner's asthma; miner's consumption;
miner's
lung.
Also
spelled
pneumonoconiosis;
pneumonokoniosis.
CF:anthracosis;
silicosis.

pneumatolytic
A term used in different connotations by
various authors and perhaps best
abandoned. It has been used to describe:
(1) the surface effects of gases
near volcanoes; (2) contact-metamorphic
effects
surrounding
deep-seated
intrusives; (3) that stage in igneous
differentiation
between
pegmatitic
and hydrothermal, which is supposed to
be
characterized
by
gas-crystal
equilibria; and (4) very loosely, any
deposit
containing
minerals
or
elements
commonly
formed
in
pneumatolysis, such as tourmaline, topaz,
fluorite, lithium, and tin, and hence
presumed to have formed from a gas
phase. CF:pneumatogenic

pneumokoniosis
See:pneumoconiosis
pocket
a. A localized enrichment; a crevice in
bedrock containing gold; a rich
patch
of
gold
in
a
reef.
b. A rich deposit of mineral, but not a
vein.
c. A bin, of a capacity equal to the skip,
used at the shaft bottom of an
underground mine for quick and accurate
skip
loading.
shaft pocket; measuring chute. Nelson
d. A receptacle, from which coal, ore, or
waste is loaded into wagons or

pneumatolytic metamorphism
Contact metamorphism in which the
composition of a rock has been altered
by introduced gaseous magmatic material.

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cars.
Fay
e. A ganister quarryman's local term for
masses of rock, 30 to 50 ft (9.1
to 15.2 m) in width, that are worked out
and loaded, leaving buttresses of
untouched rock between them to support
the
upper
masses.
Fay
f. A hole or depression in the wearing
course
of
a
roadway.
Fay
g. A local accumulation of gas. Hudson
h. A bulge, sop, or belly in a lode or bed.
Arkell
i. A cavity, whether filled with air, water,
mineral,
or
gravel.
Arkell
j. In pegmatites, the central openings lined
with
crystals,
including
those of gem species. Sinkankas

pocket compass
A magnetic needle enclosed in a
nonmagnetic case, the needle being free to
swing over a graduated face or dial. The
compass
is
useful
for
experimental purposes or for directionfinding in desolate parts of the
countryside, or during darkness and foggy
weather. Morris
pocket conveyor
A continuous series of pockets, formed of
a
flexible
material
festooned
between crossrods, carried by two endless
chains
or
other
linkage
that
operate in horizontal, vertical and inclined
paths.

pocket-and-fender method
pocket hunter
In pillar extraction, a method in which
lifts are mined in the same way as
in the open-end method, except that a
fender of coal or a series of small
coal stumps is left adjacent to the gob as
the lift is advanced. After the
lift is completed, the fender or stumps of
coal are blasted, and sometimes
part of this coal is recovered. Woodruff

California. A miner or prospector who


searches for small gold deposits
which occur on the surface in the goldbearing
areas
of
the
State.
Fay
pocket of gas
A small accumulation of methane in a
roof cavity, where it is beyond the
reach of the ventilating air current.;
combustible gases layer; hurdle sheet.
Nelson

pocket-and-stump method
A method of mining pillars in which a
narrow pillar of coal, called the
stump, is left along the goaf (worked-out
space) to support the roof while
driving the pocket. This coal acts as a
protection for the miners. When
the pocket has been completed, the stump
is
worked
back,
then
another
pocket is driven, and so on. Lewis

pocket transit
See:Brunton compass
pod
A rudely cylindrical orebody that
decreases at the ends like a cigar or a
potato.

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boreholes to freeze running water through


which a shaft or tunnel is to be
driven during development of a
waterlogged mine. Pryor, 3

Podsol
See:Podzol
Podzol

poicilitic
A great soil group in the 1938
classification system; a group of zonal
soils having an organic mat and a very
thin
organic-mineral
layer
overlying a gray, leached A2 horizon and
a dark brown, illuvial B horizon
enriched in iron oxide, alumina, and
organic matter. It develops under
coniferous or mixed forests or under
heath, in a cool to temperate moist
climate. Also spelled Podsol. Spelled
"podzol" when used as the soil type
belonging to the Podzol group. Etymol:
Russian
podsol,
ash
soil.
AGI

See:poikilitic
poidometer
An automatic weighing device for use on
belt conveyors. The device feeds
the material from a hopper in a uniform
stream onto a short independent
belt conveyor and from there onto the
main belt or bin. The weight of
material on the measuring belt actuates a
scale beam that raises or lowers
a gate controlling the rate of flow from the
feed
hopper
to
a
certain
predetermined load per foot of measuring
belt. A meter records the travel
of measuring belt, and this figure
multiplied by the weight per foot of
belt, as fixed by the scale beam
adjustment, gives the weight of material
handled in any given period.

podzolization
The process by which a soil becomes
more acid owing to depletion of bases,
and develops surface layers that are
leached of clay and develop illuvial
B horizons; the development of a podzol.
Also
spelled:
podsolization.
AGI

poikilit
See:bornite

poecilitic
poikilitic
The original spelling of poikilitic. Now
obsolete in American usage, it is
still the most accepted European spelling.
AGI

A rock texture in which numerous grains


of
various
minerals
in
random
orientation are completely enclosed within
a
large,
optically
continuous
crystal of different composition. Also
spelled poicilitic. CF:ophitic

Poetsch process
a. The original freezing process of shaft
sinking
developed
by
F.
H.
Poetsch in 1883.b. A process in which
brine at subzero temperature is circulated
through

poikilitic texture
See:poikilitic

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poikiloblastic

point agate

a. Said of a metamorphic texture in which


small grains of one constituent
lie within larger metacrysts. Modern usage
favors
this
meaning.

See:point chalcedony
point chalcedony
White or gray cryptocrystalline quartz
flecked with tiny spots of iron
oxide, giving the whole surface a uniform
soft
red
color.

b. Said of a metamorphic texture due to


the
development,
during
recrystallization, of a new mineral around
numerous
relicts
of
the
original minerals, thus simulating the
poikilitic
texture
of
igneous
rocks. CF:helicitic

point defect
A deviation from ideal crystal structure
about
a
point
location;
e.g.,
interstitial, atom missing (Schottky), or
combined
(Frenkel).
CF:crystal defect; Frenkel defect;
Schottky defect.

point
a. A predetermined direction for driving a
roadway
underground.
The
point
is fixed by roof plugs in the roadway.
spad.
Nelson
b. One one-hundredth (0.01) part of a
carat. When less than one carat, the
weight of a diamond is usually expressed
in points; e.g., 20 points equals
1/5
carat.
Chandler
c. A pipe through which steam or hot
water is brought into contact with
frozen gravel to thaw it for mining or
dredging.
d.
See:well
point
e. In quarrying, a type of wedge that
tapers to a narrow, thin edge.
f. The end or bottom of a borehole, as
distinguished from the mouth or
collar.
Fay
g. A tool used in trimming and smoothing
rough
stone
surfaces.
Webster
3rd
h. Either of a pair of tapered rails at a
turnout that can be adjusted to
direct a set of mine cars from a straight
rail
track
to
another
track
branching
off
at
an
angle..
Nelson

point driver
In metal mining, a person who drives
steam or water points (specially made
pipes with a chisel bit at one end) into the
frozen
ground
of
a
placer
deposit in advance of dredging operations,
to thaw the ground so that it
can be worked by the dredge for recovery
of
gold.
DOT
pointed box
A box, in the form of an inverted pyramid
or
wedge,
in
which
minerals,
after crushing and sizing, are separated in
a current of water.
point group
One of 32 geometrically possible arrays of
symmetry
elements
intersecting
at a point. These symmetry elements are
axes of rotation, both proper and

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improper (1 = i, 2 = m). All minerals


having the symmetry of one point
group belong to the same crystal class.
CF:symmetry;
crystal
class;
space group.

point of intersection
a. The point where intersecting lines cross
one
another.
Jones,
2
b. The point where the two tangents to a
circular
curve
intersect.
Abbrev., P.I. Also called vertex. Seelye, 2

point kriging
Estimating the value of a point from a set
of
nearby
sample
values
using
kriging. The kriged estimate for a point
will usually be quite similar to
the kriged estimate for a relatively small
block
centered
on
the
point,
but the computed kriging standard
deviation will be higher. When a kriged
point happens to coincide with a sampled
location,
the
kriged
estimate
will equal the sample value.

point of recalescence

point of attack

The point where the alignment changes


from a circular curve to a straight
line or tangent; i.e., the point where the
curve joins the second tangent.
Abbrev., P.T. Seelye, 2

See:recalescence
point of switch
That point in the track where a car passes
from the main line onto the
rails of a turnout. Kiser
point of tangency

See:portal
point of compound curvature
The point of tangency common to two
curves of different radii, the curves
lying on the same side of the common
tangent.
Abbrev.,
P.C.C.
Seelye, 2

point plotting
In seismology, a procedure in reflection
interpretation
in
which
depth
points are computed and plotted for each
seismogram
trace
separately.
Schieferdecker

point of curvature
The point where the alignment changes
from a straight line or tangent to a
circular curve; i.e., the point where the
curve
leaves
the
first
tangent.
Abbrev., P.C. Seelye, 2

point source
A single point from which light emanates;
e.g.,
the
sun
or
a
lamp
filament, or their reflections. In the case of
multiple
reflections,
each
is a point source.

point of frog
The intersection gagelines of the main
track and a turnout. Kiser

poise
a. The unit of absolute viscosity, equal to
one
dyne-second
per
square

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centimeter. Named from the physicist


Poiseuille.
AGI
b. The second unit of fluid viscosity, often
expressed
in
centimeters
or
grams.

polar
a. Lacking a center of symmetry, with the
result
that
crystals
are
acentric in their crystal forms and physical
properties;
i.e.,
electrostatic or magnetic properties are
equal
and
opposite
at
the
opposite ends of these crystals; e.g.,
tourmalines.
Ant.
nonpolar.
b. An optical device, such as nicol prism
or
polarizing
filter,
for
the
production of plane-polarized light.; Nicol
prism.

Poiseuille's law
A statement in physics that the velocity of
flow
of
a
liquid
through
a
capillary tube varies directly as the
pressure and the fourth power of the
diameter of the tube and inversely as the
length
of
the
tube
and
the
coefficient of viscosity.

Polar Ajax
poisoning
A
high-strength,
high-density,
nitroglycerin gelatin explosive, supplied
in both unsheathed and sheathed forms.

a. In ion-exchange terminology, loading


of resin sites with unwanted ions,
thereby eliminating them as locations for
loading.
b. Fouling of an organic solvent used in
stripping
pregnant
leach
liquor.
Pryor, 3

polar curve
A graph showing the distribution of light
in a flame safety lamp obtained
by plotting the values obtained at intervals
of
10
degrees
around
a
full
circle. Mason

Poisson's ratio
The ratio of the lateral unit strain to the
longitudinal
unit
strain
in
a
body that has been stressed longitudinally
within
its
elastic
limit.
It
is
one of the elastic constants. Symbol:
sigma
.

polar explosive
Explosive containing an antifreeze
ingredient and distinguished by the
prefix polar. Polar and nonpolar
explosives of equal grade possess similar
characteristics. Explosives that contain
nitroglycerin tend to freeze when
stored at low temperatures for lengthy
periods.

poker man
A laborer who removes blue powder and
ash
residue
from
retorts
after
molten zinc has been tapped. Also called
scraper. DOT

polariscope
An optical device consisting of two
polarizers with a space between for a
crystal or rock under study.

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or circularly helical path as a result of


filtration,
reflection,
or
interaction with a crystal structure.

polarity
In crystallography, the property of having
differing
types
of
termination
at the two ends of a prismatic crystal. May
be
reflected
in
pyroelectric
properties, conduction of electric current,
etc.

polarizer
In a polarized-light microscope, the
polarizing filter or Nicol prism
(polar) located below the sample
stage.analyzer.

polarizability
The property of an ion or atom to deform
so as to create a dipole from the
displacement of its electron cloud.

polarizing prism
A prism of an anisotropic crystal,
commonly calcite, cut and cemented
together so as to permit passage of one of
the
doubly
refracted
light
rays
while reflecting the other out of the train
of
a
microscope.

polarization
a. The difference between the equilibrium
value
of
the
potential
of
an
electrode and the value attained when an
appreciable current flows through
a
system.
Schlain
b. In electrolysis, the condition in the
vicinity
of
an
electrode,
such
that the potential necessary to get a
desired reaction is increased beyond
the reversible electrode potential. ASM, 1
c. The production of dipoles or higherorder
multipoles
in
a
medium.
AGI
d. The polarity or potential near an
electrode.
AGI
e. In seismology, the direction of particle
motion of shear (S) waves in a
plane perpendicular to the direction of
propagation.
AGI
f. A process of filtration or reflection by
which
ordinary
light
is
converted to plane-polarized light in
which the electric vector of a light
ray is confined to a single plane.

polar moment of inertia


The second moment of area about an axis
perpendicular
to
its
plane
is
known as the polar moment of inertia of a
plane
section.

Polaroid
A sheet of cellulose impregnated with
optically
aligned
crystals
of
quinine iodosulfate, which permit passage
of
light
with
its
electric
vector in one plane while absorbing all
other impinging light. It is a
cheap substitute for Nicol prisms in
modern polarized-light microscopes.
Polar Viking

polarized light

A typical nitroglycerin powder explosive,


which is now supplied only in
the sheathed form. McAdam, 2

Light with its electric vector restricted to a


plane
or
to
an
elliptically

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magnet; e.g., the salient poles of a


generator or motor. CTD

polder
Dutch. Low fertile land, as in The
Netherlands and Belgium, reclaimed from
the sea by systems of dikes and
embankments.

pole strength
In measurement of magnetic strength, the
number
of
unit
poles
in
the
measured field. One unit pole is the
strength in a vacuum required to
exert 1 dyn in a 1-cm gap between poles.
Pryor, 3

pole
a. Either of the two regions of a
permanent magnet or an electromagnet
where most of the lines of induction enter
or leave. A point toward which
a freely suspended ferromagnetic rod
aligns
itself.
b. The negative or positive electrical pole
in a circuit.

polianite

pole chain

A steel-gray dioxide of manganese, MnO2


,
crystallizing
in
the
tetragonal system. It is distinguished from
pyrolusite
by
its
hardness
and
anhydrous character. CMD; Dana, 4

A surveyor's chain.

poling

pole figure

a. The act or process of temporarily


protecting the face of a level,
drift, cut, etc., by driving poles or planks
along
the
sides
of
the
yet
unbroken ground. Used esp. for holding
up
soft
ground.

A stereographic projection representing


the
statistical
average
distribution of poles of a specific
crystalline plane in a polycrystalline
metal, with reference to an external
system of axes. In an isotropic
metal; i.e., in one having a completely
random
distribution
of
orientations, the pole density is
stereographically
uniform;
preferred
orientation is shown by an increased
density of poles in certain areas.
ASM, 1

See:locomotive brakeman

b. A step in the fire refining of copper to


reduce
the
oxygen
content
to
tolerable limits by covering the bath with
coal
or
coke
and
thrusting
greenwood poles below the surface. There
is a vigorous release of reducing
gases that combine with the oxygen
contained in the metal. If the final
oxygen content is too high, the metal is
underpoled;
if
too
low,
overpoled; and if just right, tough pitch.
ASM, 1; CTD

pole piece

poling back

A specially shaped piece of magnetic


material forming an extension to a

Carrying out excavation behind timbering


already in place. Hammond

poleman

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poling board

polishing mill

a. A forepoling board, driven horizontally


ahead to support the roof when
tunneling through running ground.
b. In trenching, either of a pair of side
boards
wedged
apart.
Pryor, 3

A lap of metal, leather, or wood used by


lapidaries
in
polishing
gems.
Fay
polled stone

Tripoli slate. Also called polishing slate.


Dana, 1

Som. Stone hewn into shape and faced


ready for building. Building stone
with one side rough faced, as opposed to
hammer-and-punch
dressed.
Arkell

polish

pollen peat

An attribute of surface texture of a rock,


characterized
by
high
luster
and strong reflected light, produced by
agents, such as desert or glacial
polish, or by artificial grinding and
smoothing; e.g., marble or granite.
AGI

Peat rich in pollen grains. Tomkeieff

polirschiefer

poll pick
A pick with a head for breaking away hard
partings
in
coal
seams
or
knocking down rock already seamed by
blasting.
Fay

polished section
A slice of rock or mineral that has been
highly
polished
for
examination
by reflected-light or electron microbeam
techniques,
a
procedure
mostly
applied to opaque minerals..

pollucite
An isometric mineral, (Cs, Na)2 Al2 Si4
O12
.H
O
;
zeolite
group;
forms
a
series
with
2
analcime;
colorless;
occurs
in granite pegmatites; a source of cesium
and a minor gemstone.

polishing
Removing the last traces of suspended
matter from solutions by passing
them through a filter coated with
diatomaceous earth or similar material.

polyA prefix signifying many. Used in many


mineral names, such as polybasite,
polycrase, polyhalite, and polyaugite.
CCD, 2; Spencer, 5

polishing cask
A barrel in which grained gunpowder is
tumbled with graphite to glaze it.
Standard, 2

polyargyrite
A mixture of argentite and tetrahedrite.

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polybasite

polygenetic

A monoclinic mineral (Ag,Cu)16 Sb2 S11 ;


forms
a
series with pearcite; pseudohexagonal;
soft; metallic; gray to black; sp
gr, 6.0 to 6.2; in low-temperature veins; a
source of silver.

polychroism

a. Resulting from more than one process


of formation, derived from more
than one source, or originating or
developing at various places and times;
e.g., said of a mountain range resulting
from
several
orogenic
episodes.
AGI
b. Consisting of more than one type of
material, or having a heterogeneous
composition; e.g., said of a conglomerate
composed
of
materials
from
several different sources. CF:monogenetic

See:pleochroism

polygon

polychroite

A plane figure bounded by straight lines.


Jones, 2

polychroilite
Altered cordierite. Dana, 1

See:cordierite
polygonal
polycrase
A two-dimensional form having more
than four regular straight sides.

An
orthorhombic
mineral,
(Y,Ca,Ce,U,Th)(Ti,Nb,Ta)2
O6
;
black; in granite pegmatites. Formerly
spelled polykras.

polygonal method

An aggregate of crystals of the same


species.

An ore-reserve computation method in


which an assumption is made that the
area of influence of each drill hole extends
halfway
to
the
neighboring
drill holes. Therefore, thickness and grade
must
vary
uniformly
in
opposite directions and in such cases
errors tend to be compensating.
Where the thickness and grade vary in the
same
direction,
the
errors
will
accumulate and cause erroneous results.
Krumlauf

polydymite

polyhalite

An isometric mineral, NiNi2 S4 ; linnaeite


group;
easily
confused with violarite.

A triclinic mineral, K2 Ca2 Mg(SO4 )4 .2H


(sub
2) O ; bitter tasting; varicolored; occurs in

polycrystal
A mineral specimen composed of an
assemblage of individual crystals of
various crystallographic orientations.
syntaxy.
polycrystalline

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salt
deposits
in
Mexico, and Germany.

Texas,

English-English

deep seabed. The term derives from the


French "sulfides polymetalliques."

New

polykras

polymignite

See:polycrase

An
orthorhombic
mineral,
(Ca,Fe,Y,Th)(Nb,Ti,Ta,Zr)O4
;
radioactive;
in syenites and granite pegmatites. Also
spelled polymignyte.

polymer
a. A compound formed by the union of
two or more molecules of the same
simple
substance.
Standard,
2
b. In the plural use, compounds identical
in composition but which vary in
molecular weight, such as ethylene
(ethene),
Ch2
:Ch2
;
propylene (propene), CH3 CH:CH2 ; and
butylene
(butene),
CH
3 CH2 CH:CH2 . Standard, 2

polymorphism

To chemically combine small molecules


into larger molecules; to undergo
polymerization.

The characteristic of a chemical


compound to crystallize in more than one
crystal class; e.g.: (1) kyanite, andalusite,
and
sillimanite;
(2)
quartz,
tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, and
stishovite. Allotropy refers specif.
to chemical elements crystallizing in more
than
one
class;
e.g.,
graphite,
diamond, chaoite, and lonsdaleite.
Polymorphism limited to two or three
crystal classes is dimorphism or
trimorphism, respectively. Individual
species are polymorphs (dimorphs,
trimorphs).
Polytypism
refers
to
variable stacking of identical layer
structures
in
different
crystal
classes. Adj: polymorphic (dimorphic,
trimorphic).
Adv:
polymorphous
(dimorphous, trimorphous). isomorphism;
isotypy; polysyngony.

polymetallic sulfide

polynigritite

A sulfide deposit rich in copper, zinc,


lead, silver, or gold, which forms
as a result of hydrothermal activity in the
vicinity
of
mid-ocean
spreading centers or tectonically active
basins.
The
first
discovery
of
these deposits was from the French
submersible Cyana, in 1979, during a
joint international biological investigation
of
thermal
springs
on
the

Variety of nigritite found in a finely


dispersed
state
in
argillaceous
rocks. CF:keronigritite; humonigritite.
Tomkeieff

polymerization
Union of two or more molecules of given
structure to form a new compound
with the same elemental proportions but
with
different
properties
and
a
higher molecular weight. Pryor, 3
polymerize

polynite
A montmorillonoid clay mineral in soils.
Spencer, 6

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polyphase

polytropy

In electricity, having or producing two or


more
phases,
such
as
a
polyphase current.

A condition in which there is no change in


the geometrical symmetry of the
crystal structure of two related minerals,
but
a
change
to
permit
a
variant in the resultant mineral; e.g.,
orthoclase
microcline.

polysomatic
Having a texture consisting of numerous
small
grains;
said
of
minerals.
Standard, 2

polytypism
a. A condition in micas and similar clay
minerals
in
which
they
show
growth spirals which are due to lamellae
of
different
orientations.
AGI
b.
One-dimensional
polymorphism
resulting from alternate stacking of
identical layers; e.g., kaolinite, nacrite,
and dickite.

polysomatism
Minerals having a texture of many small
grains.
polysyngony
A condition where two or more minerals
have the same composition, but
different crystal classes owing to changed
bond
angles;
e.g.,
alpha
and
beta quartz. CF:polytypy; polytropy;
polymorphism.

polytypy
A condition in which the space lattice of
two
related
minerals
is
completely altered to a new type. This is
illustrated
by
the
quartz-tridymite relationship.Hess

polysynthetic twinning
a. Two systems of lamellar twinning at an
angle
with
one
another.
b. Successive twinning of three or more
individuals, according to the same
twin law, with parallel composition
planes; commonly revealed by visibly
striated cleavage planes; e.g., albite
twinning
in
plagioclase
feldspar.
CF:cyclic twinning; twin laminae.

polyvinyl butyral
A resin, with a plasticizer. Provides the
interlayer
in
standard
laminated
glass made from either polished plate
glass or window glass. Lee
polyxene

polythionic acid
A variety of native platinum alloyed with
iron.

Any of several acids in a series related to


sulfurous
and
thiosulfuric
acid. Pryor, 3

Poncelet wheel
A kind of undershot waterwheel suitable
for falls of less than 6 ft (1.8

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sedimentary rock that yields petroleum or


gas on drilling. Webster 3rd

m), having the buckets curved so that the


water presses on them without
impact.

pool washing screen


Ponsard furnace
A screen that is divided into alternate
transverse screen cloth panels and
metal plate pool sections. Water is
directed to the pools, setting up a
swirling motion that agitates fines into
suspension.

A furnace in which the escaping


combustion gases, passing through tubular
flues, heat the incoming air continuously
through
the
flue
walls.
Fay
pontil

poor fumes
An iron rod used in glassmaking to carry
and manipulate hot bottles, etc.;
has a projection at the end, varying in
shape according to the character
of the ware carried. Also called snap;
pontee;
ponto;
ponty;
puntee;
puntil; punty. Standard, 2

Toxic or irritating chemicals produced by


an explosion. Nichols, 1
poorly sorted
See:nongraded sediment

pontoon

pop

a. A float supporting part of a structure,


such
as
a
bridge.
Nichols,
1
b. A wood platform used to support
machinery
on
soft
ground.
Nichols, 1

a. A short, secondary drill hole blasted to


reduce
larger
pieces
of
rock
or to trim a working face. Also called
pophole;
pop
shot.
b. Explosion in sealed area of a mine.
Manometers may record a sudden
pressure rise due to such an explosion.
Sinclair, 1

pony set
A small timber set or frame incorporated
in the main sets of a haulage
level to accommodate an ore chute or
other equipment from above or below.
Nelson

pop a boulder
To place and explode a stick of dynamite
on a boulder so as to break it
for easy removal from a mine. Fay

pool
pophole
a. To undercut or undermine material,
such as coal, esp. in excavating.
Webster
3rd
b. A continuous area of porous

A secondary drill hole.pop

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pophole blasting

poppy stone

Breaking down large pieces of asbestos by


means
of
short
blastholes
judiciously placed. Sinclair, 7

Red orbicular jasper from California;


popular for cutting en cabochon.
pop-shooting

pop-off valve
A method of drilling a hole just beyond
the center of a boulder to be
broken so that the charge is centrally
situated.
Stemming
is
used.
Pop-shooting is economical in explosives,
but drilling is required. It is
somewhat difficult to control the throw of
broken
material,
but
there
is
little noise to cause annoyance to nearby
property
owners.

A pressure-relief valve. Long


poppet
a. A pulley frame or the headgear over a
shaft.
A
headframe.
b. A valve that lifts bodily from its seat
instead
of
being
hinged.
.
poppet head

pop shot
a. The top of a derrick where the pulley is
situated.
Gordon
b. See:headgear

a. In mining, a shot fired for trimming


purposes.
BS,
12
b. In quarrying, a method of secondary
blasting.
BS,
12
c. A shot by which a boulder in a mine is
broken up by placing a stick of
dynamite on top of the boulder and
exploding
it.
Ricketts
d. In blasting, an explosion of the charge
that
simply
blows
out
the
tamping.

poppet valve
A valve shaped like a mushroom, resting
on a circular seat, and opened by
raising the stem.. Nichols, 1
popping
The drilling, charging, and firing of a hole
in the center of a boulder at
quarry and open-cast mines. The hole is
charged at the rate of 2 to 3 oz
(57 to 85 g) of explosive per yd3 (74.2 to
111.3
g/m3
)
of rock. The charge is pushed to the
bottom of the hole and then filled
with sand or soil. Also called pop
shooting.
Nelson

pop valve
A pressure-relief valve. Long
porcelain clay
A clay suitable for use in the manufacture
of
porcelain;
specif.
kaolin.
AGI
porcelain earth
See:kaolinite

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porcelain jasper

pore space

A hard, naturally baked, impure clay or


porcellanite that, because of its
red color, was long considered a variety of
jasper.

The open spaces or voids in a rock taken


collectively.

pore-space filling

A firing kiln used in baking porcelain. Fay

The deposition of minerals in the voids of


rocks or between the grains of
loose sediment. Nelson

porcelaneous

pore water

Resembling unglazed porcelain; e.g., said


of a rock consisting of chert
and carbonate impurities or of clay and
opaline
silica.
Also
spelled:
porcellaneous; porcelanous. AGI

a. In soil technology, free water present in


a
soil.
Normally
under
hydrostatic pressure. The shear strength of
adjacent
soil
depends
on
this
pore pressure, which reduces frictional
resistance
and
soil
stability.
b. Subsurface water in the voids of a rock.

porcelain oven

porcellanite
A dense siliceous rock having the texture,
dull
luster,
hardness,
conchoidal
fracture,
and
general
appearance of unglazed porcelain; it is
less hard, dense, and vitreous than chert.
The term has been used for: an
impure chert, in part argillaceous; an
indurated or baked clay or shale
often found in the roof or floor of a
burned-out
coal
seam;
and
a
fine-grained, acidic tuff compacted by
secondary
silica.
Etymol:
Italian
porcellana, porcelain. Also spelled:
porcelanite;
porcelainite.
AGI

pore-water pressure

pore

porosity

A space in rock or soil not occupied by


solid
mineral
matter.

a. The ratio, P, expressed as a percentage


of the volume, Vp, of the pore
space in a rock to the volume, Vr, of the
rock,
the
latter
volume
including rock material plus the pore
space;
P
=
100
Vp/Vr.

See:neutral stress
porosimeter
An instrument used to determine the
porosity of a rock sample by comparing
the bulk volume of the sample with the
aggregate volume of the pore spaces
between the grains. Porosimeters are of
various
designs,
some
using
liquids and some using gases, at known
pressures, to find the volume of
openings. AGI

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Holmes,
2
b. The amount of void space in a reservoir
usually
expressed
as
percent
voids per bulk volume. Absolute porosity
refers to the total amount of
pore space in a reservoir, regardless of
whether or not that space is
accessible to fluid penetration. Effective
porosity
refers
to
the
amount
of connected pore spaces; i.e., the space
available
to
fluid
penetration.

porpezite
A native alloy of argentiferous gold with
palladium,
the
palladium
content
varying up to 10%. From Porpez, Brazil.
porphyrite
An obsolete term synonymous with
porphyry. The term was originally used to
distinguish porphyries that contain
plagioclase phenocrysts from those
that contain alkali feldspar phenocrysts.
AGI

porosity coefficient
Evolved by Professor H. Briggs in 1931 to
express
the
conductance
of
a
waste to air leakage, per foot length of the
roadway per foot width of the
leakage zone. Roberts, 1

porphyritic
a. Said of the texture of an igneous rock in
which
larger
crystals
(phenocrysts) are set in a finer-grained
groundmass,
which
may
be
crystalline or glassy or both. Also, said of
a rock with such texture, or
of the mineral forming the phenocrysts.
AGI
b. Pertaining to or resembling porphyry.
AGI

porous
Containing voids, pores, cells, interstices,
and other openings, which may
or may not interconnect.
porous ground

porphyritic obsidian
Any assemblage of rock material that, as a
result
of
fracturing,
faulting,
mode of deposition, etc., contains a high
percentage of voids, pores, and
other openings. Long

Volcanic glass having microcrystalline


phenocrysts.
porphyritic texture

porous-pot electrode

See:porphyritic

Nonpolarizable electrode consisting of a


metal bar immersed in a saturated
electrolytic solution which is contained in
a
porous
pot.
Schieferdecker

porphyroblast
A pseudoporphyritic crystal in a rock
produced
by
metamorphic
recrystallization. Adj: porphyroblastic.;
pseudophenocryst. AGI

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rock name descriptive of the groundmass


composition
usually
precedes
the
term; e.g., diorite porphyry. Obsolete .
AGI

porphyroblastic
a. Pertaining to the texture of a
recrystallized metamorphic rock having
large idioblasts of minerals possessing
high form energy (e.g., garnet,
andalusite)
in
a
finer-grained
crystalloblastic
matrix.
AGI
b. See:pseudoporphyritic

porphyry copper deposit


A large body of rock, typically porphyry,
that
contains
disseminated
chalcopyrite and other sulfide minerals.
Such deposits are mined in bulk
on a large scale, generally in open pits, for
copper
and
byproduct
molybdenum. Most deposits are 3 to 8 km
across, and of low grade (less
than 1% Cu). They are always associated
with
intermediate
to
felsic
hypabyssal porphyritic intrusive rocks.
Distribution
of
sulfide
minerals
changes outward from dissemination to
veinlets
and
veins.
Supergene
enrichment has been very important at
most deposits, as without it the
grade would be too low to permit mining.
AGI

porphyroclast
A rock fragment contained in mylonite.
porphyroclastic structure
See:mortar structure
porphyrogranulitic
Said of the texture of a diabase porphyry
having
phenocrysts
of
plagioclase and augite in a ground mass of
plagioclase laths and augite.
porphyroid

porphyry deposit
Said of or pertaining to a blastoporphyritic
or
sometimes
porphyroblastic
metamorphic rock of igneous origin, or a
feldspathic
metasedimentary
rock
having the appearance of a porphyry. It
occurs in the lower grades of
regional metamorphism. AGI

a. A deposit in which minerals of copper,


molybdenum,
gold,
or
less
commonly tungsten and tin, are
disseminated or occur in a stockwork of
small veinlets within a large mass of
hydrothermally altered igneous rock.
The host rock is commonly an intrusive
porphyry, but other rocks intruded
by a porphyry can also be hosts for ore
minerals.
b. A deposit, usually of copper,
molybdenum, or tin, in igneous rock of
any composition that contains larger
crystals
in
a
fine-grained
groundmass. SME, 1

porphyry
An igneous rock of any composition that
contains
conspicuous
phenocrysts
in a fine-grained groundmass; a
porphyritic igneous rock. The term (from
a
Greek word for a purple dye) was first
applied
to
a
purple-red
rock
quarried in Egypt and characterized by
phenocrysts of alkali feldspar. The

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port

portable concentric mine cable

a. In drilling, a cylindrical opening


through the bit shank from which the
circulating fluid is discharged at the bit
face
into
the
water
ways.
Long
b. Any opening in a furnace through
which fuel or flame enters or exhaust
gases escape. ASTM

A double conductor cable with one


conductor located at the center and with
the other conductor strands located
concentric to the center conductor
with rubber or synthetic insulation
between conductors and over the outer
conductor.
portable conveyor

portable aggregate plant


a. A conveyor designed to be moved as a
unit. It is commonly wheel mounted
and may or may not be sectional. NEMA,
2
b. Any type of transportable conveyor,
usually
having
supports
that
provide
mobility.
loading conveyor; movable conveyor;
portable
drag
conveyor;
roller conveyor; trimmer conveyor;
unloading conveyor; wheel conveyor.

A plant mounted so that it can be moved


over the highways on its own
mounting and that performs all the
operations of a stationary plant,
including crushing, scalping, secondary
crushing, screening, washing, and
sand separation. Some of these complete
plants are mounted on one chassis;
others have the more common operations
on
one
chassis
with
the
supplementary equipment on separate
portable
mountings.
Pit and Quarry

portable crane
A hoisting device carried by a frame
mounted on wheels. Crispin

portable bucket loader


Any of several types of self-propelled
multibucket
loaders
that
are
considered suitable for miscellaneous light
excavating
work.
These
loaders
dig their own path, and to do this, have
various means of gathering the
material to a point where it will be picked
up by the buckets as they pass
over the lower tumbler. While these
loaders
are
usually
used
for
reclaiming from stockpiles, they can,
under favorable conditions, excavate
from deposits. These machines always are
mounted
on
crawler
treads.
Pit and Quarry

portable crusher
A crusher with temporary support
foundations, so that it can be moved in
sections, or it can be moved along
roadways with minimum dismantling.
SME, 1
portable drag conveyor
A portable conveyor upon which endless
drag
chains
are
used
as
the
conveying medium. Also a term
sometimes applied to a portable flight
conveyor.

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portable drill

portable parallel duplex mine cable

Any size drill outfit that is wheel-, skid-,


or
track-mounted
so
that
it
can be moved readily as a unit. Long

A double or triple conductor cable with


conductors
laid
side
by
side
without twisting, with rubber or synthetic
insulation
between
conductors
and around the whole. The third
conductor, when present, is a safety
ground wire.

portable electric lamp


Self-contained lamp (such as a batteryoperated lamp) that may be worn on
the person or carried about freely.

portable pneumatic core sampler


A device developed by the U.S. Navy
Ordnance Laboratory for sampling coral
and sand bottoms. It consists of a fourlegged pyramidal frame about 8 ft
(2.4 m) high, a pneumatic hammer with
air supply and exhaust hosing, 400
lb (180 kg) of lead weight, an anvil, and a
4-ft-long
(1.2-m-long)
aluminum barrel with a driving head for
cutting
through
coral.
Hunt

portable flame-resistant cable


A portable cable that will meet the flame
tests of the U.S. Mine Safety
and Health Administration.
portable loader
A loading machine mounted on wheels or
crawler
tracks.

portable mine blower

portable shunt

A motor-driven blower (fan) to provide


secondary
ventilation
into
spaces
inadequately ventilated by the main
ventilating
system;
the
air
is
directed to such spaces through a duct.

A tub-changing arrangement for a tunnel


face.
portable trailing cable
A flexible cable or cord used for
connecting
mobile,
portable,
or
stationary equipment in mines to a trolley
system or other external source
of electric energy where permanent mine
wiring
is
prohibited
or
is
impractical. USBM, 2

portable mine cable


An extra-flexible cable used for
connecting
mobile
or
stationary
equipment
in a mine to a source of electric energy
where
permanent
wiring
is
prohibited or impractical. (A portable
cable for mining service is not
always extra flexible and is used also with
portable
as
well
as
with
mobile and stationary equipment.)

portal
a. The rock face at which tunnel driving is
started.
b. The surface entrance to a drift, tunnel,
adit,
or
entry.
c. The log, concrete, timber, or masonry

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arch or retaining wall erected


the opening of a drift, tunnel, or adit.

English-English

at

portland cement
A calcium-aluminum silicate produced by
fusing or clinkering limestone and
clay in a kiln so as to drive off carbon
dioxide
and
produce
an
oxide
glass. The clinker is ground very fine and,
when
mixed
with
water,
will
recrystallize and set. It is combined with
aggregate to form concrete. The
name is from a resemblance to the
Portland limestone of England.

portal crane
A type of jib crane carried on a fourlegged portal frame, which runs
along rails.
portal-to-portal
A term encountered in disputes over what
constitutes
compensable
"working
time" under Federal laws. Portal literally
means
"entrance"
and,
in
underground coal mining, portal refers to
the mine mouth or entry at the
surface. Hence, portal-to-portal as a
descriptive
term
means
strictly
elapsed time from entry through the portal
to exit on return. BCI

portland cement mortar


A mixture of portland cement, sand, and
water.
Nelson
portlandite

port crown
Port roof of a tank.

A hexagonal mineral, Ca(OH)2 ; occurs in


skarns;
an
important
constituent of portland cement.

porte et gardin plow

Portland limestone

See:scraper plow

A series of limestone strata, belonging to


the
Oolite
group
(Upper
Jurassic) on the Isle of Portland,
Dorsetshire, England. Most of the
building stone used in London is from
these quarries.

porter
A long iron bar attached to a forging, or a
piece
in
process
of
forging,
by which to swing and turn it. Standard, 2

Portland stone
porthole
a. A yellowish-white, oolitic limestone
from the
Isle
of
Portland
(a
peninsula in southern England), widely
used
for
building
purposes.
b.
A
purplish-brown
sandstone
(brownstone) from Portland, CT. AGI

The opening or passageway connecting


the inside of a bit or core barrel to
the outside and through which the
circulating medium is discharged.

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above
the
used. AGI

portrait stone
A flat diamond, sometimes with several
rows of facets around its edge;
used for covering very small portraits.
Standard, 2

water

table.

Little

positive crystal
An optically positive crystal. AGI

posepnyte

positive derail

An oxygenated hydrocarbon from the


Great Western mercury mine, Lake
County, CA. It occurs in plates and
nodules,
sometimes
brittle,
occasionally hard; the color is light green
to
reddish-brown;
and
sp
gr,
0.85 to 0.985. Fay

A device installed in or on a mine track to


derail
runaway
cars
or
trips.
This device is held open by a spring,
necessitating that a worker hold it
closed while a trip passes over it. Hess

position block

A spaced bucket-type elevator in which


the buckets are maintained over the
discharge chute for a sufficient time to
permit free gravity discharge of
bulk materials.

positive-discharge bucket elevator

Mining claim that is in a position to


contain a lode if it continues in
the direction in which it has been proved
in
other
claims,
but
which
itself has not been proved.

positive displacement pump

positive

A pump which discharges the same


amount of water for a given power,
regardless of the head against which it
operates.

a. Electrically, a point at a relatively high


potential
with
respect
to
another point. A positive ion is one in
which
a
particle,
molecular
or
atomic, has ceased to be neutral owing to
loss of one or more electrons.
Pryor,
3
b. Positive ore is ore that has been proved
to exist by being blocked out
in panels sampled at close intervals on all
four sides so as to establish
its quality and quantity beyond reasonable
doubt.

positive drive
A driving connection in two or more
wheels or shafts that will turn them
at approx. the same relative speeds under
any
conditions.
Nichols, 1
positive element

positive confining bed

A large structural feature or area that has


had
a
long
history
of
progressive uplift; also, in a relative sense,
one
that
has
been
stable
or

The upper confining bed of an aquifer


whose head is above the upper
surface of the zone of saturation; i.e.,

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has subsided much less than neighboring


negative elements. AGI

parabola method) and by means of Aston's


mass spectrograph.

positive elongation

positive temperature coefficient

Tabular, lathlike, or needle crystals with


the
electric
vector
of
their
slow ray parallel to the long direction of
the
crystal.

See:temperature coefficient
positron
Positive electron of the same mass as a
negative
electron;
has
only
transitory existence. Pryor, 3

positive ore
a. Ore exposed on four sides in blocks of a
size
variously
prescribed.

possessio pedis
The actual possession of a mining claim
by the first arrival.

Fay
b. Ore which is exposed and properly
sampled on four sides, in blocks of
reasonable size, having in view the nature
of
the
deposit
as
regards
uniformity of value per ton and of the
third
dimension,
or
thickness.
Fay

possessory title
Title vested in the locator of a mining
claim by compliance with the State
and Federal mining laws.
possible crystal face

positive rake
Any crystal face permitted by the
symmetry of crystal structure but not
appearing on a particular mineral
specimen.

The orientation of a cutting tool in a


manner, so that the angle formed by
the leading face of the tool and the surface
behind
its
cutting
edge
does
not exceed 90 degrees ; e.g., teeth in a
ripsaw.

possible ore
An obsolete term for inferred reserves.

positive ray
post
Stream of positively charged atoms or
molecules that take part in the
electrical discharge in a rarefied gas.
Positive rays have been studied by
allowing them to pass through a
perforated cathode onto a photographic
plate, being deflected by magnetic and
electrostatic
fields
(Thomson's

a. To bring the survey, maps, and records


of
a
mine
up
to
date.
Fay
b. A charge of ore for a smelting furnace.
Webster
3rd
c. Any of the distance pieces to keep apart
the frames or sets in a shaft;
a
studdle.
Webster
3rd

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side of the drum and operating on


brake paths bolted to the drum cheeks.
Nelson

d. A mine timber, or any upright timber,


but more commonly used to refer
to the uprights which support the roof
crosspieces. Commonly used in metal
mines instead of leg which is the coal
miners' term, esp. the in the
Western
United
States.
e. A support fastened between the roof
and the floor of a coal seam; used
with certain types of mining machines or
augers.
f. A pillar of coal or ore.
g. An item of kiln furniture. Posts, also
known
as
props
or
uprights,
support the horizontal bats on which ware
is sent on a tunnel kiln car.
Dodd
h. A discrete portion of bond between
abrasive grains in a grinding wheel
or other abrasive article. When an
abrasive grain held by a post has
become worn, the post should break to
release the worn grain so that a
fresh abrasive grain will become exposed.
Dodd
i. A mass of slate traversed by so many
joints
as
to
be
useless
for
building
purposes.
j. Any of the four vertical timbers of a
square set. Lewis

post drill
An auger (or drill) supported by a post.
Fay
post hole
A shallow borehole. Long
post-hole auger
A hand-rotated drilling tool that enables
bores to be sunk down to about
20 ft (6 m) in unsupported holes and
deeper
in
cased
holes.

post-hole digger
Large auger, rotated mechanically or by
hand,
used
for
digging
in
unconsolidated ground and retrieving a
sample. Pryor, 3
posthumous
In tectonics, said of a recurrence of forces
and
movement
along
lines
or
over areas affected by similar forces in a
previous period; overprint.

post-and-stall
A mode of working coal, in which a
certain amount of coal is left as
pillars and the remainder is taken away,
forming rooms or other openings.
The method is also called bord-and-pillar;
pillar-and-breast;
etc.
Fay

posting
York. Extracting the post or pillars; pillar
robbing.
post jack

post brake
A
jack
for
Standard, 2; Fay

A type of brake sometimes fitted on a


steam winder or haulage. It consists
of two upright posts mounted on either

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297

pulling

posts.

Dictionary Technical: Technical

English-English

d. A colloquial syn. of seismic detector.


AGI
e. See:abyss; line oiler.

postmineral movement
Movement usually along a fault that
occurs after a mineral has been
deposited.

potarite

postorogenic intrusion

A tetragonal mineral, PdHg ; silver white.

An igneous intrusion that took place after


an orogenic event or cycle.

potash
Potassium carbonate, K2 CO3 ; formerly
extracted
from
wood
ashes; used as a component of glasses,
glazes, and enamels to enhance
colorants. Also called pearl ash.

post puller
An electric vehicle having a powered
drum for handling wire rope used to
pull mine props after coal has been
removed; used for the recovery of the
timber.

potash alum
See:kalinite; alum; potassium alum.

post puncher
potash feldspar
A coal-mining machine of the puncher
type supported by a post. Fay

See:potassium feldspar

post stone

potash fixation

An English term for any fine-grained


sandstone or limestone. Also spelled:
poststone. AGI

The retention of potassium in clays either


by chemical combination in clay
minerals or by adsorption. AGI

pot

potash mica

a. A vessel for holding molten metal.


ASM,
1
b. An electrolytic reduction cell used to
make such metals as aluminum
from fused electrolyte. ASM, 1
c. Mud-filled stump of Sigillaria in an
upright position in the roof of
certain coal seams. The stump became
hollow by decay of the central pithy
part, the hollow being filled by mud. This
stump is now a separate mass of
shale and is liable for collaspse without
warning.
Nelson

See:muscovite
potash spar
See:potassium feldspar; spar. CF:soda
spar
potash syenite
A syenite with a large excess of potassium
feldspar
(microcline,
orthoclase) or feldspathoid over sodium
feldspar (albite).

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potassic

potassium feldspar

Of, pertaining to, or containing potassium;


relating
to
or
containing
potash. Standard, 2

The minerals microcline, orthoclase, and


sanidine.
potassium titanate

potassium
This compound, which approximates
composition
to
K2
Ti6
13 and melts at 1,370 degrees C, can
made
into
fibers
for
use
a heat-insulating material. Dodd

A highly reactive metallic element of the


alkali group; it is soft, light,
and silvery. Symbol, K. Occurs
abundantly in nature; obtained from the
following minerals: sylvite, carnallite,
langbeinite,
and
polyhalite.
The
greatest demand is for use in fertilizers.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 3

in
O
be
as

potato stone
See:geode

potassium alum

pot bottom

An isometric mineral, KAl(SO4 )2 .12H2 O


.

A large boulder or concretion having the


rounded appearance of the bottom
of an iron pot and easily detached from
the
roof
of
a
coal
seam.
CF:caldron
bottom;
bell..

potassium aluminosilicate
See:feldspar

potch
potassium apatite
A synthetic phosphate with K replacing
Ca.

Inferior opal that does not exhibit play of


color;
found
in
association
with precious opal (Australia).

potassium bentonite

potential

A clay of the illite group, formed by the


alteration
of
volcanic
ash;
a
metabentonite.

a. The words potential and voltage are


synonymous
and
mean
electrical
pressure. The potential of a circuit,
machine, or any piece of electrical
apparatus means the voltage normally
existing between the conductors of
such a circuit or the terminals of such a
machine
or
apparatus.
In
U.S.
Bureau of Mines practice: (1) any
potential less than 301 V shall be
deemed a low potential; (2) any potential
greater than 301 V but less than

potassium carbonate
See:potash
potassium chloride
See:sylvite

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651 V shall be deemed a medium


potential; and (3) any potential in excess
of 651 V shall be deemed a high potential.
b. Any of several different scalar
quantities, each of which involves
energy as a function of position or of
condition;
e.g.,
the
fluid
potential of groundwater. AGI

potential gradient
An ascending or descending value of
voltage
related
to
a
linear
measurement, such as a distance along the
Earth
surface
or
ground.
USBM, 2
potential ore

potential crater zone


Inferred reserves. See:reserves
This is the region in which, if a sufficient
quantity
of
explosive
is
used, the rock will be shattered and
projected outward to form a crater.
Leet, 2

potentiometric surface
An imaginary surface representing the
total head of ground water; defined
by the level to which water will rise in a
well.
The
water
table
is
a
particular
potentiometric
surface.;
pressure surface. AGI

potential-determining ion
Any ion which leaves the surface of a
solid immersed in aqueous liquid
before equilibrium (saturation point) has
been
reached,
while
an
electrical double layer is building up and
zeta-potential
develops.
Pryor, 4

pothole
a. A kettlelike or circular depression,
generally deeper than wide, worn
into the solid rock in a stream bed at falls
and
strong
rapids
by
sand,
gravel, and stones being spun around by
the force of the current. Also
called a kettle hole; swallow hole. Fay
b. A kettlelike to irregular steep-walled
subcircular
interruption
of
bedding in the Merensky Reef of the
Bushveld Complex, South Africa. It is
filled
with
younger
material.
c. A term used in Death Valley,
California, for a circular opening, about
a meter in diameter, filled with brine and
lined
with
halite
crystals.
AGI
d. An underground system of pitches and
slopes. Applied in some cases to
single pitches reaching the surface.
e. A rounded, steep-sided depression
resulting
from
downward
surface
solution.
AGI

potential difference
The difference in electric potential
between two points; represents the
work involved or the energy released in
the transfer of a unit amount of
electricity between them. AGI
potential energy
The form of mechanical energy a body
possesses by virtue of its position.
If a body is being dropped from a higher
to a lower position, the body is
losing potential energy, but if a body is
being
raised,
then
it
gains
potential energy. Morris

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f. The occurrence, in the nether roof of a


coal
seam,
of
an
irregularly
shaped mass generally broader at its base
than elsewhere and with smooth
sides
(slickensides).
TIME
g. A circular or funnel-shaped depression
in
the
surface
caused
by
subsidence.
Hudson
h. A rounded cavity in the roof of a mine
caused by a fall of rock, coal,
ore,
etc.
i. A vertical pitch open to the surface.
j. See:abyss

potter
A skilled craftsperson who fabricates
ceramic ware using various forming
techniques.
pottern ore
A term used in early metallurgical practice
for
an
ore
that
becomes
vitrified by heat, like the glazing of
earthenware. Standard, 2
potter's asthma

pot kiln
See:potter's consumption
A small limekiln. Webster 3rd
potter's bronchitis
pot lead
See:potter's consumption
a. An obsolete term for graphite or black
lead.
AGI;
Fay
potlid

potter's clay
A plastic clay free from iron and devoid of
fissility;
suitable
for
modeling or making of pottery or adapted
for use on a potter's wheel. It
is white after burning. AGI

Eng. Flattened oval dogger of flaggy


sandstone;
so
called
because
sometimes the upper or under layers,
when split off, resemble potlids.
CF:baum pot

potter's consumption
pot ore
An acute bronchitis often occurring
among pottery employees, eventually
affecting the lungs. Standard, 2

Foliated galena. Arkell


pot setting

pottery spar
In glassmaking, the placing of a pot in a
furnace
for
the
purpose
of
melting metal. Standard, 2

A 200-mesh feldspar produced for use by


the
manufacturers
of
chinaware,
sanitary ware, ceramic tile, frits, enamel,
glazes,
electrical
insulators,
and vitrified grinding wheels. AIME, 1

potstone
a. Impure steatite or massive talc; used in
prehistoric
times
to
make
cooking vessels. Also spelled pot stone.
b. See:paramoudra

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potting

pound-calorie

The placing of pots, containing either


potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate
and sulfuric acid, in the kilns used in the
manufacture
of
sulfuric
acid
from sulfurous acid obtained from the
combustion
of
sulfur
in
air.
Fay

a. A hybrid term between the English and


metric units and defined as the
amount of heat required to raise 1 lb
(0.454 kg) of water 1 degrees C.
Newton,
1
b. An engineering heat unit, often called
centigrade
heat
unit
(chu).
Defined as above. Approx. equal to 1.8
Btu (1.9 kJ). CTD

potty ore
Som. Brown iron ore, Brendon Hills.
Apparently a color term, since the two
varieties of ore are black and potty. Arkell

pounder

Poulter method

pound-foot

A seismic technique that dispenses with


the need for drilling shotholes.
In this air-shooting method, dynamite is
exploded
in
arrays
of
simultaneous blasts with charges several
feet
above
the
ground.
The
principal difficulty involves the hazard of
working
with
aboveground
explosives and the damage to property or
to the peace of mind of nearby
inhabitants. Dobrin

Unit of bending moment being the


moment due to a force of 1 lb (0.454 kg)
applied at a distance of 1 ft (30.48 cm).
Hammond

An ore-mill stamp. Standard, 2

pour
In founding: (1) the amount of material, as
melted
metal,
poured
at
a
time; and (2) the act, process, or operation
of
pouring
melted
metal;
such
as, make a pour at noon. Standard, 2

pounceon
poured fitting
Wales. Underclay. Apparently a survival
of the obsolete form of puncheon
(punchin)--a supporting timber in a coal
mine
or
in
a
building
floor
timber. Also spelled pounson. Arkell

A connecting device that is fastened to the


end of a cable (wire rope) by
inserting the cable end in a funnel-shaped
socket,
separating
the
wires
and filling the socket with molten zinc.
Nichols, 1

pound
a. A large, natural fissure or cavity in
strata.
b. An underground reservoir of water.

pouring basin
A basin on top of a mold to receive the
molten metal before it enters the
sprue or downgate. ASM, 1

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A channel in a mold through which to


pour molten metal. Fay

storage of explosives other than


blasting agents. Unused explosives are
returned to the magazine at the end
of the shift.

pouring pit refractory

powdered coal

In the steel industry, refractory used for


the
transfer
of
steel
from
furnace to ingot. Refractories include ladle
brick,
nozzles,
sleeves,
stopper heads, mold plugs, hot tops, and
mortars used for the brickwork
involved. AISI

Coal that has been crushed fine; may be


transported
by
air
to
fire
a
boiler or industrial heating furnace. BCI

pouty

powder explosive

In glassmaking, a long iron rod for either


drawing
out
glass
or
twisting
it to a fine thread.

A general term for explosives including


dynamite,
but
excluding
caps.
Nichols, 1

An explosive containing still smaller


quantities
of
liquid
products,
compared with plastic and semiplastic
explosives,
so
that
the
spaces
between the solid particles are not filled
out entirely. As the result of
this, the density of the mass is 20% to
40% lower than that of plastic and
semiplastic explosives. Fraenkel

powder barrel

powder factor

A barrel made for the conveyance of


gunpowder, usually holding 100 lb
(45.4 kg). CF:powder keg

The quantity of explosive used per unit of


rock blasted, measured in lb/yd
3
(kg/m3 ) per ton (metric ton) of rock.

powder box

powder house

A wooden box in a miner's breast or


chamber, in which were kept black
powder, cartridge paper, cartridge stick,
squibs,
lampwick,
chalk,
and
tools.

A magazine for the temporary storage of


explosives.

pouring gate

powdered ore
Aust. Ore disseminated with veinstuff.

powder

powder keg
A small metal keg for black blasting
powder, usually having a capacity
sufficient for 25 lb (13.5 kg) of powder.

powder chest
A substantial, nonconductive portable
container equipped with a lid and
used temporarily at blasting sites for

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massive materials and shaped objects.


ASM, 1

powderman
a. A person in charge of explosives in an
operation
of
any
nature
requiring
their
use.
b. In bituminous coal mining and metal
mining, one who handles proper
storage of explosives in a powder house at
a
mine
and
issues
powder,
dynamite, caps, detonators, and fuses to
miners
as
needed.
At
smaller
mines, may deliver explosives to miners at
working
places.
Also
called
powder monkey.

powder-metallurgy technique
A metallurgical technique in which metal
powder is pressed into a desired
shape.
powder-metal process
The process of mechanically setting
diamonds in a bit in a matrix of
finely divided metal powders. The metal
powder is first cold pressed to
compact it in a bit mold or die and then
heated to allow the bonding alloy
to melt and bind the powder to the
diamonds and bit blank. Hot pressing or
coining follows heating of the powder in
some
modifications
of
the
process. Long

powderman helper
See:powder monkey
powder metal
As used in the diamond-drilling industry,
the
finely
divided
particles
of
iron, copper, nickel, zinc, tungsten
carbide, etc., which, when mixed with
a suitable binding material and subjected
to
processing
by
heat
and
pressure, may be used as a matrix material
to
form
a
bit
crown.
Long

powder mine
An excavation filled with powder for the
purpose
of
blasting
rocks.
Fay
powder monkey

powder-metal bit

a. A person employed at the powder house


of a coal mine whose duty is to
deliver
powder
to
the
miners.
b. In some metal mines, the person who
distributes powder, dynamite, and
fuses to the miners at the working faces.
This is a nautical term, but is
frequently used in the mining industry.
c. In the quarry industry, one who carries
powder
or
other
explosives
to
the blaster and assists by placing prepared
explosive
in
a
hole,
connecting a lead wire to a blasting
machine, and performing other duties
as directed. Also called blaster helper;

Any diamond bit, mechanically set, in


which finely divided metal powders
are used as a matrix to hold the diamonds
in
place.
Also
called
powder-pressed bit; powder-set bit; sinter
bit;
sintered-metal
bit.
Long
powder metallurgy
The art of producing and utilizing metal
powders
for
the
production
of

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powder

carrier;

powderman

English-English

working equal to 550 ft.lbf/s (745.7


W). The electrical power unit, the watt,
equals
107
7
cm-gram-second (cgs) units; i.e., 10 erg/s
or 1 J/s. CTD

helper.

powder pattern
The array of monochromatic X-ray
diffractions produced by a mineral
powder. CF:crystallogram

power arm

powder porosity

The part of a lever between the fulcrum


and the point where force is
applied. Nichols, 2

Ratio of the volume of voids between


particles, plus the volume of pores,
to the volume occupied by the powder,
including
voids
and
pores.
Pryor, 3

power barrow
See:pedestrian-controlled dumper
power control unit

powellite
One or more winches mounted on a
tractor and used to manipulate parts of
bulldozers, scrapers, or other machines.
Nichols, 2

A tetragonal mineral, CaMoO4 ; forms a


series
with
scheelite
as
tungsten replaces molybdenum; a minor
source of molybdenum in Idaho,
Michigan, Nevada, and California, and
Siberia, Russia.

power control winch


A high-speed tractor-mounted winch with
one to three drums; used chiefly
for operating bulldozers, scrapers, and
rooters. Nichols, 1

powellizing process
A wood treatment consisting of
impregnating the wood with a saccharin
solution. It hardens the wood, and renders
it
fireproof
to
some
extent.
Liddell

power dragscraper
A machine consisting of: (1) a bottomless
scraper bucket; (2) a two-drum
hoist; (3) two long cables that attach to the
front
and
rear
of
the
scraper; (4) a movable tail block; (5) a
short, guyed mast located behind
a ground hopper or other delivery point;
and (6) two sheave blocks mounted
on the mast to guide the operating cables
to the hoist. The tail block is
shifted manually from time to time,
swinging the scraper in a wide arc
until all the material within the operating

power
a. Any form of energy available for doing
any kind of work; e.g., steam
power and water power. Specif.,
mechanical energy, as distinguished from
work done by hand. Standard, 2
b. Used loosely to indicate the electric
current
in
a
wire.
Fay
c. Rate of doing work. The foot-poundsecond (fps) unit of power is the
horsepower (hp), which is a rate of

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radius
has
Pit and Quarry

been

English-English

taken

out.

power-factor meter
Meter that indicates the relation of the
phase between the line current
and the line voltage, which actually is the
same as the power factor of
the load. Coal Age, 3

power earth auger


A mechanically operated auger for
exploring and testing deposits that are
not very hard. The drilling rig may be
mounted on a lorry or on continuous
tracks when greater depths may be
reached. Nelson

power grizzly
Power-operated machine used mainly for
removing
dirt
and
fines
from
material to be crushed. There are three
main
types--the
live-roll
grizzly,
the vibrating-bar grizzly, and the bar
grizzly
feeder.

powered supports
In fully mechanized coal mining, a system
of
pit
props
connected
to
a
flexible armored conveyor by means of
hydraulic rams. Pryor, 3

power-operated supports
power factor
See:self-advancing supports
a. The ratio of the mean actual power in
an
alternating-current
circuit
measured in watts to the apparent power
measured in volt-amperes; equal to
the cosine of the phase difference between
electromotive
force
and
current.
Webster
3rd
b. The ratio of the total watts input to the
total
root-mean-square
volt-ampere input to a rectifier or rectifier
unit.
Coal
Age,
1
c. A clause frequently found in electric
power contracts, which sets forth
that if a customer permits the average
power factor of the load used to
fall below a specified value, a penalty
charge will be made. Power factor
is often defined as the ratio of actual
power to apparent power and is
usually expressed as a percentage.
Kentucky

power pack
a. In general, an electrically operated
hydraulic pump, placed at the gate
end, to supply power to face equipment;
e.g., self-advancing supports. The
system forms a closed circuit with the oil
returning
to
a
reservoir
containing about 212 gal (800 L) of oil.
The pump can supply 2-1/2 gal
(9.5 L) of oil per unit at 2,000 psi (13.8
MPa),
which
allows
a
setting
load of about 9 st (8 t) per prop.
Nelson b. A unit that converts AC or DC
current to AC or DC voltages suitable for
the operation of electronic equipment.
NCB
power rammer
A
manually
operated
compacting
machine, weighing about 200 lb (91 kg),
raised by an intrinsic internal combustion

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mechanism
by gravity.

and

allowed

English-English

to

fall

power station
An assemblage of machines and
equipment, including the necessary
housing,
where electrical energy is produced from
some other form of energy. Steam
boilers are fed with coal or oil and the
heat generated is used to produce
high-pressure steam. The steam then
passes to turbines that drive the
generators and thus produce electricity.
Nelson

power sequence
A sequence control system that is suitable
for a group of conveyors in
tandem. The trunk conveyor contactor is
first closed; after a delay of
from 3 to 15 s, sufficient for its motor to
come up to speed, power is
switched on to the contactor of the second
conveyor;
finally,
after
a
similar delay, power is switched on to the
third
conveyor
or
conveyors.
All power comes through the number 1
conveyor contactor so that, if this
conveyor is stopped, all other conveyors
in
tandem
stop
as
well.

power takeoff
A place in a transmission or engine to
which a shaft can be attached so as
to drive an outside mechanism. Nichols, 1
power tongs

power shovel
A mechanically powered wrench used to
make up or break out a drill rod,
casing, or pipe string. Long

An excavating and loading machine


consisting of a digging bucket at the
end of an arm suspended from a boom,
which extends cranelike from the part
of the machine that houses the
powerplant. When digging, the bucket
moves
forward and upward so that the machine
does not usually excavate below the
level at which it stands.

power train
All moving parts connecting an engine
with the point where work is
accomplished. Nichols, 1
power unit

power-shovel mining

a. Generally applied to any device used to


drive
or
operate
machinery
around a mine. Specif., it is used for the
motor-speed
reducer
combination
used to drive belt and chain conveyors.
Jones,
1
b. That part of a mining belt conveyor that
consists of a power unit base,
an electric motor, an electric controller, a
speed
reducer
with
a
flexible
coupling between motor and speed
reducer, a power transmission device to

Power shovels are used for mining coal,


iron ore, phosphate deposits, and
copper ore. The shovels may be used
either for mining or for stripping and
removing the overburden, or for both
types of work, although at some coal
mines the shovels used for stripping are
considerably
larger
than
those
used for other mining. Lewis

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power the drive pulley or pulleys, suitable


covers
for
all
moving
parts
and, if the power unit is of the detachable
type,
a
device
for
attaching
it to the conveyor. NEMA, 2

pozzolana, or by mixing together a


hydrated lime and a pozzolana.

power upon the air

In coal mining, a shot for which a hole has


been
drilled
in
a
direction
selected with reasonable care and filled
with powder and tamped with the
same degree of care. Fay

practical shot

In coal mine ventilation, the horsepower


applied is often known as the
power upon the air. This may be the
power exerted by a motive column due
to the natural causes, to a furnace, or it
may
be
the
power
of
a
mechanical motor. The power upon the air
is always measured in foot pounds
per minute. Kentucky

prairie soil
Soil transitional between a pedalfer and a
pedocal. Leet, 1
prase

pozzolana
a. A translucent dull green or yellowgreen
variety
of
chalcedony.
b. Crystalline quartz containing abundant
hairlike
crystals
of
actinolite.

a. A leucitic tuff quarried near Pozzuoli,


Italy,
and
used
in
the
manufacture of hydraulic cement. The
term is now applied more generally to
a number of natural and manufactured
materials, such as ash and slag, that
impart specific properties to cement.
Pozzolanic cements have superior
strength when cured and are resistant to
saline and acidic solutions. Also
spelled:
pozzolan;
pozzuolana;
pozzuolane.
b. A material that is capable of reacting
with lime in the presence of
water at ordinary temperature to produce a
cementitious
compound.
Natural
pozzolanas are siliceous material of
volcanic origin. They include trass
and Santorin earth. Blast furnace slag is
used
to
produce
artificial
pozzolanas. CCD, 2

praseodymium oxide
A rare earth that, together with zirconia
and
silica,
produces
a
distinctive and stable yellow color for
pottery decoration. Dodd
praseolite
a. A green alteration product of iolite. Fay
b. A greenish foliated alteration product of
cordierite.
prasopal
A green chromium variety of common
opal from Australia, Hungary, and
Brazil. Also spelled prase opal.

pozzolana cement
A cement produced by grinding together
portland
cement
clinker
and
a

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Pratt hypothesis

preblast

A suggested type of hydrostatic support


for the Earth's solid outer crust
in which crustal density is supposed to be
greater
under
mountains
than
under
oceans.
CF:isostasy;
Airy
hypothesis.

Pertaining to the time period prior to the


initiation of a blast.
preblast survey

Pratt truss

Documentation of the existing condition


of a structure prior to exposure
to blasting vibrations.

See:N-truss

Precambrian shield

Prayon process

Rocks older than the Cambrian age. Name


refers to the great shield-shaped
areas of ancient mineral-bearing rocks.
These ancient rocks occur in many
parts of the world. Cumming, 1

The most common phosphoric


dihydrate process for phosphoric
production using sulfuric acid
naturally occurring phosphate
Becker

acid
acid
with
rock.

precementation process

preaeration

Grouting the strata to control ground


water
prior
to
the
start
of
construction or excavation, such as shaft
sinking. Precementation has been
used in South Africa to depths of 4,000 ft
(
1,200
m)
and
considerable
savings have resulted.

Aeration of water or ore pulp before


treatment, notably by froth flotation
where deoxygenated water is used (e.g.,
from under a frozen lake). Also
used to stabilize ore pulp containing
unstable
sulfides
before
cyanidation. Pryor, 3

precious
Descriptive of the finest variety of a gem
or
mineral.;
precious stone.

prebaked anode
Anode produced by binding together
crushed petroleum coke and coal-tar
pitch in a mold under pressure;
subsequently baked to 1,000 to 1,200
degrees C; used in a metallurgical
electrical furnace and replaced as a
unit when consumed; in the production of
aluminum
metal,
the
anode
is
attached to a metal rod.

precious garnet
Brilliantly purple almandine.
precious metal
Any of several relatively scarce and
valuable
metals,
such
as
gold,
silver, and the platinum-group metals.
ASM, 1

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aqueous solution to react with a dissolved


material
in
the
solution
and
remove the resulting new solid matter by
settling.
b. The solids resulting from the
precipitation process.

precious olivine
See:peridot
precious opal
A gem variety of opal that exhibits a
brilliant play of delicate colors by
diffraction of light from close-packed
150to
300-mm
spheres
of
cristobalite-tridymite. The color of the
bulk material may be black or
white. CF:common opal

precipitated sulfur
Sulfur
precipitated
from
calcium
polysulfide solutions by hydrochloric
acid and washed to remove all calcium
chloride.

precious serpentine

precipitation

A pale or dark oil-green, massive,


translucent serpentine. Dana, 1

a. The process of separating mineral


constituents from a solution; e.g.,
by evaporation (such as halite or
anhydrite) or by cooling of magma (to
form
an
igneous
rock).
b.
Exsolution.
c. Water that falls to the surface from the
atmosphere
as
rain,
snow,
hail, or sleet. It is measured as a liquidwater
equivalent
regardless
of
the form in which it fell. AGI

precious stone
See:gemstone
precious topaz
a. Genuine topaz as distinguished from
topaz-colored
quartz
(jewelers'
topaz).
b. An incorrect term for yellow to brown
sapphire.

precipitation barrier
Metal-rich water, as it moves away from
the
source
of
the
metal,
ordinarily comes into an environment
where changing conditions of some
kind cause precipitation of part or all of
the
metal
from
the
water.
Precipitation barriers account for the more
than
normal
decay
of
hydrochemical anomalies than can be
accounted for by simple dilution. They
characteristically occur in spring and
seepage areas where groundwaters
coming to the surface encounter an
environment of increased availability
of oxygen, sunlight, and organic activity.
Hawkes, 2

precious tourmaline
Dark-colored gem variety of tourmaline.
precipitant
Any agent, as a reagent, that when added
or applied to a solution causes a
precipitate of one or more of its
constituents. Standard, 2
precipitate
a. The operation, act, or process of adding
a chemical or chemicals to an

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precipitation hardening

precision

Hardening caused by the precipitation of a


constituent
from
a
supersaturated solid solution.hardening.
ASM, 1

The degree of agreement or uniformity of


repeated
measurements
of
a
quantity; the degree of refinement in the
performance of an operation or
in the statement of a result. It is
exemplified by the number of decimal
places to which a computation is carried
and
a
result
stated.
Precision
relates to the quality of the operation by
which a result is obtained, as
distinguished from accuracy, but it is of
no
significance
unless
accuracy
is also obtained. AGI

precipitation heat treatment


Artificial aging in which a constituent
precipitates from a supersaturated
solid
solution.
ASM, 1
precipitation process

precision depth recorder

a. The manipulation of physical and/or


chemical properties of a solution
to cause one of the constituents of that
solution
to
become
insoluble.
b. The treatment of lead ores by direct
fusion with metallic iron or slag,
or ore rich in iron; performed generally in
a
shaft
furnace,
rarely
in
a
reverberatory. It is often combined with
the
roasting
and
reduction
process.

A device for recording a sonic depth trace.


Abbrev., PDR. Hy
precision idler bearing
A bearing having ground races and in
which the bore and outside diameter
tolerances are held to ten-thousandths of
an inch and the width tolerance
to thousands of an inch. NEMA, 2

precipitator
precooler load
In beneficiation, smelting, and refining, a
person
who
(1)
tends
zinc
boxes in which gold or silver that has been
dissolved
in
a
cyanide
solution is precipitated; and (2)
precipitates gold from cyanide solution,
except that the cyanide solution is agitated
with
zinc
dust
in
a
mixing
cone and precipitate, then turned into a
filter
press
where
the
precipitate is recovered prior to the drying
and
refining
to
secure
the
gold. DOT

The amount of sensible heat, removed


from
the
air
in
precooling.
Hartman, 2
precutting
Method used in machine mining where a
coal cutter makes a cut along the
face in front of a cutter loader. It may be
adopted in hard coal seams or
where an improvement in the +2-in (+5.1cm)
coal
product
is
required.
Nelson

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A special blade attached to a plow that


operates a little in advance of
the main blades of the machine. It may be
used in hard coals or to prevent
the climbing of the machine, which would
leave a layer of coal on the
floor. Nelson

is given a slight roast so that


one may be oxidized, and therefore not
float,
and
the
other
remain
unchanged.
b. Preferential flotation may also be
achieved by control of pH or by
addition of an activating agent or
depressant to the flotation mixer,
conditioner, or cell. AGI

predicted 4-hour sweat rate

preferential wetting

An index devised by the Medical


Research Council of Great Britain which
is
based on the rate of loss of sweat from the
body.
It
is
designed
to
measure the physiological effect of work
in
near
limiting
conditions
in
hot working places, and is based on the
assumption that heat stress is a
function of the rate of sweating. Roberts,
1

Applied to froth flotation when separating


fine
coal
from
coal
washery
slurries. The slurry or mixture is treated
with
a
reagent
that
has
an
affinity for the material to be recovered
and
that
will
lend
itself
to
subsequent stages in the separation
process. Nelson

precutting blade

preferred orientation
Feature of a rock in which the grains are
more
or
less
systematically
oriented by shape. A schist in which the
mica plates are parallel to one
another shows a preferred orientation; so
does
a
hornblende
schist
in
which the long axes of the hornblende
crystals
are
parallel.
.

predictive metallogeny
See:mineral assessment
preemption act
An act providing for a patent to
agricultural lands. The act does not
include mineral deposits, as they are
expressly reserved.

preformed rope
Wire rope in which the strands are bent to
their
correct
lay
before
being
laid up, so that the rope is unlikely to spin
or kink. Pryor, 3

preference
A familiar term under the public land laws
meaning
exclusive.
Ricketts

pregnant solution
preferential flotation
A
value-bearing
hydrometallurgical
Pryor, 4

a. A name applied to a special type of


differential flotation in which a
mixture of two flotative, sulfide minerals

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solution

in
a
operation.

Dictionary Technical: Technical

English-English

metamorphic rocks. Commonly associated


with zeolites.

pregnant solvent
In solvent extraction, the metal-bearing
solvent produced in the solvent
extraction circuit.

prehnitoid

pregs

a. A variety of mizzonite resembling


prehnite.
Dana,
1
b. Impure prehnite. Dana, 1

The liquor resulting from leaching of ore


to
dissolve
a
valuable
constituent. Term connotes such a solution
when it has reached a loading
sufficient to justify its removal from
contact with the ore, for separate
treatment to reclaim the contained values
(by
precipitation,
ion
exchange,
or stripping). After this treatment, the now
barren
solution
is
returned
to work, or if foul, is run to waste or
regenerated. Also called pregnant
solution; royals. Pryor, 3

preliminary exploration
An investigation carried out along certain
broad
features
of
a
coal
or
mineral area, with the object of deciding
whether the proposition is such
as to warrant a detailed or final
exploration, which is often costly.
Nelson
preliminary prospecting
Prospecting undertaken after scout
prospecting has disclosed the existence
of values. Preliminary prospecting helps
to determine approx. the extent
of the payable ground. Griffith

preheat
To heat beforehand; as: (1) to heat (an
engine)
to
an
operating
temperature before operation; and (2) to
heat (metal) prior to a thermal
or mechanical treatment. Webster 3rd

preliminary soil survey


A quick investigation of surface or nearsurface
conditions;
no
special
equipment is employed. Tests are carried
out
on
site
for
approximate
classification of soil and are limited to
visual
or
other
simple
tests.
Nelson

preheat zone
That portion of a continuous furnace
through which the ware passes before
entering the firing zone. ASTM
prehnite

premature blast
An orthorhombic mineral, Ca2 Al2 Si3 O10
(OH)
2 , in which Fe replaces Al; forms
botryoidal
or
mammillary
and
radiating
aggregates.
Occurs
in:
hydrothermal
veins,
cavities,
and
amygdules in basalt; veins in felsic
plutonic
rocks;
and
low-grade

The detonation of an explosive charge


earlier than warranted. Premature
explosion may be due to carelessness,
accidental
percussion,
a
faulty
fuse,
or
degenerated
explosives..
Nelson; Pryor, 3

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premature block

preparation boss

An obstruction or block in a core barrel or


bit that prevents the entry of
core into the barrel before the bit can be
advanced far enough to cut a
length of core to fill the barrel. Long

In bituminous coal mining, a foreman who


is in charge of the operations of
washing and sizing coal for market at the
washery plant. DOT
preparation plant

premature firing
Strictly speaking, a preparation plant may
be any facility where coal is
prepared for market, but by common
usage it has come to mean a rather
elaborate collection of facilities where
coal
is
separated
from
its
impurities, washed and sized, and loaded
for
shipment.

The detonation of an explosive charge or


the initiation of a blasting cap
before the planned time. Meyer
premature set
a. The hardening of cement in a shorter
time than normal or estimated.
Long
b. This may be caused by the addition of
catalysts to cement to increase
setting time or by downhole temperatures
and pressure that cause cement to
set prematurely.

BCI
preparatory work
Mining operations to facilitate mining
proper
after
having
explored
a
deposit and having made it accessible both
in strike and dip. This work is
executed almost entirely within the
deposit and includes making: (1)
inclines and transfer stations with
manways; (2) sublevel drives between
the levels; and (3) various crosscuts,
chutes,
minor
shafts,
raises,
winzes, and other works. Stoces

premium tin
Tin of such high purity as to rate a special
bonus
in
the
metal
market.
Pryor, 3
premix
Aggregate that has been coated with
bituminous binder before spreading.
. Nelson

prepare
a. To shear or undermine coal so that it
can
be
readily
blasted
loose.
Fay
b. Arkansas. To make a cartridge for a
blast.
Fay
c. Arkansas. To charge a blasthole. Fay

preparation
a. The treatment of ore or coal to reject
waste.
ore
dressing;
preparation
plant.
b. The process of preparing run-of-mine
coal to meet market specifications
by washing and sizing. Jones, 1

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this
capital
plus
a
substantial
profit commensurate with the risk
involved in the venture. Hoover
b. The present value of a property is the
amount that, if invested now in
its purchase, would find its repayment
with commensurate profit in the
estimated series of annual dividends.
Actuarially, it is the discounted
sum of each and all those dividends, after
allowance
for
any
estimated
further capital expenditure on necessary
works
and
equipment.
Truscott

preplaning
The lead or stagger that exists between
planing
blades
in
the
same
vertical plane of a plow. Nelson
prereduced iron-ore pellet
A semimetallized pellet developed by the
U.S.
Bureau
of
Mines
from
taconite concentrates. The process
involves rolling the concentrates into
pellets, then drying, calcining, and
roasting the pellets in a reducing
(oxygen-deficient) atmosphere. During the
heat-hardening
stage,
the
pellets are partly converted to metal. Use
of
these
pellets
causes
a
considerable
increase
in
pig-iron
production.

preservative
For mine timbers that are exposed to
severe
conditions
of
damp,
ventilation, and stress, any of several
chemicals used to impregnate them
to resist dry or wet rot. These include
copper
sulfate,
creosote,
salt,
sodium fluoride and silicofluoride, and
zinc
as
chloride
or
sulfate.
Pryor, 3

preselective
An arrangement by which a gear level can
be moved, but the resulting speed
shift will not take place until the clutch or
the
throttle
is
manipulated.
Nichols, 1

presplitting
a. A smooth blasting method in which
cracks for the final contour are
created by blasting prior to the drilling of
the rest of the holes for the
blast pattern. Once the crack is made, it
screens off the surroundings to
some extent from ground vibrations in the
main round. Langefors.

present
Eng. Stone of suitable thickness for
shaping into a tile stone without
frosting; occurs in Stonesfield slate series
and
Chipping
Norton
limestone
of the Cotswolds. Arkell
present value
a. The present value of a mine may be
considered to be a sum of money that
may be allowed for the purchase,
development, and equipment of a mine,
with the expectation of receiving for this
capital
expenditure,
during
the
estimated life of the mine, the return of

pressed amber
Synthetic
amber
produced
by
consolidating amber fragments under
pressure with an oil binder.; amberoid.

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between two points. Roberts, 1


d. Force exerted by air per unit area, either
gage
or
absolute.
Atmospheric pressure is measured by a
barometer. Measured in pounds per
square inch, kilopascals, or inches of
mercury. Hartman, 1

pressed cameo
Similar to molded cameo, but pressed.
CF:molded cameo
pressed copal
Synthetic copal produced by consolidating
copal
fragments
under
pressure
with an oil binder.

pressure anemometer
a. An instrument for measuring the
velocity of ventilating air currents in
mines.
b. An anemometer indicating wind
velocity by means of the velocity head
exerted. Standard, 2

presser
In ceramics, a worker who molds the
handle, ears, and decorative reliefs
to be applied to a pottery vessel before
firing. Fay

pressure arch
pressing machine
The driving of a narrow roadway results
in the development of a pressure
arch over the excavation. The strata within
the
arch
bend
slightly
and
cease to support the overlying beds, and
the load is transferred to the
solid or rock along the sides. The wider
the roadway, the greater the span
of the arch and its height at the crown. A
similar
but
larger
pressure
arch is formed across a longwall face,
with one leg resting on the solid
coal and the other on the solid pack
behind
the
coal
face.
Nelson

a. A machine that forms ceramic shapes


by forcing plastic or semiplastic
raw materials into a die or mold.
b. A machine in which the whole forming
operation
is
carried
out
by
pressing the plastic glass by a plunger
forced into a die or mold. The
machine may be operated by hand or it
may be fully automatic. CTD
pressure
a. The force exerted across a real or
imaginary surface divided by the
area of that surface; the force per unit area
exerted
on
a
surface
by
the
medium in contact with it. AGI
b. A commonly used short form for
geostatic
pressure.
AGI
c. As used in mine ventilation
terminology, it is sometimes defined as
the
available energy content of the air and as
the
pressure
difference
between
two points in a ventilation current as the
energy
lost
due
to
friction

pressure arch theory


The pressure arch theory in roof action
suggests
that,
when
a
narrow
heading is advanced, the layers of rock in
the
immediate
roof
deflect
slightly and relieve themselves of the load
of
the
overlying
strata
by
transferring it to the sides of the opening
by means of a pressure arch.
The arch width just short of that which the

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phenomena, such as faults, or may occur


as a result of mining operations.
Lewis

higher
strata
cannot
span
and
transfer the load to the sides of the
opening
is
called
the
maximum-pressure arch. The depth
mainly influences the minimum width of
the pressure arch, although the type of
overburden also plays a part. The
following formula has been developed for
approximating the minimum width
of the maximum-pressure arch (W =
minimum width of arch, in feet; D =
depth of coal from surface, in feet): W =
3[(D / 20) + 20]. The equation
does not apply for overburden less than
400 ft (122 m) or more than 2,000
ft (610 m) thick. Coal Age, 3

pressure blower
A machine or blower having either
pistons, cams, or fans for furnishing an
airblast above atmospheric pressure.
Standard, 2
pressure bump
An occurrence when a coal pillar suddenly
fails on becoming overloaded by
the weight of the rocks above it.
Generally, the coal is forced with some
violence into the roadways and other open
spaces.shock bump; bumps. Nelson

pressure balancing
When an area of a mine has been sealed
off from the remainder of the
workings by barriers or stoppings inserted
at
suitable
points,
it
is
important to prevent the circulation of air
within
the
sealed
area.
This
means that external air pressures must be
equalized on all the seals. The
object of equalizing the atmospheric
pressures on the seals is attained by
inserting or removing doors or brattice
cloths
at
appropriate
places.
It
is possible to make all the seals
contiguous with a common airway by this
means, so that, if they are not widely
separated, they will be subjected
to the same external atmospheric pressure.
Roberts, 1

pressure chamber
a. An enclosed space arranged on the
access side of a stopping, which
seals off an area and is furnished with
means of raising or lowering the
air
pressure
within
it. BS, 8
b. If the mine area to be sealed off is
extensive,
and
the
seals
are
widely scattered, the fact that they are
subject
to
different
pressures
may be unavoidable. In this event,
pressure chambers may be required on
the outby side of seals. Pressure chambers
are
also
of
value
when
the
seals cannot be made tight, because of
broken or fissured ground. The
principle consists of building an outer
chamber
by
erecting
a
second
stopping on the outby side of the seal. The
air
pressure
in
the
intervening space is then controlled to
prevent movement of air across the
seal.
Roberts,
1
c. A method of driving tunnels and
sinking shafts through running sand by

pressure block
Pressure formed over the workings by
masses of rock being severed from the
surrounding formations, creating pressure
on the pillars, walls, or other
supports. Pressure blocks of large size
may result from natural geological

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holding back the loose material by


compressed air. The technique is no
longer applied to any great extent in
mining.Nelson

ports incorporated in the design of some


core barrels and preventing the
entry of drilling fluids into the core-barrelhead bearings. Long

pressure creosoting

pressure fan

The most effective method of preserving


timber
by
impregnation
with
creosote under pressure in tanks.
Hammond

a. A fan supplying air under pressure.


Webster
3rd
b. A fan that forces fresh air into a mine as
distinguished
from
one
that
exhausts air from the mine. Fay

pressure detector
pressure figure
See:hydrophone
The indistinct six-rayed star produced on a
mica
plate
after
pressing
with
a dull point. CF:percussion figure

pressure die casting


The usual die casting process in which the
molten
metal
is
forced
into
highly finished molds under heavy
pressure by plungers, compressed air, or
combined methods. Hammond

pressure filter
a. A machine for removing solids from
tailings; the effluent can be reused
in the washery or plant. The tailings are
pumped
into
the
filter
under
pressure; filtration takes place and solids
are deposited in the chambers.
Gradually the resistance increases until a
pressure of 100 psi (690 kPa)
is necessary to force more tailings into the
press.
At
this
stage,
the
chambers are almost full of solids. The
feed is cut off and the press
opened to allow the cakes to fall onto the
conveyor
beneath
the
chambers.
The output of the pressure filter is low.
Nelson
b. A filter in which pressure is applied to
increase
the
rate
of
filtration.
BS,
5
c. A filter in which the liquid to be filtered
is
forced
through
filtering
material by a pressure greater than its own
weight in the filter.

pressure dome
a.
See:air
dome
b. The bonnet on a steam boiler. Long
pressure drilling
A process of rotary drilling in which the
drilling
fluid
is
kept
under
pressure in an enclosed system. Brantly, 1
pressure drop
The decrease in pressure at which a liquid
or gas is made to move between
the intake and discharge of a pipeline or
drill stem. Long
pressure equalizer
In drilling, a diaphragm connected to the
fluid
column
by
a
series
of

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expresses the pressure per stone in


numerical values. Also called diamond
pressure; stone pressure. Long

pressure forging
Forging done by a steady pressure, as in a
hydraulic
press.
Standard, 2

pressure plate

An instrument used to measure the force


per
unit
area
exerted
by
a
confined fluid or gas. Long

In a clutch, a plate driven by the flywheel


or rotating housing, which can
be slid toward the flywheel to engage the
lined
disk
or
disks
between
them. Nichols, 1

pressure grouting

pressure process

a. The act or process of injecting, at high


pressures,
a
thin
cement
slurry or grout through a pipeline or
borehole to seal the pores or voids
in rock or to cement fragmented rocks
together.
Long
b. Forcing a slurry of cement and sand
into subgrade or an embankment
either by use of compressed air or by
hydraulic pressure. Urquhart

Treatment of mine timber to prevent


decay by forcing a preservative, such
as creosote, zinc chloride, sodium
fluoride, and other chemicals, into the
cells of the wood.

pressure gage

pressure-quantity survey
See:ventilation survey
pressure ring

pressure head
The height of a column of liquid
supported, or capable of being supported,
by the pressure at a point in the liquid.;
total head. AGI

A ring about a large excavated area,


evidenced
by
distortion
of
the
openings near the main excavation. Shear
cracks appear and minor slabbing
of the rock takes place. Lewis

pressure leaching

pressure shadow

In chemical extraction of valuable ore


constituents, use of an autoclave
to speed processing by means of increased
temperatures
and
pressures.
Pryor, 3

The name sometimes applied to a fringe


or
halo
differing
from
the
groundmass that often accompanies a
porphyroblast in a schistose rock.
Hess

pressure per diamond

pressure stripping

The feed pressure or


diamond in a bit.
supported by the bit
number of stones set

load applied per


The total load
divided by the
in the bit face

The predominant means of extracting


precious metal values from loaded
activated carbon in the cyanidation
process. Loaded carbon is placed in a

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pressure column along with a solution


containing about 1% NaOH. This
solution is circulated through the column
at
150
degrees
C
until
the
precious metal values have been removed
from the carbon absorbant. The
loaded strip solution serves as the
electrolyte
for
a
subsequent
electrowinning step for recovery of the
precious metals. Van Zyl

pressure wire
Wire leading from any of various points
of an electric system to a central
station, where a voltmeter indicates the
potential of the system at the
point. Webster 2nd
pressurized
a. Said of any structure, area, or zone
fitted with an arrangement that
maintains nearly normal atmospheric
pressure.
Nelson
b. Said of any structure or area in which
the
pressure
within
is
held
higher than the outside pressure.

pressure surface
See:potentiometric surface
pressure survey
An investigation to determine the pressure
distribution
or
pressure
losses
along consecutive lengths or sections of a
ventilation
circuit.
Nelson

prestressing
The application of load to a structure so as
to deform it in such a manner
that the structure will withstand its
working load more effectively or
with less deflection. Hammond

pressure testing
An indirect method of testing porosity and
permeability
of
formations
at
elevations of proposed structures.

pretensioning
The Hoyer method of prestressing
concrete beams, precast in a workshop
with the tensioned wires embedded in
them
and
firmly
anchored.
Hammond

pressure water loader


A cartridge loader in which compressed
water, rather than compressed air,
is used for loading underwater. Langefors

preventive maintenance
pressure wave
A system that enables breakdowns to be
anticipated and arrangements made
to perform the necessary overhauls and
replacements in good time.

A pressure produced by expanding gases


moving at high velocity, the side
component of which, equivalent to static
pressure, may be recorded by a
manometer at the side of the entry or mine
passage. compressional wave. Rice, 2

previtrain
The dense woody lenses in lignite that are
equivalent
to
the
vitrain
in
coal of higher rank. AGI

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priceite

Primacord-Bickford fuse

A triclinic mineral, Ca4 B10 O19 .7H2 O(?)


;
earthy to porcelainous white; conchoidal
fracture.

A detonating fuse having an explosive of


pentaerythritetetranitrate
(PETN). Used in large-scale blasting
work, esp. in quarries. Lewis

pricking bar

primary

a. A bar used in opening the taphole of a


furnace.
Fay
b. A rod used for removing obstructions
from
tuyeres
and
blowpipes.
Fay

a. Characteristic of or existing in a rock at


the
time
of
its
formation;
pertains to minerals, textures, etc.;
original.
Ant:
secondary.
b. Said of a mineral deposit unaffected by
supergene
enrichment.
AGI
c. Said of a metal obtained from ore rather
than
from
scrap.

priderite
A tetragonal mineral, (K,Ba)(Ti,Fe)8 O16 ;
cryptomelane
group; red; easily mistaken for rutile in
leucite
rocks;
occurs
at
Kimberley, Western Australia.

primary anomaly

priguinite

An anomaly
dispersion.

See:iriginite

primary basalt

prill

A presumed original magma, from which


all other rock types are obtained by
various
processes
of
fractional
crystallization.

In assaying, the bullion bead resulting


from cupellation of an auriferous
or argentiferous lead button. Pryor, 1

formed

by

primary

primary blast
prillion
A blast used to fragment and displace
material from its original position
to facilitate subsequent handling and
crushing. Atlas

Tin extracted from slag. Also spelled


prillon. Standard, 2; Fay
Primacord

primary blasting
A fuse composed of an explosive core
within a textile or plastic covering.
It detonates every explosive that is in
direct
contact
with
it.
Streefkerk

The blasting of solid rock, ore, or coal;


blasting in situ.

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primary breaker

primary coil

A machine that takes over the work of size


reduction
from
blasting
operations; may be a gyratory or jaw
breaker. Its capacity must be greater
than the overall crushing plant capacity. In
mines,
primary
ore
crushing
to about 7 in (18 cm) may be performed
underground.
. Nelson

a. The coil through which the inducing


current passes in an induction coil
or
transformer.
Webster
3rd
b. A coil, forming part of an electrical
machine or piece of apparatus, in
which a current flows, setting up the
magnetic flux necessary for the
operation of the machine or apparatus.
CTD

primary breaking

primary creep

A stage in bituminous coal crushing that


occurs at the entrance to a plant
and consists of raw feed flowing into the
primary breaker for reduction to
a maximum top size of 4 in, 5 in, 6 in, or 8
in
(10.2
cm,
12.7
cm,
15.2
cm, or 20.3 cm) either for washing or for
other
preparation
purposes.
Mitchell

Elastic deformation that is time-dependent


and
results
from
a
constant
differential stress acting over a long
period
of
time.
CF:secondary creep
primary crusher
a. The first crusher in a series for
processing shale or other rocks.
b. In comminution of ore, a heavy-duty
dry crushing machine capable of
accepting run-of-mine coarse ore and
reducing it in size to somewhere
between 4 in and 6 in (10 cm and 15 cm).
Heavy-duty
connotes
the
ability
both to handle large tonnages daily and to
withstand
very
rough
treatment.
Pryor, 3

primary cell
a. A group or bank of flotation cells in
which the raw feed is given a
preliminary treatment, either or both of
the
products
being
subsequently
retreated.
BS,
5
b. A cell that generates or makes its own
electrical
energy
from
the
chemical action of its constituents; e.g.,
the
voltaic
cell,
Deaniell
cell, LeClanche cell, and dry cell. Morris

primary crushing
In ore dressing, the first stage in which
crushers
take
run-of-mine
ore
and reduce it to a size small enough to be
taken by the next crusher in
the series. Ordinarily, the Blake jaw
crusher or a gyratory crusher is
used. Newton, 1

primary clay
A clay found in the place where it was
formed.
CF:residual
clay;
secondary clay. AGI

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primary crystal

primary fluid inclusion

The first type of crystal that separates


from
a
melt
on
cooling.
ASM, 1

A fluid inclusion containing fluid trapped


during
original
crystallization
of its host mineral. AGI

primary current distribution

primary foliation

The current distribution in an electrolytic


cell
that
is
free
of
polarization. ASM, 1

The variety of platy flow structure that


forms during crystallization of a
magma and is due to the parallelism of
platy minerals. Stokes

primary dip
primary gneiss
See:original dip

Geochemical dispersion of elements by


processes
operating
within
the
Earth. CF:secondary dispersion

A rock that exhibits planar or linear


structures
characteristic
of
metamorphic rocks, but lacks observable
granulation
or
recrystallization,
and is therefore considered to be of
igneous origin. AGI

primary drilling

primary gneissic banding

The process of drilling holes in a solid


rock ledge in preparation for a
blast by means of which the rock is
thrown down. Fay

See:geochemical environment

Banding exhibited by certain igneous


rocks of heterogeneous composition;
produced by the admixture of two
magmas only partly miscible or, in other
cases, by magma intimately admixed with
country rock into which it has
been injected along bedding or foliation
planes. CTD

primary excavation

primary haulage

Digging in undisturbed soil, as


distinguished from rehandling stockpiles.
Nichols, 1

A short haul in which there is no


secondary or mainline haulage; e.g., a
mine is started into a hillside, using mine
cars,
track,
and
hand
loaders.
An empty car is placed for the loader, and
the loaded car is taken to the
dump manually or by machine, repeating
the
process
for
each
loader.

primary dispersion

primary environment

primary flow structure


Structure of either linear or platy nature
developed
in
igneous
rocks
prior to or during consolidation. Stokes

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primary metal

primary mineral deposit

a. Metal produced: by direct smelting of


ore; from a mine product, such as
that extracted from mined ore; from
reprocessing mine tailings; or from
reprocessing smelter or refinery slags or
residues.
Camm
b. Metal extracted from ores, natural
brines, or ocean water. Also called
virgin
metal.
Newton,
1
c. Ingot cast from reduced and perhaps
refined
metal
as
distinct
from
ingot containing recovered scrap metals.
Pryor,
3
d. Metal recovered as a principal or
byproduct
material
from
the
processing of ores; includes metal
recovered from ore processing wastes
such as tailings, and downstream
processing wastes such as slags and
residues from the smelting and refining of
the
metal.
Excludes
metal
recovered from scrap or its processing
wastes (secondary metal).

Syngenetic ore deposit.


primary ore
Ore that has remained practically
unchanged from the time of original
formation. Stokes
primary ore mineral
An ore mineral that was deposited during
the original period or periods of
metallization. The term has also been used
to designate the earliest of a
sequence of ore minerals, as contrasted
with later minerals of the same
sequence, which some writers have called
secondary.
To
avoid
confusion,
Ransome proposed the terms hypogene
and supergene. Hypogene, as the word
implies, indicates formation by ascending
solutions.
All
hypogene
minerals
are necessarily primary, but not all
primary ore minerals are hypogene;
e.g., sedimentary hematite is of primary
deposition even though it formed
as a low-temperature precipitate.

primary mill
A mill for rolling ingots or the rolled
products
of
ingots
to
blooms,
billets, or slabs. This type of mill is often
called
a
blooming
mill
and
sometimes a cogging mill. ASM, 1

primary phase
The only crystalline phase capable of
existing in equilibrium with a given
liquid; it is the first to appear on cooling
from
a
liquid
state
and
the
last to disappear on heating to the melting
point. AGI

primary mineral
A mineral formed at the same time as the
rock
enclosing
it,
by
igneous,
hydrothermal, or pneumatolytic processes,
and
that
retains
its
original
composition and form. CF:secondary
mineral
AGI

primary reject elevator


A refuse elevator that extracts the first or
heavier
reject;
usually
situated at the feed end of a washbox. BS,
5

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primary relict

primary source

A relict mineral that was a constituent of


the
original
rock,
whether
igneous or sedimentary. Schieferdecker

An operation that produces or creates new


dust. Hartman, 2
primary structure

primary screen
a. A structure in an igneous rock that
originated
contemporaneously
with
the formation or emplacement of the rock,
but
before
its
final
consolidation; e.g., layering developed
during solidification of a magma.
AGI
b. A primary sedimentary structure, such
as
bedding
or
ripple
marks.
AGI
c. The structure preexisting the
deformation
and
reequilibration
associated with the emplacement at
shallow depth of a metamorphic body of
deep origin during an orogeny.
CF:secondary structure

A screen used to divide coal (usually raw


coal)
into
sizes
more
suitable
for the subsequent cleaning of some or all
of them. BS, 5
primary settling
The surface subsidence that manifests
itself a few months after mineral
extraction and that usually constitutes
60%
to
90%
of
the
total
subsidence. It varies according to the
depth and thickness of the seam,
the nature of the overburden, the mining
method, and the thoroughness of
the filling in the mined-out areas. The
primary period is followed by the
secondary period, in which the surface
subsides gradually for a period of
many years or even decades. Stoces

primary washbox
The first of a series of washboxes, which
receives the feed and from which
one product at least is given further
treatment. BS, 5

primary shaft
The shaft from the surface in which the
first stage of hoisting is carried
out. Spalding

primary washer
The first of a series of washers, receiving
raw feed, from which at least
one product is retreated. BS, 5

primary solid solution


A constituent of alloys that is formed
when atoms of an element B are
incorporated in the crystals of a metal A.
In
most
cases,
solution
involves the substitution of B atoms for
some A atoms in the crystal
structure of A, but there are cases in
which the B atoms are situated in
the interstices between the A atoms. CTD

primary water supply


The principal or original source from
which drilling water is obtained, as
opposed to recirculated water. Long

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primary zone

primer cartridge

Portion of a lode below that changed by


leaching and secondary enrichment,
and characteristic of the type of ore most
likely
to
persist
into
the
deeper levels of a mine. Pryor, 3

The explosive cartridge into which a


detonator
has
been
inserted.
BS, 12

prime mover

A boosting charge placed in contact with a


detonator
to
ensure
detonation
of the main charge. BS, 12

primer charge

a. A machine that converts fuel or other


natural
energy
into
mechanical
power.
Nelson
b. A tractor or other vehicle used to pull
other
machines.
Nichols,
1
c. Any machine capable of producing
power to do work. Shell

prime virgin mercury


A term used for mercury produced by
mines.
prime western spelter

primer

See:prime western zinc

a. A contrivance, such as a cap, tube, or


wafer,
containing
percussion
powder or other compound for igniting an
explosive
charge;
ignited
by
friction, percussion, or electricity.
Webster
3rd
b. The cartridge or that portion of a charge
that
carries
a
detonator
or
is coupled to Cordtex fuse and that
detonates or sets off the remainder of
the charge. The primer cartridge is placed
at one end of the charge with
the detonator pointing toward the charge.
Nelson
c. In blasting, the cartridge in which the
cap is placed.

prime western zinc

d. Usually the combination of a dynamite


cartridge and a detonating cap.
Nichols, 1

priming coat

Low grade of virgin zinc containing about


98%
zinc,
1.60%
lead,
0.08%
iron, with no limitations on cadmium or
aluminum. Bennett
priming
a. The act of placing a detonator in an
explosive
charge.
Pryor,
3
b. The act of adding water to displace air,
thereby
promoting
suction,
as
in a suction line of a pump. Water used to
promote
initial
suction
in
a
centrifugal or reciprocating pump.

A coating of binder applied to a surface of


natural
compacted
or
stabilized soil before surface dressing.
Nelson

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greatest number of stable compounds.


Pryor, 3

priming tube
A tube containing fulminating powder for
firing
a
charge.
A
detonator.
Standard, 2; Fay

principal axis
a. In the tetragonal and hexagonal
systems, the vertical crystallographic
axis; hence what is the same thing in
uniaxial crystals, the optic axis.
In the orthorhombic and triclinic crystals,
the
axis
of
the
principal
zone; the axis with the shortest period,
often the axis of the principal
zone. In monoclinic crystals, the axis c,
usually
the
axis
of
the
principal zone excluding the symmetry
axis;
the
symmetry
axis
b.
Fay;
AGI
b. That crystallographic axis with unique
symmetry
in
a
crystal
system,
designated c, except in the monoclinic
system where the second setting is
used by mineralogists making b the
unique
axis.
c. In a transducer used for sound emission
or
reception,
a
reference
direction for angular coordinates used in
describing
the
directional
characteristics of the transducer. It is
usually
an
axis
of
structural
symmetry or the direction of maximum
response, but if these do not
coincide, the reference direction must be
described
explicitly.
Hy
d. In experimental structural geology, a
principal
axis
of
stress
or
a
principal axis of strain.

priming valve
a. A safety valve on the working cylinder
of a steam engine to discharge
the
priming.
Standard,
2
b. A valve connected with the discharge
pipe of a force pump through which
the pump may be primed. Fay
primitive
See:primitive circle
primitive circle
In crystallography, the great circle on a
stereographic
projection
that
represents the equator of the spherical
projection.
The
poles
of
all
vertical crystal planes plot on the
primitive. Fay
primitive form
A crystal form from which other forms
may
be
derived;
e.g.,
a
hexoctahedron has six faces replacing
each octahedral face.
princess
Roofing slate sized 24 in by 14 in (61 cm
by 36 cm). Pryor, 3

principal axis of strain

principal

One of the three mutually perpendicular


axes of the strain ellipsoid.

Primary, or leading function. A principal


axis is the longest one in a
crystal. The principal valence is that at
which
an
element
forms
the

principal axis of stress

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containing
any
two
of
these
semiaxes. The indicatrix of a uniaxial
mineral
is
an
ellipsoid
of
revolution; its principal sections contain
the axis of revolution which is
proportional to the refractive index
epsilon.

One of the three mutually perpendicular


axes that are perpendicular to the
principal planes of stress.
principal meridian
A central meridian on which a rectangular
grid is based; specif. one of a
pair of coordinate axes (along with the
base line) used in the U.S. Public
Land Survey system to subdivide public
lands
in
a
given
region.
It
consists of a line extending north and
south along the astronomic meridian
passing through the initial point and along
which
standard
township,
section, and quarter-section corners are
established.
The
principal
meridian is the line from which the survey
of
the
township
boundaries
is
initiated along the parallels. AGI

principal stress
The stress normal to one of three mutually
perpendicular
planes
that
intersect at a point in a body on which the
shearing
stress
is
zero.
ASM, 1
principle of superposition
To determine the stress in a member due
to a system of applied forces, the
system can be split up into several
component forces and their moments and
reactions added in order to calculate the
total stress. Hammond

principal moment of inertia


The moment of inertia of an area about
either
principal
axis.
Roark

Prins process
A dense-media process in which largesize coal is separated from the
refuse in a flowing bed of small coal in a
reciprocating
launder.
Refuse
sinks to the bottom. The small coal is
screened from the coarse refuse and
returned to the head of the launder by a
drag conveyor. The floating large
coal passes over skimmers in the trough to
the discharge chute.

principal point
The geometric center of an aerial
photograph, or the point where the
optical axis of the lens meets the film
plane in an aerial camera. Symbol:
p.
principal section

priorite

a. In crystallography, the plane passing


through the optical axis of a
crystal.
Standard,
2
b. The optical indicatrix of a biaxial
mineral
is
a
triaxial
ellipsoid
with semiaxes proportional to the
refractive indices alpha, beta, and
gamma. A principal section is an ellipse

An
orthorhombic
mineral,
(Y,Ca,Fe,Th)(Ti,Nb)2 (O,OH)6 ; now
formally named aeschynite-(Y); forms
series with aeschynite-(Ce) and with
tantalaeschynite-(Y); black; forms with
other
rare-earth
minerals
in

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granite
pegmatites
blomstrandine

and

English-English

and

placers.

thin

sections.

CF:equant

prism

prismatic compass

a. The volume of a length of embankment


or
excavation.
Seelye,
1
b. The liquid mobile volume of a stream.
Seelye,
1
c. An open crystal form with faces and
their
intersecting
edges
parallel
to the principal crystallographic axis.
Prisms have three (trigonal), four
(tetragonal), six (ditrigonal or hexagonal),
eight
(ditetragonal),
or
twelve (dihexagonal) faces. The ninesided prisms of tourmaline are a
combination of trigonal and hexagonal
prisms.
d. A long, narrow, wedge-shaped
sedimentary body with width:thickness
between 5:1 and 50:1; e.g., a bajada
adjacent to an escarpment. It is
typical of orogenic sediments formed
during periods of intense crustal
deformation; e.g., the arkoses found in
fault
troughs.
CF:tabular

A small magnetic compass held in the


hand when in use and equipped with
peep sights and a glass prism so arranged
that
the
magnetic
bearing
or
azimuth of a line can be read (through the
prism)
from
a
circular
graduated scale at the same time that the
line
is
sighted
over.
AGI
prismatic plane
Any crystallographic plane that is parallel
to
the
principal
axis
of
a
crystal.
prismatic quartz
Collectors' name for cordierite.
prismatic telescope
A telescope having an eyepiece fitted with
a
prism
that
reflects
at
90
degrees . Hammond

prismatic
a. Descriptive of a clast with length to
width
ratio
between
1.5:1
and
3:1.
CF:tabular
b. Pertaining to a sedimentary prism.
c. Pertaining to a crystallographic prism.
d. Descriptive of a crystal with one
dimension markedly longer than the
other
two.
e. Descriptive of two directions of
cleavage.
f. Descriptive of a metamorphic texture in
which
a
large
proportion
of
grains are prismatic and have approx.
parallel
orientation,
giving
a
lineated appearance in hand specimens

prismoid
Any solid, bounded by planes, whose end
faces
are
parallel.
Usually
understood to include also figures whose
bounding
surfaces
are
warped
surfaces. Seelye, 2
prismoidal
Adj. of prismoid; used in sedimentary
petrology (not prismatic, which is a
crystallographic term).

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obstructions
and/or
to
determine
the attitude of a piece of junk in a
borehole. Long

prismoidal formula
A formula used in the calculation of
earthwork quantities. It states that
the volume of any prismoid is equal to
one-sixth its length multiplied by
the sum of the two end-areas plus four
times the mid-area. CTD

probertite
A monoclinic mineral, NaCaB5 O7 (OH)4
.3H2
O
;
colorless; forms radiated columnar
crystals; in Kern Country, CA.
.

probability
A statistical measure (where zero is
impossibility and one is certainty)
of the likelihood of occurrence of an
event. AGI

probing
Thrusting a pointed steel rod down
through sand or soft clays to contact a
seam or orebody. The point of the rod is
examined for traces of coal or
mineral.

probable ore
a. Indicated reserves. See:reserves
b. A mineral deposit adjacent to
developed ore but not yet proven by
development. CF:extension ore

proceedings
The term proceedings is broader than the
term action, yet in the mining
law it is used in the sense of action and
refers to the commencement of an
action. It is used to enable a party to
institute
such
proceedings
under
the different forms of actions allowed by
the State and Federal courts.

probable performance curve


A performance curve showing the
expected results of a coal-preparation
treatment. BS, 5
probable reserves

process

Areas of coal or mineral believed to lie


beyond the developed reserves but
not yet proven by development.

A series of operations conducted to


achieve a result. Webster 3rd

probe
process company
a. A small tube containing a sensing
element
of
electronic
equipment,
which can be lowered into a borehole to
obtain
measurements
and
data.
Long
b. To conduct a search for mineral-bearing
ground
by
drilling
or
boring.
Long
c. To lower drill rods, etc., to locate

Company formed for the purpose of


exploiting
a
patented
process.
Hoover
process flowsheet
A basic flowsheet indicating the main
operational steps within a plant,

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the movement of the various materials


between the steps, and the final
products obtained, and often also the
quantities of material with which
the plant must be capable of dealing at
various points. BS, 5

Proctor penetration needle


A quick and convenient method for testing
the resistance of a fine-grained
soil to penetration at a standard rate of 1/2
in/s
(1.27
cm/s).
Needles
from 1 to 0.05 in2 (6.5 to 0.3 cm2 ) area
are
used,
and
a spring balance indicates the pressure
required
for
the
needle
to
penetrate
the
soil.
soil. Nelson

processing
a. The methods employed to clean,
process, and prepare coal and metallic
ores into the final marketable product.
Nelson
b. The various artificial methods adopted
for
strengthening
a
soil,
such
as compaction, treatment with bitumen,
lime,
cement,
etc.
Nelson

prod cast
See:impact cast
prod mark

processioner

a. An indicator of slip direction on a


slickensided
fault
surface,
consisting of a groove made by a clast.
AGI
b. A short tool mark oriented parallel to
the
current
of
a
stream
and
produced by an object that plowed into
and was then raised above the
bottom; its longitudinal profile is
asymmetric. The mark deepens gradually
downcurrent where it ends abruptly
(unlike a flute). CF:bounce cast

An official land surveyor. Standard, 2


process lag
In mineral processing, the delay
retardation in the response of
controlled variable at a point
measurement to a change in value of
manipulated variable. Fuerstenau

or
the
of
the

process metallurgy
produce

Branch of metallurgy that deals with the


recovery or extraction of metals
from their ores.

a. The marketable ores or minerals


produced by mining and dressing.
b. Corn. The amount of fine copper in one
hundred parts of ore.

process scrap
The scrap arising during the manufacture
of
finished
articles
from
iron
and steel, and usually returned to
steelworks after sorting and processing
by scrap merchants. circulating scrap.
Nelson

producer
a. Person who extracts ore or coal from
mines, rock from quarries, metals
from ore by metallurgical processes, etc.
b.
A
producing
well.
AGI

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c. A furnace or apparatus that produces


combustible gas to be used for
fuel; usually of the updraft type, which
forces or draws air or a mixture
of air and steam through a layer of
incandescent fuel (such as coke) with
the resulting gas consisting chiefly of
carbon
monoxide,
hydrogen,
and
nitrogen.
Webster
3rd
d. An organism (e.g., most plants) that can
form new
organic
matter
from
inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide,
water,
and
soluble
salts.
AGI

productive development

product
Percent of metal in ore. Gordon

Land that has produced farm crops within


the
previous
5
years.
Woodruff

production

productivity

That which is produced or made; any


tangible result of industrial or other
labor. The yield or output of a mine,
metallurgical
plant,
or
quarry.

a. A term closely allied with, and that may


be
expressed
as,
the
output
per manshift of a face or colliery or metal
mine.
Productivity
will
vary
with the degree of mechanization and
multishift working; it is also a
function of the horsepower, of a suitable
nature, at the disposal of each
miner.
b. The efficiency with which economic
resources (workers, materials, and
machines) are employed to produce goods
and services. Crispin

The headings and levels excavated in a


coal seam, preparatory to opening
out working faces. These drivages are
planned
to
prove
and
render
accessible the maximum area of coal for
the minimum yardage of development
work. The modern trend is to make in-theseam development as productive as
possible with the aid of machines.
Nelson
productive land

production checker
In metal mining, a person who keeps a
record of the number of containers
(cars, buckets, or skips) raised to the
surface, and the amount of ore
contained in each, estimating or weighing
the contents. DOT

profile
production gang
a. The outline produced where the plane
of
a
vertical
section
intersects
the surface of ground; e.g., the
longitudinal profile of a stream, or the
profile of a coast or hill. b. A graph or
drawing that shows the variation of one
property
such
as
elevation or gravity, usually as ordinate,
with
respect
to
another

A team of workers employed at the face


on production, covering all face
operations, maintenance, and supplies.
Nelson
productive
Yielding payable ore.

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the basement or a high-speed limestone


marker. The proper distance is
usually determined from time-distance
plots based on experimental shooting
at the onset of the program. Dobrin

property, such as distance. AGI


c. Cross section of a region of cylindrical
folds
drawn
perpendicular
to
the
fold
axes.
AGI
d. In seismic prospecting, the data
recorded from one shot point by a
number of groups of detectors. AGI
e.
See:soil
profile
f. A vertical section of a water table or
other
potentiometric
surface,
or
of a body of surface water. AGI
g. A drawing used in civil engineering to
show a vertical section of the
ground along a surveyed line or graded
work. Webster 3rd

profilograph
An instrument for plotting the perimeter
profile of an airway on a reduced
scale, and primarily used when taking air
measurements underground.
profit
When one speaks of the interest on a
mining investment, the rate mentioned
ordinarily consists of the normal rate plus
a
substantial
additional
rate
that represents the profit that should
accrue
in
proportion
to
the
hazardous nature of the mining business.
In
this
sense,
the
rate
of
interest in most forms of mining should be
high; to be satisfied with less
than 10% annually would show a lack of
acumen. Hoover

profile flying
The technique of flying at a constant
height above the ground during
airborne mineral exploration. Generally,
the
aircraft
maintains
a
height
of 300 ft or 500 ft (91 m or 152 m) above
the ground. This often involves
a series of skillfully controlled climbs and
dives
over
rolling
ground.

profile shooting

profit in sight

A type of seismic refraction in which the


shots and detectors are laid out
on long straight lines. Successive shots are
taken
at
uniform
or
almost
uniform intervals along each line, and
successive
detector
spreads
are
shifted about the same distance as the
corresponding shot points so as to
keep the range of shot-detector distances
approx. the same for all shots.
Generally, shots are received from
opposite directions on each detector
spread. The distance range is chosen so
that the first, or where desired
the second, arrivals will be refracted from
a
particular
formation
such
as

Probable gross profit from a mine's ore


reserves,
as
distinct
from
the
ground still to be blocked out.
proforma invoice
Invoice that does not charge for goods
marked, but shows cost details.
Pryor, 3
prograde metamorphism
Metamorphic changes in response to a
higher pressure or temperature than
that to which the rock last adjusted itself.
CF:retrograde metamorphism

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progress chart

projected pipe

A chart or graph forming a continuous


record, which is kept up to date, of
the amount of work done on a major
project. It may take the form of a bar
graph, divided into sections representing
different
jobs
to
be
done,
estimated and actual completion dates,
etc. The chart covers the entire
project from the initial site preparation or
drivage
to
completion.
Nelson

A pipe laid on the surface before building


a
fill
that
buries
it.
Nichols, 1
projection
a. In underground mining, a plan showing
the
proposed
direction
and
location of entries, rooms, shafts, fans,
and
watercourses.
Such
projections commonly cover the entire
property
to
be
worked.
b.
A
systematic,
diagrammatic
representation on a plane (flat) surface of
three-dimensional
space
relations,
produced by passing lines from various
points to their intersection with a plane;
esp.
a
map
projection.
AGI
c. Any orderly method by which a
projection is made; the process or
operation of transferring a point from one
surface
to
a
corresponding
position on another surface by graphical
or analytical means, so that each
point of one corresponds to one and only
one
point
of
the
other.
AGI
d.
See:exposure
e.
See:outcrop
f. In mapping, a geometric (or
mathematical) system of constructing the
true meridians and parallels, or the plane
rectangular
coordinates
on
a
map.
Seelye,
2
g. A geometrically or mathematically
derived portrayal of the surface of
the geoid on a plane surface. The
requirement for a particular projection
is that it show the features of the surface
of the Earth with a minimum of
distortion of distances, directions, shapes,
and
areas.
Hy
h. The act or result of constructing a

progressing cavity pump


See:Mono pump
progressive aging
In heat treatment, aging by increasing the
temperature
in
steps
or
continuously during the aging cycle.

progressive failure
Rock or material failure in which the
ultimate
shearing
resistance
is
progressively mobilized along the failure
surface. ASCE
project data
Basic information needed by engineers
concerned
with
design,
site
development, machine and housing
assembly, plant erection, contract
supervision, and coordination when
planning, erecting, and bringing into
operation a new mine and its attendant
services,
including
the
ore
treatment plant. Pryor, 3

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figure upon a plane or other


two-dimensional surface that corresponds
point for point with a sphere, a
spheroid, or some other three-dimensional
form. Fay

proof stress
a. The stress that will cause a specified
small
permanent
set
in
a
material.
ASM,
1
b. A specified stress to be applied to a
member or structure to indicate
its ability to withstand service loads. ASM,
1

projection balance
Shows movement of a pointer by means
of
an
illuminated
scale.
Pryor, 3

propagate
To transmit or spread from place to place;
as coal dust propagates a mine
explosion.

project plans
A series of plans of a proposed new mine
or
reconstruction,
which
are
drawn up for the purpose of obtaining
approval of a project. BS, 7

propagated blast
A blast consisting of a number of
unprimed charges of explosives and only
one hole primed, generally for the purpose
of ditching, where each charge
is detonated by the explosion of the
adjacent
one,
the
shock
being
transmitted through the wet soil. In this
method, one detonator fired in
the middle of a line of holes is capable of
bringing
about
the
explosion
of several hundred such charges. Fay

prolapsed bedding
A series of flat folds with near-horizontal
axial
planes
contained
entirely within a bed with undisturbed
boundaries.
prolong
Secondary condenser used in the zinc
industry.

propagation
prong
a. The transfer of a signal through a
medium; e.g., sound in air, seismic
waves
in
fluids
and
solids,
electromagnetic waves in a vacuum.
b. In general, propagation is said to occur
when the flame of an explosion
travels over considerable areas of a mine
in such manner as might result
in loss of life of workers in the mine. Rice,
2

Eng. The forked end of a bucket-pump


rod; used for attachment to the
traveling valve and seat. Fay
Prony's dynamometer
A dynamometer for obtaining data for
computing power delivered by turbines
and other water wheels, or from the
flywheel of an engine, or transmitted
by shafting. Fay

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the
impeller
not
confined by any casing. BS, 8

propagation velocity
The speed of a wave in the material
concerned, such as the propagation
velocity of a detonation wave front
traveling through an explosive or the
propagation velocity of a seismic wave
from a blast traveling through the
ground.

being

propeller pump
This type of pump, often called axialflow, develops most of its head by
the propelling or lifting action of the
vanes upon the liquid. These pumps
are built in horizontal or vertical casings
and
are
primarily
used
in
handling sludge, dewatering pits, sewage
pumping,
and
similar
duties
requiring large capacities and heads under
100
ft
(30
m).
Pit and Quarry

prop-crib timbering
Shaft timbering with cribs kept the proper
distance
apart
by
means
of
props. Fay
prop cutter

propeller shaft
In mining, a person who operates a power
saw to cut to designated- and
standard-length timbers and props used to
support the walls and roofs of
underground
passageways
and
workplaces. Also called: prop sawyer;
timber
cutter. DOT

Usually a main drive shaft fitted with


universal
joints.
Nichols, 1
propel shaft
In a revolving shovel, a shaft that
transmits engine power to the walking
mechanism. Nichols, 1

prop drawer
a. A sylvester or other appliance for
withdrawing props from the waste
area
in
coal
mining.
b. A worker who withdraws props and
allows the roof to collapse. Props are
withdrawn when caving of the roof is
adopted.
Nelson

proper
In crystallography, any symmetry rotation
which
does
not
change
the
chirality (handedness) of an asymmetric
unit;
e.g.,
not
involving
reflection or inversion. CF:improper
proper proportion

propeller fan
In a transparent gemstone, the proportion
of the mass above and below the
girdle, as well as the angles of the facets
in
relation
to
the
girdle,
that produces the greatest brilliancy from
the
particular
species.
These

a. Axial-flow ventilating fan used to blow


fresh air into mine workings or
to
extract
foul
air.
Pryor,
3
b. A fan having an impeller, other than of
the
centrifugal-type,
rotating
in an orifice, the air flow into and out of

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proportions vary with the refractive index


of the gem species.

carry a coal cutter or power loader.;


self-advancing supports. Nelson

properties of sections

prophylene-glycol dinitrate explosive

These include the cross-sectional area of a


structural
member,
its
moment
of inertia, section modulus, and other
geometrical
properties
essential
for
accurate
design
calculations.
Hammond

An explosive containing the liquid


ingredients named, in contradistinction
to dynamite, which contains nitroglycerin.
In commerce, the term dynamite
is loosely used to include any mixture
containing
a
liquid
explosive.
Fay

property
proportion
One of the physical and
characteristics of a material.

chemical
A statement of equality between two
ratios. When one ratio is equal to
another ratio, they are said to be in
proportion. Jones, 2

property man
In bituminous coal mining, formerly one
who kept record of location and
has charge of distribution of coal cutting
machines,
drills,
loaders,
and
other mechanical equipment in and about
a mine. Now, one who oversees
surface lands and structures.

proportional control action


As used in mineral processing, action in
which
there
is
a
continuous
linear relation between the output and the
input. Fuerstenau

prop-free

proportional counter

In longwall mining of a coal seam, a face


with no posts between the coal
and the conveyor used to remove it.
Pryor, 3

A gas-filled, radiation-detection tube in


which
the
pulse
produced
is
proportional to the number of ions formed
in
the
gas
by
the
primary
ionizing particle. ASM, 1

prop-free front
proportional limit
a. In coal mining, longwall working in
which support to the roof is given
by roof beams cantilevered from behind
the
working
face.
This
leaves
unobstructed room for digging and
conveying equipment in a mechanized
working.
Pryor,
3
b. Such a face is necessary where armored
flexible
conveyors
are
used
to

The greatest stress that a material is


capable
of
withstanding
without
deviation from proportionality of stress to
strain
(Hooke's
law).
In
the
case of rocks, this term and "elastic limit"
are
restricted
to
short-time
tests; rocks may slowly and permanently
deform
in
periods
of
long

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duration, even at stresses below the shorttime proportional limit.


proportional
action

plus

integral

prop setter
In anthracite and bituminous coal mining,
a
worker
who
installs
props
(posts) to support the roofs of
underground working places, placing and
wedging them at the most effective points.
DOT

control

As used in mineral processing, action in


which the output is proportional
to a linear combination of the input and to
the
time
integral
of
the
input. Fuerstenau
proportional
plus
integral
derivative control action

prop wall
Props that are fastened together in a
group, like a fence, and placed
against the walls to prevent the roof from
caving
into
the
stope.
Stoces

plus

As used in mineral processing, action in


which the output is proportional
to a linear combination of the input, the
time integral of input, and the
time rate of change of input. Fuerstenau

propylite
A hydrothermally altered andesite
resembling a greenstone and containing
calcite, chlorite, epidote, serpentine,
quartz, pyrite, and iron oxides.
The term was first used by Richthofen in
1868.
Propylite
is
common
in
mining districts of the Western United
States, generally in the outermost
subzone of hydrothermal alteration.

proportioning
Measuring by weight or by volume the
constituents,
before
mixing
of
concrete, mortar, or plaster. Hammond
proppant

propylitization

Hydraulic fracturing and propping agent


employed in the gas and oil
industry to enable production from deep
petroleum reservoirs.

The result of low-pressure-temperature


alteration around many orebodies.
The propylitic assemblage consists of
epidote,
chlorite,
Mg-Fe-Ca
carbonates, and sometimes albiteorthoclase, all involved in partial
replacement of wall-rock minerals.

propping
The setting of timber props in mine
workings. Nelson
prop retriever

prosopite
See:prop drawer
A monoclinic mineral, CaAl2 (F,OH)8 ;
forms
tabular
crystals
or granular masses.

prop sawyer
See:prop cutter

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experimentally in order to ascertain its


richness in precious minerals. Craigie

prospect
a. An area that is a potential site of
mineral
deposits,
based
on
preliminary
exploration.
AGI
b. Sometimes, an area that has been
explored in a preliminary way but has
not given evidence of economic value.
AGI
c. An area to be searched by some
investigative
technique,
such
as
geophysical
prospecting.
AGI
d. A geologic or geophysical anomaly,
esp. one recommended for additional
exploration. A prospect is distinct from a
mine
in
that
it
is
nonproducing.
e. A mineral property, the value of which
has
not
been
proved
by
exploration.
Lewis
f. To search for minerals or oil by looking
for
surface
indications,
by
drilling boreholes, or both. Long
g. A plot of ground believed to be
mineralized enough to be of economic
importance.
Long
h. Territory under examination for its
mineral wealth. Prospecting is the
search for deposits and is performed by
aerial
survey,
magnetometry,
surface examination, pitting, trenching,
use
of
a
prospector's
pan,
geochemical testing of soil, drilling
(shallow or deep), seismic probe,
and resistivity survey. Pryor, 3
i. The gold or other mineral obtained by
working
a
sample
of
ore.
j. A formation that may be capable of
development into a mine, but which
is
untested.
k. A sample of gold obtained in panning.
Nelson
l. A specimen or sample of mineral
obtained from a small amount of paydirt
or
ore.
Craigie
m. To work (a mine, ledge, etc.)

prospect drilling
The exploratory drilling of boreholes in
the
search
for
minerals
and
petroleum. Long
prospect drill panner
In metal mining, a person who, with a
cable drill rig, drills down through
gravel to bedrock along a present or an old
creek
bed
that
usually
has
been prospected by a hand-dug hole. The
panner
saves
the
drillings
and
pans them to discover the possible
presence of paydirt (gold-bearing
gravel), and weighs gold particles
recovered. In the event of the
discovery of gold in quantities sufficient
for
profitable
removal,
the
panner moves drill and continues
operations to determine the boundaries of
the gold-bearing strata. DOT
prospect entry
See:prospect tunnel
prospecting
a. The search for outcrops or surface
exposure
of
mineral
deposits.
b. Searching for new deposits; also,
preliminary explorations to test the
value of lodes or placers already known to
exist.
c. The surface discovery of coal or
mineral only proves its superficial
existence and further work is necessary to
establish
its
quality
and
extent. The term exploration is sometimes
applied to this extension of the
discovery work.

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prospecting and mining

prospector

Generic terms which include the whole


mode
of
obtaining
metals
and
minerals. Ricketts

A person engaged in exploring for


valuable minerals or in testing supposed
discoveries of the same.

prospecting claim

prospect shaft

Aust. A claim larger than the average;


allotted to the miner who is the
first in a district to discover the presence
of gold. Standard, 2

A shaft sunk in connection


prospecting operations. Craigie

prospecting dish

A tunnel or entry driven through barren


measures, or a fault, to ascertain
the character of strata beyond.

with

prospect tunnel

A simple appliance used in the search for


gold and other heavy minerals.
By means of water washing, the lighter,
worthless
material
is
separated
from the valuable, heavier minerals,
which
are
made
visible
by
concentration and retention in the dish.
Standard
dishes
with
sloping
sides are made in sizes ranging from top
diameter 10 to 18 in (25 to 46
cm) and from 2 to 4 in (5 to 10 cm) deep,
with
riffles
or
grooves
to
retain the heavy minerals.

prospectus
A
preliminary
printed
statement
describing a business or other enterprise,
and distributed to prospective buyers,
investors,
or
participants,
giving
detailed information concerning the
company's
business
and
financial
standing. Common in mining.
protecting magnet

prospecting license

Electromagnet or permanent magnet


installed ahead of crushing machinery to
remove tramp iron that otherwise might
enter and damage the appliances.
Pryor, 3

Authorization granted by a government to


an individual in some countries,
permitting the person to prospect for
minerals and to register (stake) a
claim. Pryor, 3

protection screen deck

prospecting pan

A screen plate with large apertures


mounted over the screening deck in
order to reduce the load and wear thereon.
BS, 5

See:pan
prospective ore

protective alkali
Ore that cannot be included as proved or
probable, nor definitely known or
stated in terms of tonnage.; ore expectant.

In the cyanide process, the use of


dissolved lime to maintain a slightly

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b. Said of an igneous rock containing


deformed
xenocrysts.
AGI
c. Said of the texture characteristic of an
early
stage
of
cataclasis,
with a very small amount of finite strain.
AGI

alkaline pulp, therefore ensuring that the


cyanide
salt
retains
its
potency and does not acidify to
hydrocyanic acid, which cannot dissolve
gold or silver.
protective alkalinity

protodolomite
Lime added to auriferous pulp to ensure
alkalinity.
Important
in
the
cyanidation process for precious metals.
Pryor, 1

a. Dolomite with calcium and magnesium


disordered
within
layers
rather
than
ordered
by
layer.
b. An imperfectly crystallized synthetic
material
of
composition
near
CaMg(CO3 )2 .

protest
An objection to the patent proceeding;
when made, it calls for a hearing
on the matter in the local land office.
Lewis

protogene
See:protogine

protoamphibole

protogenous

A name for a series of artificial


orthorhombic fluoramphiboles having
only
half the a-dimension of anthophyllite. The
presence of lithium and absence
of calcium appear to be essential to their
formation. Named because of a
structural relation to protoenstatite. Hey, 2

Said of original rocks as opposed to


derived rocks, and including saline
deposits, coal, igneous rocks, and ore
deposits. The term is no longer
used. Holmes, 2
protogine
A granitic rock, occurring in the Alps, that
has
gneissic
structure,
contains sericite, chlorite, epidote, and
garnet, and shows evidence of a
composite origin or of crystallization (or
partial
recrystallization)
under stress after consolidation. Also
spelled protogene. The term, dating
from 1806, is obsolete. AGI

protoclase
Leith's term for a rock possessing what he
considered
to
be
primary
cleavage; e.g., bedding planes in
sedimentary rock, formed concurrently
with the rock. CF:metaclase
protoclastic

protomylonite
a. Said of igneous rocks in which the
earlier formed crystals have been
broken or deformed because of
differential flow of the magma before
complete
solidification.
AGI

a. A mylonitic rock produced from


contact-metamorphosed
rock,
with
granulation and flowage being due to
overthrusts
following
the
contact

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surfaces between intrusion and country


rock.
AGI
b. A coherent crush breccia whose
characteristically
lenticular,
megascopic particles faintly retain
primary structures. It is a lower
grade in the development of mylonite and
ultramylonite.
CF:ultramylonite

protractor

proton

A trigonal mineral, Ag3 AsS3 ;


dimorphous
with
xanthoconite;
rhombohedral cleavage; soft; ruby red;
occurs
in
low-temperature
or
secondary-enrichment veins; a minor
source
of
silver.

An instrument used in drawing and


plotting, designed for laying out or
measuring angles on a flat or curved
surface, and consisting of a plate
marked with units of circular measure.
proustite

An elementary particle with a single


positive electrical charge and a mass
approx. 1,847 times that of an electron.
The atomic number of an atom
equals the number of protons in its
nucleus. Lyman

prove
protoquartzite
a. To determine, by boring from the
surface or driving a passageway
underground, the location and character of
a coalbed or the nature of rock
strata.
Hudson
b. To establish, by drilling, trenching,
underground
openings,
or
other
means, that a given deposit of a valuable
substance
exists,
and
that
its
grade and dimensions equal or exceed
some
specified
amounts.

A well-sorted, quartz-enriched sandstone


that
lacks
the
well-rounded
grains of an orthoquartzite; specif. a lithic
sandstone
intermediate
in
composition between subgraywacke and
orthoquartzite. AGI
protore
In older writings, any primary mineralized
material too low in tenor to
constitute ore but from which ore may be
formed
through
secondary
enrichment. As commonly employed
today, the rock below the sulfide zone of
supergene enrichment; the primary
material that cannot be produced at a
profit under existing conditions but that
may
become
profitable
with
technological advances or price increases.
sulfide zone.

proved ore
See:proved reserve
proved reserve
An ore deposit that has been reliably
established
as
to
its
volume,
tonnage, and quality by approved
sampling, valuing, and testing methods
supervised by a suitably qualified person.
The
proved
reserve
is
the
overridingly important asset of a mine,

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and by its nature is a wasting one


from the start of exploitation unless it is
increased
by
further
development.

proving the area


The establishment of the quantity and
grade of coal or ore available for
working by means of geological surveys,
exploratory
drilling,
or
exploring
headings. Nelson

provenance
A place of origin; specif. the area from
which
the
constituent
materials
of a sedimentary rock or facies are
derived. Also, the rocks of which this
area is composed. CF:distributive
province
AGI

proximate analysis
a. The determination of the compounds
contained
in
a
mixture
as
distinguished from ultimate analysis,
which is the determination of the
elements contained in a compound. Used
in
the
analysis
of
coal.
Standard,
2;
Fay
b. The determination, by prescribed
methods, of moisture, volatile matter,
fixed carbon (by difference), and ash. The
term
proximate
analysis
does
not include determinations of chemical
elements
or
determinations
other
than those named.

prove up
a. To show that the requirements for
receiving a patent for government
land have been satisfied. Webster 3rd
b. Can. To establish economic value of a
property. Hoffman
proving hole

proximity log

a. A borehole drilled for prospecting


purposes.
b. Advance bore or heading into a mineral
deposit,
made
either
to
check
the quality of the ore being approached or
to relocate a deposit that has
been distorted or dislocated by faulting.
Pryor, 3

A Schlumberger log based on the


principle of shallow investigation; as its
name implies it is markedly affected by
material
that
lies
in
its
immediate proximity. It depends for its
operation on the forcing of a more
or less horizontal beam of current into the
formation.
Its
vertical
resolution is about 6 in (15 cm) and it is
almost
impervious
to
the
presence of a mud cake on the formation
wall. Wyllie

proving ring
A steel ring that has been accurately
turned, heat treated, and polished.
It is precisely calibrated in a testing
machine
by
measuring
its
deflection for different loads and can be
used for measuring applied loads
on a structure. Hammond

prudent-man (person) test


The basic legal standard for discovery
under the mining law that states:
Where minerals have been found and the
evidence is of such a character

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that a person of ordinary prudence would


be
justified
in
the
further
expenditure of his labor and means, with a
reasonable
prospect
of
success
in developing a valuable mine, the
requirements of the statute have been
met. SME, 1

prypole

P.R.U. hand pump and densitometer

a. A sandstone. The term is equivalent to


the
Latin-derived
term
arenite.
AGI
b. A term formerly used in Europe for a
fine-grained,
fissile,
clayey
sandstone.
AGI
c. The metamorphic derivative of arenite.
Etymol:
Greek
psammos,
sand.
pelite. Adj. psammitic. AGI

A pole that forms the prop of a hoisting


gin
and
stands
facing
the
windlass. Webster 3rd
psammite

A dust sampling instrument comprising a


D.V.P. Mark 11 pump with a swept
volume of 90 cm3 . A filter paper is
inserted
into
a
bridge
behind the inlet nozzle of the pump such
that a circle of 1-cm diameter of
the filter paper is exposed to the dust. The
dust,
while
passing
through
the filter paper, produces a stain. The
optical density of the stain is
determined
photoelectrically
in
a
densitometer by the light that falls
upon a galvanometer. The dust particle
concentration is evaluated by a
calibration factor. Its main disadvantage is
that
it
underestimates
the
number of fine particles. Nelson

psatyrite
See:hartite
psephite
a. A sediment or sedimentary rock
composed of large fragments set in a
matrix varying in kind and amount; e.g.,
talus,
breccia,
shingle,
gravel,
and esp. conglomerate. The term is
equivalent to the Latin-derived term
rudite.
AGI
b. The metamorphic derivative of rudite.
Etymol:
Greek
psephos,
pebble.
. Adj: psephitic. AGI

Prussian blue
See:vivianite
prussic acid
See:hydrocyanic acid

pseudopry
A prefix meaning false or spurious. AGI
Eng. Cornish miners' term for soft white
clay. Also spelled pryan.

pseudoanticline

pryany lode

An upward buckling of the superficial


layers of the ground due either to
changes in volume brought about by
pedogenic processes or to some other
nontectonic cause. Challinor

A lode in which the ore is mixed with


gossan or flucan. Arkell

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rounded nearly in place by orogenic


forces; a pebble dike; a sandstone packed
with rounded concretions; and an
aggregate of rounded boulders produced
in place by spheroidal weathering
and surrounded by clayey material.
AGI

pseudoboleite
A tetragonal mineral, Pb5 Cu4 Cl10 (OH)8
.2H
2 O ; indigo blue; occurs only in parallel
growth
on
boleite,
at
Boleo, Baja California, Mex. Also spelled
pseudoboleite.

pseudocrocidolite
pseudobreccia
Quartz pseudomorphous after crocidolite.
hawk's-eye.
English

A partially dolomitized limestone,


characterized by: a mottled appearance,
that gives the rock a texture mimicking
that of a breccia; or by a
weathered
surface
that
appears
fragmental. It is produced diagenetically
by selective grain growth in which
localized,
patchy,
and
irregularly
shaped recrystallized masses of coarse
calcite are embedded in a lighter
colored and less altered matrix of
calcareous mud. AGI

pseudocrystalline
Composed of detrital crystalline grains
little worn and solidly compacted
by siliceous or other mineral matrix, so as
to
resemble
a
true
crystalline
rock.
pseudoeutectic texture

pseudobrookite

Intergrowth of sulfide minerals that


simulate eutectic texture in metals.

An orthorhombic mineral, Fe2 (Ti,Fe)O5 ;


resembles
brookite;
occurs in cavities in andesites.
See:brookite

pseudofibrous peat
Peat that in spite of its fibrous condition,
is
soft,
noncoherent,
plastic, and on drying, shows great
shrinkage. Tomkeieff

pseudochromatism
Colors and color plays produced by
physical
optics
as
opposed
to
chromophores;
e.g.,
diffraction,
dispersion,
and
scattering.

pseudogalena
See:sphalerite

pseudoconglomerate

pseudohexagonal

A rock that resembles, or may easily be


mistaken for, a normal sedimentary
conglomerate. Examples include a crush
conglomerate consisting of cemented
fragments that have been rolled and

Descriptive of minerals with hexagonal


habit without hexagonal symmetry;
e.g., hexagonal plates of monoclinic mica.

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pseudojade

pseudomorphous tonstein

A name that may be applied to any


mineral resembling jade in appearance;
e.g., bowenite, massive serpentine.
English

A type of tonstein characterized by


numerous
pseudomorphs
of
kaolinite-feldspar or kaolinite-mica within
a
kaolinite
groundmass.
IHCP

pseudoleucite
pseudophenocryst
Large isometric crystals consisting of
mixtures
of
nepheline
and
orthoclase, or of analcime formed as
breakdown products of leucite; occurs
in syenites from Arkansas, Montana, and
Brazil.
CF:leucite;
metaleucite.

See:porphyroblast
pseudophite
A compact massive mixture of chlorite
minerals resembling serpentine.

pseudomalachite

pseudoporphyritic

A monoclinic mineral, Cu5 (PO4 )2 (OH)4 ;


trimorphous
with
ludjibaite
and
reichenbachite;
dark
green.

a. Said of the texture of an igneous rock in


which
larger
crystals
have
developed
in
a
macrocrystalline
groundmass, but were formed, at least in
part, after the rock solidified (e.g., large
potassium-feldspar
crystals
in
a
granite).
AGI
b. See:porphyroblastic

pseudomorph
A mineral sample with the external crystal
form of one mineral and the
internal chemistry of another; e.g., cubes
of
geothite
after
pyrite
resulting from oxidation of the ferrous
sulfide
to
ferric
oxyhydroxide.
CF:paramorph

pseudosecondary inclusion
A fluid inclusion formed by healing of a
fracture
occurring
during
growth
of the host crystal. AGI

pseudomorphous quartz

pseudosuccinite

Quartz displaying the form and habit of


any of several mineral species,
which
it
has
assumed
through
replacement. The most common quartz
pseudomorphs are those of calcite, barite,
fluorite,
and
siderite.
Silicified wood is quartz pseudomorphous
after wood.

Variety of amber differing from Baltic


amber in its reaction to solvents.
Tomkeieff
pseudosymmetrical
Said of crystal structures in which the
atoms are only slightly displaced
from positions that would be in accord
with a higher symmetry. Thus, a

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monoclinic, pseudotetragonal mineral


contains
atoms
only
slightly
displaced from positions of tetragonal
symmetry. Hess

pseudotopaz

pseudosymmetry

pseudoviscosity

a. Close angular approximation of a


mineral with lower symmetry to one of
higher symmetry; e.g., pseudohexagonal
micas with monoclinic symmetry.
b. Compound twins simulating an external
symmetry
not
found
in
their
atomic structure; e.g., orthorhombic
aragonite in pseudohexagonal prisms.

Viscous resistance offered by a slurry,


sludge,
mud,
or
suspension
of
minerals in water as a pulp, due to the
specific
surface
involved,
with
possibly an element of thixotropy under
stated
conditions
of
pH
value,
agitation, flow, temperature, and solid-toliquid
ratio.
The
pseudoviscous
effect is distinct from viscosity due to
molecular shear. Pryor, 3

Quartz simulating topaz. From Striegau,


Silesia, Poland. English

c. Abnormal crystal growth along one


direction; e.g., elongate native gold
cubes with apparent tetragonal symmetry.

pseudovolcano

pseudotachylyte

A large crater or circular hollow believed


not
to
be
associated
with
volcanic activity; e.g., a crater that is
possibly
meteoritic
in
origin
but may be the result of phreatic explosion
or
cauldron
subsidence.
Adj:
pseudovolcanic. AGI

a. A dense rock produced in the


compression and shear associated with
intense fault movements, involving
extreme mylonitization and/or partial
melting. Similar rocks, such as some of
the
Sudbury
breccias,
contain
shock-metamorphic effects and may be
injection
breccias
emplaced
in
fractures formed during meteoric impact.
CF:ultramylonite
b. A dark gray or black rock that
externally resembles tachylyte and that
typically occurs in irregularly branching
veins.
The
material
carries
fragmental clasts of adjacent rock units,
and
shows
evidence
of
having
been at high temperature. Miarolitic and
spherulitic
crystallization
has
sometimes taken place in the extremely
dense
devitrified
base.
Some
pseudotachylyte has behaved like an
intrusive and has no structures
obviously related to local crushing. AGI

pseudowollastonite
Synthetic triclinic CaSiO3 polymorphous
with
wollastonite-1T,
wollastonite-2M, and wollastonite-7T.
psilomelane
a. A general term for massive oxides of
manganese
not
otherwise
identified; commonly botryoidal or
colloform; a source of manganese in the
United States (Arkansas, Virginia,
Georgia); also in India, South Africa,
and Russia. CF:cryptomelane; wad.
b. See:romanechite; manganese oxide.
CF:pyrolusite

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psilomelanite

ptilolite

See:psilomelane

See:mordenite

psychrometer

ptygmatic

An instrument for measuring the vapor


pressure and the relative humidity
of the air or the quantity of moisture in the
air.
It
consists
of
a
dry-bulb thermometer and a wet-bulb
thermometer, the latter having its
bulb covered with a layer of muslin kept
moist with water. The rate of
evaporation from the moist muslin
depends upon the quantity of moisture in
the air. The more rapid the evaporation,
the
greater
the
cooling,
and
hence the greater the difference in the
temperature readings of the two
thermometers. Also called: hygrometer.
Standard, 2

See:ptygmatic folding
ptygmatic folding
Primary folding in migmatites (injection
gneisses,
etc.),
caused
by
the
high-temperature
and
high-pressure
processes to which the migmatites owe
their origin and composite character.
CF:flow folding
public domain
Land owned, controlled, or heretofore
disposed of by the U.S. Government.
It includes the land that was ceded to the
Government by the original 13
States, together with certain subsequent
additions
acquired
by
cession,
treaty, and purchase. At its greatest extent,
the
public
domain
occupied
more than 1,820 million acres (737
million ha). GI

psychrometry
a. Study of atmospheric humidity and its
effect
on
workers.
The
psychrometer, or hygrometer, measures
the difference between dry-bulb and
wet-bulb thermometer readings. Pryor, 3
b. The determination of the psychrometric
properties
of
air
at
a
given
state
point.
Hartman,
2
c. Measurement of the humidity of air.
Nelson

public land
Land owned by a government, esp. a
national government; specif. the part
of the U.S. public domain to which title is
still
vested
in
the
Federal
Government and that is subject to
appropriation, sale, or disposal under
the general laws. AGI

pteropod ooze
A fine-grained pelagic deposit with more
than 30% calcium carbonate of
organic origin, of which pteropods are an
important
constituent.
AGI

public land and public use


There is a clear distinction between public
lands and lands that have been
severed from the public domain and
reserved from sale or other disposition

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allowing
it
Nichols,
d. The molten portion of
3rd
e. To work (metal) while
3rd
f. To subject (iron) to
puddling. Webster 3rd

under general laws. Such reservation


severs the land from the mass of the
public domain and appropriates it to a
public use. Ricketts
public limited liability company
An association of individuals, at least
seven in number, who together
subscribe the necessary means or capital-i.e.,
money,
property,
or
other
credit--to engage in a joint undertaking.
Truscott

to

dry.
1
a weld. Webster
molten. Webster
the process of

puddled steel
Steel made in a puddling furnace, a type
of reverberatory furnace in which
the flame plays down upon the metal.
Camm

public mineral land

puddler

Land belonging to the United States


containing a deposit of mineral in
some
form,
metalliferous
or
nonmetalliferous, in quantity and quality
sufficient to justify expenditures in the
effort to extract it and subject
to occupation and purchase under the
mining laws. Ricketts

a. Worker who converts cast iron into


wrought
iron
by
puddling.
b. A rabble used in puddling. Webster 3rd
c. A puddling furnace. Webster 3rd
d. A system of small pipes admitting
compressed air to a tank of water and
zinc chloride, to effect a thorough solution
for
use
as
a
timber
preservative.
Webster
2nd
e. A machine for breaking up alluvial
wash, consisting of a shallow tank
in which the arms rotate slowly. The
coarse stones are forked out and the
pulp passed down sluice boxes along
which
the
gold
settles.

pucherite
An orthorhombic mineral, BiVO4 ;
trimorphous
with
clinobisvanite
and dreyerite; reddish brown; a source of
vanadium.
pucking cutter
A worker employed in a coal mine to cut
the floor in cases of creep or
upheaval toward the roof.

puddle roll
Any of the roughing rolls through which
puddle balls are passed to be
converted into bars. Collectively called a
puddle train.

puddle
a. Earthy material--such as a mixture of
clay,
sand,
and
gravel--placed
with water to form a compact mass to
reduce
percolation.
Seelye,
1
b. To place such material. Seelye, 1
c. To compact loose soil by soaking it and

puddling
The agitation of a bath of molten pig iron
by hand or by mechanical means,

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haulageways
in
a
mine,
or
operates a small stationary engine used for
hoisting
coal
or
rock
in
a
shallow shaft, esp. for prospecting or
development
work.
Also
called:
puffer; puffer boy; puffer tender. DOT

in an oxidizing atmosphere, in order to


oxidize
most
of
the
carbon,
silicon, and manganese, and thus produce
wrought
iron.
puddling furnace
A reverberatory furnace for puddling pig
iron. Standard, 2

puffer tender

puddling machine

See:puffer man

A machine used for mixing auriferous


clays with water to the proper
consistency for the separation of the ore.
Fay

puffstone
Eng. Travertine; hard enough to use for
building;
so
called
from
its
cavernous structure. Arkell

puddling process
pug
Production of wrought iron from molten
pig
iron,
in
an
oxidizing
atmosphere in a reverberatory furnace of
special
design.
Pryor,
3
IL:d d
sDICTIONARY
TERMS:puff blowing Blowing chips out
of
a
hole
by
means
o
[\B]puff blowing[\N]

a. A parting of clay that sometimes occurs


between the walls of a vein and
the
country
rock;
gouge.
b. The coal left on the floor by a coal
cutter.
c. Clay or other material used in packing
cracks to prevent leakage; also,
to
use
this
material.
d. Crushed strata or clay.

puffed bar
In powder metallurgy, a cored bar
expanded by internal gas pressure.
Rolfe

pug lifter
One who removes coal left adhering to the
floor by a coal-cutting machine.
CTD

puffer boy
A person employed to operate an engine
used for hauling loaded mine cars
through haulageways. Also the operator of
any
small
stationary
hoisting
engine.

pug lifting

puffer man

pug mill

In bituminous coal mining, a worker who


operates a small hoisting engine
used for hauling loaded mine cars through

a. A machine for mixing water and clay,


consisting of a long horizontal
barrel containing a long longitudinal shaft

The breaking and clearing of the coal left


adhering
to
the
floor
by
a
longwall coal cutter. Nelson

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pillars
of
ore.
e. To hoist drill-stem equipment from a
borehole.
Long
f. Strata movements over large excavated
areas will extend to the surface
and the disturbed surface area is almost
always larger than the area of
the underground excavation. The extent of
this pull or draw depends on the
depth of the workings, the nature of the
strata, the thickness of the seam
being mined, and the degree of packing
support.
Lewis

fitted
with
knives;
the
knives
slice through the clay, mixing it with
water, which is added by sprays
from the top. The knives are canted to
give some screw action, forcing the
clay along the barrel and out one end. AISI
b. See:paddle-type mixing conveyor
pug-mill operator
a. One who prepares ground, sifted, and
filtered
clay
for
molding
by
mixing it with water in a rotary-type
mixer called a pug mill. This
machine is frequently operated in
conjunction with an auger mill and a
cutting machine, the same worker tending
the
operation
of
all
three
machines simultaneously. Also called clay
pugger;
mixing-mill
operator.
DOT
b. One who mixes ground preheated
magnesia and carbon with hot asphalt in
a pug mill to form a viscous mixture
suitable for processing into pellets.
Also called: mixer tender; pug miller;
pug-mill tender. DOT

pull-apart structure
Features produced in beds that have been
disrupted
and
separated
during
soft-sediment deformation.
pull drift
A small crosscut through barren ground to
connect
two
orebodies.
Hess
puller-out

pug tub
An operator who charges, pulls out, and
otherwise
manipulates
crucibles.
Mersereau, 2

See:settler
pull

puller rod
a. The unit advance during the firing of
each complete round of shotholes
in
a
tunnel.
b. To loosen the rock around the bottom
of a hole by blasting. Usually
used with a negative to describe a blast
that did not shatter rock to the
desired
depth.
Nichols,
1
c. The amount of core obtained each time
a core barrel is removed from a
borehole.
Long
d. To draw or remove coal pillars, or

The rod used between the crank arm or


drive arm of the drive unit and the
panline of a shaker conveyor. Also called:
connecting
rod.
Jones, 1
pulley
a. A cylinder, with a shaft for mounting it
so that it may rotate; used to
change the direction or plane of belt

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travel. If the shaft is designed to


be mounted so that it will not rotate, a
pulley includes the bearings that
provide for rotation of the cylinder on the
shaft.
NEMA,
2
b. A sheave or wheel with a grooved rim,
over which a winding rope passes
at the top of a headframe. Fay
c. A wheel that carries a cable or belt on
part
of
its
surface.
Nichols, 1

pulling stumps
The process of taking out the pillars of a
coal
mine.

pull-over mill

pulley man

A two-high mill in which a piece is rolled


in
one
direction
only,
and
after traveling between the rolls has to be
passed back over the top roll
for rerolling. Osborne

See:rollerman

pull pin

pulley oiler

A device for throwing mechanical parts in


or out of gear, or for readily
shifting in or away from a fixed relative
position. Crispin

In bituminous coal mining, a laborer who


oils and greases the pulleys on
which run the cables that are used to raise
and
lower
cars
along
haulage
roads underground and at the surface of
mines. DOT

pull rope
The rope that pulls a journey of loaded
cars on a haulage plane; the rope
that pulls the loaded scoop or bucket in a
scraper
loader
layout.

pulley repairman
See:rollerman
pull hole

pull shovel

In sublevel stoping, term applied to a raise


along
the
haulage
level
put
up to the first sublevel. The raise is
enlarged at the bottom into a
grizzly chamber immediately over the
haulage level and at the top is
widened into a funnel-shaped opening. As
ore is broken, it drops directly
into a pull hole. Lewis

A shovel with a hinge- and stick-mounted


bucket
that
digs
while
being
pulled inward. Nichols, 1

pulling pillars

pull wheel

The common expression used for mining


the coal in the pillars of a mine;
robbing pillars.

A large driving wheel or sprocket.


Nichols, 2

pullway
The path from the face to the loading
point taken by the scraper of a
scraper loading unit. Jones, 1

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chemistry of the process are, at


best, only indirectly monitored. Pryor, 3

pulmonary dust
Dust harmful to the respiratory system,
including:
silica
(quartz,
chert);
silicates (asbestos, talc, mica, sillimanite);
metal
fumes
(nearly
all);
beryllium ore; tin ore; iron ores (some);
carborundum;
coal
(anthracite,
bituminous).

pulp density
a. In mineral processing, the amount of
solids
in
a
pulp,
typically
ranging from 10% to 25%, by weight. It
has a marked effect on the recovery
and grade of concentrate. Taggart, 1
b. The weight of a unit volume of pulp;
e.g.,
if
1
cm3
of
pulp
weighs 2.4 g, then the pulp density is 2.4
g/cm3
.
Newton, 1

pulp
a. A mixture of ground ore and water
capable of flowing through suitably
graded channels as a fluid. Its dilution or
consistency
is
specified
either as solid-liquid ratio (by weight) or
as a percentage of solids (by
weight).
Pryor,
2
b. Pac. Pulverized ore or coal mixed with
water;
also
applied
to
dry,
crushed ore.

pulp dilution
The ratio of water to solids by weight. It is
expressed
as
a
ratio;
e.g.,
a pulp dilution of 3 to 1 means that a pulp
contains 3 t of water for each
ton of solids. Newton, 1

pulp assay
pulpit
Pac. The assay of samples taken from the
pulp after or during crushing.

The special platform upon which the


operator of a Bessemer converter
stands. Mersereau, 2

pulp balance
Balance that weighs ore or coal pulp in a
container
of
known
volume;
graduated to show pulp density directly.
Pryor, 3

pulpit man
Person who operates the complex controls
of a rolling mill, in which iron
and steel ingots or billets are rolled into
shapes
such
as
bars,
T's,
rails, and sheets, by throwing the correct
electric
switches
when
signaled
or by personal observation. Also called:
manipulator
operator;
mill
control operator. DOT

pulp climate
In mineral processing, the general
physical and chemical conditions of a
pulp, in which the pH, added chemicals,
solid-liquid
ratio,
temperature,
particle size range, and ionization of a
flotation
pulp
are
held
within
controlled limits while a considerable
number of associated factors of
less direct importance to the surface

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numerous water-filled cleavage planes and


slips and thus breaks the coal.
The energy from the explosive is used
more efficiently than when blasting
in the conventional manner, and better
coal
preparation
is
obtained.
; long-hole infusion. McAdam, 2

pulpstone
A very large grindstone employed in pulp
mills
for
crushing
or
grinding
wood into fiber. Fay
pulsator

pulsion stroke

a. A motor-driven air compressor that


supplies
compressed
air
to
an
electric channeler. It receives the exhaust
from
the
channeling
machine
cylinder and thus utilizes the pressure of
the
exhaust.
b. In mineral processing, a Harz-type jig.
Pryor, 3

In mineral concentration by jigging, the


stroke of the plunger device that
controls the hydraulic lift of water through
the
bed
of
particles.
Pryor, 3
pulsometer

pulsator jig
a. A steam pump in which an automatic
ball valve (the only moving part)
admits steam alternately to a pair of
chambers, forcing out water that had
been sucked in by condensation of the
steam after the previous stroke. It
can tolerate very dirty water and has been
widely
used
for
shaft
sinking
and miscellaneous pumping duties. Nelson
b. A displacement pump with valves for
raising water by steam, partly by
atmospheric pressure, and partly by the
direct action of the steam on the
water, without intervention of a piston.
Also
called:
vacuum
pump.
Webster 3rd

A gravity concentrator utilizing vertical


pulsations in a hydraulic medium
to separate particles by specific gravity
differences.
pulsed infusion
A variation of water infusion that has been
effective
in
reducing
both
explosives consumption and airborne dust
concentrations
during
mining.
Water is introduced under pressure into
long
holes
containing
explosive
charges and forced into the coal seam by
detonation
of
the
charges.

pulsometer pump
pulsed infusion shot firing
Pump with two chambers that are
alternately filled and discharged. An
automatic ball valve admits steam, which
forces out the charge from the
filled chamber while the other is filling as
its
steam
condenses.
Pryor, 3

A coal blasting technique that consists of


firing an explosive charge in a
borehole filled with water under pressure.
The water is introduced through
an infusion tube that also seals the hole.
When the charge is fired, it
produces in the water a high-pressure
impulse that is transmitted into the

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applied
to
pyroclastic
CF:scoria; pumicite. AGI

pulverization
a. In soil stabilization work, the separation
of
particles
from
each
other
rather than the breaking up of individual
particles.
Separation
of
the
particles is the first step towards good
dispersion
of
stabilization
additives
and
moisture.
Nelson
b. The reduction of metal to fine powder
by
mechanical
means.

ejecta.

pumiceous
Adj. form of pumice.
pumicite
A very finely divided volcanic ash or
volcanic dust ranging in color from
white to gray and buff. It is the
unconsolidated equivalent of tuff.

pulverize
To reduce (as by crushing or grinding) to
very small particles (as in fine
powder or dust). Webster 3rd

pump
A mechanical device for transferring
either liquids or gases from one
place to another, or for compressing or
attenuating gases. AGI

pulverized fuel
Finely ground coal or other combustible
material, that can be burned as it
issues from a suitable nozzle, through
which it is blown by compressed
air. Pryor, 3

pump bob
The balance weight used to bring up the
plunger
in
a
Cornish
pumping
engine. Standard, 2

pulverizer
pump chamber
See:fine grinder
An underground pumping station. Fay
pulverulent
pumpellyite
That which may easily be reduced to
powder.
Said
of
certain
ores.
Weed, 2; Fay

a.
A
monoclinic
mineral,
Ca2
(Mg,Fe,Mn)(Al,Mn,Fe)2
(SiO
(sub
4) )(Si2 O7 )(OH)2 .H2 O ; pumpellyite
group;
individual species named according to the
preponderance of Fe, Mg, or Mn;
occurs in minute bluish-green fibers or
plates
in
Michigan,
California,
Haiti,
and
New
Zealand.
b. The mineral group jugoldite-(Fe),
okhotskite,
pumpellyite-(Fe),
pumpellyite-(Mg), pumpellyite-(Mn), and

pumice
A light-colored, vesicular, glassy rock
commonly having the composition of
rhyolite. It is often sufficiently buoyant to
float
on
water
and
is
economically useful as a lightweight
aggregate and as an abrasive. The
adjectival form, pumiceous, is usually

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shuiskite.

pumping engineer
In mining and in the quarry industry, a
person who operates one or a
battery of pumps to force excess water
from a lower level to the surface
or to a drainage tunnel. Also called:
pitwright; plugman. DOT

Pumpelly's rule
The generalization, made by Pumpelly in
1894, that the axes and axial
surfaces of minor folds of an area are
congruent with those of the major
fold structures of the same phase of
deformation. AGI

pumping head
In an airlift, the distance from the surface
to
the
level
of
the
water
during pumping; it equals static head plus
drop. Lewis

pumper
In bituminous coal mining, a person who
works a hand pump to force water,
accumulated underground in low places,
into a drainage ditch flowing to a
natural outlet or pumping station.

pumping shaft
The shaft containing the pumping
machinery of a mine. Standard, 2

pump fist
pump kettle
Eng. The lower end of a plunger case of a
pump.

A convex perforated diaphragm fixed at


the bottom of a pump tube to
prevent the entrance of foreign matter; a
strainer. Fay

pumping
a. The act of moving a liquid or gas by
means
of
a
pump.
b. The operation of filling a sludge pump
by an up-and-down motion of the
rods or rope. Also called pumping the
sludger.
c. In scraper operation, raising and
lowering the bowl rapidly to force a
larger load into it. Nichols, 2
d. Alternately raising and lowering a
digging edge to increase the volume
of dirt being transported. Nichols, 1
e. The motion of mercury in a barometer
arising from the movement of a
ship or from fluctuations of air pressure in
a varying wind. CTD

pump lift
a. The vertical distance that a pump can
suck
up
water.
Theoretically,
this should be about 34 ft (10.4 m) at sea
level;
practically,
the
limit
is about 26 ft (7.9 m). Long
b. The vertical distance a pump can force
water to flow. Long
pump load
The back pressure and/or resistance to
flow of fluids that a pump must
overcome to force a fluid to flow through
a
pipeline,
drill
string,
etc.
Long

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the purpose of forcing a fluid through the


line. Long

pump pressure
The force per unit area or pressure against
which a pump acts to force a
fluid to flow through a pipeline, drill
string,
etc.;
also,
the
pressure
imposed on the fluid ejected from a pump.
Long

pump stock
Lanc. See:pump tree
pump sump

pump rod

A tank into which fluids gravitate and


from which they are recirculated by
means of a pump. BS, 5

The rod or system of rods (usually heavy


beams) connecting a steam engine
at the surface or at a higher level with the
pump
piston
below.

pump surge
The pulsating effect transmitted to a
pipeline or drill string at the
completion of each compression stroke of
a
reciprocating-piston
pump.
Long

pump-rod plates
Scot. Spear plates; strips or plates of iron
bolted to wooden pump rods at
the joints for the purpose of making the
connection. Fay

pump tree
Eng. A cast-iron (wrought iron was
formerly used) pipe, generally 9 ft
(2.7 m) in length, of which the water
column
or
set
is
formed.

pump slip
Leakage past the valves and the plunger in
a
reciprocating
pump,
which
should not be greater than 2% or 3% for a
pump
in
good
condition.
Lewis

punch

A slope in which pumps are operated. Fay

a. A tool (ram) for knocking out timbers


in
coal
workings.
Standard,
2
b. See:leg; punch prop.

pump station

punched screen

a. In mining, a chamber near the shaft at


depth,
where
a
pump
is
installed.
Pryor,
3
b. An enlargement made in the shaft,
slope, or entry to receive the pump.
Also
called
pumproom.
c. The site at which one or more pumps
are installed along a pipeline for

Thin plates through which holes have


been punched. These may be round,
rectangular, or slotted. Pryor, 3

pump slope

puncher
An early-model pick machine used to
undermine or shear coal by heavy blows

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of sharp steel points attached to a piston


driven
by
compressed
air.
Fay

pure bending
In mine subsidence, bending without
fracture. Briggs

punching shear
pure coal
If a heavily loaded column punches a hole
through the base on which it
rests, the base has failed in punching
shear. This is prevented either by
thickening the base or by enlarging the
foot of the column so as to ensure
that the allowable shear stress is not
exceeded. Hammond

See:vitrain
pure culture
A collection of microbial cells of the same
species in a container that is
devoid of any other form of life. Rogoff

punch mining

pure oxide

a. Mining in which the rooms are opened


off
the
strip
mine
highwall.
USBM,
3
b. An underground method of extracting
coal from finger-shaped areas of
reserves not amenable to other mining
methods. Openings are driven by
continuous mining machines back and
forth across the fingers from outcrop
to outcrop leaving a pillar of coal between
each cut.

Any of a group of refractories including


alumina,
magnesia,
thoria,
zirconia, beryllia, and ceria. Osborne
pure oxide ceramic
Ceramic product made from any of the
pure oxides of nonmetallic materials;
i.e., Al2 O3 , MgO, SiO2 , etc.
pure shear

punch prop
A short timber prop for supporting coal in
holing
or
undercutting;
a
sprag. Standard, 2

A strain in which a rock body is elongated


in one direction and shortened
at right angles to this in such an amount
that
the
volume
remains
unchanged. AGI

puppet valve

pure steel

A valve that, in opening, is lifted bodily


from
its
seat
by
its
spindle
instead of being hinged at one side..
Fay

The product of a basic open-hearth


furnace refined to a point where the
impurities are reduced to the lowest
practicable minimum, after which
copper and molybdenum are added in
correct
proportions.

puppy
An underground set of pumps. Fay

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purple blende

instigated
by
the
onsetter
and
banksman. When everything is ready for
winding, the onsetter and banksman
press their respective start pushbuttons
and
the
winder
starts,
accelerates, and banks automatically
without the intervention of the
winding engineman. With this form of
control, loading and discharging of
the
skips
is
fully
automatic.
manual winding control. Nelson

An old syn. for kermesite. Fay

pusher

purple copper ore

a. A laborer who pushes loaded mine cars


on
tracks
from
underground
working places to haulage roads where
they are hooked up to a locomotive
and hauled to the surface, shaft, or slope
bottom
for
hoisting.
A
pusher
may, at bituminous mines, shift empty and
loaded cars in and about the
tipple, where coal is prepared for market.
Also
called:
car
puller;
car
shifter;
headsman;
putter;
trailer;
trammer..
DOT
b. One who encourages or hastens the
miners. Also called jigger boss.
Ricketts
c. A tractor that pushes a scraper to help it
pick
up
a
load.
Nichols, 1

purlins
Timbers spanning from truss to truss, and
supporting
the
rafters
of
a
roof. Crispin
puron
High-purity iron. Osborne

A miners' term for bornite.


purple ore
Sintered pyritic ore.
purpurite
An orthorhombic mineral, MnPO4 ; forms
a
series
with
heterosite;
deep red or reddish purple; forms small,
irregular masses as an alteration
product of lithiophilite and triphylite; at
Pala,
CA;
Hill
City,
SD;
Newry, ME; and the Erongo Mountains,
Namibia.
pushbutton coal mining

pusher tractor
A fully automatic and remotely controlled
system of coal cutting, loading,
and face conveying, including selfadvancing
roof
support
systems.

A bulldozer exerting pressure on the rear


of a scraper loader while the
loader
is
digging
and
loading
unconsolidated ground being excavated
and
moved during opencast mining.

pushbutton winding control


A system in which the operation of the
winder
is
similar
to
automatic
cyclic winding, but the starting is

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A hole through which glass is introduced


to
a
flattening
furnace.
Standard, 2

quantities of other gaseous products, such


as
hydrogen
(H2
),
ammonia (NH3 ), and hydrogen sulfide
(H2
S),
are
formed.
CF:disintegration

push-pull support system

PVC belt

A method of advancing power-operated


supports
on
a
longwall
face.
Double-acting hydraulic jacks are used in
conjunction
with
supports
that
slide forward on the floor and provide
their own abutments for both their
forward movement and that of the
conveyor. Nelson

There are two main types of belts: (1)


solid woven carcass impregnated and
covered with polyvinyl chloride; and (2)
normal
multiple
construction,
which has polyvinyl chloride interlayers
and covers. PVC belts are now
used widely in coal mines, being not only
fire resistant but equal, if not
better, in quality than normal rubber
belting.
Nelson

push hole

push-pull wave
A wave that advances by alternate
compression and rarefaction of a medium,
causing a particle in its path to move
forward and backward along the
direction of the wave's advance. In
connection with waves in the Earth,
also
known
as
primary
wave,
compressional wave, longitudinal wave,
or
P-wave. Leet, 1

P wave

push wave

A seismic wave that propagates by


alternating
compressions
and
rarefactions in an elastic medium; the
motion is in the direction of
propagation. It is the type that carries
sound.
dilatational wave; irrotational wave;
longitudinal wave; pressure wave;
push wave. AGI

See:P wave

pycnite

put
To haul by hand. Mason

A variety of topaz occurring in massive


columnar aggregates. Also spelled
pychite.

putrefaction

pycnocline

A process of decomposition of organic


substances
that
occurs
in
the
presence of water and with the complete
exclusion of air. It is a kind of
slow distillation whereby chiefly methane
(CH4
)
and
smaller

A steep vertical gradient of density. Hy


pycnometer
a. A device for weighing and thus
determining the specific gravity of

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small quantities of oil or other liquids.


Also
spelled
pyknometer.
Hess
b. A small bottle for determining the
specific gravity of grains or small
fragments.

that the middle holes converge and outline


a
pyramid-shaped
volume
of
rock. These holes are fired first, and thus
create
a
free
face
or
relieving
cut.
Pryor,
3
b. This cut has received its name from the
shape
of
the
initial
opening.
The three or four holes are so directed that
they meet at a point farthest
in. The pyramid cut is mainly employed in
raises and for shaft sinking but
is not recommended for horizontal tunnels
where a machine setup for a
definite direction of the four holes cannot
easily
be
obtained.

pyrabol
See:pyribole
pyralmandite
A garnet composition between pyrope and
almandine.

c. This type of cut usually consists of four


holes
drilled
to
meet
at
a
common apex in the center of the face.
This arrangement permits a high
concentration of explosive to be used, and
the
pyramid
cut
is
therefore
particularly suitable for breaking hard
ground. In very hard ground the
number of holes forming the cut may be
increased
to
six.
The
main
disadvantage of this type of cut is the
difficulty
in
drilling
the
holes
at the correct angles so that they will meet
at the back of the cut. As in
the case of the wedge cut, therefore, a hole
director
should
be
used.
Also
called diamond cut. McAdam, 2
d. In underground blasting, a type of cut
employed in which the three cut
holes in the center may be drilled to form
a pyramid. Also applied to four
holes meeting in a point. The
simultaneous firing of these holes is
somewhat equivalent to using a very
heavy charge of explosive and makes a
powerful
blast.
Lewis
e. A cut in which four central holes are
drilled
towards
a
focal
point,
and when fired break out a tetrahedral
section of strata. BS, 12

pyralspite
The pyrope, almandine, spessartine
subgroup
of
the
garnet
group.

pyramid
An open crystal form consisting of
nonparallel faces that intersect the c
crystallographic axis and consist of three
(trigonal),
four
(tetragonal),
six (ditrigonal, hexagonal), or eight
(ditetragonal) faces meeting at a
point. CF:bipyramid; hemipyramid; dome.
pyramidal
Descriptive of a crystal habit dominated
by pyramids or bipyramids.
pyramidal garnet
Same as idocrase; a variety of vesuvianite.
Fay
pyramid cut
a. In tunnel driving or shaft sinking, a
pattern
of
shotholes
drilled
so

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pyramid-set

pyricaustate

A bit crown, the face of which is covered


with
a
series
of
stubby
pyramids, each apex of which is set with a
diamond. Long

A general name for a fossil combustible


substance. Tomkeieff

pyramid structure

a. An isometric mineral, FeS2 ;


dimorphous with marcasite; forms a
series with cattierite; crystallizes in cubes
and
pyritohedra;
sparks
readily if struck by steel; metallic; pale
bronze
to
brass
yellow;
hardness varies from 6.0 to 6.5; occurs in
veins,
as
magmatic
segregation,
as accessory in igneous rocks, and in
metamorphic rocks, in sedimentary
rocks including coal seams; a source of
sulfur; may have included gold.
b. The mineral group aurostibite, bravoite,
cattierite,
erlichmanite,
fukuchilite, geversite, hauerite, insizwaite,
krutaite,
laurite,
malanite,
maslovite, michenerite, penroseite, pyrite,
sperrylite,
testibiopalladite,
trogtalite, vaesite, and villamaninite.

pyrite

In crystallography, that of a crystal in


which
three
or
more
inclined
faces cut the three crystal axes. Pryor, 3
pyrargyrite
A trigonal mineral, Ag3 SbS3 ;
dimorphous
with
pyrostilpnite; rhombohedral cleavage;
soft; deep red; in late-primary or
secondary-enrichment veins, and an
important
source
of
silver.
.
pyrene
A tetracyclic hydrocarbon obtained from
the
coal-tar
fraction
boiling
above 360 degrees C; C16 H10 ; soluble in
carbon
disulfide,
toluene, and ligroin. CTD; Handbook of
Chemistry and Physics, 2

pyrites
a. Various metallic-looking sulfide
minerals
including
iron
pyrites
(pyrite); copper pyrites (chalcopyrite); tin
pyrites
(stannite);
white
iron, cockscomb, or spear pyrites
(marcasite);
arsenical
pyrites
(arsenopyrite); cobalt pyrites (linnaeite);
magnetic
pyrites
(pyrrhotite);
and capillary pyrites (millerite). Without
qualification
it
popularly
refers
to
pyrite.
b. Stones that may be used for striking
fire.

pyreneite
A black variety of andradite garnet.
pyrheliometer
An actinometer that measures the intensity
of
direct
solar
radiation.
AGI
pyribole

pyrites of copper
The pyroxene group plus amphibole
group.

Common name for chalcopyrite. Weed, 1

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luster. A silvery white variety is called


igelstromite.

pyritic
Of, pertaining to, resembling, or having
the
properties
of
pyrites.
Standard, 2

pyrobelonite
An orthorhombic mineral, PbMn(VO4
)(OH) ; descloizite group; forms
minute fire-red acicular crystals at
Laangban, Sweden; a source of
vanadium.

pyritic smelting
Smelting of sulfide copper ores, in which
heat
is
supplied
mainly
by
oxidation of iron sulfide.

pyrobitumen
pyritic sulfur

Containing or producing pyrite. Webster


3rd

Any of the dark-colored, fairly hard,


nonvolatile,
carbon-rich
material
substances composed of hydrocarbon
complexes, which may or may not contain
oxygenated substances and are often
associated with mineral matter. The
nonmineral constituents are infusible,
insoluble in water, and relatively
insoluble in carbon disulfide. AGI

pyritization

pyrobituminous

Introduction of or replacement by pyrite;


e.g.,
the
replacement
of
original fossil material by pyrite. A
common hydrothermal introduction of
pyrite specks in rock adjacent to veins.

Pertaining to substances
bitumens upon heating. AGI

The part of the sulfur in coal that is in the


form
of
pyrites
or
marcasite. BS, 1
pyritiferous

that

yield

pyrochlore
a. An isometric mineral, (Ca,Na)2 Nb2 O6
(OH,F)
;
forms a series with microlite; in
pegmatites
in
Maine,
California,
Colorado, Africa, and Europe; a source of
niobium.
b. The mineral group including the
betafite
subgroup
betafite,
plumbobetafite, and yttrobetafite; the
microlite
subgroup
bariomicrolite,
bismutomicrolite,
microlite,
plumbomicrolite, and uranmicrolite; and
the
pyrochlore subgroup bariopyrochlore,
ceriopyrochlore,
kalipyrochlore,

pyritohedron
An isometric closed crystal form of 12
faces, each an irregular pentagon.
It is named after pyrite, which
characteristically has this crystal form.
pyroaurite
A trigonal mineral, Mg6 Fe2 (CO3 )(OH)16
.4H
2 O ; hydrotalcite group; dimorphous with
sjoegrenite;
occurs
in
goldlike submetallic scales, or brown
crystals having pearly to greasy

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developed at high temperature in melts


containing only a small proportion
of volatile (hyperfusible or fugitive)
constituents.

plumbopyrochlore, uranpyrochlore, and


yttropyrochlore.
pyrochroite
A trigonal mineral, Mn(OH)2 ; brucite
group;
soft;
pearly
white
darkening on exposure; has perfect basal
cleavage.

pyrogenic
Said of a process or of a deposit involving
the
intrusion
and/or
extrusion
of magma.. AGI

pyroclast

pyrogenic ore mineral

An individual particle ejected during a


volcanic eruption. It is usually
classified according to size. AGI

An ore mineral that crystallized as a


primary magmatic mineral of igneous
rocks. Schieferdecker

pyroclastic

pyrogenic rock

Produced by explosive or aerial ejection


of
ash,
fragments,
and
glassy
material from a volcanic vent. Applied to
the rocks and rock layers as
well as to the textures so formed. Stokes

A rock resulting from the cooling of a


molten magma; an igneous rock.
pyrognostics

pyroclastic deposit
The characteristics (such as the degree of
fusibility
or
the
flame
coloration) of a mineral observed by the
use
of
the
blowpipe.
Webster 3rd

A deposit made up mainly of rock


material that has been expelled aerially,
normally explosively, from a volcanic
vent, such as agglomerate, tuff, and
ash. The fragments range in size from
bombs and blocks to dust or ash.
Such deposits are usually designated
according to the lavas to which they
correspond in composition. Stokes

pyrolite
An explosive resembling gunpowder in
composition. Webster 2nd

pyrogenesis

pyrolusite

A broad term encompassing the intrusion


and extrusion of magma and its
derivative. Adj. pyrogenic. AGI

A tetragonal mineral, MnO2 ; rutile group;


trimorphous
with
akhtenskite and ramsdellite; soft; metallic;
steel
gray;
massive
or
reniform; a source of manganese.
CF:psilomelane
gray manganese ore.

pyrogenetic
A term introduced to designate minerals,
such
as
olivine
and
chromite,

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pyrolysis

pyrometasomatism

Chemical decomposition by the action of


heat.

Contact
CF:metasomatism

pyrolytic graphite

pyrometer

Graphite formed by pyrolysis of a


carbonaceous gas. Van Vlack

An instrument that measures high


temperature, e.g., of molten lavas, by
electrical or optical means.

metamorphism.

pyrometallurgy
pyrometric cone
Metallurgy involved in winning and
refining metals in which heat is used,
as in roasting and smelting. Practically all
iron
and
steel,
nickel
and
tin, most copper, and a large proportion of
zinc,
gold,
and
silver,
as
well as many of the minor metals, are won
from their ores and concentrates
by pyrometallurgical methods. It is the
most important and oldest class of
the extractive processes. ASM, 1

A small, slender three-sided pyramid


made
of
ceramic
or
refractory
material for use in determining the timetemperature effect of heating and
in obtaining the pyrometric cone
equivalent (PCE) of refractory material.
Pyrometric cones are made in series, the
temperature
interval
between
successive cones usually being 20 degrees
C. The best known series are
Seger cones (Germany), Orton cones
(United
States),
cones (United Kingdom).:cone; orton
cone. ARI; Dodd

pyrometamorphism
Metamorphism produced by heat; it is a
local,
intense
type
of
thermal
metamorphism, resulting from unusually
high temperatures at the contact of
a rock with magma, such as in xenoliths.
CF:igneous
metamorphism;
hydrometamorphism.

pyrometric cone equivalent


The number of that standard pyrometric
cone whose tip would touch the
supporting plaque simultaneously with a
cone of the refractory material
being investigated when tested in
accordance with ASTM Test Method C24.
Abbrev. PCE. ASTM

pyrometasomatic
Formed by metasomatic changes in rocks,
principally
in
limestone,
at
or
near intrusive contacts, under the
influence of magmatic emanations and
high to moderate temperature and
pressure. AGI

pyromorphite
A hexagonal mineral, Pb5 (PO4 )3 Cl ;
apatite
group,
with iron replacing lead and arsenic
replacing phosphorous; sp gr, 6 to 7;
in oxidized zones of lead-ore deposits.

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pyrope

pyropissite

a. An isometric mineral, 8[Mg3 Al2 (SiO4


)3
];
garnet group, with Fe and Mn replacing
Mg
and
Cr
replacing
Al.
Crystallizes
in
dodecahedra
and
trapezohedra; deep red to black; in highpressure
ultramafic
and
metamorphic rocks; also in placers; a
gemstone
and
an
abrasive.
b. Formerly, a name for any bright red
gem, such as ruby.

An earthy nonphosphatic pyrobitumen


composed primarily of water, humic
acid, wax (a source of "montan wax"), and
silica,
associated
with
brown
coal called pyropissitic brown coal.
pyroradiation pyrometer
A self-contained instrument with the
millivoltmeter
mounted
in
the
pyrometer tube; the radiant energy is
concentrated
by
means
of
an
objective lens (quartz or fluorite) rather
than
by
a
reflecting
mirror.
Newton, 2

pyrophane
An opal, e.g., hydrophane, artificially
impregnated with melted wax.

pyroretin
pyrophanite
A brittle, brownish-black resin that occurs
in
brown
coal
near
Aussig,
Bohemia; sp gr, 1.05 to 1.18. Fay

A trigonal mineral, MnTiO3 ; ilmenite


group;
forms
a
series
with
ilmenite; blood red.

pyrosmaltite
pyrophoric sphalerite
Any member of the hexagonal mineral
series,
ferropyrosmaltite-manganpyrosmaltite,
(Fe,Mn)8
Si6
O
(sub
15) (OH,Cl)10 .

A variety of sphalerite that gives off


sparks or glows when abraded. Some
pieces are so sensitive that the effect is
obtained
by
scratching
them
with a fingernail. Hess

pyrostibite
pyrophyllite
See:kermesite
A monoclinic and triclinic mineral, Al2 Si4
O10 (OH)2 ; foliated; soft; in schists and
hydrothermal
veins
in
North
Carolina, California, Newfoundland, and
Japan.

pyrostibnite
See:kermesite
pyrostilpnite

pyrophysalite
A monoclinic mineral, Ag3 SbS3 ;
dimorphous
with
pyrargyrite; red.

A coarse opaque variety of topaz from


Finbo,
Sweden.
Also
spelled
physalite.

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spodumene, hypersthene = enstatite


or ferrosilite, kunzite = spodumene, salite
=
diopside,
titanaugite
=
titanian augite, uralite = pseudomorphous
amphibole
after
pyroxene,
and
ureyite = kosmochlor. Pyroxenes (px) are
either
monoclinic
(clinopyroxenes, cpx) or orthorhombic
(orthopyroxenes,
opx).
General
2+
formula: AB2 ZO6 : A = Ca, Fe , Li, Mg,
Mn (super 2+) , Na, Zn; B = Al, Cr3+ ,
Fe2+ , Fe3+ , Mg, Mn2+ , Sc, Ti, V3+ ; Z =
Al,
Si.
Their
structures
are
built from single chains of silica
tetrahedra each sharing two oxygens,
with a silica:oxygen ratio of 1:3,
electrostatic
neutrality
being
maintained by cross-linking cations.
Crystals are prismatic with prismatic
cleavage at 87 degrees and 93 degrees .
Colors
are
mostly
greens,
but
range from white to black. Etymol: Greek
pyros
(fire)
+
xenos
(stranger)
from a mistaken belief that they were only
accidently caught up in lavas.

pyrosulfuric acid
a. A heavy, oily, strongly corrosive liquid
H2
S2
O7
that consists of a solution of sulfur
trioxide in anhydrous sulfuric acid.
It fumes in moist air and reacts violently
with
water
with
the
evolution
of
heat.
Webster
3rd
b. A solution of sulfur trioxide in sulfuric
acid;
H2
S2
O
7 . Colorless to dark brown depending on
purity;
hygroscopic.
CCD, 2
pyroxene
a. A group of chiefly magnesium-iron
minerals
including
diopside,
hedenbergite, augite, pigeonite, and many
other
rock-forming
minerals.
Although members of the group fall into
different
systems
(orthorhombic,
monoclinic, and triclinic), they are closely
related
in
form,
composition,
and
structure.;
hypersthene.
Fay;
AGI
b. The mineral group aegirine (Ae),
aegirine-augite,
clinoenstatite,
clinoferrosilite,
diopside
(Di),
donpeacorite, enstatite (En), essenite
(Es), ferrosilite (Fs), hedenbergite (Hd),
jadeite
(Jd),
jervisite
(Je),
johannsenite
(Jo),
kanoite
(Ka),
kosmochlor (Ko), natalyite, omphacite,
petedunnite
(Pe),
pigeonite,
and
spodumene (Sp). Some former names
relegated to synonyms include acmite =
aegirine,
bronzite
=
enstatite,
clinohypersthene = clinoenstatite or
clinoferrosilite,
diallage
=
altered
diopside or other pyroxene with good
(100) parting, eulite = ferrosilite,
fassaite = ferrian aluminian diopside or
augite,
ferroaugite
=
augite,
ferrosalite = hedenbergite, hiddenite =

pyroxene perthite
Lamellar intergrowths of pyroxene of
different
kinds,
as
with
the
feldspars. Also pyroxene microperthite,
pyroxene
cryptoperthite.
English
pyroxenite
A coarse-grained, holocrystalline igneous
rock
consisting
of
90%
pyroxenes. It may contain biotite,
hornblende, or olivine as accessories.

pyroxenoid
Single-chain silicates with individual
silica
tetrahedra
twisted
relative

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to the pyroxene chains, resulting in


triclinic
symmetry;
e.g.,
the
wollastonites, rhodonite, and pectolite.

See:berzeliite

pyroxmangite

See:pyrrhotite

A triclinic mineral, MnSiO3 ; forms a


series
with
pyroxferroite
where iron replaces manganese; forms
brown cleavable masses near Iva, SC;
Homedale, ID; Sweden; and Scotland.

pyrrhotite

pyrrhotine

A monoclinic and hexagonal mineral, FeS


;
invariably
deficient
in
iron;
variably ferrimagnetic; metallic; bronze
yellow
with
iridescent
tarnish;
in mafic igneous rocks, contact
metamorphic deposits, high-temperature
veins, and granite pegmatites. Where
associated
with
pentlandite
and
nickel replaces iron, it is a source of
nickel.
Also
spelled
pyrrhotine.

pyrrhite
See:pyrochlore
pyrrhoarsenite

To Go At beginning the Dictionary

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Q
quad

quadrille twinning

The composition quadrilateral for the CaMg-Fe


pyroxenes
(enstatite-ferrosilite-diopsidehedenbergite).

See:crossed twinning
quadrivalent
a. Having a valence of 4. Webster 3rd
b. Having four valences; e.g., chlorine,
which has a valence of 1, 3, 5,
and 7. Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics, 2

quadrantal bearing
A horizontal angle or bearing less than 90
degrees
,
measured
to
north,
south, east, or west from a survey line.
Hammond

quadruple block

quadrant cutter

A pair of blocks, each having four


sheaves, reeved with rope or cable and
used to increase the lifting capacity of a
drill-hoisting
mechanism;
a
four-sheave block and tackle. Long

A machine that will make a shear cut as


well as a horizontal cut. The
central column is wedged tightly between
roof
and
floor
and
operates
similarly to a radial percussive coal cutter.
Nelson

quagmire
A soft marsh or bog that gives under
pressure.
CF:quaking
bog
AGI

quadrant search
Similar to octant search, but using four
sectors instead of eight sectors.
Applies to any interpolation method
where a limited number of sample data
points are used to estimate intermediate
values.

quake sheet
A well-defined bed resembling a slump
sheet but produced by seismic shock
from an earthquake and resulting in load
casting
without
horizontal
slip.
AGI

quadrilateral
A four-sided plane figure of any shape,
having
an
area
equal
to
the
product of the diagonals multiplied by half
the sine of the angle between
them. Hammond

quaking bog
A peat bog that is either floating or is
growing
over
water-saturated
ground, so that it shakes or trembles when

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walked
on.
Quagmire
sometimes used as a synonym. AGI

English-English

is

quantitation
Once a dust sample has been collected, it
must be evaluated. Of principal
concern is quantitation--determining how
much dust or how many particles.
Certain methods of quantitation are
favored for the various sampling
methods. The number basis is preferable
for evaluating a pulmonary hazard,
while the weight basis is preferred for
toxic,
radioactive,
or
explosive
hazards. Number quantitation is usually
employed for impinger, konimeter,
molecular filter, and thermal precipitator
samples.
Weight
quantitation
is
used for filter paper and electrostatic
samples. Hartman, 1

qualitative analysis
In chemistry, the process of determining
which
elements
are
present.
Standard, 2
quality
a. Refers to the nature, and not the
amount, of material. In the case of a
coal seam, its quality is closely linked
with its rank and its chemical
composition. In the case of metals,
average unit values are determined by
systematic sampling and therefore
represent
a
known
quantity.

quantitative
b. Native values of a gem irrespective of
color
and
cut.
Hess
c. The ratio by weight of vapor to liquid
plus vapor in a mixture, as in
steam. Strock, 2

In testing ore, how much of each metal is


present. von Bernewitz
quantitative analysis
In chemistry, the process of determining
the
quantity
of
each
element
present. Also called elementary analysis.
Both
volumetric
and
gravimetric
methods are included. Standard, 2

quality control
a. Systematic setting, check, and operation
designed
to
maintain
steady
working conditions in continuous process
such as mineral concentration; to
forestall trouble; to check condition of
ore,
pulp,
or
products
at
important transfer points. Pryor, 3
b. Graphic method of exposing
abnormalities in sets of figures produced
by
measurement of repetitive operations or as
variances
from
operating
norms.
Pryor,
3
c. The maintaining of air within desired
limits
of
purity.
Hartman, 1

quantitative survey
See:ventilation survey
quantity
Deals with the amount, and not the nature,
of a substance. In the case of
a coal seam, quantity refers to its
workable thickness and acreage. In the
case of ore, the quantity determines its
commercial
importance.
Unit
ore
values without the quantity factor have

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only
a
Nelson

qualitative

English-English

significance.

quarman
See:quarryman

quantity control
quarpit
The control of air movement, its direction,
and
its
magnitude.
Hartman, 2

An obsolete term for a quarry.


quarrel

quantity-distance table
a. A stone quarry. Standard, 2
b. Materials from a quarry. Standard, 2

A table listing minimum recommended


distances from explosive material
stores of various weights to a specific
location. Meyer

quarrier
A worker in a stone quarry. Standard, 2

quaquaversal
quarry
Dipping outward in all directions from a
central
point,
as
a
dome
in
stratified
rocks.
CF:centroclinal;
periclinal.

a. An open or surface mineral working,


usually
for
the
extraction
of
building stone, as slate, limestone, etc. It
is
distinguished
from
a
mine
because a quarry usually is open at the top
and
front,
and,
in
ordinary
use of the term, by the character of the
material
extracted.

quaquaversal fold
See:dome
quarey lode

b. Day work pit. Also called opencast;


quarpit.
Pryor,
3
c. An underground excavation formed in
the roof, or fault, for the purpose
of obtaining material for pack walls.

See:quarry lode
quarfeloids
A portmanteau word
feldspar,
and
CF:feloids

from quartz,
feldspathoids.

quarry body
A dump body with sloped sides. Nichols,
1

quarl

quarry drainage

A large brick or tile; esp., a curved


firebrick used to support melting
pots for zinc and retort covers. Webster
3rd

Arranging the quarry layout so that pools


of water do not collect in the
working area. One-half percent grade
away from the face will generally

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quarry drill

bearing a rock-drilling mechanism, and


operating
on
a
track
laid
temporarily along or opposite the ledge to
be cut. Standard, 2

A blasthole drill. Nichols, 1

quarry lode

quarry face

A vein in a heading that is jointed and


blocky, like granite in a quarry,
or a heading in granite.

keep the floor free of mud and water.


Nelson

The freshly split face of ashlar, squared


off for the joints only, as it
comes from the quarry, and used esp. for
massive work. Distinguished from
rock face. Webster 3rd

quarry machine
See:quarrying machine

quarry-faced masonry

quarryman

Masonry in which the face of the stone is


left unfinished just as it comes
from the quarry. Crispin

a. A person employed at the face of a


quarry,
stripping,
drilling,
excavating, and loading rock or economic
product.
Nelson
b. One who operates a jackhammer to drill
holes
in
quarry
stone,
and
drives wedges into the holes to break or
split
off
slabs
or
blocks
of
stone. Also called hammerman; plug-andfeather
driller;
rockman;
rock
splitter.
DOT
c. In crushed rock quarries, a laborer who
performs any one or combination
of such duties as: loading rock into boxes
to
be
hoisted
out
of
quarry
pit; assisting in moving power shovel
from
one
loading
position
to
another; dumping rock from cars into
crusher or storage bins; feeding rock
into a crusher; tending belt conveyors that
transport
crushed
rock
from
crusher to storage bins; loading crushed
rock
from
storage
bins
into
trucks
or
railroad
cars.
DOT
d. In building stone quarries, a laborer
who
performs
any
one
or
combination of such duties as: cleaning
dirt and mud from surface and
sides of stone deposits; chipping

quarry floor
The lowest level on which stone is loaded.
Streefkerk
quarrying
a. The surface exploitation of stone or
mineral deposits from the Earth's
crust.
Nelson
b. Removal of rock that has value because
of
its
physical
characteristics.
Nichols,
2
c. One of the effects of glaciation whereby
blocks
of
stone,
bounded
mainly by joint planes, are lifted from the
bedrock
and
carried
away
by
ice. Also called plucking. Stokes
quarrying machine
Any machine used to drill holes or cut
tunnels in native rock; a gang
drill, or tunneling machine, but most
commonly a small form of locomotive,

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irregularities from surface of granite


blocks; breaking large pieces of stone into
smaller
sizes
suitable
for
building purposes with a sledge hammer;
attaching hoisting cable hooks or
slings to blocks of stone to be hoisted
from quarry; guiding and steadying
blocks of stone as they are loaded at the
quarry
surface
on
trucks
or
railraod cars by a derrick. DOT

quartation
The separation of gold from silver by
dissolving
out
the
latter
with
nitric acid. It requires not less than threefourths
of
silver
in
the
alloy, whence the name, which is also
applied to the alloying of gold with
silver, if necessary, to prepare it for this
method
of
parting.
See:parting

quarry powder
quarter
Ammonium nitrate dynamites intended to
replace the more costly gelatin
dynamites used in quarrying, where blasts
of
several
tons
of
explosives
are used. Cartridges up to 8 in (20 cm) in
diameter by 21 in (53 cm) in
length, can be enclosed in metal cans to
protect
against
water
damage.
Lewis

a. The act or process of dividing sludge,


core,
and
other
pulverized
or
granular samples into four equal parts.
Long
b. Syn. for quadrant as applied to a drillbit crown. Long
quartering

quarry-rid

a. The reduction in quantity of a large


sample of material by dividing a
heap into four approx. equal parts by
diameters at right angles, removing
two diagonally opposite quarters and
mixing the two remaining quarters
intimately together so as to obtain a truly
representative
half
of
the
original mass. The process is repeated
until a sample is obtained of the
requisite
size.
b. To split a piece of core longitudinally
into
four
equal
parts.
Long

Overburden. CF:ridding
quarry sap
a. The moisture contained in newly
quarried
stone.
Arkell
b. See:quarry water
quarry waste
Material discarded after crushing, as being
too
fine,
irregular,
or
flaky
for constructional work. Nelson

quartering in
quarry water
Lanc. A plan of building or putting
together tubbing plates from the top
downward, the rings and segments being
bolted together as the work of
excavation proceeds.

a. Water that fills the pore spaces of a rock


in
a
quarry.
b. Subsurface water retained in freshly
quarried rock.

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mile
(0.8
km)
square
and
containing 160 acres (64 ha) nearly as
possible. It is usually identified
as the northeast, northwest, southeast, or
southwest
quarter
of
a
particular section. AGI

quartering way
a. A quarry term to designate a direction
in which a rock cleaves with
moderate
facility;
grain.
b. The direction of the natural joints in a
quarry
rock.
CF:rift
c. Grain, second way, bate, hem, sheeting
plane.

quartz
a. A trigonal mineral, SiO2 ;
polymorphous
with
tridymite,
cristobalite, coesite, stishovite, and
keatite. Amethyst is a variety of
the well-known amethystine color.
Aventurine is a quartz spangled with
scales of mica, hemitite, or other minerals.
False
topaz
or
citrine
is
a
yellow quartz. Rock crystal is a watery
clear variety. Rose quartz is a
pink variety. Rutilated quartz contains
needles of rutile. Smoky quartz is
a brownish variety, sometimes called
cairngorm. Tigereye is crocidolite
(an asbestoslike mineral) replaced by
quartz and iron oxide and having a
chatoyant effect. The name of the mineral
is prefixed to the names of many
rocks that contain it, as quartz porphyry,
quartz
diorite.
; beta quartz; high quartz; low quartz.
Sanford;
Fay
b. Pac. Any hard, gold or silver ore, as
distinguished
from
gravel
or
earth. Hence, quartz mining, as
distinguished from hydraulic mining, etc.
Fay
c. A general term for a variety of
cryptocrystalline varieties of SiO (sub
2) ; e.g., agate, chalcedony.

quarter line
Western United States. The survey line by
which a section of government
land is divided into quarter sections.
quarterly survey
An underground survey required by law to
be undertaken at least once every
three months for the purpose of bringing
the working plans and other plans
up to date. BS, 7
quarter octagonal
A square shaft with corners cut back.
Nichols, 1
quarter-point veins
Small veins having an intermediate
bearing between strike and cross veins.
quarter post
A post marking a corner of a quarter
section of the U.S. Public Land
Survey system. It is located midway
between section corners. AGI

quartz battery
quarter section
A stamp, or series of stamps, for crushing
quartz ore. Mathews

A fourth of a normal section of the U.S.


Public
Land
Survey
system,
representing a piece of land normally 1/2

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quartz boil

quartziferous

An outcrop of a quartz vein.

Quartz-bearing as applied to a rock not


defined by the presence of quartz,
but containing minor amounts of it; e.g.,
limestone.

quartz claim
In the United States, a mining claim
containing ore in veins or lodes, as
contrasted with placer claims carrying
mineral, usually gold, in alluvium.

quartz index
a. A derived quantity (qz) in the Niggli
system
of
rock
classification,
which may be either positive or negative,
and is as indicator of a rock's
degree of silica saturation. AGI
b. A term used to indicate the mineralogic
maturity
of
a
sandstone
by
measuring the percentage of detrital
quartz. It is expressed as the ratio
of quartz and chert to the combined
percentage of sodic and potassic
feldspar, rock fragments, and clay matrix.
The index is used as a basis
for evaluating the degree of weathering of
the source rock and the degree
to which the sediment has been
transported. Values for sandstones range
between 3 and 19. AGI

quartz conglomerate
A rock made of pebbles of quartz with
sand. Osborne
quartz diorite
A group of plutonic rocks having the
composition of diorite but with an
appreciable amount of quartz, i.e.,
between 5% and 20% of the
light-colored constituents; also, any rock
in
that
group;
the
approximate
intrusive equivalent of dacite. AGI
quartz felsite
See:quartz porphyry

quartzite
quartz glass
a. A granoblastic metamorphic rock
consisting mainly of quartz and formed
by recrystallization of sandstone or chert
by
either
regional
or
thermal
metamorphism;
metaquartzite.
CF:orthoquartzite
b. A very hard but unmetamorphosed
sandstone, consisting chiefly of quartz
grains that are so completely cemented
with secondary silica that the rock
breaks across or through the grains rather
than
around
them;
an
orthoquartzite.
AGI
c. Stone composed of silica grains so
firmly
cemented
by
silica
that

Glass made by fusing quartz.


quartz gold
Gold that is not rounded and waterworn,
but
irregular
and
frequently
twisted in form, usually very bright, and
always
of
fine
quality.
Craigie
quartzic
See:quartziferous

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fracture occurs through the grains rather


than
around
them.
USBM,
7
d. As used in a general sense by drillers, a
very
hard,
dense
sandstone.
Long
e. A granulose metamorphic rock
consisting
essentially
of
quartz.
Holmes,
1
f. Sandstone cemented by silica that has
grown
in
optical
continuity
around each fragment.

which gold may be


washing. Standard, 2

quartzitic

a. A mine in which the deposits of ore are


found in veins or fissures in
the rocks forming the earth's crust.
Usually applied to lode gold mines,
but
not
to
placers.
b. A miner's term for a mine in which the
valuable
constituent,
e.g.
gold,
is found in siliceous veins rather than in
placers. It is so named because
quartz is the chief accessory mineral. AGI

Of, pertaining
quartzite.

to,

or

consisting

separated

by

quartz mill
A machine or establishment for
pulverizing quartz ore, in order that the
gold or silver it contains may be separated
by
chemical
means;
a
stamp
mill. Standard, 2; Fay
quartz mine

of

quartz keratophyre
Altered sodic diabase (trachyte) with
accessory quartz.
quartz latite

quartz monzonite
The extrusive or hypabyssal equivalent of
a
quartz
monzonite.
The
principal minerals are quartz, sanidine,
biotite,
sodic
plagioclase,
and
hornblende, commonly as phenocrysts in a
groundmass of potash feldspar and
quartz (or tridymite, cristobalite), or glass
in
flows.
Accessory
minerals
are magnetite, apatite, and zircon.

A medium- to coarse-grained plutonic


rock containing major plagioclase,
orthoclase, and quartz, with minor biotite,
hornblende,
and
accessory
apatite, zircon, and opaque oxides.
quartzoid

quartz lead

A crystal having the form of two six-sided


pyramids base to base.

A lode or vein of ore with quartz gangue.

quartz ore

quartz liquefier

A rock containing a large quantity of


quartz. Gordon

In metallurgy, an apparatus for extracting


gold
from
its
ore.
By
the
action of an alkali and high-pressure
steam,
gold-bearing
quartz
is
converted into a soluble silicate from

quartzose
a. Of, pertaining to, or consisting of
quartz.

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b. Containing quartz as a principal


constituent; esp. applied to sediments
and sedimentary rocks (e.g., sands and
sandstones)
consisting
chiefly
of
quartz. CF:quartziferous

quartz wedge
a. An optical accessory with varying
retardation used in polarized-light
microscopy to determine birefringence
and
optic
sign.
CF:Berek
compensator
b. In polarized-light microscopy, an
accessory plate that gives variable
compensation
for
birefringence.
CF:accessory plate; gypsum plate.

quartzous
See:quartzose
quartz porphyry

quartzy

A field term for a medium-grained


porphyritic igneous rock of felsic but
unspecified
composition
occurring
normally as minor stock or dike
intrusions, and carrying prominent
phenocrysts of quartz. It is a common
altered companion to porphyry copper
deposits.

See:quartzose
Quaternary
The second period of the Cenozoic era,
following the Tertiary; also, the
corresponding system of rocks. It began 2
to
3
million
years
ago
and
extends to the present. It consists of two
grossly
unequal
epochs;
the
Pleistocene, up to about 10,000 years ago,
and
the
Holocene
since
that
time. The Quaternary was originally
designated an era rather than a
period, with the epochs considered to be
periods,
and
it
is
still
sometimes used as such in the geologic
literature. The Quaternary may also
be incorporated into the Neogene, when
the Neogene is designated as a
period of the Tertiary era. AGI

quartz reef
A lode or vein of quartz.
quartz sinter
Siliceous sinter. Fay
quartz syenite
A potash or soda syenite with quartz as an
accessory,
hence
on
the
borderline between syenite and granite.
quartz trachyte

quaternary alloy
A fine-grained igneous rock consisting
mostly
of
alkali
feldspar,
with
normative quartz between 5% and 20%;
the volcanic equivalent of quartz
syenite. It normally shows trachytic
texture. AGI

An alloy containing
elements. Rolfe

four

principal

quebracho
Aqueous extract of a bark of quebracho
tree; contains up to 65% tannin.
Used in froth-flotation as depressant for

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oxidized
Pryor, 3

English-English

alloys
treatment. CTD

minerals.

after

solution

queen

quenching oils

Slate measuring 36 in by 24 in (91.44 cm


by 60.96 cm). Pryor, 3

Oils used in heat treating. Fish oils are


often
used.
Minerals,
fish,
vegetable, and animal oils are often
compounded and sold under trade
names. Crispin

queer
A fissure, joint, or small cavity in a rock
or
quartz
vein.
Also
spelled
quere, queere, and qweear (U.K.).

quenching tub

queery

A tub of water in which to cool, harden, or


temper
iron
or
steel.
Standard, 2

Corn. When the lode or rock on which the


miner is driving partakes of the
character of quarry stone, namely, in
detached lumps by natural divisions,
it is called queery ground, and is
frequently worked with crowbars and
levers instead of being blasted or gadded.
A
"queer
of
ground"
is
a
detached rock. Also called quarry lode.

quene
Crevice in lode or vein. Also spelled
queane. Hess
quenselite
A monoclinic mineral, PbMnO2 (OH);
occurs
in
pitch-black
crystals
with perfect cleavage; at Laangban,
Sweden.

quench
a. To cool suddenly (as heated steel) by
immersion, esp. in water or oil.
Webster
3rd
b. To produce a crust or a succession of
crusts
on
molten
metal,
each
crust being removed as it is formed.
Standard, 2

Querwellen wave
See:Love wave
questal bentonite
A colloidal bond which, when added to
molding sands in amounts up to 3%,
increases porosity and strength (green and
dry), and reduces the amount of
water needed. Osborne

quenching
Generally means rapidly cooling metals
and alloys, or any substance to
below the critical range by immersing it in
oil
or
water
to
harden
it.
Also applied to cooling in salt and moltenmetal baths or by means of an
air blast, and to the rapid cooling of other

quick
a. Said of a sediment that, when mixed
with water, becomes extremely soft
and incoherent and is capable of flowing

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easily under load or by force of


gravity; e.g. quick clay or quicksand. AGI
b. Said of blasting powder that burns or
goes
off
very
rapidly.
c.
See:quicksilver
d. Said of an economically valuable or
productive
mineral
deposit,
in
contrast to a dead ground or area. An ore
is said to be quickening as its
mineral content increases.

quicksand

quickening

quicksilver

Descriptive of an ore as its mineral


content increases with distance.

A common name for mercury.

A mass or bed of fine sand, that consists


of smooth rounded grains with
little mutual adherence and that is usually
saturated
with
water
flowing
upward through the voids, forming a
semiliquid, highly mobile mass that
yields
easily
to
pressure.

quicksilver cradle
quicklime sizes
A wooden box placed in a sloping
position, and fixed upon rockers, in
which gold-bearing gravel is washed, the
gold being caught by mercury in
the lower part of the cradle. Fay

The different sizes depending upon the


type of limestone, kind of kiln
used, or treatment subsequent to calcining.
The
sizes
commonly
recognized
are as follows: (1) large lump--8 in (203
mm) and smaller; (2) pebble or
crushed--2-1/2 in (64 mm) and smaller;
(3)
ground,
screened,
or
granular--1/4 in (6.4 mm) and smaller;
and
(4)
pulverized--substantially
all passing a No. 20, 850 mu m, sieve.
ASTM

quicksilver rock
An altered rock consisting mainly of dark
opal
and
chalcedony,
commonly
associated with ore in California mercury
deposits in serpentine.
quick test

quickness
A shear test of a cohesive soil without
allowing
the
sample
to
drain.

The property of an explosive by virtue of


which it exerts a sharp blow or
shattering effect on the material with
which
it
is
in
contact.
The
quickest explosive of the dynamite class is
the
60%
straight
dynamite.
Quick explosives are the ones particularly
desired
for
mudcapping.
For
maximum effect for this purpose, they
should be of high density and
sensitiveness.

Quigley gun
An air gun which mixes dry, granular,
refractory materials with water.
quill shaft
A light drive shaft inside a heavier one,
and turning independently of it.
Nichols, 1

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conveyance for making a grant of


lands whether by way of release or as an
original
conveyance.
Webster
3rd
b. In the United States, a document in
which a mining company sells its
surface rights but retains its mineral
rights. Nelson

quincite
Light carmine-red particles found in a
limestone
near
Quincy,
France;
color apparently organic; a doubtful
mineral. Dana, 1
quinquevalent

quoin

a. Having a valence of 5. Webster 3rd


b. Having five valences. Tungsten has five
valences which are 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6. Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics, 2

a. The keystone or a voussoir of an arch.


b. A wedge to support or steady a stone.
c. A large square ashlar or stone at the
angle of a wall to limit the
rubble and make the corner true and
strong; an exterior masonry corner.
d. One of the four facets on the crown,
pavilion, or base of a gem.

quitclaim
a. A release of a claim; a deed of release;
specif.,
a
legal
instrument
by
which some right, title, interest, or claim
by one person in or to an
estate held by himself or another is
released to another, and which is
sometimes used as a simple but effective

Q wave
See:Love wave

To Go At beginning the Dictionary

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R
rabatage

rabbling

A system of working steep seams of any


thickness. Nelson

Stirring molten metal, ore, or other


charge, using a hoelike tool or other
device. ASM, 1

rabbit-eye
rabbling tool
York. Limestone in the Coralline Oolite.
CF:toad's-eye

A rabble of simple construction for use by


hand.
Also
called
rabble
rake.

rabbittite
A monoclinic mineral, Ca3 Mg3 (UO2 )2
(CO
(sub
3) )6 (OH)4 .18H2 O ; radioactive; forms
yellow
efflorescence on mine walls.

race

rabble

The term is applied to conduits, moldings,


and
other
hollow
material,
often concealed, through which wires are
fished
from
one
outlet
to
another. Crispin

A small thread of spar or ore.


raceway

a. An iron scraper serving as a rake in


removing scoriae from the surface
of
melted
metal.
Fay
b. A charcoal burner's shovel. Webster 3rd
c. A mechanical rake for skimming the
bath in a melting or refining
furnace or for stirring the ore in a roasting
furnace
by
hand
or
mechanically. Webster 3rd

rack
a. An inclined trough for washing or
separating
ore.
Nelson
b. A toothed or notched drill-base-slide
and meshing-gear pinion used to
facilitate the moving of a drill to clear the
borehole
when
hoisting
or
lowering the drill string; generally limited
to
larger,
skid-mounted
machines.
Long
c. A framework of wood or metal for the
orderly
storage
of
core,
pipe

rabbler
a.
See:rabble
b. One who uses a rabble, as in puddling
iron.
Standard,
2
c. A scraper. Standard, 2

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b. The process of separating ores by


washing
on
an
inclined
plane.
c. See:ragging

rods, etc., in a horizontal position. Long


d. A tilting table on which concentrates
are separated from the passing
flow of finely ground pulp, the system
being arranged to be periodically
self-flushing.
Pryor,
3
e. A screen composed of parallel bars to
catch
floating
debris.
Seelye,
1
f. In electroplating, a frame used for
suspending and conducting current
to one or more cathodes during
electrodeposition. Lowenheim

racking table
A table on which to wash ore slimes.
rack railroad
A cog railway; cog tramway. Fay
rack up

rack-a-rock

a. To move the drilling machine forward


into alignment with the borehole,
using the rack-and-gear pinion to facilitate
moving
the
machine.
Long
b. To stack and arrange the drill rods in an
orderly
fashion
in
the
tripod, mast, or derrick, or horizontally on
a
rack
provided
on
the
ground.
Long
c. To place core on a rack. Long

Mining explosive based on a mixture of


potassium
chlorate
and
nitrobenzene. Pryor, 3
rack back
To move a drilling machine away from
the borehole collar by sliding it on
its base, using the rack-and-gear pinion to
facilitate
moving
the
machine.

radial
racked timbering

Said of lines or other linear phenomena


converging at a single center or
departing from one.

Timbering braced diagonally as stiffening


against
deformation.
Hammond

radial arm

rack frame
Inclined table used to treat slimes.

The movable cantilever supporting the


drilling saddle in a radial drilling
machine. Crispin

rack gear

radial dikes

A toothed bar. Nichols, 1

A descriptive term for dikes that radiate


outward from a center, commonly
a volcanic neck or stock.

racking
a. Old term for concentration in sluice
boxes.

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radial drainage pattern

raceway

A drainage pattern in which consequent


streams radiate or diverge outward,
like the spokes of a wheel, from a high
central area; it is best developed
on the slopes of a young, unbreached
domal structure or of a volcanic
cone. AGI

The term is applied to conduits, moldings,


and
other
hollow
material,
often concealed, through which wires are
fished
from
one
outlet
to
another. Crispin

rabble

a. An inclined trough for washing or


separating
ore.
Nelson
b. A toothed or notched drill-base-slide
and meshing-gear pinion used to
facilitate the moving of a drill to clear the
borehole
when
hoisting
or
lowering the drill string; generally limited
to
larger,
skid-mounted
machines.
Long
c. A framework of wood or metal for the
orderly
storage
of
core,
pipe
rods, etc., in a horizontal position. Long
d. A tilting table on which concentrates
are separated from the passing
flow of finely ground pulp, the system
being arranged to be periodically
self-flushing.
Pryor,
3
e. A screen composed of parallel bars to
catch
floating
debris.
Seelye,
1
f. In electroplating, a frame used for
suspending and conducting current
to one or more cathodes during
electrodeposition. Lowenheim

rack

a. An iron scraper serving as a rake in


removing scoriae from the surface
of
melted
metal.
Fay
b. A charcoal burner's shovel. Webster 3rd
c. A mechanical rake for skimming the
bath in a melting or refining
furnace or for stirring the ore in a roasting
furnace
by
hand
or
mechanically. Webster 3rd
rabbler
b. One who uses a rabble, as in puddling
iron.
Standard,
2
c. A scraper. Standard, 2
rabbling
Stirring molten metal, ore, or other
charge, using a hoelike tool or other
device. ASM, 1
rabbling tool

rack-a-rock
A rabble of simple construction for use by
hand. Also called rabble rake.
race

Mining explosive based on a mixture of


potassium
chlorate
and
nitrobenzene. Pryor, 3

A small thread of spar or ore.

rack back
To move a drilling machine away from
the borehole collar by sliding it on
its base, using the rack-and-gear pinion to

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facilitate

moving

the

English-English

machine.

radial

racked timbering

Said of lines or other linear phenomena


converging at a single center or
departing from one.

Timbering braced diagonally as stiffening


against
deformation.
Hammond

radial arm

rack frame

The movable cantilever supporting the


drilling saddle in a radial drilling
machine. Crispin

Inclined table used to treat slimes.


radial axis
rack gear
See:longitudinal trace
A toothed bar. Nichols, 1
radial dikes
racking
A descriptive term for dikes that radiate
outward from a center, commonly
a volcanic neck or stock.

a. Old term for concentration in sluice


boxes.
b. The process of separating ores by
washing
on
an
inclined
plane.
c. See:ragging

radial drainage pattern


A drainage pattern in which consequent
streams radiate or diverge outward,
like the spokes of a wheel, from a high
central area; it is best developed
on the slopes of a young, unbreached
domal structure or of a volcanic
cone. AGI

racking table
A table on which to wash ore slimes.
rack railroad
A cog railway; cog tramway. Fay

radiation-type gage
rack up
An instrument for measuring the density
or
percentage
of
solids
in
slurries flowing through pipes. It normally
uses
a
gamma-ray
source,
usually cesium-137 or cobalt-60, mounted
in a lead-shielded holder on one
side of the pipe. A radiation detector is
mounted
on
the
opposite
side.
Since the absorption of the gamma
radiation, as it passes through the
slurry, varies as a function of the density
of
the
slurry,
the
change
in

a. To move the drilling machine forward


into alignment with the borehole,
using the rack-and-gear pinion to facilitate
moving
the
machine.
Long
b. To stack and arrange the drill rods in an
orderly
fashion
in
the
tripod, mast, or derrick, or horizontally on
a
rack
provided
on
the
ground.
Long
c. To place core on a rack. Long

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uranium, radium, and thorium. Hartman,


2

radiation received by the radiation


detector is representative of the
specific gravity or percentage of solids in
the
slurry.

radioactive element
Applied to certain unstable atoms, the
nuclei
of
which
spontaneously
disintegrate, emitting particles and rays,
eventually
reverting
through
a
series of such emissions into an atom
having a stable nucleus and a
different atomic number. Radium, e.g.,
becomes
lead-207.
MacCracken

radioactive
a. Generally, the property possessed by
certain elements, such as uranium,
of spontaneously emitting alpha, beta,
and/or
gamma
rays
by
the
disintegration of the nuclei of their atoms.
Long
b. Of, relating to, caused by, or exhibiting
radioactivity.
Abbrev.,
RA.
Webster 3rd

radioactive mineral
One of six radioactive elements that occur
naturally:
potassium,
rubidium,
thorium, uranium, and associated radium,
samarium, and lutecium. Thorium
commonly occurs in monazite, a sparsely
scattered
accessory
mineral
of
certain granites, gneisses, and pegmatites.
It
is
concentrated,
however,
by weathering processes in sands and
gravels as commercial placer deposits
along rivers and beaches. The most
important primary uranium ore minerals
are davidite and uraninite, esp.
pitchblende, the massive variety. These
minerals are of rather underspread
occurrence in certain granites and
pegmatites and occur as secondary
minerals in metallic vein deposits. The
secondary uranium minerals, however, are
more
underspread
and
more
numerous than the primary uranium ore
minerals. Secondary uranium minerals
are found in weathered and oxidized zones
of
primary
deposits
and,
also,
in irregular flat-lying sandstones, such as
those
in
the
Colorado
Plateau,
where the uranium mineralization was
precipitated
from
solutions.
Carnotite,
the
potassium
uranium

radioactive decay
a. The change of one element to another
by
the
emission
of
charged
particles from the nuclei of its atoms. AGI
b. The spontaneous disintegration of the
atoms
of
certain
nuclides
into
new nuclides, which may be stable or
undergo further decay until a stable
nuclide is finally created. Radioactive
decay involves the emission of
alpha particles, beta particles, and other
energetic
particles,
and
usually is accompanied by emission of
gamma
rays
and
by
atomic
de-excitation phenomena. It always results
in
the
generation
of
heat.

radioactive disintegration
See:radioactive decay
radioactive dusts
Dusts that are injurious because of
radiation. They include ores of

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vanadate of conspicuous yellow color, is


perhaps the most important of the
secondary uranium ore minerals. Others
are tyuyamunite, which is closely related
to
carnotite,
and
the
torbernites and autunites which are
uranium minerals.

radioactivity
The spontaneous decay or disintegration
of an unstable atomic nucleus,
accompanied by the emission of radiation.
Lyman
radioactivity log

radioactive series

A radioactive isotope of an element used


to study a process by observing
the intensity of radioactivity.

a. A log of a borehole obtained through


the use of gamma, neutron, or
other radioactivity logging methods.
b. The generic name for well logs whose
curves derive from reactions of
atomic nuclei involving the behavior of
gamma rays and/or neutrons. Except
for the natural gamma-ray log and the
spectral gamma-ray log, they record
the response of rocks very near the well
bore to bombardment by gamma rays
or neutrons from a source in the logging
sonde. Most can be obtained in
cased, empty, or fluid-filled well bores.
Varieties
include:
density
log;
neutron log; neutron-activation log;
epithermal-neutron
log;
pulsed-neutron-capture
log.
AGI

radioactive waste

radioactivity prospecting

Equipment and materials from nuclear


operations that are radioactive and
for which there is no further use. Wastes
are
generally
referred
to
as
high-level
(having
radioactivity
concentrations of hundreds to thousands
of curies per gallon or per cubic foot);
low-level (in the range of 1
microcurie per gallon or per cubic foot);
and
intermediate
(between
these
extremes).

Exploration for radioactive minerals


utilizing
various
instruments,
generally a Geiger counter or scintillation
counter,
by
measuring
the
natural radioactivity of earth materials.
Dobrin

A succession of nuclides, each of which


transforms
by
radioactive
disintegration into the next until a stable
nuclide
results.
The
first
member is called the parent, the
intermediate
members
are
called
daughters, and the final stable member is
called
the
end-product.
Four
radioactive series are the uranium series,
the
thorium
series,
the
actinium series, and the neptunium series.
Glasstone
radioactive tracer element

radioaltimeter
Equipment carried in survey aircraft to
ensure
constant
height
above
ground (not sea) level of 300 ft or 500 ft
(91.4 m or 152.4 m)--a critical
factor in certain airborne geophysical

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prospecting
surveys.

and

aerial

English-English

light;
specif.,
an
gamma-ray
See:roentgenogram

mapping

X-ray
or
a
photograph.

radiocarbon
radiography
Radioactive carbon, esp. carbon-14, but
also
carbon-10
and
carbon-11.
AGI

a. A nondestructive method of internal


examination in which metal or other
objects are exposed to a beam of X-ray or
gamma
radiation.
Differences
in
thickness, density, or absorption caused
by
internal
discontinuities
are
apparent in the shadow image either on a
fluorescent
screen
or
on
a
photographic film placed behind the
objects.
ASM,
1
b. The use of penetrating ionizing
radiation to examine solid material.
When the source of radiation is internal,
such as an implanted radioactive
tracer, the technique is known as
autoradiography. Lyman

radiocarbon dating
See:carbon-14 dating
radiochemistry
The chemical study of artificial and
naturally
occurring
radioactive
materials and their behavior. It includes
their use in tracer studies and
other chemical problems. AGI
radioelement
A form or sample of an element
containing one or more radioactive
isotopes.

radiohalo

radiogenic

radioisotope

Produced by radioactive transformation.


Thus,
uranium
minerals
contain
radiogenic lead and radiogenic helium.
The heat produced within the earth
by the disintegration of radioactive
nuclides is radiogenic heat.

a. An unstable isotope of an element that


decays
or
disintegrates
spontaneously, emitting radiation. Lyman
b. Radioisotope is loosely used as a syn.
for radionuclide.

See:pleochroic halo

Radiolaria
radiograph
a. Subclass of the Sarcodina consisting of
marine
protozoans
that
possess
complex internal siliceous skeletons.
b. Silica rock formers. Mason

a. A photographic shadow image resulting


from
uneven
absorption
of
radiation in the object being subjected to
penetrating
radiation.
ASM,
1
b. A picture produced upon a sensitive
surface (such as a photographic
film), by a form of radiation other than

radiolarian ooze
Deposits of siliceous ooze made up
largely of radiolarian skeletons and

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are formed at depths between 13,000 ft


and 25,000 ft (4.0 km and 7.6 km).
AGI

radiometer
Essentially a heat-flow meter used to
measure long-wave radiation as well
as solar radiation. It can be used both for
daytime
and
nighttime
measurements and to measure the net heat
transfer
through
a
surface.
Hunt

radio link
Radio signal unit used to control or
communicate
between
scattered
sections of mine, or to link isolated camp
with
other
places.
Pryor, 3

radiometric assay
A test to determine contained quantity of
uranium.
The
actual
uranium
present may be more or less than the assay
shows.;
inequilibrium. Ballard

radiolite
A spherulite composed of radially arrayed
acicular crystals.
radiolite survey instrument

radiometric ore sorter


A
one-shot
bore-hole-surveying
instrument
having
the
horizontal
(compass)
and vertical indicator markings painted
with a radioactive substance, such
as that on the luminous dial of a watch.
The positions of these markings
are recorded on small, circular,
photographic film. Long

A device for separating gangue from


uranium-bearing ore, after primary
crushing. Nelson
radiometric prospecting
Use of portable Geiger-Muller apparatus
for
field
detection
of
emission
count in search for radioactive minerals.
Pryor, 3

radiolitic
a. Said of the texture of an igneous rock
characterized
by
radial,
fanlike
groupings of acicular crystals, resembling
sectors
of
spherulites.
AGI
b. Said of limestones in which the
components radiate from central points,
with the cement comprising less than 50%
of the total rock. AGI

radiophone
An FM apparatus, using the mine
haulageway trolley wire for power and
antenna, that permits the dispatcher to talk
back and forth with his motor
crews as they are moving throughout the
mine.
This
saves
stopping
and
starting trips to make telephone calls.
Kentucky

radiometallography
radiophyllite
The application of X-rays to the study of
the
internal
structure
of
various materials, esp. metals. Fay

See:zeophyllite

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Horizontal distance from the center of


rotation of a crane to its hoisting
hook. Nichols, 1

radiore method
An electromagnetic method used in
mineral exploration in which a
high-frequency current is used, ranging
from 30,000 to 50,000 Hz, but, if
necessary, a frequency as low as 50 to
3,000 Hz, can be made available.
The detecting or direction-finding coil,
mounted on a tripod, has the form
of a pair of spectacles and is equipped
with
an
amplifier
and
head
telephone. When the exciting coil is
energized, a current is caused to
flow in the conductor and a secondary
electromagnetic
field
is
set
up
around the conductor. The detecting coil
is affected by both the primary
field from the exciting coil and the
secondary field. Lewis

radius of curve
A term used in laying mine track; the
calculated radius of an arc that
will connect two pieces of track (at a
desired angle of direction from
each other) with a smooth curve section.
radius of gyration
The value used when calculating the
slenderness ratio of pillars and
struts. If A is the cross-sectional area in
inches
of
the
pillar
or
strut
and I is its moment of inertia, the radius of
gyration
is
(I/A),
generally
known as K. Hammond

radium
radius of rupture
A radioactive metallic element; one of the
alkaline-earth
metals.
Symbol,
Ra. It occurs in pitchblende ore, in
carnotite sands, and in all uranium
minerals.

In crater tests, the average distance from


the
center
of
the
explosive
charge to the periphery of the crater at the
surface. Duvall

radium G

radius ratio

A name for lead-206, the stable endproduct


of
the
radioactive
disintegration of uranium-238 in the
uranium
disintegration
series.
Natural lead contains 23.6% of lead-206.
Symbol,
RaG.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 2

a. The ratio of the radius of the smaller ion


to
that
of
the
larger
ion.
It may not exceed 1. Hurlbut
b. The ratio of the radius of the smaller
ion
to
that
of
the
larger;
commonly cation to anion. Radius ratios
are used to predict coordination
numbers of anions about cations in ionic
crystal
structures.
CF:Pauling's rules

radiumite
A mixture of black pitchblende, yellow
uranotile,
and
orange
gummite.
Schaller

radon
a. A heavy, radioactive, gaseous element;
inert;
the
heaviest
known
gas.

radius

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weighted

Symbol, Rn. Formed by the disintegration


of
uranium.
Used
similarly
to
radium in medicine. Radon build-up is a
health
consideration
in
uranium
mines. Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics,
3
b. Heaviest known gas. Colorless as a gas;
yellow
to
orange-red,
phosphorescent, opaque crystals; sp gr of
liquid, 4.4 (at -62 degrees C);
and of solid, 4.0; soluble in water; and
slightly
soluble
in
alcohol
and
in organic liquids. All 18 known isotopes
from radon-204 to radon-224 are
radioactive. Radon-222 emanates from
thorium; half-life, 54.5 s; and an
alpha particle emitter; and radon-219 or
actinon
emanates
from
actinium;
half-life, 3.92 s; and an alpha particle and
a gamma ray emitter. One part
of radon exists in 1 sextillion parts of air.
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 2

exposure.

raffinate
The aqueous solution remaining after the
metal has been extracted by the
solvent; the tailing of the solvent
extraction system.
raft
See:float coal
rafter timbering
A method of mine timbering in which the
timbers appear like roof rafters.
rafting
a. The transporting of sediment, rocks,
silt, and other matter of land
origin out to sea by ice, logs, etc., with
subsequent
deposition
of
the
rafted matter when the carrying agent
disintegrates.
Hunt
b. Matting or agglomerating of powdered
coal. Bennett

radon daughter
A radioactive element produced in the
disintegration
of
radon.

radon progeny
rag
The short-lived decay products of radon,
an inert gas that is one of the
natural decay products of uranium. The
short-lived
radon
progeny
(i.e.,
polonium-210, lead-214, bismuth-214,
and polonium-214) are solids and
exist in air as free ions or as ions attached
to
dust
particles.
The
U.S.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
has established radiation protection
standards that limit a miner's radon
progeny exposure to a concentration
of 1.0 WL and an annual cumulative
exposure to 4 WLM. Each WLM is
determined as a 173-h cumulative, time

a. In British usage, any of various hard,


coarse,
rubbly,
or
shelly
rocks
that weather with a rough irregular
surface; e.g. a flaggy sandstone or
limestone used as a building stone. The
term appears in certain British
stratigraphic names, as the Kentish Rag (a
Cretaceous
sandy
limestone
in
East
Kent).
b. Any of various hard rocks, as a
quartzose
mica
schist
used
for
whetstones or a hard limestone used in
building.
Webster
3rd
c. A large roofing slate left rough on one

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compromise; (2) the standard gage


railway tracks is 4 ft, 8-1/2
(1.44 m) and, (3) in metal mining, the
gage
ranges
from
1-1/2
2-1/2 ft (0.46 to 0.76 m).

side.
Webster
3rd
d. To break (ore) into lumps for sorting; to
cut
or
dress
roughly
(as
a
grindstone). Webster 3rd

for
in
rail
to

ragged rolls
rail haulage system
Rolls with rough surfaces to facilitate the
gripping
of
the
steel
in
the
first stages of rolling, as distinguished
from
the
smooth-finishing
rolls.
Mersereau, 2

A materials transportation system


consisting of gondola cars, and the
steel rails on which the cars are moved
about
with
a
suitably
powered
traction unit as a locomotive.

ragging
rail riffles
a. The rough washing or concentration of
ore or slimes on a rag frame.
Nelson
b. In roll crushers, grooves cut in surface
to improve grip on feed, and
increase angle of nip. Also, in ore
concentration
in
jigs,
oversized
bedding placed on jig screens. Pryor, 3
c. See:bedding

These may be either longitudinal or


transverse and consist of rails of
various sizes, placed in sets usually upside
down,
either
longitudinally
in the sluice box, or transversally across
the box. They wear well, are
rigid, and give some security against theft
of gold from the sluice boxes.
Griffith

raggy stone
rails
Thin-bedded or flaggy sandstone. TIME

See:rag

Specially shaped steel bars which, when


laid
parallel
on
crossties
and
fastened, form a track for vehicles with
flanged wheels.

rail

rail track ballast

The chain or inner surface of a crawler.


Nichols, 1

Material placed around and between track


ties and tamped under sides and
ends of the ties to bring the track to proper
grade
by
filling
the
space
between the bottom of the ties and the
graded roadbed.

ragstone

rail gage
The distance or width between the inner
edges of the heads of the rails;
(1) in coal mining, the rail gage for tub
and car tracks ranges from 2 to
3 ft (0.6 to 0.9 m), and 2-1/3 ft (0.7 m) is
considered
a
satisfactory

rainbow chalcedony
Eng. A variety of chalcedony of thin
concentric layers, which, when cut

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See:iris quartz

connect with the level above, or to explore


the
ground
for
a
limited
distance above one level. After two levels
are
connected,
the
connection
may be a winze or a raise, depending upon
which
level
is
taken
as
the
point of reference.

rain chamber

raise borer

A chamber in which fumes, such as those


from
molten
metal,
may
be
condensed by a water shower. Standard, 2

These machines are used to produce a


circular excavation either between
two existing levels in an underground
mine or between the surface and an
existing level in a mine. In raise boring, a
pilothole
is
drilled
down
to
the lower level, the drillbit is removed and
replaced
by
a
reamer
head
having a diameter with the same
dimension as the desired excavation and
this head then is rotated and pulled back
up
towards
the
machine.
SME, 1

across, exhibit an iridescence resembling


the
colors
of
the
rainbow.
Fay
rainbow quartz

rain gage
A device used to measure precipitation
(melted snow, sleet, or hail as
well as rain). It consists of a receiving
funnel, a collecting vessel, and
a
measuring
cylinder.
AGI
rainwash

raise climber
a. The washing-away of loose surface
material by rainwater after it has
reached the ground but before it has been
concentrated
into
definite
streams; specif. sheet erosion. Also, the
movement
downslope
(under
the
action of gravity) of material loosened by
rainwater.
It
occurs
esp.
in
semiarid or scantily vegetated regions.
AGI
b. The material that originates by the
process
of
rainwash;
material
transported and accumulated, or washed
away,
by
rainwater.
AGI
c. The rainwater involved in the process of
rainwash. AGI

Equipment used in an opening (raise) that


is mined upward. MSHA, 4
raised shaft
See:raise
raising
Excavating a shaft or steep tunnel upward.
rise.
Nelson
rait
Mid. To split off the walls or sides of
underground workings. Called rosh
in Leicestershire.

raise
a. A vertical or inclined opening in a mine
driven upward from a level to

rake

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a. As used by diamond drillers and bit


manufacturers, rake is the angle,
measured in degrees, formed by the
leading face of a cutting tool and the
surface behind the cutting edge..
Long
b. The inclination of anything from the
vertical; said of mineral veins,
faults,
etc.
c. A timber placed at an angle.
d. Shale containing ironstone nodules. BS,
11

rake vein

rake blade

raking strut

A dozer blade or attachment made of


spaced tines. Nichols, 1

A strut set at an angle to the vertical to


support
timbering
during
excavation. Hammond

a. A steeply inclined crosscutting irregular


mineralized
fracture
or
fissure.
BS,
11
b. Rake vein and gas vein are
synonymous; it is said that they are lodes
filling distinct fissures. Their course in
irregular;
their
dip,
as
a
rule,
vertical.
Ricketts
c. A vein or lode cutting through the
strata.

rake classifier
Raky boring method
A type of mechanical classifier utilizing
reciprocal rakes on an inclined
plane to separate coarse from fine material
contained
in
a
water
pulp,
overflowing the fine material and
discharging the coarse material by means
of an inclined raking system.

A method of boring somewhat similar to


Fauck's. Hollow steel rods 2 in
(5.08 cm) in diameter are used with a mud
flush.
A
walking
beam,
fitted
with steel springs, imparts from 80 to 120
short
blows/min
to
the
chisel.
Nelson

rakers
Raleigh's law
Slanting props placed at the end of a drift
set to keep the timbers steady
when blasts go off.

In 1909 Lord Raleigh established the


general law of fluid flow: R = wV
2
(f)(wVD/m), where R = resistance of
flow,
w
=
density
of
fluid,
V = velocity of flow, D = diameter of
pipe, m = viscosity of fluid, f =
signifies function. For any particular value
of
(wVD)/m,
using
any
combination of quantities, there will be a
definite
corresponding
value
of
R/wV2 . Lewis

rake thickener
Equipment for thickening in which the
concentrated suspension settles in a
container of circular section and is
delivered mechanically to one or more
discharge points by a series of arms
revolving slowly around a central
shaft. BS, 5

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ralstonite

rammelsbergite

An isometric mineral, Nax Mgx Al2-x


(F,OH)6
.H
O
;
structurally
related
to
the
pyrochlore
2
group;
occurs
as
octahedra.

An orthorhombic mineral, NiAs2 ;


loellingite
group;
trimorphous
with pararammelsbergite and krutovite;
metallic; tin white; sp gr, 7.1; in
vein deposits.

Ralston's classification of coal

rammer

A classification based on the percentage


of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
in the ash-, moisture-, sulfur-, and
nitrogen-free coal. These figures are
plotted on trilinear coordinates giving
well-defined zones of bituminous
coals, lignites, peats, etc. Miall

A rod for
shotholes.
Nelson

charging

and

stemming

ramming
a.
See:stemming;
b. See:scaling

tamping.

ram
ramming and patching refractories
a.
To
stem;
tamp.
Mason
b. Black ram, bog iron ore; gold ram, gold
ore.
Arkell
c. The plunger of a pump. Zern
d. A mechanical pusher for forcing
(discharging) coke from a byproduct
coke
oven.
Mersereau,
2
e. An appliance for exerting a pressure on
face
equipment,
such
as
steel
supports,
conveyors,
or
plows.
Nelson

Those which can be rammed to form a


monolithic furnace lining or special
shapes.
ram operator
In bituminous coal mining, a laborer who
tends operation of, adjusts, and
repairs pumping devices (rams) used in
low places in shallow mines to
force a portion of the mine water to the
surface
by
utilization
of
the
flow of the entire amount. Nearly
obsolete. See:pumper

ramdohrite
A monoclinic mineral, Ag3 Pb6 Sb11 S24 ;
forms
dark-gray twinned prismatic to lanceshaped crystals; at Potosi, Bolivia.
CF:andorite

ramp
a. A fault that is a gravity (normal) fault
near
the
surface
but
curves
through the vertical to dip in the opposite
direction
at
depth,
where
the
displacement is that characteristic of a
thrust.
b. A portion of a thrust fault that cuts
across formational contacts in a

rammel
Loose stone, or waste rock; loose sandy or
stony
barren
soil;
mixed
shale
and sandstone. Also spelled: rammell.

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b. A kind of variegated marble from


Hainault, Belgium. Arkell

short
distance.
AGI
c. An incline connecting two levels in an
open pit or underground mine.

rand
ram pump
S. Afr. A ridge, range of hills, or highland
on
either
side
of
a
river
valley.

a. A pump consisting essentially of a


plunger or ram which forces the
contained water into the discharge pipe.
Nelson
b. A single-acting reciprocating pump that
has a ram instead of a piston.
The ram has a constant diameter and does
not fit closely in the cylinder,
pumping only by displacement. Hammond

Rand
An abbrev. of Witwatersrand, the gold
fields in the Republic of South
Africa.
Randolph process

ramp valley
A modification of the series process of
copper
refining
in
which
the
electrodes lie horizontally, the top surface
of each one acting as anode,
the lower as cathode. Theoretically, it has
the advantage of extremely low
metal losses and great purity of copper.
Smith process. Liddell

a. A valley produced by the ramping or


upthrusting of two masses, one on
either side of an intervening strip.
b. A valley bounded by thrust faults.
N9ff
5 DICTIONARY
TERMS:ram scraper A plow-type
machine
hauled
by
an
endles
[\B]ram scraper[\N]

random
ramsdellite
The direction of a rake vein.
An orthorhombic mineral, MnO2 ;
trimorphous with akhtenskite and
pyrolusite.

random error

rance

Any error that is wholly due to chance and


does
not
recur;
an
accidental
error. Ant: systematic error. AGI

a. A prop set against the coal face that is


undermined.
Fay
b. A dull red marble with blue and white
markings. From Belgium, and sold
in the United States as Belgian marble.
Webster 2nd; Fay

random line
a. A trial line, directed as nearly as may be
toward
a
fixed
terminal
point that is invisible from the initial
point.
Seelye,
2
b. A random traverse; i.e., a traverse run
from an initial to a terminal
point to determine the direction of the

rance marble
a. A white, hard, shining grit, striped red.
Arkell

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latter
Seelye, 2

from

the

English-English

former.

rang

See:random set

a. In the CIPW classification of igneous


rocks, that division below order.
b. A Ceylonese term for gold; from
rangwelle meaning golden sand.

random pattern

range

The setting of diamonds in a bit crown


without
regard
to
a
geometric
pattern--without regular and even spacing.
Long

a. An area in which a mineral-bearing


formation crops out; e.g., the iron
range and copper range of the Lake
Superior region; a mineral belt.
AGI
b. An established or well-defined line or
course whose position is known
and along which soundings are taken in a
hydrographic
survey.
AGI
c. Any series of contiguous townships (of
the
U.S.
Public
Land
Survey
system) aligned north and south and
numbered consecutively east and west
from a principal meridian. AGI
d. The distribution of a genus, species, or
other
taxonomic
group
of
organisms through geologic time. AGI
e. An orderly arrangement or family of
diamond-drill
fittings,
such
as
casing, core barrels, drill rods, etc., with
diameters
appropriately
related to each other and intended to be
used
together.
Ranges
commonly
are designated by letter names, using
letters such as E, A, B, and N
individually or as the first letter in twoand
three-letter
names.
CF:group
f. For a spherical model, the distance at
which
the
model
reaches
its
maximum value, or sill. For the
exponential and gaussian models, which
approach the sill asymptomatically, it
means
the
"practical"
or
"effective" range, where the function
reaches approximately 95% of the
maximum. The nugget model effectively

random orientation

random sample
a. A sample take without plan or pattern.
Nelson
b. A subset of a statistical population in
which each item has an equal
and independent chance of being chosen;
e.g., a sample chosen to determine
(within definied limits) the average
characteristics
of
an
orebody.
AGI
random set
The setting of diamonds in a bit crown
without regard to the attitude of
their
vector
properties.

random stone
A term applied by quarry personnel to
quarried blocks of any dimensions.
Randupson process
A system of molding in which the molds
are made of a mixture of silica
sand and cement with water added.
Osborne

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classification. Specifications of the


American Society for Testing and
Materials cover the classification of
coals according to their degree of
metamorphism,
or
progressive
alteration, from lignite to anthracite. For a
complete
description
of
this
classification, consult ASTM Designation:
D
388.
ASTM
c. When applied to coal, denotes its age in
geological
formation,
not
necessarily
denoting
quality.
BCI
d. The position of a coal relative to other
coals
in
the
coalification
series from brown coal (low rank) to
anthracite
(high
rank),
indicating
its maturity in terms of its general
chemical and physical properties.
BS,
11
e. Those differences in the pure coal
material due to geological processes
designated as metamorphic, whereby the
coal material changes from peat
through lignite and bituminous coal to
anthracite
or
even
to
graphite.
AGI
f. All coallike fossil fuels form a
continuous and progressive series,
ranging from lignite, through the various
bituminous
coals,
to
anthracite.
It is the position of a particular coal in this
series
that
determines
its
rank. Therefore, lignite is a low-rank coal
while
anthracite
is
a
high-rank
coal.
Nelson
g. A term primarily devised to indicate the
position
of
a
fuel
in
the
series peat-anthracite, probably best
measured by the percentage of carbon
(ashless, dry basis). Thus rank depends on
the degree of metamorphism of
coal, and increase of rank is, in general,
marked
by
the
decrease
of
volatiles
and
moisture.
Tomkeieff
h. The term rank may also be applied to

has a sill with a range of zero: the


linear model uses "sill/range" merely to
define the slope.
range line
One of the imaginary boundary lines
running north and south at six-mile
intervals and marking the relative east and
west
locations
of townships
in
the U.S. public-land survey; a meridional
township
boundary
line.
CF:township line
range of stress
The range between the upper and lower
limit of a cycle of stress, such as
is applied in a fatigue test. The midpoint
of
the
range
is
the
mean
stress. CTD
range pole
a. A 6- to 12-ft (2- to 3-m) wooden or
metal pole painted in contrasting
colors at 1-ft (0.3-m) intervals. It is used
in surveying to mark lines of
sight,
stations,
etc.
b.
See:picket
c. A metal rod, pointed at one end, and
usually
painted
alternately
red
and white at 1-ft intervals; used by
surveyors as a line of sight.

ranging rod
See:range pole
rank
a. Describes the stage of carbonification
attained
by
a
given
coal.
IHCP
b. The place occupied by a coal in a

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other
series,
such
as
the
sapropelic coal series or the bitumen
series.
CF:type
Tomkeieff

rank variety
Variety in coals brought about as a result
of
progressive
metamorphism.
More or less arbitrarily, although
carefully, selected chemical criteria
are used to differentiate coals of different
rank.
Physical
criteria
are
also used but are more difficult of
application. AGI

Rankine scale
An absolute-temperature scale in which a
measurement
interval
equals
a
Fahrenheit degree and in which zero
degrees is equal to -459.67 degrees F
(-273.16 degrees C). Named for William
J.M. Rankine, a Scottish physicist.

ransomite
A monoclinic mineral, CuFe2 (SO4 )4 .6H2
O
;
forms slender sky-blue prisms; at Jerome,
AZ.

Rankine's formula
An empirical formula giving the
collapsing load for a given column.
CTD

rap
a. To warn workers in an adjoining
working place of a blast, when the
working places are separated by only a
small pillar, by knocking on the
pillar
with
a
tool
or
bar.
b. To test the roof by tapping it with a
stick
or
bar.
c. To signal by knocking on a steam,
water, or air pipe. Fay

Rankine's theory
The state of stress theory as developed by
Rankine in 1860 for application
to earth pressures. He formulated that the
pressure
on
a
vertical
retaining wall restraining earth with a
horizontal surface is (1 - sinphi
) / (1 + sinphi ) multiplied by the soil
density for each foot depth of
soil retained, where phi is the angle of
internal
friction
of
the
soil.
The value (1 - sinphi ) / (1 + sin#2f) is the
coefficient
of
active
earth
pressure. Hammond

rapakivi
A hornblende-biotite granite containing
large
rounded
crystals
of
orthoclase mantled with oligoclase. The
name has come to be used most
frequently as a textural term where it
implies
plagioclase
rims
around
orthoclase in plutonic rocks.

rankinite
A monoclinic mineral, Ca3 Si2 O7 ;
dimorphous
with
kilchoanite; rare in contact metamorphic
rock, but common in blast furnace
slag.

rapid blow drilling


A drilling method utilizeing a great
number of short blows in quick
succession rather than a few heavy blows
from
a
relatively
considerable

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altitude. In this method, the bit is fixed


either to a rod or to a rope,
so that it pounds the bottom in quick
succession with short blows and at
the same time rotates. Stoces

longitudinally along its outer casing, so


arranged as to rap the belt and
knock off fine coal or dust adhering to the
return
belt,
or
to
centralize
the coal on the carrying belt. Nelson

rapid excavation

rare earths

An improved cycle and system of


operation to achieve rapid advance and
continuous operation in low-drillability
rock. SME, 1

Oxides of a series of 15 metallic elements,


from
lanthanum
(atomic
number
57) to lutetium (71), and of two other
elements;
yttrium
(39),
and
scandium (21). These elements are not
esp. rare in the Earth's crust, but
concentrations are. The rare earth metals
resemble
one
another
very
closely in chemical and physical
properties, thus making it most difficult
to separate them. The rare earths are
constituents
of
certain
minerals,
esp. monazite, bastnaesite, and xenotime.
Abbrev: REE. AGI

rapid plow
A fast moving plow with picks attached.
The rapid plow is a continuous
longwall cutter loader capable of working
unattended on the face. For this
reason, it is one of the safest machines in
operation.

rap-in

rarefaction

Som. To wedge down blocks of stone in


underground quarries.

a. The process or act of making rare or


less dense; increase of volume,
the mass remaining the same: now usually
of
gases;
also,
the
state
of
being rarified; as, the rarefaction of the
atmosphere on a high mountain.
Standard,
2
b. Diminution of air pressure below
normal, as in alternate half-cycles in
the transmission of a sound wave past a
point. CTD

rappage
Excess in size of a casting because the
mold is larger than the pattern
when the latter is unduly rapped, as with
the
hand,
for
drawing.
Standard, 2
rapping

rashings
In foundry work, loosening of pattern
before its withdrawal from molding
sand in flask. Pryor, 3

A very friable carbonaceous clay, with


numerous slickensides and sometimes
streaks of coal. Rashings may underlie,
overlie,
or
be
interstratified
with the coal; a very weak material and
breaks
up
around
the
face
supports.

rapping roller
An eccentric roller or a roller fitted with
devices
such
as
bars
welded

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drill
used
for
Webster 3rd; Fay

Rasorite

boring

slate.

See:kernite
ratchet man
rasp
An instrument used in a borehole
fishing operations, for reducing
length of the box, or for coupling
tools. Also called mill; rose
Long

The worker who operates the duckbill


loader when mining with duckbill
conveyors. Lewis

for
the
lost
bit.

rate
See:rait

raspberry spar
rate action (nonstandard)
a.
b. Pink tourmaline.

See:rhodochrosite
As used in flotation, the component of
proportional plus rate action or of
proportional plus reset plus rate action for
which
there
is
a
continuous
linear relation between the rate of change
of
the
controlled
variable
and
the position of a final control element.
Fuerstenau

raspite
A monoclinic mineral, PbWO4 ;
dimorphous with stolzite; forms small
tabular brownish-yellow crystals having
intense
adamantine
luster;
at
Broken Hill, N.S.W., Australia.

rated capacity
ratchet
The load that a new wire rope or wire rope
sling
may
handle
under
given
operating conditions and at an assumed
design factor.

A set of teeth that are vertical on one side


and
sloped
on
the
other;
holds a pawl moving in one direction, but
allows it to move in another.
Nichols, 1

rate determining step


In any series or sequence of chemical
reactions used to leach a product
from its ore, the slowest in the chain.
Pryor, 3

ratchet-and-pawl mechanism
A cogwheel (ratchet) with which a single
pivoted
catch
(pawl)
engages,
thereby preventing any backward turning.
Hammond

rated horsepower
a. Theoretical horsepower of an engine
based on dimensions and speed.
Nichols,
1
b. Power of an engine according to a
particular
standard.
Nichols, 1

ratchet drill
A hand drill in which the drill holder is
revolved
intermittently
by
a
lever through a ratchet wheel and pawl. A

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The kilowatt power output that can be


delivered continuously at the rated
output voltage. It may also be designated
as the 100% load or full-load
rating of the unit. Coal Age, 1

based
on
actual
products;
(a)
overall reduction ratio = (mean size of
feed) / (mean size of product);
(b) individual reduction ratio = (size most
abundant in feed) / (mean size
of grading band concerned). South
Australia

rated output current

rathite

The current derived from the rated load


and
the
rated
output
voltage.
Coal Age, 1

See:liveingite

rated output voltage

See:liveingite

The current specified as the basis of


rating. Coal Age, 1

rathole

rated load

rathite-II

a. A hole drilled at an angle to the main


hole by means of a deflection
wedge.
Long
b. A small-diameter pilot-type hole drilled
a
short
distance
ahead
of
a
larger diameter hole to stabilize a smaller
diameter
bit
and
core
barrel
when used to core a limited portion of the
borehole.
After
core
drilling
is completed, the rathole is reamed out
and the larger size hole advanced,
usually by some noncoring method. Long
c. A small sump or settling pond in which
the larger sized cuttings from a
drill hole are collected between the top of
the
drill
hole
and
the
main
settling
pond.
Long
d. A slanting hole, perhaps 25 ft (7.62 m)
deep,
used
for
adjusting
or
lubricating the swivel on a grief stem. The
start
of
a
hole
for
rotary
drilling. Hess

rate of advance
a. The distance the bit penetrates a rock
formation
in
a
unit
of
time,
such as inches (centimeters) per minute or
feet
(meters)
per
hour.
Long
b. In coal mining, the number of feet
(meters) between the coal face at
the beginning and at the end of a
workshift.
rate of grade
See:gradient
rates of reduction
In crushing practice, these rates are (1)
based
on
crusher
dimensions,
wherein the largest cube that will enter is
compared
with
the
largest
that
can be discharged, or (receiving opening)
/
(discharge
opening);
the
receiving opening is measured from the
top of the movable member to the
top of the stationary member; and (2)

rathole bit
A bit designed and used to drill the first
portion
of
a
deflected
hole
alongside and beyond the deflection

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wedge; also, a bit used to drill a


rathole. CF:wedge bit

ratio of concentration
(Weight of ore fed) / (Weight of
concentrate produced). Pryor, 3

rat-holing
The act or process of drilling a deflected
or
pilot
hole.

ratio of enrichment
The ratio of the percentage of valuable
material in the concentrate to the
percentage of the valuable material in the
original material.

rating
The maximum capacity of a drill hoist or a
prime mover, such as an engine,
motor, or pump; generally the maximum
safe capacity. Long

ratio of reduction
a. The relationship between the maximum
size of the stone which will enter
a crusher, and the size of its product.
Nichols,
1
b. The ratio of enrichment with respect to
the
sought
mineral:
(Assay
value in feed) : (Assay value in
concentrate).

rating flume
A flume used for purposes of control.
Hammond
ratiometer
An instrument used to measure the ratio of
two
differences
in
potential.
AGI

ratio of size reduction

rational analysis

Ratio of the upper particle size in the


crushed
material
to
the
upper
particle size of the feed material. BS, 5

a. The mineralogical composition of a


material as deduced from chemical
analysis.
b. The resolution into chemical types of a
mass
of
rock
or
coal.
Francis, 2

rattle boxes
Limonite geodes from Chester County,
PA. Schaller
rattler

ratio of absorption
a.
York.
Cannel
coal.
b. Scot. Inferior gas coal; sandy shale.
c. U.K. A variety of gas coal that fetched
high prices and was reputed to
ignite with a match. It is hard, compact,
uniform,
bright,
brittle,
fine-grained, slightly sonorous when
struck, and resembling jet but not so
brilliant.
Arkell

a. The percentage by weight that the


absorbed water bears to the dry
weight
of
the
stone.
b. The ratio (A), expressed as a
percentage, of the volume (Vp) of the
pore space in a rock to the weight (W) of
the rock when dry, A = 100 Vp/W.
Holmes, 2

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d. A revolving steel drum with a charge of


metal
spheres
used
for
testing
the abrasive resistance of brick.
e. A device for shaking out the cores from
small
castings,
such
as
a
tumbling barrel.

ravine
A small, narrow, deep depression, smaller
than a gorge or a canyon but
larger than a gully, usually carved by
running water; esp. the narrow
excavated channel of a mountain stream.
Etymol: French, mountain torrent.
AGI

rattler test
A method for evaluating the resistance of
paving
bricks
to
impact
and
abrasion. A sample of 10 bricks is
subjected to the action of 10 cast-iron
balls 3.75 in (9.53 cm) in diameter and
245 to 260 balls 1.875 in (4.76
cm) in diameter in a drum 28 in (71.12
cm) in diameter, 20 in (50.8 cm)
long, rotating at 30 rpm for 1 h. The
severity of abrasion and impact is
reported as a percentage loss in weight.
Dodd

raw
a. In ceramics, fresh from a plastic
process;
unbaked.
Standard,
2
b. Not prepared for use by heat. Webster
3rd
raw coal
Coal which has received no preparation
other
than
possibly
screening.

rattlesnake ore
raw coal screen
A gray, black, and yellow mottled ore of
carnotite
and
vanoxite,
its
spotted appearance resembling that of a
rattlesnake. AGI

A screen used for dividing run-of-mine


coal into two or more sizes for
further treatment or disposal; usually
employed to remove the largest
pieces for crushing and readdition to the
run-of-mine coal. BS, 5

rauvite
A mineral, Ca(UO2 )2 V10 O28 .16H2 O ;
radioactive; purple- black; sandstone
impregnation
on
the
Colorado
Plateau.

raw dolomite
a. Dolomite that has not been calcined.
ARI
b. Crushed dolomite used for dressing of
basic open hearth bottoms and
banks. AISI

ravelly ground
Rock that breaks into small pieces when
drilled and tends to cave or
slough into the hole when the drill string
is
pulled,
or
binds
the
drill
string by becoming wedged or locked
between the drill rod and the borehole
wall. Long

raw feed coal


Coal supplied to a plant or machine, in
which it undergoes some form of
preparation. BS, 5

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at the free surface. It is named after Lord


Rayleigh,
the
English
physicist who predicted its existence.

raw fuel
A fuel used in the form in which it is
mined or obtained, for example,
coal, lignite, peat, wood, mineral oil,
natural gas. Nelson

b. A surface wave associated with the free


boundary of a solid. The wave
is of maximum intensity at the surface and
diminishes quite rapidly as one
proceeds into the solid. Therefore, it has a
tendency
to
hug
the
surface
of the solid. Such waves have been used
quite
effectively
in
detecting
surface cracks and flaws in castings. Hunt

rawhide hammer
A hand hammer having a rawhide head
that serves to prevent bruising metal
parts against which it is used. Crispin
raw material

Raymond flash dryer


The ingredients before being processed
that enter into a finished product.
Crispin

A suspension-type dryer that employs the


principle of flash drying of fine
coal. The coal is transported vertically
through a drying column in a
stream of hot gases. The source of heat for
this
system
is
usually
an
automatic stoker. In this system, the hot
gases are drawn into the drying
column by the action of the fan connected
to
the
cyclone
collector
vent.
The coal to be dried is continuously
introduced to the hot gas stream.
Virtually instantaneous drying occurs. The
dried
coal
and
the
moisture-laden gases are drawn into the
cyclone collector. The dry coal
drops to the bottom of the collector and
the
moisture-laden
gases
are
discharged by the fan to the atmosphere.
Kentucky; Mitchell

raw mica
A
term
commonly
unmanufactured mica. Skow

used

for

raw ore
a. Ore that is not roasted or calcined.
b. See:raw coal
raydist
A radio system for medium-range
precision surveying in which the phases of
two
continuous-wave
signals
are
compared. It is based on the heterodyne
principle and uses low or medium
frequencies. It requires a minimum
number
of frequencies and these frequencies
usually
need
bear
no
fixed
relationship with each other. Hunt

Raymond mill
Grinding mill in which spring-loaded
rollers bear against a horizontal
rotating bowl--developed for coal
pulverization. Pryor, 3

Rayleigh wave
a. A type of seismic surface wave having
a
retrograde,
elliptical
motion

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rays

razor stone

a. Negatively charged particles which


leave the cathode in an evacuated
tube at between 10,000 mi/s and 90,000
mi/s (approx. 16,000 km/s and
144,000 km/s), depending on voltage.
Positive rays are gas ions (e.g., N
+
, O+ ). X-rays are electromagnetic waves
which
travel
at the velocity of light and are not
deflected by magnetic fields. Length
between 0.1 and 100 Aa (visible light lies
between
4,000
and
8,000
Aa).
Short X-rays are soft and long ones are
hard. Rays emitted by radioactive
substances are of three types, alpha, beta,
and gamma. Alpha rays consist
of He++ and move at some 10,000 mile/s
(approx
16,000
km/s).
Beta
rays are electrons with speeds between
50,000
mi/s
and
180,000
mi/s
(approx. 80,000 km/s and 288,000 km/s);
gamma rays are not charged. They
move at the speed of light, but are shorter
than
X-rays
(0.01
to
1
Aa).
Pryor,
3
b. In wave propagation a ray is the
trajectory that a signal travels from
the source to another point (location).

See:novaculite
reach
a. An arm of the sea extending up into the
land; e.g. an estuary or bay.
AGI
b. A continuous and unbroken expanse or
surface
of
water
or
land.
AGI
c. An unstated but specific distance; an
interval.
AGI
d. The length of a channel, uniform with
respect
to
discharge,
depth,
area,
and
slope.
AGI
e. The length of a channel for which a
single gage affords a satisfactory
measure of the stage and discharge. AGI
f. The length of a stream between two
specified
gaging
stations.
AGI
g. A relatively long, straight section of
water along a lake shore; also,
a narrow arm of a lake, reaching into the
land.
AGI
h. A straight, continuous, or extended part
of
a
stream,
viewed
without
interruption (as between two bends) or
chosen
between
two
specified
points; a straight section of a restricted
waterway,
much
longer
than
a
narrows. AGI

raywork
A kind of rubble work; in the United
States, any rubble work of thin and
small stones.

reactance

razorback

The part of the impedance of an


alternating-current circuit that is due
either to capacitance or inductance or to
both and that is expressed in
ohms. Webster 3rd

A sharp, narrow ridge, resembling the


back of a razorback hog. AGI
razor saw

reaction border
A narrow saw used
limestone. Webster 3rd

in

excavating
See:reaction rim; corona.

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of combustion expand by an appreciable


percentage. Leet, 2

reaction curve
See:cotectic line

reactive
reaction line
See:cotectic line

Readily susceptible to chemical change.


Osborne

reaction pair

reactive reagent

Any two minerals, one of which


crystallizes at the expense of the other by
reaction with a melt; esp. two adjacent
minerals in a reaction series.

Substance, solution, or gas susceptible to


chemical
change,
or
used
in
influencing such change. Pryor, 3
reactive silica

reaction principle
The silica, SiO2 , present within various
clay
minerals
occurring
in bauxite. During the Bayer process
digestion of bauxite, this silica
reacts with comparable amounts of
alumina to form insoluble sodium
aluminum silicate, which is lost as
refinery plant residue.

A relationship between liquid and crystals


during
crystallization,
esp.
during fractionation, whereby crystals and
liquid
change
composition
in
response to changing temperature and
pressure. CF:reaction series
reaction rim

reactivity
A rind of one mineral surrounding another
and
presumably
crystallized
by
reaction of the core mineral with
surrounding
fluids.
CF:corrosion border

a. A measure of ease of ignition and


response to the controls varying the
rate of burning. It is used particularly in
connection
with
fuels
for
transport gas producers and low volatile
fuels
used
for
open
fires.
Nelson
b. An assessment of the speed of reaction
of a coal with oxygen under
specified conditions. BS, 4

reaction series
The sequence of minerals produced by
reaction between liquid and crystals
during crystallization of a complex
magma. Bowen's reaction series has a
continuous side (calcic to alkalic
plagioclase) and a discontinuous side
(olivine-pyroxene-amphibole-biotite).

readily extractable metal


As used in geochemical prospecting,
refers to the content of a metal that
can be extracted from weathered rock,
overburden, or stream sediment, by
weak chemical reagents.

reaction-zone width
In explosives, the distance that detonation
advances
before
the
products

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Reading jig

reamer bit

A plunger-type jig of relatively simple


design with only a single plunger
being manually controlled. The hutch
compartment is round for good water
distribution. Mitchell

See:reaming bit
reamer shell
a. A cutter just above a diamond bit, used
to
assure
a
full-size
hole.
Nichols, 1

realgar
a. Arsenic monosulfide, AsS, contains
70.1%
elemental
arsenic.
Sanford
b. A monoclinic mineral, AsS ;
dimorphous with pararealgar; red to
orange;
soft; in ore veins, hot springs, and as a
volcanic
sublimate.
.

reamer stone
See:gage stone
reaming
The act or process of enlarging a borehole.
Long
reaming bit

real property
Includes mining claims, dumps, water
rights, and ditches. Ricketts

A bit used to enlarge a borehole. Also


called broaching bit; pilot reaming
bit.. Long

ream

reaming diamond

To enlarge the hole by redrilling with a


special
bit.
Wheeler, R.R.

See:gage stone

ream back

a.
See:pilot
b. A smooth bar used to guide a reaming
bit or casing bit in the hole.
BS, 9

reaming pilot

The act or process of enlarging a squeezed


or
cave-obstructed
borehole
to
its original size by reaming as the drill
string
is
pulled.

reaming pilot adapter


An adapter or coupling in a reaming pilot
assembly
that
attaches
the
flush-joint casing to the casing reaming
shell and the reaming pilot horn
by pin and box threads, respectively. Long

reamer
A rotary-drilling tool with a special bit
used
for
enlarging,
smoothing,
or straightening a drill hole, or making the
hole
circular
when
the
drill
has failed to do so. AGI

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reaming pilot horn

recarburize

An adapter or coupling in a reaming pilot


assembly attached to the reaming
pilot adapter. It passes through the
reaming shell and casing bit to which
is attached the pilot bit. Long

a. To increase the carbon content of


molten cast iron or steel by adding
carbonaceous material, high-carbon pig
iron,
or
a
high-carbon
alloy.
ASM,
1
b. To carburize a metal part to return
surface carbon lost in processing.
ASM, 1

reaming ring
See:reaming shell

recarburizing
reaming shell
Introducing spiegeleisen into the converter
after
the
blow
to
add
the
desired element. Mersereau, 2

a. A short tubular piece designed to couple


a bit to a core barrel. The
outside surface of the reaming shell is
provided with inset diamonds or
other cutting media set to a diameter to cut
a
specific
clearance
for
the
core
barrel.
Long
b. Sets of two or more shells that are
alternated every 50 ft (15.24 m) to
keep loss in gauge to the hole uniform.
The shell is changed when wear
reaches 0.012 in (0.03 cm) below the
original set diameter.

recast
To form anew by running, as molten
metal, into a mold; cast again; as, to
recast a cracked bell. Standard, 2
receiving hopper
A hopper used to receive and direct
material to a conveyor.
Recent

rebar
The later of the two geologic epochs
comprised in the Quaternary period,
in the classification generally used;
Holocene. Also, the deposits formed
during that epoch. Recent includes the
geologic time and deposits from the
close of the Pleistocene (glacial) epoch
until and including the present.

See:reinforcing bar
recalescence
A phenomenon, associated with the
transformation of gamma iron to alpha
iron on the cooling (supercooling) of iron
or
steel,
revealed
by
the
brightening (reglowing) of the metal
surface owing to the sudden increase
in temperature caused by fast liberation of
the
latent
heat
of
transformation.

recession
Going back, as the gradual retreat of a
waterfall
or
an
erosional
escarpment, the melting back of a glacier,
or the withdrawal of a body of
water so that the shoreline moves

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successively farther
higher land. Stokes

away

English-English

from

the

reciprocating engine
Any steam or internal-combustion engine,
which has a piston moving under
pressure within a cylinder. Hammond

recharge
a. The processes by which water is
absorbed and added to the zone of
saturation, either directly into an aquifer
or
indirectly
by
way
of
another formation; also, the quantity of
water
so
added.
b. Putting water brought from elsewhere
into a body of ground water to
augment ground-water supply.

reciprocating feeder
a. A feeder in which the material is carried
on
a
plate
subjected
to
a
reciprocating motion and so constructed
that when the plate moves in the
reverse direction the material remains
stationary. The rate of feed is
normally varied by adjusting the stroke of
the
reciprocating
plate.

reciprocal lattice

b. A device used to empty a bin or hopper


from
the
bottom
by
horizontal
reciprocating action of its parts, usually
after
primary
crushing.
ACSG, 2

An array of points, each point at a


distance that is the reciprocal of the
d spacing between planes in the direction
normal to each set of parallel
planes as measured from the origin. Each
reciprocal-lattice
point
may
be
associated with Bragg diffraction in a
crystal.
CF:crystal
lattice;
direct lattice; X-ray diffraction.

reciprocating flight conveyor


A reciprocating beam or beams with
hinged flights arranged to advance bulk
material along a conveyor trough.

reciprocal strain ellipsoid


In elastic theory, an ellipsoid of certain
shape
and
orientation
that
under homogeneous strain is transformed
into
a
sphere.
CF:strain ellipsoid

reciprocating pump
A pump consisting of a piston or plunger
which lifts water to a higher
level by a series of to-and-fro movements.
Nelson

reciprocating
reciprocating screen dryer
Having a straight back-and-forth or upand-down motion. Nichols, 1

Usually an inclined reciprocating screen


on which the coal travels and
through which the hot gases pass. The
screen may eliminate moisture in
coal up to 2-1/2 in (6.4 cm) in size. It may
also
serve
as
a
fine
coal
dryer to treat coals down to 1/8 in (0.32
cm). Nelson

reciprocating drill
A piston drill often referred to as a
hammer drill. Hammond

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recirculating water

reclaiming

Circulating water that has been in the


circuit for more than one cycle,
often recovered from a collecting device
such as a thickener from which
the clarified water is circulated back into
the process stream.

a. Digging from stockpiles. Nichols, 1


b. Reprocessing previously rejected
material. Nichols, 1
reclaiming conveyor

The continuous circulation of all or some


part of the same air in part of
a mine ventilation system. BS, 8

a. Any of several types of conveyors used


to reclaim bulk materials from
storage.
b. The conveyor which receives material
from the reclaimer in a blending
system.

recirculation of air

reclamation

A term describing a condition in which


the
ventilating
air
current
is
returned to the face repeatedly along a
circuitous path. It may happen in
the case of auxiliary fans or booster fans.
If the intake end of the air
pipes of a blowing fan is not placed well
to the intake side of the main
air current, the foul air from the heading
may be recirculated to the face
again and again. With an exhausting
auxiliary fan, the end of the pipes is
kept well to the return side of the main air
current.

a. The recovery of coal or ore from a


mine, or part of a mine, that has
been abandoned because of fire, water, or
other
cause.
b. Restoration of mined land to original
contour, use, or condition.

recirculation of water

recommended exposure limit

The water used in a condenser or in a


washery or other wet process is
often repumped into the system by means
of
a
circulating
pump.
The
practice is economical in water and in
reagent
consumption
and
also
reduces pollution of local streams. Water
that
is
recirculated
is
clarified to reasonable purity.

An 8-h or 10-h time-weighted average or


ceiling of exposure to coal dust
concentration; recommended by NIOSH
and based on an evaluation of the
health effects data. NIOSH

recirculation

reclosing circuit breaker


A
circuit
breaker
that
recloses
automatically as soon as the demand for
current becomes equal to or less than that
for
which
the
circuit
breaker
is set. Zern

recomposed granite
a. An arkose consisting of consolidated
feldspathic
residue
(produced
by
surface weathering of an underlying
granitic rock) that has been so little

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reworked and so little decomposed that


upon cementation the rock looks
very much like the granite itself. It has a
faint
bedding,
an
unusual
range of particle sizes (unlike the evengrained or porphyritic texture of
true granite), and a greater percentage of
quartz
than
is
normal
for
granite.

reconnaissance map

b. A conglomerate that has been


recrystallized by metamorphism into a
rock
that simulates granite, as in the Lake
Superior region. CF:meta-arkose

reconnoiter

recomposed rock

reconstructed amber

A rock produced in place by the


cementation of the fragmental products of
surface weathering; e.g. a recomposed
granite. The term has been applied
to a rock of intermediate character
straddling an unconformable surface
between the breccia of the lower
formation and the conglomeratic base of
the upper formation. AGI

See:pressed amber

A map incorporating the information


obtained in a reconnaissance survey
and data obtained from other sources.
reconnaissance sampling
See:pilot sampling

To make a reconnaissance of; esp. to


make a preliminary survey of an area
for military or geologic purposes. AGI

reconstructed granite
See:recomposed granite
reconstructed turquoise
An imitation turquoise made of finely
powdered ivory which is deposited in
a solution of copper. Fay

reconnaissance
a. A general, exploratory examination or
survey of the main features (or
certain specific features) of a region,
usually conducted as a preliminary
to a more detailed survey; e.g. an
engineering survey in preparing for
triangulation of a region. It may be
performed in the field or office,
depending on the extent of information
available.
AGI
b. A rapid geologic survey made to gain a
broad, general knowledge of the
geologic features of a region. AGI

reconstruction
The modernization of underground
roadways, transport, ventilation systems,
and the layout of mine workings. It may
include
modernization
of
shafts
and winding and also the improvement of
surface handling and cleaning or
washing equipment.
reconstructive transformation
An isochemical change in a crystal
structure in which chemical bonds are
broken and reformed, e.g., tridymitequartz
or
diamond-graphite.

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CF:dilational transformation; displacive


transformation; rotational transformation;
phase transformation.

extractive metallurgical losses; the


proportion of an ore material actually
recovered.

record borehole

recovered sulfur

See:record hole

Elemental sulfur produced from hydrogen


sulfide obtained from sour natural
gas, petroleum refinery gas, water gas,
and other fuel gases.

record hole
The first borehole drilled in an area that is
cored
so
that
a
detail
record of the formations penetrated can be
obtained.
Also
called
test
hole.

recovery

A gage which automatically records the


level of water in a stream or tank,
or velocity and pressure in a pipe. It is
operated by a float or by a
submerged air tank fitted with a rubber
diaphragm. Hammond

a. The percentage of valuable constituent


derived from an ore, or of coal
from a coal seam; a measure of mining or
extraction
efficiency.
AGI
b. The ratio of the footage of core
acquired from core drilling a specific
length of borehole, expressed in percent.
Long
c. The carat weight of diamonds salvaged
from a worn bit. Long

record table

recovery plant

Heavy-duty shaking table used to treat


relatively coarse sands. Shaking is
by double-link eccentric motion, with
longer and slower throw than with
Wilfley type of table. Pryor, 3

a. A plant designed for separating


diamond particles from concentrate by
various processes, usually including
grease
belts,
jigs,
electrostatic
separators, and flotation. Also known as
picking
station.
b. The processing facility where minerals
are recovered.

recording gage

recover
a. To restore a mine or a part of a mine
that
has
been
damaged
by
explosion, fire, water, or other cause to a
working
condition.
Fay
b. See:recovery

recreational mining
Mining as an avocation rather than as a
business. Barton

recoverable grade

recrystallization

The true mill-head grade of an ore-stream


in percent, ounces, or parts per
million of a metal or mineral, less

The formation, essentially in the solid


state, of new crystalline mineral
grains in a rock. The new grains are

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generally larger than the original


grains, and may have the same or a
different mineralogical composition.
AGI

transformation
of
a
signal
from an alternating positive and negative
signal
into
an
all-positive
signal by taking its absolute value.

recrystallized silicon carbide

rectifier

A refractory made of about 98% to 99%


SiC.

Equipment used in mines to convert


alternating current to direct current.

rectangular drainage pattern

rectifying device

A drainage pattern in which the main


streams and their tributaries display
many right-angle bends and exhibit
sections of approx. the same length; it
is indicative of streams following
prominent fault or joint systems that
break the rocks into rectangular blocks.
AGI

An elementary device consisting of one


anode and its cathode that has the
characteristic of conducting current
effectively in only one direction.
Coal Age, 1
rectorite
A
clay
mineral
with
regularly
interstratified mica and smectite layers.

rectangular shaft
A shaft excavated to an oblong shape. The
majority of shafts sunk in the
Republic of South Africa before 1948
were rectangular and timber lined.
The shape lends itself to equipping
concurrently with sinking; it provides
a convenient in-line hoisting arrangement
and can easily be divided into
separate compartments. However, in the
1950's and 1960's developments were
towards the concrete lined circular shaft.
Nelson

recumbent fold
An overturned fold, the axial surface of
which is horizontal or nearly so.
recuperator
a. A continuous heat exchanger in which
heat
is
conducted
from
the
products of combustion to incoming air
through
flue
walls.
ASTM
b. A system of thin-walled refractory
ducts used for the purpose of
transferring heat from a heated gas to
colder
air
or
gas.
Harbison-Walker
c. Preheating equipment for recovering
sensible heat from hot spent gases
from a furnace and using it for heating
incoming charge or fuel gases;
essentially, a low-pressure heat exchanger.
Henderson

rectification
a. The process by which electric energy is
transferred
from
an
alternating-current circuit to a directcurrent
circuit.
Coal
Age,
1
b. The purification of a liquid by
redistillation.
CTD
c. In electronics and signal processing, the

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from land and at the greatest depths. It has


a
high
proportion
of
volcanic
material due to lesser dilution of this
material
owing
to
slowness
of
accumulation of the clay portion. The
color is believed to be caused by
oxidation.

recurrence horizon
A layer of peat marking a sharp change in
the character of the peat and
resulting from a profound change in
climate. Tomkeieff
red antimony

red cobalt
See:kermesite
See:erythrite
red arsenic
red copper ore
See:realgar
See:cuprite
red beds
red copper oxide
Sedimentary strata composed largely of
sandstone,
siltstone,
and
shale,
with locally thin units of conglomerate,
limestone,
or
marl,
that
are
predominantly red in color due to the
presence of ferric oxide (hematite)
usually coating individual grains; e.g. the
Permian
and
Triassic
sedimentary rocks of western United
States, and the Old Red Sandstone
facies of the European Devonian. AGI

See:cuprite
redd
a. Eng. To clear away fallen stone or
debris.
b. Northumb. Overburden. CF:ridding
c. Scot. To scour through, take down, or
rip. Fay
redd bing

red cake
The vanadium concentrate in a milling
operation. Ballard

A pile of waste made of material brought


direct from the mine, not waste
from washery. Zern

red chalk

reddingite

Hematite mixed with clay.

An orthorhombic mineral, Mn3 (PO4 )2


.3H2
O
;
forms a series with phosphoferrite; pink;
at Redding, CT.

red clay
A brown to red deep-sea deposit, which
usually contains manganese nodules
or a film of manganese. It is the finest
divided clay suspension that is
derived from the land and transported by
ocean
currents,
accumulating
far

reddle
Red ocher mixed with clay. Also spelled
ruddle, raddle.

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reddleman

redingtonite

A dealer in reddle or red chalk.

A monoclinic mineral, (Fe,Mg,Ni)(Cr,Al)2


(SO4
)4
.22H
O
;
halotrichite
group;
forms
reddish2
purple fibrous masses.

red dog
Material of a reddish color resulting from
the
combustion
of
coal
shale
and other mine waste in dumps on the
surface.

Red I plate
See:selenite plate

reddsman

red iron froth

Scot. One who works at night cleaning up


and repairing roadways, etc.

A variety of hematite. Fay


red iron ore

red earth
See:hematite
The characteristic soil of most tropical
regions.
It
is
leached,
red,
deep, and clayey.

red iron vitriol


See:botryogen

red glassy copper ore


redistilled metal
See:cuprite
Metal from which the impurities, usually
zinc
and
mercury,
have
been
eliminated by selective distillation.

red-hard
A term applied to some varieties of tool
steels
that
will
retain
their
hardness even when operating at a red
heat. Newton, 1

red lead
See:minium

red heart

redledgeite

A harmless reddish core, sometimes found


in fire clay refractories.

A tetragonal mineral, BaTi6 Cr2 O16 .H2 O


cryptomelane group. Formerly called
chromrutile.

red hematite
red lime mud
A compact columnar variety of hematite
with a brownish-red to iron-black
color; so called to contrast it with limonite
and
turgite.

A red mud to which lime, caustic soda, or


quebracho, has been added. The
pH is usually 12.0 to 13.0.

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red manganese

red oxide of copper

Any reddish manganese mineral, i.e.,


rhodonite and rhodochrosite. Also
called red manganese ore.

See:cuprite

red mercury

See:zincite

Alleged to be a compound of mercury and


antimony, and described in the
press to be an ingredient of explosives or
nuclear
weapons
manufacture
or
possibly a descriptive term employed to
mask
illicit
trading
activity
involving controlled substances. SME, 1

redox potential

red oxide of zinc

Oxidation-reduction potential. AGI


redrill
To reopen a borehole by redrilling after it
has
been
cemented,
caved,
or
lost because of junk in the hole. Also
called
drill
out,
drilled
out.
CF:overlap

red metal
a. A copper matte containing about 48%
copper.
Fay
b. Any one of several alloys used in the
manufacture
of
silverware.
Fay

red roast
In fluidization roasting, conversion of iron
from
sulfides
to
red
oxide.
Pryor, 3

red mud
a. A reddish-brown terrigenous deep-sea
mud that accumulates on the sea
floor in the neighborhood of deserts and
off the mouths of great rivers;
contains calcium carbonate up to 25%.
Hunt
b. A clay-water-base drilling fluid
containing
sufficient
amounts
of
caustic soda and tannates to give a
pronounced red appearance. The pH is
usually 10.0 to 13.0. Brantly, 1

redruthite

red ore

redsear

Hematite ore.

In ironworking, to break or crack when


red-hot, as iron under the hammer.
Standard, 2

Corn. Copper glance. See:chalcocite


reds
High explosive; used in mines. Bennett
red schorl
See:elbaite; rubellite; rutile.

red orpiment
See:realgar

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McGraw-Hill,
1
b. A material that adds an electron to an
element
or
compound;
i.e.,
decreases the positiveness of its valence.
McGraw-Hill, 1

red silver
A red silver sulfide; esp. pyrargyrite and
proustite.

red silver ore

reducing atmosphere

See:red silver

a. An atmosphere having a deficiency of


oxygen.
b. An atmosphere of hydrogen or other
substance
that
readily
provides
electrons.
c. Space from which air has been
displaced by hydrogen, carbon monoxide,
or other reducing gas. CTD

reduce
a. To lower the oxidation state by adding
electrons to a chemical species.
b. In general, to treat metallurgically for
the
production
of
metal.
Fay

reducing flame
reduced iron
The blue part or inner cone of the flame
produced
by
a
blowpipe;
characterized by an excess of hydrocarbon
over oxygen so as to reduce
mineral
samples
heated
in
it.
CF:oxidizing flame

Free iron in a fine state of division


obtained by reducing ferric oxide by
heating it in a current of hydrogen. Also
called
iron
by
hydrogen,
iron
powder, and spongy iron. Standard, 2;
Fay

reducing furnace
reduced level
A furnace in which ores are reduced from
oxides,
or
metal
is
separated
from other substances by a nonoxidizing
heat or flame; usually a shaft
furnace.

Height above specified datum level of a


surveyed point. Pryor, 3
reduced natural frequency

reducing roast

The natural frequency of vibration of a


foundation at an average ground
pressure of unity is the reduced natural
frequency divided by the square
root of the ground pressure. This
relationship has been established by
Tschebotarioff. Hammond

The reduction of metallic oxides, sulfides,


or
halides
by
heating
in
contact with carbon or other reducing
agents. Newton, 1; Newton, 2
reduction

reducing agent
a. Process of reducing a metal compound
to the metal and separating it
from the slag; sometimes applied to the

a. A material that adds hydrogen to an


element
or
compound.

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smelting
process.
b. A reaction taking place at the cathode
in
electrolysis
through
transfer
of electrons to the species being reduced.
c. A decrease in positive valence, or an
increase in negative valence by
the gaining of electrons. A metallic oxide
loses oxygen through the action
of reducing gas, reducing its valence.
CF:oxidation

reduction ratio
In crushing, the ratio of the size of the
largest
feed
particle
to
the
smallest distance between the roll faces.
As used frequently in the field,
it is the ratio of the smallest aperture
passing all of the feed to that
passing all of the product. Another basis
of expression is the ratio of
the average size of feed to the average size
of
product.
Taggart, 1

reduction cell
A pot or tank in which either a water
solution of a salt or a fused salt
is reduced electrolytically to form free
metals
or
other
substances.
ASM, 1

reduction roasting
Lowering of oxygen content of ore by
heating
in
reducing
atmosphere.
Pryor, 3

reduction factor
reduction smelting
The factor relating the allowable stress on
a long column with that on a
short column in order to prevent buckling.
Hammond
reduction furnace

A pyrometallurgical process that produces


an impure liquid metal and a
liquid slag by heating a mixture of ore,
flux, and reducing agent (usually
coke). Newton, 1; Newton, 2

See:reducing furnace.

reduction to center

reduction of area

The offset of a side auxiliary telescope


requires a correction to observed
horizontal angles, and the offset of a top
auxiliary
telescope
requires
a
correction to observed vertical angles. The
process
of
computing
the
correct angle from the observed angle is
called
reduction
to
center.
Urquhart

a. The difference between the crosssectional area of a tension specimen


at the section of rupture before loading
and after rupture, expressed as a
percentage of the original area. Roark
b. Percentage decrease in cross-sectional
area
of
bar
or
wire
after
rolling or drawing. Hammond

reduzate
reduction of levels
A sediment formed in a strongly reducing
environment;
e.g.,
coal,
sedimentary sulfides, or sedimentary
sulfur. AGI

The calculation of reduced levels from the


staff
readings
recorded
in
a
field book. Hammond

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Viscosity, defined as rate of flow of oil


from
a
Redwood
viscometer.
Pryor, 3

enclosed in rock, commonly of differing


lithology.
AGI
b. A narrow ridge or chain of rocks either
at
the
water
surface
or
too
shallow to permit safe passage of a vessel.
CF:bank
c. A provincial term for a metalliferous
mineral
deposit,
esp.
gold
bearing quartz.

red zinc ore

reef cap

See:zincite
red zinc oxide

A deposit of fossil-reef material overlying


or
covering
an
island
or
mountain. AGI

See:zincite

reef drive

reed

Aust. A cutting through the bedrock in


alluvial mining for the purpose of
seeking other underground, gold-bearing
gravel channels.

red vitriol
See:bieberite; rose vitriol.
Redwood number

a. Scot. Rift, or direction of easiest


splitting.
b. Weakness in a sedimentary rock
parallel
with
the
bedding.

reefing

c. A reed filled with powder to act as a


fuse.

Working
See:reef

auriferous

reedmergnerite

reef knoll

A triclinic mineral, NaBSi3 O8 ; feldspar


group;
occurs
in
small colorless prisms having wedgeshaped terminations; from oil wells in
Duchesne County, UT.

See:bioherm

reefs

or

veins.

reef limestone
A limestone consisting of the remains of
active
reef-building
organisms,
such as corals, sponges, and bryozoans,
and
of
sediment-binding
organic
constituents, such as calcareous algae.
AGI

reef
a. A ridgelike or moundlike structure,
layered
or
massive,
built
by
sedentary calcareous organisms, esp.
corals, and consisting mostly of
their remains; it is wave-resistant and
stands
above
the
surrounding
sediment. Also, such a structure built in
the
geologic
past
and
now

reef wash
Aust. Gold-bearing drift.

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A device used for hoisting that has largely


been
replaced
by
round
ropes.
A flat rope is used for the reel, which is
wound on an overlapping spiral
like a clock spring. The reel is like a
conical
drum
that
increases
in
diameter by the thickness of the rope at
each
turn.
Reels
are
more
suitable for hoisting from a single level
than
from
different
levels.
Lewis

current is obtained from the measurement


of the torque that has to be
applied to the wire to bring the vane back
to
its
vertical
position.
The
instrument is mounted on a tripod, and the
arrangement
is
such
that
the
torsion can be applied, at a point 2 ft (0.6
m)
away
from
the
vane,
by
means of a shaft and bevel gearing. The
instrument
has
been
used
to
measure low air velocities in mines down
to about 10 ft/min (3 m/min) and
up to 180 ft/min (55 m/min).

reel boy

reeve

In bituminous coal mining, one who


works on an electric locomotive--power
being transmitted through an electric cable
wound around a reel on the
locomotive--tending the cable to see that it
is wound up and fed from the
reel so that it will not pull or break from
the
point
where
electric
current is supplied. Also called nipper.
DOT

The orderly arrangement of a rope or


cable on a system of pulleys or
sheaves to assemble block-and-tackle
equipment for handling heavy loads.
Also called reeved. Long

reel locomotive

reference axes

A trolley locomotive with a wire rope reel


for drawing cars out of rooms.
The rope end is pulled by a runner into the
face of the room, attached to
a car, and reeled out by the locomotive.
Zern
reenforcing bar

In structural petrology, three mutually


perpendicular
axes
to
which
structural measurements are referred. a is
the
direction
of
tectonic
transport, c is perpendicular to the plane
along
which
differential
movement takes place, and b lies in this
plane but is perpendicular to a.

See:reinforcing bar

reference electrode

Ree's torsion anemometer

Hydrogen electrode used to determine


electrode
potentials
of
half-cells.
Pryor, 3

reel

reeving
Threading or placement of a working line.
Nichols, 2

Consists of a thin square aluminum vane


centrally
suspended
from
a
horizontal wire mounted in a vertical
frame. The velocity of the air

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other
stations
by
differences or factors. AGI

reference level

means

of

See:datum plane
referencing
reference mark
The process of measuring the horizontal
(or
slope)
distances
and
directions from a survey station to nearby
landmarks,
reference
marks,
and
other permanent objects that can be used
in the recovery or relocation of
the station. AGI

A selected distant point from which the


bearings to other points can be
measured at a survey station. Hammond
reference plane
See:datum plane

refikite
reference seismometer
An orthorhombic mineral, C20 H32 O2 ;
soft;
white;
in
modern resins and lignite at Montorio,
Abruzzes,
Italy.
Also
spelled
reficite.

In seismic prospecting, a detector placed


to record successive shots under
similar conditions, to permit overall time
comparisons.
Used
in
connection
with the shooting of wells for velocity.
AGI

refine
a. To free from impurities; to free from
dross
or
alloy;
to
purify,
as
metals; to cleanse. Webster 3rd
b. To treat cast iron in the refinery furnace
so as to remove the silicon.
Webster 3rd

reference size
Separation size, designated size, or control
size
used
to
define
analyses
of the products of a sizing operation. BS, 5
reference standard

refined iron
Taken or laid down as a standard for
measuring,
reckoning,
or
constructing. Webster 3rd

Wrought iron made by puddling pig iron.


CTD

reference station

refinery

A station for which tidal constants have


previously
been
determined
and
that is used as a standard for the
comparison of simultaneous observations
at a second station; also, a station for
which
independent
daily
predictions are given in the tide or current
tables
from
which
corresponding predictions are obtained for

a. A facility in which relatively crude


smelter products such as blister
copper are refined and emerge as
acceptably
pure
products.
b. An electrolytic or chemical facility
producing pure metals.

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reflection

refining
The purification
products. Fay

of

crude

a. The return of a wave incident upon a


surface to its original medium.
CF:refraction; diffraction; total reflection.
b. The bounding back of light or other
rays
as
they
strike
a
solid
surface. Light incident on a polished
planar surface reflects at an angle
equal to the incident angle, the proportion
of
reflected
light
increasing
with increasing refractive index; e.g., for
normal
incidence,
17%
reflects
from diamond (n=2.4), and 5% reflects
from
quartz
(n=1.5).
c. In seismic prospecting, the returned
energy (in wave form) from a shot
that has been reflected from a velocity
discontinuity back to a detector;
the indication on a record of reflected
energy.
d. Misnomer for X-ray diffraction peaks.
Also spelled reflexion.

metallic

refining heat
A medium orange heat, about 655 degrees
C, which imparts fineness of grain
and toughness to steel that is raised to it
and
afterwards
quenched.
Webster 2nd
refining temperature
A temperature, usually just higher than the
transformation
range,
employed
in the heat treatment of steel to refine the
structure,
particularly
the
grain size. ASM, 1
reflected-light microscope
A compound microscope in which planepolarized light impinges upon a
polished specimen, commonly opaque, the
light being reflected back to the
objective through a second polarizer,
where mineral color and polarization
colors are observed in the ocular.
.

reflection goniometer
An instrument that measures angles
between crystal faces by reflecting a
beam of light from successive faces as the
crystal
is
rotated.

reflected-light microscopy

reflection mechanism

See:ore microscopy

A rule stating that rock breaks from the


surface
inward
toward
the
explosive rather than from the explosive
charge
outward.

reflected wave
A (gaseous) pressure wave resulting from
a
direct
wave
striking
an
obstacle or an opposing surface and being
reflected
backwards.
Rice, 2

reflection method
See:seismic reflection method

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creates the shock waves in the seismic


method
of
prospecting.
Nelson
b. A type of seismic survey based on the
measurement of the travel times
of seismic waves that have traveled nearly
parallel
to
the
surface
of
high-velocity layers, in order to map such
layers.

reflection shooting
A type of seismic survey based on
measurement of the travel times of waves
that originate from an artificially produced
disturbance
and
are
reflected
back at near-vertical incidence from
subsurface
boundaries
separating
media of different elastic-wave velocities.
CF:refraction
shooting
AGI

refractive index
reflection wave
See:index of refraction; dispersion.
A wave that is propagated backward
through the burned gas as the result of
an explosion wave being completely or
partly arrested against the closed
extremity, or in a constricted portion of its
path,
as
in
a
tube,
gallery,
etc. Fay

refractometer
a. A combustible gases detector.
Nelson
b. An instrument for measuring indices of
refraction
of
transparent
substances, both liquid and solid.
CF:Abbe refractometer

reflectivity
The ratio of radiant energy reflected by a
body to that falling upon it.
Strock, 2

refractoriness
The capacity of a material to resist high
temperature.
In
the
refractories
industry, the pyrometric cone equivalent
(PCE) is a comparative value used
to determine the refractoriness of a
material. Henderson

refraction
The deflection of a ray of light or of an
energy wave (such as a seismic
wave) due to its passage from one
medium to another of differing density,
which changes its velocity.

refractory
a. Said of an ore from which it is difficult
or
expensive
to
recover
its
valuable
constituents.
AGI
b. Exceptionally resistant to heat. AGI
c. A nonmetallic material suitable for use
in
high-temperature
applications. AGI

refraction method A seismic method of


geophysical prospecting.

refraction shooting
a. The detonation of heavy charges of
explosive in comparatively shallow
holes or pits. The effects may be measured
over a wide area. The firing

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refractory bonding mortars

refractory ore

High-temperature
bonding
mortars
containing
various
materials
and
exhibiting
various
properties,
but
primarily
intended
for
providing
structural bond between refractory units in
high-temperature
industrial
furnace construction. Henderson

Ore difficult to treat for recovery of the


valuable
substances.
AGI
refractory stone
Consists of sandstone, quartzite, mica
schist, soapstone, or other rock
that will withstand a moderately high
temperature
without
fusing,
cracking, or disintegrating. It may be used
in solid blocks or crushed and
mixed with a binder to form bricks.
USBM, 7

refractory brick
a. A brick made from refractory material,
such
as
fire
clay,
bauxite,
diaspore, etc., used to withstand high
temperatures. Refractory bricks are
made in various sizes and shapes.
b. A brick used as a lining for the interior
of
fireboxes
in
furnaces
and
boilers. Refractory brick is constructed so
that
it
can
withstand
very
high temperatures, but it is not a very
good insulator. API, 1

refractory ware
Usually hollow ware, such as, saggers,
pyrometer
tubes,
crucibles,
etc.;
also refractory brick and shapes.
refresher training

refractory clay
In mining, training given to all miners at
least once a year consisting of
8 hours of instruction reviewing the
essentials of new miner training.
CF:new miner training; task training.
Federal Mine Safety

See:fireclay
refractory lining
A lining that has high refractory qualities
and
is
therefore
suitable
for
furnace linings and boiler foundations. It
is
made
from
a
good-quality
refractory ore, clay, fireclay, or gannister.
Nelson

refrigerant
A substance that will absorb heat while
vaporizing and whose boiling point
and other properties make it useful as a
medium
for
refrigeration.
Strock, 2

refractory material
A material able to withstand high
temperatures and, therefore, used in
such applications as lining furnaces.

refrigeration
a. In special application to mining, cooling
of
air
before
release
in
lowest levels of deep, hot mine; also,
expansion of compressed air for the

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same
purpose.
b. The process of absorption of heat from
one location and its transfer to
and rejection at another place; arbitrarily
expressed
in
units
of
(short)
tons and is equal to the coil cooling load
divided by 12,000; 1 st (0.9 t)
of ice in melting in 24 h liberates heat at
the rate of 200 Btu/min (211
kJ/min), or 12,000 Btu/h (1.27 MJ/h).
Hartman, 1

refuge chamber
An airtight, fire-resistant room in a mine
used as a refuge in emergencies
by miners unable to reach the surface.
MSHA, 4
refuge hole
A place formed in the side of an
underground haulageway in which a
worker
can take refuge during the passing of a
train, or when shots are fired.
Also called refuge stalls.

refrigeration plant
a. A surface plant to form the protective
barrier of frozen ground in the
freezing method of shaft sinking. The
cooling agent used is ammonia which,
in its gaseous state, is compressed to about
120
psi
(827
kPa)
when
it
passes to the top of the condensers,
emerging at the bottom as liquid
ammonia under pressure. It then passes
through a regulator valve into the
coolers where it immediately evaporates.
The latent heat of evaporation is
extracted from the brine circuit--the brine
being
passed
through
the
coolers by the brine pumps. The ammonia
gas passes back for re-use. The
brine emerges from the coolers at a
temperature of -4 degrees F (-21.7
degrees C) and is pumped down the
boreholes to freeze the water around the
shaft
sinking.
b. A surface plant to cool liquids. These
liquids
or
ice
are
sent
underground to cool the air current in heat
exchangers.
By
this
method,
the air in deep mines is cooled
considerably
and
the
working
environment
is improved.

refusal
A condition arrived at when driving pipe,
casing,
piling,
etc.,
when
it
cannot be driven to a greater depth or
made to penetrate the ground a
distance of more than 1 ft (30.5 cm) per
100 blows delivered by a drive
hammer. Long
refuse
a. Waste material in the raw coal that has
been removed in a cleaning or
preparation
plant.
b. Notably used to describe colliery
rejects;
also
called
tailings.
Pryor, 3
refuse conveyor
An adaptation of a drag chain conveyor.
refuse discharge pipes
Pipes used on some washboxes instead of
a refuse worm. BS, 5

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refuse extraction chamber

regenerated dense medium

That part of the washbox into which the


refuse
extractor
discharges.
BS, 5

Medium obtained from the medium


recovery system and purified (wholly or
partly) from contaminating fine coal and
clay. BS, 5

refuse extractor
regeneration
A device used in a washbox to remove the
reject
from
the
washing
compartments, operated manually or
automatically. BS, 5

a. In mineral leaching, reconstitution of


barren
leach
solution
after
it
has completed its chemical attack on
mineral and its values have been
removed. The regeneration of ion
exchange resins and activated carbons by
the removal of elements or compounds
from extraction sites on the resins
by
special
eluants.
Pryor,
3
b. A reversing heat exchanger for
preheating combustion air (and gaseous
fuels) from waste heat of the exhaust
gases. Van Vlack

refuse rotor
A reject gate in the form of a rotary (or
star) valve. BS, 5
refuse worm
A screw conveyor fitted at the bottom of
some washboxes to collect the
fine reject which has passed through the
apertures
in
the
screen
plate.
BS, 5

regenerative chambers
Separate compartments connected with a
furnace;
they
are
arranged
for
preheating the gas and the air used for
fuel. Mersereau, 2

regalian doctrine
The old doctrine that all mineral wealth
was the prerogative of the crown
or the feudatory lord. The concession
system, in which the state or the
private owner has the right to grant
concessions
or
leases
to
mine
operators at discretion and subject to
certain
general
restrictions,
had
its origin in this doctrine. Almost all
mining countries of the world,
except the United States, follow this
system. Hoover

regenerative furnace
A furnace in which hot gases, usually
waste combustion gases, pass through
a set of chambers containing firebrick
structures, to which the sensible
heat is given up. The direction of hot-gas
flow
is
diverted
periodically
to another set of chambers and cold
incoming combustion gas or air is
preheated in the hot chambers.

regenerated anhydrite
regenerative heating
Anhydrite produced by dehydration of
gypsum that itself was generated by
the hydration of anhydrite.

See:recuperator

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Brick used in furnace regenerators to


recover heat from hot outgoing
gases, and later to release this heat to cold
air
or
gas
entering
the
furnace; so called because of the
checkerboard pattern in which the bricks
are arranged. Harbison-Walker

originate
with
a
single
magnet
oriented along the magnetic axis. These
have maximums as great as 10,000
gamma, which is about a third the total
intensity
at
the
equator,
and
extend over areas as large as a million
square
miles.
The
locations
of
such features do not change with time as
do
anomalies
associated
with
secular
variation.
Dobrin
b. The departure of a measured quantity
from an expected or theoretical
value on a scale larger than the most rapid
spatial
variations
of
the
measured quantity; typically variations
over
tens
to
hundreds
of
kilometers.

regime

regional dip

In hydraulics, the condition of a river with


respect
to
the
rate
of
its
flow as measured by the volume of water
passing
different
cross
sections
in a given time. Webster 3rd

The nearly uniform inclination of strata


over a wide area, generally at a
low angle, as in the Atlantic and Gulf
coastal plains and parts of the
Midcontinent region. CF:homocline

regional

regional metamorphism

a. Extending over large areas in


contradistinction to local or restricted
areas.
Fay
b. In gravity prospecting, contributions to
the
observed
anomalies
due
to
density irregularities at much greater
depths than those of the possible
structures, the location of which was the
purpose of the survey. The term
is also employed in an analogous sense in
magnetic
prospecting.
AGI

A general term for metamorphism


affecting an extensive region, as opposed
to local or contact metamorphism.
CF:dynamothermal
metamorphism;
local metamorphism.

regenerative principle
Used in open-hearth furnaces to increase
the
furnace
temperature
by
preheating the fuel gas and air previous to
their
combustion
in
the
furnace. Newton, 1
regenerator checkers

regional unconformity
A surface of discontinuity in sedimentary
rocks that extends throughout an
extensive region. It may record a
significant interruption in deposition,
tectonics, or erosion of older strata.

regional anomaly
registered premises
a. The more localized departures in the
Earth's field from the values that
would be predicted if the field were to

Premises registered with the local


authority for the storage of not more

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than 60 lb (27.2 kg) of explosive.


BS, 12

regular sampling
The sampling of the same coal or coke
received regularly at a given point.
There are two forms of regular sampling,
namely, continuous sampling and
intermittent sampling. BS, 2

reglette
A 12-in (0.3-m) scale divided into tenths
and hundredths of a foot, used
for accurate measurement in conjunction
with
a
steel
band
that
is
graduated only in feet.

regular ventilating circuit


All places in a mine through which there
is a positive flow of air without
the aid of a blower fan or of ventilation
tubing.

regolith
The layer or mantle of loose incoherent
rock material, of whatever origin,
that nearly everywhere underlies the
surface of the land and rests on
bedrock. It comprises rock waste of all
sorts:
volcanic
ash,
glacial
drift, alluvium, windblown deposits,
organic
accumulations,
and
soils.

regulated feed
In contrast with choke feed, feed that is
throttled back to a value below
the full capacity of the crusher. South
Australia
regulated split

regular lay
In mine ventilation, a split where it is
necessary to control the volumes
in certain low-resistance splits to cause air
to
flow
into
the
splits
of
high resistance.

Wire rope or cable in which the individual


wire or fibers forming a strand
are twisted in a direction opposite to the
twist
of
the
strands.
Also
called ordinary lay.

regulating gate
regular-lay left lay
A gate used to vary size of opening so as
to control the flow of material
through the opening.

See:left regular lay


regular-lay right lay

regulator
See:right regular lay
a. A ventilating device, such as an
opening in a wall or door; usually
placed at the return of a split of air to
govern
the
amount
of
air
entering that portion of a mine. Kentucky
b. A device for creating shock loss to
restrict passage of air through an
airway. Regulators are usually set in doors

regular polygon
A polygon having equal sides, and the
angles between these sides are
equal. Jones, 2

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as
adjustable,
sliding
partitions that can be varied to the desired
opening.
In
their
simplest
form, for temporary service in an
untraveled part of a mine, regulators
consist of doors propped partially open.
Where
possible,
regulators
are
located on the exhaust side of a split (in a
return
airway)
to
minimize
interference
with
traffic.

Rehisshakenhobel
A plow developed from the Anbauhobel
machine and designed for cutting thin
coal seams. The plow drives, instead of
being on the face side of the
conveyor, are on the waste side and the
plow chains run in two tubes along
the waste side of the conveyor chutes.
Nelson
reinerite

regulator door
An orthorhombic mineral, Zn3 (AsO3 )2 ;
blue
to
green; at Tsumeb, Namibia. (Not
renierite.)

See:scale door
regulus
Impure metal produced during smelting of
ores
or
concentrates.
Pryor, 3

reinforcing bar
a. The basic material used to form grouted
roof
belts.
b. Iron or steel bars of various crosssectional shapes used to strengthen
concrete.
c. See:rebar; reenforcing bar.

reheater
An apparatus for reheating a substance, as
ingot steel, that has cooled or
partly cooled during some process.
Standard, 2

reinforcing steel
Steel bars of various shapes used in
concrete construction to give added
strength. Crispin

reheater load
The amount of sensible heat in w (British
thermal
units
per
hour),
restored to the air in reheating. Hartman,
2

reinite
A pseudomorph,
scheelite(?).

reheating furnace
The furnace in which metal ingots, billets,
blooms,
etc.,
are
heated
to
bring them to the temperature required for
hot-working. CTD

FeWO4

after

reiteration
In surveying, angular measurement made
first
with
vertical
circle
of
theodolite to right of sighting telescope,
then
repeated
after
transiting
this through 180 degrees . Also called face

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right,
Pryor, 3

face

left

English-English

compared with 250,000 electron-volt


gamma rays. Abbrev., rbe. Lyman

observation.

reject

relative bulk strength

a. The material extracted from the feed


during cleaning for retreatment or
discard.
BS,
5
b. The stone or dirt discarded from a coal
preparation
plant,
washery,
or
other process; has no value.. Nelson
reject elevator

A measure of the energy available per unit


volume of explosive as compared
to an equal volume of ANFO at a density
of
0.81
g/cm3
;
it
is
calculated by dividing the bulk strength of
an
explosive
by
the
bulk
strength of ANFO and multiplying by
100.

An elevator for removing and draining the


reject from a washing appliance.

relative compaction
a. For soil compaction, two types of tests
are
necessary:
(1)
determining
the dry density of the soil after a standard
amount of compaction has been
applied, and (2) measuring the density of
the soil in the field. The state
of compaction is expressed as the relative
compaction,
and
is
the
percentage ratio of the field density to the
maximum
density
as
determined
by standard compaction. The percentages
of relative compaction are high,
since the initial relative compaction is
about
80%.
Nelson
b. The dry density of a soil in situ divided
by the maximum dry density of
the soil as established by the Proctor
compaction
test
or
any
other
standard test.

reject gate
The mechanism of the refuse extractor
that
may
be
manually
or
automatically operated to control the rate
of removal of reject from the
washbox. BS, 5
rejuvenation
The renewal of any geologic process, such
as
the
revival
of
a
stream's
erosive activity or the reactivation of a
fissure.
relative age
The geologic age of a fossil organism,
rock, geologic feature, or event,
defined relative to other organisms, rocks,
features,
or
events
rather
than in terms of years. CF:absolute age

relative consistency
The ratio of the liquid limit minus the
natural
water
content
to
the
plasticity index. ASCE

relative biological effectiveness


The relative effectiveness of a given kind
of
ionizing
radiation
in
producing a biological response as

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term Epsilon indicates the height of the


irregularity
above
the
boundary
surface only; hence it is apparent that,
dependent upon the thickness of
the boundary layer adjacent to the surface,
the
projection
can
either
lie
submerged within the boundary layer or
else
project
outside
it.
Roberts, 1

relative density
a. The relative density or specific gravity
of
a
substance
denotes
the
number of times the substance is heavier
or lighter than water (for the
same volume). Relative density and
specific gravity mean the same thing.
Morris
b. The ratio of the difference between the
void
ratio
of
a
cohesionless
soil in the loosest state and any given void
ratio
to
the
difference
between its void ratios in the loosest and
in
the
densest
states.
ASCE

relative time
Geologic time determined by the placing
of events in a chronologic order
of occurrence; esp., time as determined by
organic
evolution
or
superposition. CF:absolute time

relative humidity
relative variogram
The ratio, expressed as a percentage, of
the amount of water vapor in a
given volume of air to the amount that
would be present if the air were
saturated at the same temperature.
CF:absolute
humidity;
specific humidity. AGI

In fault descriptions, the displacement of


one
block
relative
to
the
other, rather than to some fixed point or
plane of reference. AGI

A variogram in which the ordinary


variogram value for each lag has been
divided by the square of the mean of the
sample values used in computing
the lag. This is sometimes useful when a
"proportional
effect"
is
present;
i.e., when areas of higher than average
concentration
also
have
higher
than average variance. When relative
variogram models are used in kriging,
the resulting kriging standard deviations
represent
decimal
fractions
of
the estimated values.

relative roughness

relative weight strength

The dimensionless ratio Epsilon /d (where


Epsilon is the average height of
the surface irregularities and d is the
diameter of the pipe) is termed
the relative roughness. The physical
interpretation
of
this
functional
equation is that the friction factors of
pipes are the same if their flow
patterns in every detail are geometrically
and
dynamically
similar.
The

This is a measure of the energy available


per
weight
of
explosive
as
compared to an equal weight of ANFO. It
is
calculated
by
dividing
the
absolute weight strength (AWS) of the
explosive by the AWS of ANFO and
multiplying by 100.

relative movement

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relaxation

release analysis

a. In experimental structural geology, the


release
of
applied
stress
with
time, due to any of various creep
processes.
AGI
b. In an elastic medium, the decrease of
elastic
restoring
force
under
applied stress, resulting in permanent
deformation.
AGI
c. Relief of stress by creep. Some types of
tests
are
designed
to
provide
diminution of stress by relaxation at
constant
strain,
as
frequently
occurs
in
service.
ASM,
1
d. The decrease of load support and of
internal stress because of plastic
strain at constant deformation. AGI

A procedure employed to determine the


best results possible in cleaning a
coal by froth flotation. BS, 5
released mineral
A
mineral
formed
during
the
crystallization of a magma as a
consequence
of
an earlier phase failing to react with the
liquid.
Thus
the
failure
of
earlier formed olivine to react with the
liquid portion of a magma to form
pyroxene may result in the enrichment of
the
liquid
in
silica,
which
finally crystallizes as quartz, the released
mineral. AGI

relay
release fracture
A device, operated by an electric current,
and
causing
by
its
operation
abrupt changes in an electrical circuit
(making or breaking the circuit,
changing of the circuit connections, or
variation
in
the
circuit
characteristics). NCB

A fracture developed as a consequence of


the
relief
of
stress
in
one
particular direction. The term is generally
applied
to
a
fracture
formed
when the maximum principal stress
decreases sufficiently that it becomes
the minimum principal stress; the fracture
is
an
extension
fracture
oriented perpendicular to the thenminimum
principal-stress
direction.
AGI

relay haulage
Single-track, high-speed mine haulage
from one relay station to another.
Each operator has an exclusive track
section between relay stations and
can run at full speed since no other
haulage equipment is operating on the
section. Side track at each relay station
permits the operator to pick up
or drop off loads or empties, then make
the
return
run.
Also
called
intermediate haulage.

release mesh
a. In liberation of specific mineral from its
ore
by
comminution,
the
optimum
grind.
Pryor,
3
b. Specified mesh-of-grind for best
conditions for treatment to recover a
specific mineral from the ore. Pryor, 4

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the added land belongs to the owner of the


adjacent
land
against
which
it
abuts. Also, the land left uncovered by
reliction. AGI

reliability of method
In geochemical prospecting, refers to the
probability
of
obtaining
and
recognizing indications of an orebody or
mineralized
district
by
the
method being used. Reliability depends
not only on whether a readily
detectable target exists and how effective
the
exploration
method
is
in
locating it, but also on the extent to which
the
anomaly
is
specif.
related to ore and the extent to which it is
possible
that
non-significant
anomalies may confuse the interpretation.
Hawkes, 2

relict texture
In mineral deposits, an original texture
that
remains
after
partial
or
total replacement. AGI
rensselaerite
A compact fibrous variety of talc
pseudomorphous after pyroxene; harder
than talc; polishes well; made into
ornamental objects; in northern New
York and Canada.

relic
A landform that has survived decay or
disintegration, such as an erosion
remnant; or one that has been left behind
after
the
disappearance
of
the
greater part of its substance such as a
remnant
island.
The
term
is
sometimes used adjectivally as a synonym
of relict, but this usage is not
recommended. AGI

rent and royalty

relict

reopening sealed area

Pertaining to a mineral, structure, or


feature of an earlier rock that has
persisted in a later rock in spite of
processes tending to destroy it.
Also, such a mineral, structure, or other
feature. AGI

There are four methods used in reopening


sealed-off areas in a mine: (1)
the direct method in which the stoppings
are
breached
and
air
is
circulated around the district without
previous inspection by a rescue
team; (2) the prior-inspection method in
which
prior
inspection
of
the
whole district by a rescue team is
followed by circulation of air around
the district; (3) the stage method in which
the
ventilation
is
restored
and the enclosed gases are removed in
successive
stages;
and
(4)
the
partial-reopening method which is

a. The amount paid by a coal mining


operator to the owner of the coal for
each ton of coal mined and usually
expressed
in
cents
per
ton.
b. In mining leases, words used
interchangeably to convey the same
meaning. Ricketts

reliction
The slow and gradual withdrawal of the
water in the sea, a lake, or a
stream, leaving the former bottom as
permanently exposed and uncovered dry
land; it does not include seasonal
fluctuations in water levels. Legally,

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material in and old material out without


breakdown of the solid state. AGI
b. A process of fossilization involving
substitution
of
inorganic
matter
for the original organic constituents of an
organism. AGI

adopted when it is required to recover


part of a district but leave the remainder
sealed off. Sinclair, 1
repairman
A worker whose duty it is to repair tracks,
doors,
brattices,
or
to
reset
timbers, etc., under the direction of a
foreman.
Also
called
repairer.
Zern

replacement bit
See:reset bit
replacement deposit

repeated twinning
Crystal twinning involving more than two
individuals.

A mineral deposit that has been formed by


deposition
from
mineral
solutions taking the place of some earlier,
different substance.

replaceable hydrogen

replacing switch

Hydrogen atoms in acid molecule that can


be replaced by those of metal.
Pryor, 3

A device consisting of a united pair of


iron
plates
hinged
to
shoes
fitting over the rails to replace, on the
track,
derailed
railway
rolling
stock. Also used for mine cars. Fay

replaceable insert

replica

Diamond inset plates and other geometric


forms
fastened
to
and/or
supported by the bit blank by brazing or
mechanical
locking
so
that
in
drilling they may be replaced when
diamond wear exceeds a specified
amount. Long

A filling of mineral material deposited by


percolating
ground
waters
in
external molds, thus reproducing the
original exterior of the fossil shell
or other object, with its exact size and
shape. AGI

replaceable pilot
replicate sampling
A central interchangeable pluglike portion
of
a
noncoring
bit
protruding
or leading the outside portion of such bits.
Long

Taking each sample in a number of


subsamples by putting increments in turn
into different containers, in order to
estimate the sampling accuracy. The
same total weight of sample is collected
whether or not replicate sampling
is employed. BS, 2

replacement
a. Change in composition of a mineral or
mineral
aggregate,
presumably
accomplished by diffusion of new

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of the rail at the same time. As the car is


pulled
across
the
device,
the
derailed wheels are channeled back onto
the tracks. Also called retracker.

repose angle
The angle between the horizontal and the
surface
slope
of
any
pile
of
material formed by free fall of the
material.

rescue
representation work
To move live workers or dead bodies from
a mine after a mine disaster.
Sometimes called recover. The latter
applies esp. to putting the mine in
shape for operation again.

Assessment work on a mining claim.


representative fraction
The scale of a map, expressed in the form
of
a
numerical
fraction
that
relates linear distances on the map to the
corresponding
actual
distances
on the ground, measured in the same units
(centimeters,
inches,
feet);
e.g., 1/24,000 indicates that one unit on
the
map
represents
24,000
equivalent units on the ground. Abbrev:
RF. AGI

rescue apparatus
A name applied to certain types of
apparatus worn by workers, permitting
them to work in noxious or irrespirable
atmospheres
such
as
obtained
during mine fires, following mine
explosions, as a result of accidents in
ammonia plants, from smelter fumes, etc.
Oxygen compressed in a cylinder,
a regenerating substance to purify the
breathed air, and a closed system
constitute the general principle of the
apparatus.
escue-car

representative sample
In testing or valuation of a mineral
deposit, samples large enough and
average in composition as to be
considered representative of a specified
volume of the surrounding orebody.
Blended large samples from different
exposures
are
not
necessarily
representative, since the mineral structure
may have varied so as to introduce special
problems from area to area in
treatment. Pryor, 3

See:mine rescue car


rescue station
Mine chamber equipped with rescue gear,
including
oxygen
apparatus,
and
manned by trained rescue workers. Pryor,
3

rerailer
rescue team
A small lightweight device, used in pairs
that straddle and are locked to
each of the rails to retrack railroad cars
and
locomotives.
Of
Y-shaped
design, they permit both wheels to be
retracked from either or both sides

A team of workers, from five to eight


strong, trained in the use of
breathing apparatus and in rescue
operations after colliery explosions or
mine fires. The team trains every week or

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so
at
Nelson

rescue

English-English

quality, geological conditions, and


contemporary economic factors. Proved,
probable, and possible reserves are
other terms used in general mining
practice.
BS,
7
b. Sampled ore, developed, blocked out,
or exposed on not less than three
sides.
CTD
c. The amount of payable ore, developed
and
ready
for
extraction,
or
blocked out ahead of immediate
requirements. Weed, 2

station.

research
Word often misused. Two broad meanings
are
reexamination
of
previously
accepted data in the light of current
expansion of basic knowledge; and
search in reality, specific to an entirely
novel
concept
and
calling
for
development of new approaches. Wrongly
defined
when
descriptive
of
original rehash. Pryor, 3

reserve base
That part of an identified resource that
meets specified minimum physical
and chemical criteria related to current
mining
and
production
practices,
including those for grade, quality,
thickness, and depth. The reserve base
is the in-place demonstrated (measured
plus indicated) resource from which
reserves are estimated. It may encompass
those parts of the resources that
have a reasonable potential for becoming
economically
available
within
planning horizons beyond those that
assume proven technology and current
economics. The reserve base includes
those resources that are currently
economic (reserves), marginally economic
(marginal reserves), and some of
those that are currently subeconomic
(subeconomic resources). The term
geologic reserve has been applied by
others generally to the reserve-base
category, but it also may include the
inferred-reserve-base
category;
geologic reserve is not part of this
classification system.

resection
a. A method in surveying by which the
horizontal position of an occupied
point is determined by drawing lines from
the point to two or more points
of
known
position.
b. A method of determining a plane-table
position
by
orienting
along
a
previously drawn foresight line and
drawing one or more rays through the
foresight from previously located stations.
AGI
resequent fault-line scarp
A fault-line scarp in which the structurally
downthrown
block
is
also
topographically lower than the upthrown
block.
CF:obsequent fault-line scarp
reserve
a. The quantity of mineral that is
calculated
to
lie
within
given
boundaries. It is described as total (or
gross),
workable,
or
probable
working, depending on the application of
certain
arbitrary
limits
in
respect of deposit thickness, depth,

reserved coal
Coal reserved from lease, as coal under
buildings.

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element is moved at a speed proportional


to
the
extent
of
proportional
position action. This term applies only to a
multiple
action
including
proportional position action. Fuerstenau

reserved lands
Defined by the U.S. Department of the
Interior as "federal lands which are
dedicated or set aside for a specific public
purpose or program and which
are, therefore, generally not subject to
disposition
under
the
operation
of all the public land laws." SME, 1

reset bit
A bit made by reusing the sound
diamonds salvaged from a used drill bit
and setting them in the crown attached to
a
new
bit
blank.
Some
new
diamonds usually are added to those
salvaged, since generally not all of
the salvaged or recovered stones are
reusable. Long

reserved mineral
Economic minerals that are not the
property of the landowner but belong to
the State. The State confers the right to
prospect for and to mine these
minerals on any one who applies for this
right on the form prescribed and
at the competent mining office. Such
minerals as coal and iron ores are
included in this group. CF:unreserved
mineral

repose angle
The angle between the horizontal and the
surface
slope
of
any
pile
of
material formed by free fall of the
material.

reserves
representation work
a. An estimate within specified accuracy
limits of the valuable metal or
mineral content of known deposits that
may be produced under current
economic conditions and with present
technology.
Shanz
b. That part of the reserve base that could
be
economically
extracted
or
produced at the time of determination.
The term reserves need not signify
that extraction facilities are in place and
operative.
Reserves
include
only recoverable materials; thus, terms
such as extractable reserves and
recoverable reserves are redundant and are
not
a
part
of
this
classification
system.
reset action (nonstandard)

Assessment work on a mining claim.


representative fraction
The scale of a map, expressed in the form
of
a
numerical
fraction
that
relates linear distances on the map to the
corresponding
actual
distances
on the ground, measured in the same units
(centimeters,
inches,
feet);
e.g., 1/24,000 indicates that one unit on
the
map
represents
24,000
equivalent units on the ground. Abbrev:
RF. AGI
representative sample
In testing or valuation of a mineral
deposit, samples large enough and
average in composition as to be

In flotation, the component of control


action in which the final control

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considered representative of a specified


volume of the surrounding orebody.
Blended large samples from different
exposures
are
not
necessarily
representative, since the mineral structure
may have varied so as to introduce special
problems from area to area in
treatment. Pryor, 3

rescue-car
See:mine rescue car
rescue station
Mine chamber equipped with rescue gear,
including
oxygen
apparatus,
and
manned by trained rescue workers. Pryor,
3

rerailer
A small lightweight device, used in pairs
that straddle and are locked to
each of the rails to retrack railroad cars
and
locomotives.
Of
Y-shaped
design, they permit both wheels to be
retracked from either or both sides
of the rail at the same time. As the car is
pulled
across
the
device,
the
derailed wheels are channeled back onto
the tracks. Also called retracker.

rescue team
A team of workers, from five to eight
strong, trained in the use of
breathing apparatus and in rescue
operations after colliery explosions or
mine fires. The team trains every week or
so
at
a
rescue
station.
Nelson
research

rescue

Word often misused. Two broad meanings


are
reexamination
of
previously
accepted data in the light of current
expansion of basic knowledge; and
search in reality, specific to an entirely
novel
concept
and
calling
for
development of new approaches. Wrongly
defined
when
descriptive
of
original rehash. Pryor, 3

To move live workers or dead bodies from


a mine after a mine disaster.
Sometimes called recover. The latter
applies esp. to putting the mine in
shape for operation again.
rescue apparatus
A name applied to certain types of
apparatus worn by workers, permitting
them to work in noxious or irrespirable
atmospheres
such
as
obtained
during mine fires, following mine
explosions, as a result of accidents in
ammonia plants, from smelter fumes, etc.
Oxygen compressed in a cylinder,
a regenerating substance to purify the
breathed air, and a closed system
constitute the general principle of the
apparatus.

resection
a. A method in surveying by which the
horizontal position of an occupied
point is determined by drawing lines from
the point to two or more points
of
known
position.
b. A method of determining a plane-table
position
by
orienting
along
a
previously drawn foresight line and
drawing one or more rays through the
foresight from previously located stations.
AGI

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economics. The reserve base includes


those resources that are currently
economic (reserves), marginally economic
(marginal reserves), and some of
those that are currently subeconomic
(subeconomic resources). The term
geologic reserve has been applied by
others generally to the reserve-base
category, but it also may include the
inferred-reserve-base
category;
geologic reserve is not part of this
classification
system.
USGS, 2

resequent fault-line scarp


A fault-line scarp in which the structurally
downthrown
block
is
also
topographically lower than the upthrown
block.
CF:obsequent fault-line scarp
reserve
a. The quantity of mineral that is
calculated
to
lie
within
given
boundaries. It is described as total (or
gross),
workable,
or
probable
working, depending on the application of
certain
arbitrary
limits
in
respect of deposit thickness, depth,
quality, geological conditions, and
contemporary economic factors. Proved,
probable, and possible reserves are
other terms used in general mining
practice.
BS,
7
b. Sampled ore, developed, blocked out,
or exposed on not less than three
sides.
CTD
c. The amount of payable ore, developed
and
ready
for
extraction,
or
blocked out ahead of immediate
requirements. Weed, 2

reserved coal
Coal reserved from lease, as coal under
buildings.
reserved lands
Defined by the U.S. Department of the
Interior as "federal lands which are
dedicated or set aside for a specific public
purpose or program and which
are, therefore, generally not subject to
disposition
under
the
operation
of all the public land laws." SME, 1
reserved mineral

reserve base
Economic minerals that are not the
property of the landowner but belong to
the State. The State confers the right to
prospect for and to mine these
minerals on any one who applies for this
right on the form prescribed and
at the competent mining office. Such
minerals as coal and iron ores are
included in this group. CF:unreserved
mineral

That part of an identified resource that


meets specified minimum physical
and chemical criteria related to current
mining
and
production
practices,
including those for grade, quality,
thickness, and depth. The reserve base
is the in-place demonstrated (measured
plus indicated) resource from which
reserves are estimated. It may encompass
those parts of the resources that
have a reasonable potential for becoming
economically
available
within
planning horizons beyond those that
assume proven technology and current

reserves
a. An estimate within specified accuracy
limits of the valuable metal or

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consisting of the nearly insoluble material


left
after
all
the
more
readily soluble constituents of the rocks
have
been
removed.
c. The structureless groundmass of
microscopically
unresolvable
constituents, consisting of particles of one
to
two
microns
or
less,
usually opaque, and of a dark color. It is
the same as the lower range of
fine micrinite.

mineral content of known deposits that


may be produced under current
economic conditions and with present
technology.
Shanz
b. That part of the reserve base that could
be
economically
extracted
or
produced at the time of determination.
The term reserves need not signify
that extraction facilities are in place and
operative.
Reserves
include
only recoverable materials; thus, terms
such as extractable reserves and
recoverable reserves are redundant and are
not
a
part
of
this
classification
system.

resilience
The ability of a material to store the
energy
of
elastic
strain.
This
ability is measured in terms of energy per
unit volume. AGI

reset action (nonstandard)


In flotation, the component of control
action in which the final control
element is moved at a speed proportional
to
the
extent
of
proportional
position action. This term applies only to a
multiple
action
including
proportional position action. Fuerstenau

resilient couplings
The resilient type of coupling has many
designs
but
essentially
has
torsional response to application or
variation of the transmitted load.
For the all-metal types, the resilient
element may be in the form of
laminated spring packs or a cylindrical
grid member, connecting the driver
and driven hubs. Resilience damps shock
loads and also provides means of
keeping
gear
teeth
in
contact,
compensating for small errors in gear
cutting. Other types use rubber or
rubberlike material that may be in the
form of a spider, segmental blocks, a
number of balls, or a molded disk
with metal inserts, providing the
connection between the driver and driven
hubs. Pit and Quarry

reset bit
A bit made by reusing the sound
diamonds salvaged from a used drill bit
and setting them in the crown attached to
a
new
bit
blank.
Some
new
diamonds usually are added to those
salvaged, since generally not all of
the salvaged or recovered stones are
reusable.
Long
residuum

resiliometer

a. Weathered material, including the soil,


down
to
fresh,
unweathered
rock.
Legrand
b.
Material
resulting
from
the
decomposition of rocks in place and

A device for testing resilience. Standard,


2

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adsorbs the metal directly from the slime


pulp
without
the
necessity
of
thickening or filtering. It is esp. adapted
for
ores
that
do
not
settle
readily, and where thickening and
filtration
are
difficult.
Newton, 1

resin
a. One of various hard, brittle, transparent
or
translucent
solids
formed
esp. from plant secretions and obtained as
exudates
of
recent
or
fossil
origin, such as conifers and certain
tropical trees, by condensation of
fluids on loss of volatile oils. Resins are
yellowish
to
brown
with
resinous luster; fusible and flammable;
soluble in ether and other organic
solvents, but not in water; and represent a
complex
mixture
of
terpenes,
resin alcohols, and resin acids and their
esters.
CF:amber;
fossil
resin.
b. A synthetic addition or condensation
polymerization
substance
or
natural substance of high molecular
weight, which under heat, pressure, or
chemical
treatment
becomes
moldable.beads.
Jessop

resinite
A maceral of coal within the exinite
group,
consisting
of
resinous
compounds, often in elliptical or spindleshaped
bodies
representing
cell-filling matter or resin rodlets.
CF:cutinite;
sporinite.
AGI
resinite coal
This coal consists of more than 50% of
small resin bodies embedded in
gelito-collinite, fusinito-collinite, or in
collinite
of
fusinitic
nature.
The resin bodies differ in shape and may
be
angular,
spheroidal,
or
lenticular. Varying in size, they may be
visible to the unaided eye in a
hand specimen of coal or only
distinguishable under the microscope.
Resinite coal may also contain small
quantities
of
microspores,
fine
fragments of fusinized tissue, and, not
infrequently,
broad
streaks
of
vitrinite. Hand specimens of resinite coal
are matt or semimatt and in
coals of low rank are brown or brownishblack. On fractures perpendicular
to the bedding, the resin bodies appear
rounded, black, and lustrous; in
the bedding planes themselves they
frequently appear as matt rodlets.
Resinite coals frequently are high in ash.
IHCP

resin-anchored bolts
A passive roof-bolting technique in which
a rebar-type bolt is anchored in
resin. A two-part resin cartridge is placed
at the back of a hole and is
mixed as the bolt is inserted and rotated.
The
bolt
is
forced
tight
against the roof until the resin sets.
resin-in-pulp
An ion exchange process applied in acidleach slurry from which abrasive
particles of sand have been removed.
Abbrev., R.I.P. Pryor, 3
resin-in-pulp (RIP) process
The method in which pulp is classified to
remove the sands, and the resin

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rubbing surface, the area of the


airways, and the velocity of the air.
b. In flotation, a property opposing
movement of material or flow of
energy, and involving loss of potential
(voltage,
temperature,
pressure,
and
level).
Fuerstenau
c. The property of an electrical circuit that
opposes
the
flow
of
a
current and is measured in ohms.

resin jack
See:sphalerite
resinoid
A coal constituent similar to material
derived from resin. AGI
resinous

resistance methanometer

a. Resembling resin, as opal, and some


yellow
varieties
of
sphalerite.
Fay
b. The luster on fractured surfaces of
minerals,
e.g.,
opal,
sulfur,
amber, and sphalerite, and rocks, e.g.,
pitchstone. CF:vitreous

Coal in which the attritus may contain a


large
proportion
of
resinous
matter. Coals of this type are found more
often among the younger coals.
AGI

A version of the catalytic methanometer


with
the
addition
of
improved
detector elements. Platinum may be used
as the filament that both heats
the
detecting
element
and
acts
simultaneously as a resistance type
thermometer. Gas is drawn through the
instrument by a rubber suction bulb,
and the filaments are heated from a dry
battery
of
the
mercury
type
contained in the apparatus. Readings of
methane concentration can be taken
on the built-in electrical meter. Nelson

resin rodlets

resistance of detonator

A fossil resinous secretion that may be


isolated
from
coal.
It
was
presumably deposited in a resin duct by a
secretory
epithelium.
AGI

As applied to electric blasting caps, the


total
resistance
of
the
leg
wires and the bridge wire. Fraenkel

resin tin

See:electrical resistance strain gage

See:cassiterite

resistance to blasting

resistance

Specific value of the resistance of the rock


to
the
explosive
force,
determined by trial blasting. It is a
function of maximum burden, hole
depth, quantity of explosive (degree of
packing),
and
throw.
Fraenkel

resinous coal

resistance strain gage

a. When an air current flows through a


mine
it
meets
with
frictional
resistance from the roof, sides, and floor.
The
amount
of
this
resistance
depends upon the extent and nature of the

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different resistivity against each other;


similar
relationships
result
in
the detection of an anticline, a syncline, or
an
underground
channel.
Nelson
b. A survey by the resistivity method in
which an array of electrodes is
moved along profiles to determine lateral
variations
in
resistivity.
AGI

resistivity
a. Resistance, R, of a block of specified
material in terms of units of
length 1 and cross section a. Unit volume
is
1
cm3
of
the
material concerned, and the resistivity
measurement
is
made
during
electrical prospecting. Specific resistance
=
(Ra)
/
1.
Pryor,
3
b. The electrical resistance offered to the
passage
of
a
current.
Usually
expressed in ohm meters, which is the
electrical resistance of a column of
fluid 1 m long and 1 m2 in cross section.
Brantly,
1
c. The opposite of conductivity of an
electrical current passing through
fluid-bearing rock formations. Wheeler,
R.R.
d. The electrical resistance between
opposite faces of a 1-cm cube of a
given substance. The unit of resistivity is
ohm/centimeter.
Hy
e. The reciprocal of conductivity.
Strock, 2

resistor
A device to provide resistance in an
electric circuit, usually to limit
the current, dissipate energy, or provide
heat. Kentucky
resoiling
The replacement of the original topsoil at
an opencast site on completion
of operations to allow the growing of
crops.

resolution
resistivity method
a. A measure of the ability of individual
components,
and
of
remote-sensing systems, to distinguish
detail or to define closely spaced
targets.
AGI
b. The minimum size of a feature that can
be
detected.
c. The separation of a vector into its
components.
AGI
d. The sharpness with which the images of
two
closely
adjacent
spectrum
lines, etc., may be distinguished. AGI
e. In gravity or magnetic prospecting, the
indication
in
some
measured
quantity, such as the vertical component
of gravity, of the presence of
two or more close but separate disturbing
bodies.
AGI

Any electrical exploration method in


which current is introduced into the
ground by two contact electrodes and
potential differences are measured
between two or more other electrodes.
AGI
resistivity profile
a. A geophysical survey using the
resistivity method. An assembly of
electrodes spaced at a constant distance is
moved
along
profiles,
resulting in lateral variations in resistivity
being
shown.
In
favorable
terrain, the test shows the existence of
faults that have thrown strata of

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In optical viewing, the minimum distance


possible
between
two
separately
distinguishable objects. Pryor, 3

f. In seismic prospecting, the ability to


indicate
separately
two
closely
adjacent
interfaces.
AGI
g. The ability of an optical or radiation
system
to
separate
closely
related forms or entities; also, the degree
to
which
they
can
be
discriminated. ASM, 1

resonance
a. A term denoting a variety of
phenomena
characterized
by
the
abnormally
large response of a system having a
natural vibration period to a stimulus
of the same, or nearly the same,
frequency.
AGI
b. A buildup of amplitude in a physical
system when the frequency of an
applied oscillatory force is close to the
natural frequency of the system.
AGI

resolution limit
In gravity and magnetic prospecting, the
separation
of
two
disturbing
bodies at which some obvious indication
in a measured quantity of the
presence of two separate bodies ceases to
be visible. AGI
resolved-time method

resonance screen
A seismic reflection technique that
involves the plotting of reflections
in time and the representation of
horizontal distances along the section
in equivalent time units (obtained by
dividing
the
true
horizontal
distance by the sub-weathering velocity as
determined
from
first-arrival
times). Once this transformation of the
coordinate
system
is
made,
migration is accomplished by swinging
arcs
of
reflection
times
from
successive shot points and drawing lines
which
are
tangent
to
the
respective arcs for the same events from
adjacent
shot
points.
For
the
final mapping of migrated horizons in
depth,
the
times
are
recorded
directly beneath the shot points. These
times are converted to depths by
using the best available velocity
information. Dobrin

A high-speed vibrating screen in which


the applied force has a frequency
equal to the natural frequency of the
suspended mass. In its basic form,
the vibrating frame of the resonance
screen is a mass oscillating between
two compression springs, that alternately
store
and
return
this
energy.
Nelson
resonant frequency drilling
Drilling that utilizes longitudinal vibration
corresponding
to
the
resonant frequency of the drill string in
order
to
"fluidize"
the
sediments being sampled, thereby
achieving
efficient
penetration.
Padan
resorption border

resolving power

A border of secondary minerals, produced


by
partial
resorption
and
recrystallization, surrounding an original

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crystal

constituent

of

English-English

furnaces are issued respirators for


use where danger is known to exist.;
mask.
Nelson
d. A device worn over the mouth or nose
for
protecting
the
respiratory
tract from noxious gases or dust.

rock.

resource
A concentration of naturally occurring
solid, liquid, or gaseous material
in or on the Earth's crust in such form and
amount
that
economic
extraction of a commodity from the
concentration
is
currently
or
potentially feasible. USGS, 2

respirator protection factor


a. A measure of the degree of protection
provided by a respirator to the
wearer.
FR
166
b. The ratio of the ambient concentration
of an airborne substance to the
concentration of the substance inside the
respirator at the breathing zone
of the wearer, a measure of the degree of
protection
provided
by
a
respirator to the wearer. ANSI

resource characterization
The determination of the shape, size,
quality,
quantity,
and
variability
of the geologic entity and the limits of
variable geologic features, so as
to provide the information for synthesis of
commonly
subtle
features
into
an accurate, predictive description of the
resource
environment.
SME, 1

respiratory cycle
One complete breath--an inspiration
followed by an expiration, including
any pause that may occur between the
movements. Hunt

respirable-size particulate

resplendent

Particulates in a size range that permits


them to penetrate deep into the
lungs upon inhalation. NSC, 2

Referring to a degree of luster that reflects


with
brilliancy
and
gives
well defined images; e.g., hematite and
cassiterite.

respirator
a. A device (such as a gas mask) for
protecting
the
respiratory
tract
(against irritating and poisonous gases,
fumes,
smoke,
dusts)
with
or
without equipment supplying oxygen or
air.
Webster
3rd
b. A device for maintaining artificial
respiration.
Webster
3rd
c. The mining-type respirator is a fitting
that covers the nose and mouth
to prevent the wearer inhaling excessive
quantities of dust. Tunnel miners
and workers at sinter plants and blast

rest magma
See:residual liquid
restoration
a. Restoring the disturbed land to the
conditions which existed at the
site before any disturbance occurred.
SME,
1
b. The process of gaining or recovering
land, bringing it into a condition

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for cultivation or other use. SME, 1


c. Response to any disturbances to the
Earth and its environment caused by
mining
activity.
SME,
1
d. Returning the disturbed site "to a form
and
productivity
in
conformity
with a prior use plan." SME, 1
e. The Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) states
that, among other provisions, reclamation
must "restore the land affected
to a condition capable of supporting the
uses which it was capable of
supporting prior to any mining, or higher
or better uses." SME, 1

restrained plug and socket


These are used when the cable is removed
from
a
machine
or
apparatus
frequently. The most common type is the
100-amp British Standard plug and
socket, and it is employed to connect the
trailing cable to a coal cutter
or face conveyor. The gland of the plug is
arranged to grip the sheath of
the cable and to make connection with the
screen and earth core. Power and
pilot conductors are connected to the
appropriate
contact
tubes,
which
make connection with corresponding pins
in
the
socket
portion.
Mason

restore circulation
The action taken to fill or seal the cracks
or
openings
through
which
drill fluid is escaping from the borehole
into the rocks forming the walls
of the borehole and by which the drill
fluid is made to return to and
overflow the collar of the borehole. Long

restricted earth fault protection

restrained cable plug and socket

restricted resources

a. A flameproof restrained plug and socket


incorporates
an
interlock
to
ensure that the power connections are
dead when they are separated or
until they make contact; the design is such
that
the
enclosure
is
flameproof at all times when there is
contact between the pins and tubes.
BS,
13
b. A plug and socket designed to be held
together by an operating bolt, or
screwed union ring, or other equivalent
device, the use of which enables
the plug to be readily inserted or
withdrawn. BS, 13

That part of any resource category that is


restricted
from
extraction
by
laws or regulations, but otherwise meets
all the requirements of reserves.
USGS, 2

As used in mining, a system of earth fault


protection
in
which
the
fault
current is limited, without requiring the
use
of
sensitive
earth
fault
protection. BS, 13

rests
The arrangement at the top and bottom of
a
shaft,
or
intermediate
levels,
for supporting the shaft cage while
changing
the
tubs
or
cars.
.
resue
a. To mine or strip sufficient barren rock
to expose a narrow but rich

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vein, which is then extracted in a clean


condition.
Nelson
b. To open up a stope, not in the vein but
in
the
wall
rock.

undersize
Pryor, 3

(passing

through

meshes).

c. In lode mining, separate removal of


undercut barren rock immediately
below a lode or vein too narrow for
human entry. Following this, the lode
is mined and separately removed. Used
when the lode is less than 30 in (76
cm) wide. Pryor, 3

a. In drilling, a shoulder inside a reaming


shell
that
prevents
entry
of
the core lifter into the core barrel. Long
b. A term sometimes incorrectly applied
to a core lifter. Long

retaining ring

retaining screen

resuing

The screen that has retained the particles.


Pit and Quarry

a. A method of stoping wherein the wall


rock on one side of the vein is
removed before the ore is broken.
Employed on narrow veins, less than 30
in (76 cm), and yields cleaner ore than
when wall and ore are broken
together.
b. A method of stoping in which the ore is
broken down first and then the
waste or vice versa; usually the one which
breaks
easier
is
blasted
first.
The broken waste is left in the stope as
filling, and the ore is broken
down on flooring laid on the fill to prevent
admixture
of
ore
and
waste.
Resuing is applicable where the ore is not
frozen to the walls and works
best if there is considerable difference
between the hardness of the ore
and of the wall rocks.

retaining structure
A temporary or permanent structure used
for holding dredged material on a
limited basis, not to be confused with a
confined disposal facility.
retardation
In crystal optics, the amount by which the
slow wave falls behind the fast
wave during passage through an
anisotropic crystal plate. Retardation
depends on plate thickness and the
difference in refractive indices of its
two principal directions. AGI
retarding conveyor
a. A chain-type conveyor used on steeply
inclined faces, where the problem
is not so much to move the coal but rather
to
restrain
its
movement
downhill. It consists of link chains
carrying discs 6 to 8 in (15 to 20
cm) in diameter at every yard (0.9 m). The
endless chain runs in an open
semicircular trough, and the coal is
lowered to the discharge end. The
chain returns uphill, in an enclosed tube,

resurgence
See:emergence
retaining mesh
In sieving or screening, that mesh at
which division is made between
oversize (arrested on screen) and

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encloses
original

to the driving unit at the top


end. Its capacity is about 100 tons per
hour.
Nelson
b. Any type of conveyor used to retard the
rate
of
movement
of
bulk
materials, packages, or objects, where the
slope is such that the conveyed
material tends to propel the conveying
medium.

remnants
of
mineral. CF:mesh

the
texture

reticulated
A mineral structure of fibers or columns
that cross to resemble a net;
e.g., rutile.
reticulated veins

retentivity
Veins that cross each other, forming a
network.

The capacity of a material to retain a


portion of the magnetic field set
up in it after the magnetizing force has
been removed. ASM, 1

reticulate texture
See:mesh texture

retgersite
reticule
A tetragonal mineral, NiSO4 .6H2 O ;
dimorphous
with
nickelhexahydrite; blue green; associated
with
morenosite,
the
septehydrate.

A set of intersecting very fine lines, wires,


etc.,
in
the
optical
focus
of an optical instrument. It is also referred
to
as
graticule.

Retger's salt
reticulite
Thallium silver nitrate that melts to a
yellow liquid at 75 degrees C
having a density of 4.6 g/cm3 ; can be
diluted
and
used
as
a
heavy liquid for mineral separation.

An extremely attenuate pyroclastic rock


consisting of glass threads which
join a series of points forming a
polyhedral space lattice. It is formed
from pumice by the collapse of the walls
of
adjacent
vesicles
and
the
retraction of the liquid into threads which
form
the
perimeters
of
the
former polygonal faces. The threads are
usually
of
triangular
cross
section, indicating chilling, before
rounding could take place. Such rock
has generally been known by Dana's
name,
thread-lace
scoria.

reticular
See:reticulate
reticulate
a. Said of a vein or lode with netlike
texture;
e.g.,
stockwork.
CF:stockwork
b. Said of a rock texture in which crystals
are
partially
altered
to
a
secondary mineral, forming a network that

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usually of high pressure, to an area


of lower pressure. Rice, 2

retiform
Netted; reticulate; said of the boundaries
of
some
vein
quartz
(rare).
Hess

retort
a. A vessel used for the distillation of
volatile
materials,
as
in
the
separation of some metals and the
destructive
distillation
of
coal.
ASM,
1
b. A long semicylinder, now usually of
fireclay
or
silica,
for
the
manufacture of coal gas. Webster 3rd
c. See:amalgam retort

retigen
Bitumen contained in meteorites. The
name indicates that this substance on
distillation gives rise to resin, in contrast
to
kerogen
which
on
distillation gives rise to oil. Tomkeieff
retinalite

retorting
A massive, honey-yellow or greenish
variety of serpentine with a waxy or
resinous luster.

a. Removing the mercury from an


amalgam by volatizing it in an iron
retort, conducting it away, and condensing
it.
Fay
b. In the sulfur industry, synonymous with
sublimation. Fay

retinasphalt
A light brown resinous substance found in
brown
coal
in
Devonshire,
England. Tomkeieff

retort pressman
A person who operates a hydraulic press
in which fireclay retorts, used in
smelting zinc ores, are made. DOT

retinite
A variety of fossil resin found as rodlets
secreted in canals or ducts of
coal-forming plants.

retract
The mechanism by which a dipper shovel
bucket is pulled back out of the
digging. Nichols, 1

retinosite
A microscopical constituent of torbanite
consisting
of
translucent
orange-red discs. CF:gelosite; humosite;
matrosite. Tomkeieff

retractable wedge
A type of deflecting wedge that can be
retrieved after the deflected drill
hole has been completed.

retonation wave
A wave passing back through burned or
burning explosion gases toward the
origin, at the rate of a sound wave through
gases
of
like
temperature,
from a point in the explosion wave,

retracting
See:crowding

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retreat

retrievable inner barrel

To work rooms or pillars to finish coal or


ore extraction in an area that
has been penetrated to its limits by
advance work; workings are generally
in the opposite direction of advance work
and
allow
the
area
to
be
abandoned as finished. BCI

The inner barrel assembly of a wire-line


core
barrel,
designed
for
removing core from a borehole without
pulling the rods. Long
retrievable wedge
See:retractable wedge

retreating longwall
retrieving ring
a. First driving haulage road and airways
to the boundary of a tract of
coal and then mining it in a single face
without pillars back toward the
shaft.
Fay
b. See:longwall retreating

A catch ring on a retractable wedge that


engages a lifting device on the
deflection barrel or bit, enabling the drill
runner
to
remove
a
deflecting
wedge from a borehole after deflection
has been effected. Long

retreating system
retrograde metamorphism
a. A method of working a mine that is
designed to allow a stope to cave
soon after it is worked out, thus relieving
the weight on the supports in
adjacent
stopes.
Lewis
b. A method of extracting coal or ore by
driving a narrow heading to the
boundary, then opening out a face and
working
the
deposit
backwards
towards the shaft, drift, or main entry.
Nelson
c. A stoping system in which supporting
pillars
of
ore
are
left
while
deposit is worked outward from shafts
toward the boundary, the pillars
being removed (robbed) as the work
retreats
toward
the
shaft;
the
unsupported workings are abandoned and
left
to
cave
in.
Pryor,
3
d. A system of robbing pillars in which
the line of pillars being robbed
retreats or moves from the boundary
toward the shaft or mouth of the mine.
See also:longwall retreating

The mineralogical adjustment of relatively


high-grade
metamorphic
rocks
to
temperatures lower than those of their
initial
metamorphism,
characteristically inducing hydration and
hydrous
minerals.
;
diaphthoresis.
CF:prograde metamorphism
retrogressive metamorphism
See:retrograde metamorphism
return
a. Any airway in which vapid air flows
from the workings to the upcast
shaft
or
fan.
b. Any airway which carries the
ventilating air from the face outby and
out
of
the
mine.
BS,
8
c. Any surface turned back from the face
of
a
principal
surface.
ACSG,
1

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d. The rate of profit in a process of


production
per
unit
of
cost.
Webster 3rd

return-line corrosion tester


A tester developed by the U.S. Bureau of
Mines
for
detecting
and
controlling
corrosion
in
steamcondensate-return lines of large heating
plants. This tester determines types and
rates
of
corrosion
and
can
distinguish among various possible
causes. It is assembled from ordinary
black iron pipe nipples and couplings, the
linings
are
easily
machined,
and the corroded linings can be analyzed
quickly in any laboratory.

return air
a. Air traveling in a return. BS, 8
b. Air that has circulated the workings and
is
flowing
towards
the
main
mine fan; vitiated or foul air. Nelson
c. Air returning to a heater or conditioner
from the heated or conditioned
space. Strock, 2
return aircourse

return man
Portion of ventilation system of mine
through which contaminated air is
withdrawn and evacuated to surface.
Pryor, 3

In anthracite coal mining, one who resets


timbers,
shovels
up
falls
of
slate, rock, or dirt, and keeps in general
repair
the
airways
by
which
mine air returns to the surface. DOT

return circulation

returns

That portion of a circulated drill fluid


flowing from the face of a bit
toward the collar of a borehole. CF:return
water

a. The drill fluid and entrained sludge that


overflows
the
collar
of
a
borehole.
Long
b. In seismic reflection prospecting, the
signals
reflected
back
to
the
surface from layer boundaries in the
subsurface.
c. Also used in geophysical prospecting to
register
passage
of
waves
caused by detonation of dynamite. Hess

returning charge
Charge made per unit of ore or
concentrate treated by smelter in custom
smelting. In addition to a basic charge that
allows
for
process
costs
and
agreed percentage loss in recovery, extra
charges
may
be
specified,
or
remitted as premiums, in adjustment of
variations from the normal makeup
of the parcel treated. Pryor, 3

return water
Drill fluid that reaches the surface and
overflows
the
borehole
collar
after it has been circulated downward
through the rods and past the drill
bit. Long

returning fluid
The water, mud, or other circulated
medium reaching the borehole collar
after having been circulated past the drill
bit. Long

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retzian

reverberation

An orthorhombic mineral, (Mn,Mg)2


(Ce,La,Nd)(AsO4
)(OH)
(sub
4) ; speciated on the basis of
predominance of cerium, lanthanum, or
neodymium; in dolomite cavities in
Sweden.

a. The persistence of sound in an enclosed


space as a result of multiple
reflections after the sound source has
stopped.
Hunt
b. The sound that persists in an enclosed
space, as a result of repeated
reflection or scattering, after the source of
the
sound
has
stopped.
Hunt

reussin
An impure Glauber's salt (mirabilite),
found native. Standard, 2

reverberatory furnace
A furnace, with a shallow hearth, usually
non-regenerative,
having
a
roof
that deflects the flame and radiates heat
toward the hearth or the surface
of the charge. Firing may be with coal,
pulverized coal, oil, or gas. Two
of the most important types are the openhearth
steel
furnaces
and
the
large reverberatories employed in copper
smelting.
ASM, 1; CTD; Newton, 1

reussinite
A resinlike, reddish-brown oxygenated
hydrocarbon,
soluble
in
boiling
alcohol and in ether. Found in certain coal
deposits.
revdanskite
An impure, hydrous nickel silicate from
Revda (Revdinsk), Ural Mountains,
Russia.
Also
spelled
revdinite,
revdinskite, rewdinskit, rewdanskite;
rewdjanskit, and refdanskite. English;
Hey, 1

reversal
A local change of approx. 180 degrees in
the
direction
of
the
regional
dip.

revegetation

reversal of ventilation

The process of restoring or replacing the


botanical species upon an area
disturbed
by
mineral
operations.
Revegetation is a customary requirement
for reclamation of a mineral operation.
SME, 1

In the case of a centrifugal fan, the


reversal arrangement may consist of
an emergency drift connecting the fan
with the downcast shaft. The drift
is normally sealed off by airtight doors. In
the
case
of
an
axial-flow
fan, it is only necessary to reverse the
rotation
of
the
fan.
This
arrangement entails a reduction in volume
and
pressure
in
the
reversed
airflow. Nelson

reverberate
a. To deflect flame or heat, as in a
reverberatory
furnace.
Fay
b. To reduce by reverberated heat; to fuse.
Fay

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reverse bearing

reverse-current braking

In surveying, a sight along the reverse


direction
of
a
line;
the
reciprocal of a given bearing.

A method used in the braking of


alternating-current winders. This method
absorbs power equal to the energy
destroyed and dissipates it in the
liquid controller as heat. Two phases of
the
stator
supply
are
interchanged by bringing back the driver's
lever to the off position and
then to that for the opposite direction of
drum
rotation.
The
amount
of
braking depends upon the position of the
lever,
since
the
lower
the
resistance in the controller, and therefore
in
the
rotor
circuit,
the
greater the rotor current and the braking
torque
produced.
When
the
direction of rotation of the stator magnetic
field
is
reversed,
the
voltage between the stator and the rotor is
doubled
and
the
insulation
of
both must be adequate to prevent
breakdown. Sinclair, 5

reverse bend
To bend a line over a drum or a sheave,
and then in the opposite direction
over another sheave. Nichols, 1
reverse book fashion
The manner in which drill core is laid in a
core
box,
starting
at
the
upper-right-hand corner of the box and
laying core from right to left in
each groove. CF:snake fashion
reverse circulation
The circulation of bit-coolant and
cuttings-removal
liquids,
drilling
fluid, mud, air, or gas down the borehole
outside
the
drill
rods
and
upward inside the drill rods. Also called
countercurrent;
counterflush.

reversed
See:overturned
reversed bratticing

reverse-circulation core barrel


A method of narrow heading ventilation in
coal
mines
by
means
of
a
brattice partition. The air is led to the face
along
the
wide
section
of
the heading and the contaminated air
returns from the face along the
narrow section. In this way, workers in the
heading
are
placed
in
relatively clean air. Nelson

A core barrel designed so that core tends


to float within the barrel when
the fluid is circulated down the outside of
the rods and returned to the
surface inside the rods. Long
reverse classification
In jigging, stratification of particles by
size with largest uppermost; in
streaming, rolling effect of transporting
current
that
arranges
particles
with smallest nearest feed end. Pryor, 3

reversed flush boring


See:counterboring

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reversed loader

reverse reaming

A front-end loader mounted on a wheel


tractor having the driving wheels in
front and steering at the rear. Nichols, 1

See:ream back

reverse fault

To move bit and drill stem backwards


away from the borehole bottom while
the drill stem is rotated. Long

In this system, a single duct is provided


and is normally operated by a
blowing fan. After blasting, airflow is
reversed and the fumes and dust
are exhausted. Ventilation is again
reversed to blowing, when the work at
the face is resumed. The usual
arrangement is to use two fans, one for
forcing, one for exhausting, at the mouth
of the heading. This arrangement
is particularly suited to underground use
as it allows clean air to be
drawn from, and contaminated air to be
discharged to, separate points in
the
main
airways.;
two-fan auxiliary ventilation.

reverse-feed gear

reversible endless-rope system

System of gears in drill swivel head that


can be engaged to move the bit
and drill stem backwards away from the
bottom of the borehole while the
drill stem is rotated in a clockwise
direction Long

A haulage system in which a single rope is


used
passing
around
a
surge
wheel. A single track may be used or, if
more than one train is hauled, a
single track with passbys, or a three-rail
system
with
passbys,
that
eliminates facing points, may be used. The
system
may
be
operated
at
higher speeds than normal endless
systems since the trains are attached
and detached from a rope at rest; it has
been used for the haulage of
workers at speeds up to 12 mph. Extra
rope must be spliced onto the rope,
and the return wheel moved forward,
when
the
system
is
extended.
Sinclair, 5

reversible auxiliary ventilation

A fault on which the hanging wall appears


to have moved upward relative to
the footwall. The dip of the fault is usually
greater
than
45
degrees
.
There is dip separation but there may or
may
not
be
dip
slip.
CF:normal
fault
AGI
reverse feed

reverse gear
See:reverse-feed gear
reverse initiation
See:inverse initiation
reverse laid rope
A wire rope with alternate strands right
and left lay. Hunt

reversible pick
See:double-ended pick

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See:bilateral transducer

thermometer
and
an
unprotected
thermometer are usually used as a pair,
attached to a Nansen bottle. AGI

reversing clutch

revetment

A forward-and-reversing transmission that


is shifted by a pair of friction
clutches. Nichols, 1

a. A facing, sheathing, or retaining wall of


masonry
or
other
materials
for protecting a mass or bank of earth,
etc.,
as
in
fortifications
and
riverbanks.
Standard,
2
b. A wall sloped back sharply from its
base. Nichols, 1

reversible transducer

reversing doors
The system of doors or shutters on or near
a
surface
radial-flow
fan
for
reversing the direction of the air passing
through a mine. BS, 8

revolution
An obsolete term for a time of profound
orogeny
and
other
crustal
movements, on a continentwide or even
worldwide
scale,
the
assumption
being that such revolutions produced
abrupt changes in geography, climate,
and environment. See:orogeny

reversing machine
A molding machine having a flask or
flasks that may be turned over for
ramming the sand. Standard, 2
reversing mill

revolving screen
A type of rolling mill in which the stock
being
mechanically
worked
by
rolling passes backwards and forwards
between the same pair of rolls,
which are reversed between each pass.
three-high mill. CTD

A screen consisting of a cylindrical


(sometimes conical) screening surface
mounted on a revolving frame for sizing
coarse
material;
it
is
still
common in gravel-washing, coal-washing,
and stone-treating plants, but is
not widely used in ore dressing..
Newton, 1

reversing shaft
A shaft whose direction of rotation can be
reversed by the use of clutches
or brakes. Nichols, 1

revolving shovel

reversing thermometer

A digging machine that has the machinery


deck and attachment on a vertical
pivot, so that it can swing independently
of its base. Nichols, 1

A mercury-in-glass thermometer used to


measure temperatures of the sea at
depth. The temperature is recorded when
the thermometer is inverted; and
the recording is maintained until it is once
again
upright.
A
protected

revolving washing screens


The rotary washing screen is cylindrical in
shape
and
made
of
three

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applicable to closed systems of flow,


such as pipes or conduits where there is
free water surface, or to bodies
fully immersed in the fluid so the free
surface need not be considered.
AGI

sections--a scrubber, a sand jacket, and a


gravel-screening
section--mounted on a steel frame. Pit and
Quarry
rewash

Rf value

To re-treat a product in the same or in


another washer. BS, 5

In paper-strip chromatography, ratio of


distance moved by component in
solution under test to that of transporting
solvent. Pryor, 3

rewash box
A washbox to which the product (or a
portion
thereof)
of
a
previous
washing operation is fed for additional
treatment. BS, 5

rhabdite
See:schreibersite

rewdanskite
rhabdomancy
See:revdanskite
A form of dowsing using a rod or twig.
CF:dowsing

reworked

rhabdophane

Said of components derived from an older


sedimentary
formation
and
incorporated in a younger one.

a. A hexagonal mineral, (Ce,La,Nd)PO4


.H2
O
;
speciated
on
the basis of predominance of cerium,
lanthanum, or neodymium; Also spelled
rhabdophanite.
b. The mineral group brockite, grayite,
ningyoite,
rhabdophane-(Ce),
rhabdophane-(La), rhabdophane-(Nd), and
tristramite.

Reynolds number
A numerical quantity used as an index to
characterize the type of flow in
a hydraulic structure in which resistance
to
motion
depends
on
the
viscosity of the liquid in conjunction with
the
resisting
force
of
inertia. It is the ratio of inertia forces to
viscous
forces,
and
is
equal
to the product of a characteristic velocity
of the system (e.g., the mean,
surface, or maximum velocity) and a
characteristic linear dimension, such
as diameter or depth, divided by the
kinematic viscosity of the liquid;
all expressed in consistent units in order
that
the
combinations
will
be
dimensionless. The number is chiefly

rheid
a. A substance below its melting point that
deforms by viscous flow during
the time of applied stress at an order of
magnitude
at
least
three
times
that of the elastic deformation under
similar
conditions.
b. A body of rock showing flow structure.

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upward current of water and is removed


by an automatic gate that controls
the feed to a drowned elevator; (2) a
system of two, three, or four
superimposed troughs for washing fine
coal below about 1/2 in (1/3 cm).
The troughs are equipped with several
bottom
discharge
devices.
The
separation of the heavy shale from coal
and
middlings
takes
place
progressively until finally the pure shale is
discharged
from
the
lowest
trough, and (3) a system for washing
slurry consisting usually of two
troughs one above the other and equipped
with a number of Rheo boxes of
the open discharge type but designed to
minimize the loss of coal with the
fine shale. Nelson

rheid folding
Folding accompanied by slippage along
shear planes at an angle to the
bedding or older foliation.
rheidity
The capacity of material to flow within
the earth. AGI
Rhenania furnace
A combination of the Hasenclever and
O'Hara furnaces, with four hearths,
and with a combination flue under the
lowest hearth and one over the upper
hearth. It has mechanical rabbles. Fay
Rhenish furnace

rheology
A zinc distillation furnace that is a
modified
type
of
the
Silesian
furnace. Fay

Study of the flowage of materials,


particularly plastic flow of solids and
flow of non-Newtonian liquids. AGI

rhenium
rheomorphism
A rare, silvery-white metal. Symbol, Re.
Occurs in very small quantities
in platinum ores and in columbite,
gadolinite, and molybdenite. Used for
filaments for mass spectrographs and ion
gages;
for
thermocouples
and
photoflash lamps. Handbook of Chemistry
and Physics, 3

The process by which a rock becomes


mobile and deforms viscously as a
result of at least partial fusion, commonly
accomplished,
if
not
promoted,
by addition of new material by diffusion.
rheostat
a. An instrument for testing blasting
machines
by
inserting
definite
resistance equal to a known number of
electric
blasting
caps
of
a
standard-length wire, using one electric
blasting
cap
as
an
indicator.
b. An instrument by which a variable or
an adjustable resistance may be
introduced into a circuit to regulate the
strength of a current, as in the

Rheolaveur washer
A washer wherein raw coal and water is
fed into the head of an inclined
trough equipped with openings in the
bottom for the discharge of rejects.
There are three types of Rheolaveurs used
in coal washing: (1) the sealed
discharge type for coarse sizes, from
which the reject falls against an

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field coils of a motor or a generator.


Standard, 2

rhodochrosite
A trigonal mineral, MnCO3 ; calcite
group, with Mn replaced by Fe
toward siderite, Ca toward calcite, Mg,
Zn, Co, and Cd; rhombohedral
cleavage; in hydrothermal veins, residual
manganese
deposits,
and
pegmatites; a minor source of manganese.

rheostat rope
A small rope consisting of 8 strands of 7
wires each. Hunt
rhinestone
a. Quartz and other material cut to imitate
diamond.
b. Glass backed with a thin leaf of
metallic foil to simulate a diamond.
c. Originally a syn. of quartz crystal.
d. Cut colored glass.

rhodolite
A pale pink, rose, or purple to violet
variety of pyrope garnet having
good transparency; may be of gem
quality.

rhodesite
rhodonite
An orthorhombic mineral, (Ca,Na2 ,K2 )8
Si16
O
.11H
O
;
fibrous;
resembles
zeolites;
at
40
2
Bultfontein
Mine, Kimberley, South Africa.

A triclinic mineral, (Mn,Fe,Mg,Ca)SiO3 ;


a
pyroxenoid;
in
metasomatic manganese ore deposits; an
ornamental stone, esp. in Russia.

rhodite
rhodotilite
See:rhodium gold
See:inesite
rhodium
rholites
a. An element of the platinum group,
Symbol:
Rh.
b. An isometric mineral, RhPt .

A word employed by Wadsworth to


designate smelting materials or fluxes.
Fay

rhodium gold
rhombic dodecahedron
Native gold alloyed with rhodium.
The isometric form hh0 having twelve
faces in the shape of a rhombus;
e.g., garnet. CF:pyritohedron

rhodochrome
Chromian clinochlore, formerly called
kaemmererite.

rhombic mica
See:phlogopite

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system, the forms being referred


to the same three axes as above. Neither
usage
has
been
generally
accepted. Fay

rhombic quartz
An old name for feldspar. Fay
rhombic system

rhombohedron
a. In crystallography,
orthorhombic

same

as the
system.

A parallelepiped with each face a


rhombus. Dolomite crystallizes as
rhombohedra, and members of the calcite
group cleave as rhombohedra. Adj.
rhombohedral.

b. A former name for the orthorhombic


system.
rhomboclase

rhomboid
An orthorhombic mineral, HFe(SO4 )2
.4H2
O
;
forms
colorless to gray rhombic plates; in
Slovakia.

A parallelogram that does not have any


right angles, and one pair of
opposite sides differ in length from the
other
pair
of
opposite
sides.
Jones, 2

rhombohedral division

rhomb spar

In assigning point groups to six crystal


systems, those members of the
hexagonal system that may be assigned
rhombohedral crystallographic axes a
r belong to the rhombohedral division of
the
hexagonal
system.
They
have a unique triad, but not all point
groups with a unique triad may be
assigned rhombohedral axes; hence, not
all
trigonal
point
groups
are
rhombohedral.
CF:trigonal;
trigonal
system.

See:dolomite
rhombus
A parallelogram that does not have any
right angles, but the sides are all
equal in length. Jones, 2
rhoenite
A triclinic mineral, Ca2 (Fe,Mg,Ti)6
(Si,Al)6
O
(sub
20) ; aenigmatite group; in silicaundersaturated mafic to intermediate
rocks commonly as an alteration product
of amphiboles; in Germany and the
Czech Republic.

rhombohedral iron ore


See:siderite
rhombohedral system
a. Same as the hexagonal system, except
that the forms are referred to
three axes parallel to the faces of the
fundamental
rhombohedron
instead
of to the usual four axes. Fay
b. The trigonal division of the hexagonal

rhums
Scot. Bituminous shale.

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rhyacolite

rhythmic crystallization

See:sanidine

A phenomenon, observed in igneous


rocks, in which different minerals
crystallize in concentric layers, giving rise
to
orbicular
structure.
AGI

rhyodacite
The extrusive equivalent of granodiorite.
The
principal
minerals,
sodic
plagioclase, sanidine, quartz, and biotite
or
hornblende,
commonly
occur
as phenocrysts in a finely crystalline
groundmass of alkali feldspar and
quartz. Accessory minerals are apatite and
magnetite,
and
occasionally
augite. AGI

rhythmic driving
In this type driving, the drilling, loading,
and
blasting
are
carried
out
in one shift and the mucking and
transportation in the following one. This
enables every worker to specialize in his
or her tasks and machines, which
in a highly mechanized job is a necessary
condition
for
making
the
best
use of expensive equipment. It also
reduces or eliminates the loss of time
for ventilation; in rhythmic driving it is
carried out between two shifts.
Langefors

rhyolite
A group of extrusive igneous rocks,
typically porphyritic and commonly
exhibiting flow texture, with phenocrysts
of quartz and alkali feldspar in
a glassy to cryptocrystalline groundmass;
also, any rock in that group;
the extrusive equivalent of granite.
Rhyolite grades into rhyodacite with
decreasing alkali feldspar content and into
trachyte
with
a
decrease
in
quartz. The term was coined in 1860 by
Baron von Richthofen (grandfather
of the World War I aviator). Etymol:
Greek rhyo-, from rhyax, stream of
lava.

rhythmic sedimentation
A regular interbanding of two or more
types of sediment or sedimentary
rocks due to a regular change in the
conditions of sedimentation, such as
alternation of wet and dry periods.
rhythmite
The couplet of distinct types of
sedimentary rock, or the graded sequence
of sediments, that form a unit bed or
lamina
in
rhythmically
bedded
deposits. It implies no limit as to thickness
of
bed,
lamina,
or
complexity, but the term should exclude
groups of beds such as cyclothems
and carries no time or seasonal
connotation.
CF:cyclothem;
varve.
AGI

rhyolite glass
Obsidian.
rhyolite-porphyry
A rhyolite in which some grains or
crystals
are
visibly
larger
than
others. Sinkankas

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b. Said of a vein having alternating streaks


of ore with gangue or country
rock, or simply of varicolored ore
minerals. CF:banded; book structure.
AGI
c. A color band in slate that represents
original bedding and crosses the
superimposed slaty cleavage. Ribbon is
generally undesirable and decreases
the value of the slate.

rib
a. The side of a pillar or the wall of an
entry.
BCI
b. The solid coal on the side of a gallery
or longwall face; a pillar or
barrier of coal left for support.
c. The solid ore of a vein; an elongated
pillar
left
to
support
the
hanging wall in working out a vein.
d. A stringer of ore in a lode.
e. The termination of a coal face. Where
solid coal is left, the term fast
rib, end, or side, is used; and where the
coal face ends at the gob, the
term used is loose rib, end, or side. TIME
f.
See:buttock
g. A hard zone, bed, or horizon within a
formation; a silicified zone in a
sedimentary
stratum.
Long
h. A ridge projecting above grade in the
floor
of
a
blasted
area.
Nichols,
1
i. A ridge, paralleling the long axis of a
drill
string
member,
that
acts
as a wear-resistant surface. Long

ribbon brake
A friction brake having a metal strap that
encircles a wheel or drum and
may be drawn tightly against it. A band
brake. Standard, 2; Fay
ribbon diagram
Geologic cross section drawn in
perspective and joining control points
along a sinuous line. AGI
rib boss
See:pillar boss

ribbed roll
rib dust
A crusher in which the material passes
between a moving set of rolls with
ribs on their surfaces parallel to the axis of
the
rolls.

Dust found on the side walls of a mine.


The
dust
from
the
roof
is
generally included with this sample. Rice,
2

ribbing

rib hole

Enlarging a heading or drift.

Final holes fired in blasting around sides


of shaft or tunnel. Also called
trimmer. Pryor, 3

ribbon
a. One of a set of parallel bands or streaks
in
a
mineral
or
rock,
e.g.,
ribbon jasper; when the lines of contrast
are on a larger scale, the term
banding
is
used.

rib line
A continuous line along which pillars are
mined.Lewis

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rib lining

rice coal

In rod or ball mill, replaceable ribs that


project
longitudinally
from
shell liners so as to act as lifters for crop
load
as
mill
rotates.
Pryor, 3

a. Anthracite coal of a small size; No. 2


Buckwheat
coal.
b. A steam size of anthracite. Jones, 1
Richards' pulsator classifier

rib mesh
A classifier operating in such a
that the pulp grains fall
a sorting column against an
pulsating current of water. It
screen. Liddell

Expanded metal stiffened at intervals with


bent
steel
plates.
Hammond

manner
through
upward
has no

rib pillar
Richards' pulsator jig
A pillar whose length is large compared
with its width.

An outcome of the pulsator classifier, in


which
a
pulsating
column
of
water is used in the jig.

ribs

Richards' shallow-pocket
settling classifier

The lines or ridges of cut gems that


distinguish the several parts of the
work, both of brilliants and roses. Hess

hindered-

A series of pockets through which


successively weaker streams of water are
directed upward. The material that can
settle does so, and is drawn off
through spigots. Liddell

rib-side
The side of a heading or roadway driven
in
the
solid
coal.

richetite
rib-side gate
A gate road in longwall mining with a rib
of solid coal along one side.
Nelson

A triclinic mineral, PbU4 O13 .4H2 O ;


strongly
radioactive; black; occurs embedded
among fine needles of uranophane.

rib-side pack

richmondite

A pack formed by working 5 to 10 yd (4.6


to 9.1 m) of coal along a
rib-side of a road and packing the waste.
Nelson

a. A discredited mineral term since a


number of specimens have proved to
be mixtures containing, in order of
abundance,
argentian
tetrahedrite,
galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite,
and
perhaps
stromeyerite.
Am.
Mineral.,
1

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b. A mixture of sulfide minerals


containing silver, lead, zinc, and
copper.

ride over
Arkansas. A squeeze that extends into the
workings
beyond
the
pillar.
It
is said to ride over a pillar. Fay

rickardite
An orthorhombic mineral, Cu7 Te5 ;
pseudotetragonal;
deep
purple; at Vulcan and Bonanza, CO;
Warren, AZ; and Salvador, Brazil.

rider
a. A thin coal seam above a workable
seam, or a seam that has no name.
Nelson
b. The rock lying between two lodes or
beds; a mass of country rock
enclosed
in
a
lode;
a
horse.
c. An ore deposit overlying the principal
vein.
Standard,
2
d. A steel or iron crossbeam which slides
between the guides in sinking a
shaft. It is carried up and down by, but is
not
attached
to,
the
hoppit,
which it guides and steadies.

ricket
An airway along the side of an adit or
shaft. Also called ricketing.
rid
See:redd
ridding

ridge

N. of Eng. Separating ironstone from coal


shale.
Fay

a. A long, narrow elevation of the Earth's


surface,
generally
sharp
crested with steep sides, either
independently or as part of a larger
mountain
or
hill.
b. A long elevation of the deep-sea floor
having
steeper
sides
and
less
regular topography than a rise. AGI

riddle
a. A barrel-shaped, revolving perforated
drum in which blank coins are
washed and dried after passing through a
bath
of
sulfuric
acid.
Standard,
2
b. A coarse sieve. The large pieces of ore
and rock picked out by hand are
called knockings. The riddlings remain on
the
riddle;
the
fell
goes
through.
Webster
3rd;
Fay
c. A sieve used to separate foundry sand
or other granular materials into
various particle-size grades or free such a
material
of
undesirable
foreign matter. ASM, 1

ridge fillet
A runner or principal channel for molten
metal. Standard, 2
ridge terrace
A ridge built along a contour line of a
slope to pond rainwater above it.
Nichols, 1

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Ridgeway fiter

Riecke's principle

A horizontal, revolving, continuous


vacuum filter. The surface is an
annular ring consisting of separate trays
with vacuum and compressed air
attachments. The filtering surface is on the
underside,
the
trays
being
dipped into the tank of pulp to form the
cake and then lifted out of it.
Liddell

The statement in thermodynamics that


solution of a mineral tends to occur
most readily at points where external
pressure
is
greatest,
and
that
crystallization occurs most readily at
points where external pressure is
least. It is applied to recrystallization in
metamorphic
rocks
with
attendant change in mineral shapes, such
that
mass
is
transferred
from
contact points to pressure shadows
resulting in reduced rock porosity. It
is named after the German physicist E.
Riecke (1845-1915) although it was
actually discovered and described by
Sorby in 1863. AGI

riding
Said of mine timbering when the sets are
thrust out of line, or lean.
Ridley-Scholes bath
Dense-media system used to float coal
away from shale, the latter falling
to the bottom of a wedge-shaped pool of
separating
fluid
and
being
withdrawn by a rising belt. Pryor, 3

riemannite

rid-up runners

a. A natural shallows extending across a


stream bed over which the water
flows swiftly and the water surface is
broken into waves; a shallow rapids
of comparatively little fall. AGI
b. The lining of the bottom of a sluice,
made of blocks or slats of wood
or stones, arranged in such a manner that
chinks or slots are left between
them, into which heavy mineral grains fall
and
are
held
for
recovery.
c. The raised portions of the deck of a
concentrating table, that serve to
trap
the
heaviest
particles.
d. A device used to reduce the volume or
weight of a sample consisting of
a thin metal plate on which is mounted a
series of metal strips to guide
or deflect a small portion of the sample
material
into
a
separate
container.
CF:sample
splitter

See:allophane
riffle

To clean up after a cast, as when the


scrap, slag, and iron is removed
from runners, troughs, and skimmers, and
they are freshly clayed, loamed,
or sanded. Fay
riebeckite
A monoclinic mineral, Na2 Ca(MgFe+2 )5
Si8
O
(OH)2 ; amphibole group with
22
Mg/(Mg+Fe2+
)
=
0
to
3+
3+
0.49 and Fe /(Fe +Al) = 0.7 to 1.0;
forms
a
series
with magnesioriebeckite; fibrous; in sodarich
rhyolites,
granites,
and
pegmatites; crocidolite variety is blue
asbestos, tiger eye is crocidolite
replaced by quartz. CF:glaucophane

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e. Sample reducing device such as Clark


riffler
or
Jones
riffle,
which
splits a batch sample of ground ore into
two equal streams as it falls
across an assembly of deflecting chutes.
CF:Jones splitter

rifle bar
A cylinder with curved splines. Nichols, 1
rifle nut
A splined nut that slides back and forth on
a
rifle
bar.
Nichols, 1

riffle bars
Slats of wood nailed across the bottom of
a cradle or other gold-washing
machine for the purpose of detaining the
gold.

rifling
a. Working coal which was left behind
over
the
waste.
Nelson
b. The spiral grooving in the walls of a
drill hole and/or on the surface
of
a
drill
core.
Long
c. A borehole following a spiraled course.
Long

riffle box
A device designed to reduce a sample of
coal or ore to half its original
size. The box contains about 12 chutes
discharging alternately to opposite
sides. The width varies according to the
largest particle size. The volume
reduction is rapid for dry material of
suitable fineness. Nelson

rift
a. A regional-scale strike-slip fault, e.g.,
the
San
Andreas
rift
in
California, with offset measured in
hundreds
of
kilometers.
AGI
b. A trough or valley formed by faulting.
c. In quarrying, a direction of parting in a
massive
rock,
such
as
granite, at approx. right angles to the
grain.
CF:grain;
hard
way.
AGI
d. A narrow cleft, fissure, or other opening
in
rock
(such
as
in
limestone), made by cracking or splitting.
AGI
e. A planar property whereby granitic
rocks split relatively easily in a
direction other than the sheeting (parallel
to the surface of the Earth.)
AGI
f. A term used in slate quarrying to
describe
a
second
direction
of
splitting less pronounced than slaty
cleavage and usually at right angles
to
it.

riffler
See:sample splitter
rifle
a. As used by drillers, a borehole that is
following
or
has
followed
a
spiral or corkscrew course; also said of a
drill
core
that
has
spiral
grooves appearing on its outside surface.
Long
b. A drill hole, in rock, that has become
three-cornered
while
drilling.
c. Applied to the three-cornered section of
a hole drilled by hand. Though
the bit is supposed to be turned one-eighth
after
each
blow,
to
insure
a
circular hole, the majority of hand-drilled
holes
are
three-cornered.
Stauffer

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g. In sedimentary rocks, the horizontal


plane
of
stratification,
or
the
bed
of
the
rock.
Stauffer
h. An obscure foliation, either vertical (or
nearly
so)
or
horizontal,
along which a rock splits more readily
than
in
any
other
direction.

rig
a. A drill machine complete with auxiliary
and
accessory
equipment
needed
to
drill
boreholes.
Long
b. To assemble and set up a tripod,
derrick, and/or drill machine and put
it in order for use.

i. A crack, such as in the mid-ocean


ridges. MacCracken

c. A general term denoting any machine.


More
specif.,
the
front
or
attachment of a revolving shovel.
Nichols, 1

rifter-trimmer
One who separates blocks of mica into
sheets and trims sheets preparatory
to processing. Also called full trimmer.
DOT

rigged
Drill machine and equipment in place at a
drill
site
and
ready
to
start
drilling. Long

rifting
The process of splitting hand-cobbed mica
into
sheets
of
usable
thicknesses. Skow

rigger
One who, with special equipment and
tackle, moves and transports heavy
machinery, etc. Crispin

rift structure
A long, narrow structural trough that is
bounded
by
normal
faults;
a
graben of regional extent. CF:rift valley

rigging
a. Process of setting up a drill and its
auxiliary
equipment
preparatory
to
drilling.
b. The cables or ropes anchoring a drill
derrick,
mast,
or
tripod.

rift valley
a. A valley that has developed along a rift
structure.

c. Sometimes used as a term for derrick,


mast,
or
tripod
complete
with
anchor, stay ropes, and cables. Long
d. The equipment or gear such as hoists,
tackle, winches, chains, or rope
used by riggers in their work.
e. The engineering design, layout, and
fabrication
of
pattern
equipment
for producing castings; including a study
of
the
casting
solidification
program, feeding and gating, risering,

b. The deep central cleft in the crest of the


mid-oceanic
ridge.

rift zone
a. A system of parallel crustal fractures; a
rift
structure.
AGI
b. In Hawaii, a zone of volcanic features
associated
with
underlying
dike
complexes.

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skimmers,
ASM, 1

and

fitting

English-English

flasks.

right-lateral fault
A fault on which the displacement is such
that
the
side
opposite
the
observer appears displaced to the right.
CF:left-lateral
fault

rigging bar
A long, extension-type jack bar or drill
column for use underground, on
which a drilling machine can be mounted.
Long

right lay
Wire or fiber rope or cable in which the
strands formed from a group of
individual wires or fibers are twisted to
the right. Long

right-angled block
In quarrying, a block of stone bounded by
three
pairs
of
parallel
faces,
all adjacent faces meeting at right angles.

right line
right bank
A straight line; the shortest distance
between two points. Crispin

The bank of a stream that is on the right


when one looks downstream.

right long lay


right-hand cutting tool
See:right lang lay
A cutter, all of whose flutes twist away in
a
clockwise
direction
when
viewed from either end. ASM, 1

right-of-way

right-hand feed screw

A grant by Act of Congress, to convey


water over or across the public
domain, for mining purposes.

A diamond-drill feed screw that rotates in


a
clockwise
direction.
Long

right regular lay


Wire or fiber rope or cable in which the
wires or fibers in the strand are
twisted to the left and the strands to the
right.

right-hand lay
Rope or strand construction in which
wires or strand are laid in a helix
having a right-hand pitch.

right running
right lang lay
a. N. of Eng. Applied to a vein carrying
ore in beds often unproductive.
b. N. of Eng. Rake veins extending
approx. east and west.

Wire or fiber rope or cable in which the


individual
wires
or
fibers
forming a strand and the strands
themselves are both twisted to the right.
Also called right long lay. Long

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no hinged joints in this type of structure.


Hammond

rigid arch
A continuous arch which is fully fixed
throughout. Hammond

rigid hammer crusher


A machine in which size reduction is
effected by elements rigidly fixed to
a rotating horizontal shaft mounted in a
surrounding casing. BS, 5

rigid coupling
A rod-to-feed-screw sub or rod-to-driverod sub by means of which the
drill rods are coupled directly to the feed
screw
or
drive
rod
of
the
diamond-drill swivel head, and the chuck
is discarded or eliminated. Also
called screw-to-rod adapter. Long

rigidity
The property of a material to resist applied
stress
that
would
tend
to
distort it. A fluid has zero rigidity. AGI

rigid double tube


rigidity modulus
See:rigid-type double-tube core barrel
See:modulus of rigidity
rigid ducts
rigid pavement
See:ventilation ducts
A road, taxitrack, or hardstanding
constructed
of
concrete
slabs.
Hammond

rigid foam
Formed by mixing isocyanate and a
polyether
polyol
containing
a
halogenated hydrocarbon agent. Mixing
releases heat, causing the foam to
expand as much as 30 times the original
volume of the liquid. The foam,
which becomes cellular and rigid within
minutes,
is
heat
resistant
and
essentially impervious to air and water,
and
has
substantial
binding
strength. Its characteristics suggest
possible
uses
in
mining
for
insulation,
stoppings
to
control
ventilation, and seals to control water
and to consolidate broken ground.
Encyclopaedia Britannica

rigid solution
Solubility of solution of elements in a
natural glass as compared with a
solid solution that implies crystallinity.
rigid-type double-tube core barrel
A double-tube core barrel in which both
the outer and inner tubes are
rigidly connected to a single headpiece.
Long
rigid urethane foam
See:rigid foam

rigid frame
rig-up
A framed structure having columns and
beams rigidly connected; there are

See:setting up

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canyon walls, keeping where possible


within 50 ft (15 m) of the face of
the cliff. This type of prospecting has been
successful
in
discovering
new
deposits in the Colorado Plateau region.
Dobrin

rig up
See:rig
rig-up time
The time required to set up and make a
drill rig ready for use at the site
where a borehole is to be drilled. Also
called setup time; rigging time;
mobilizing a rig. Long

rimmed steel
A low-carbon steel containing sufficient
iron oxide to give a continuous
evolution of carbon monoxide while the
ingot is solidifying, resulting in
a case or rim of metal virtually free of
voids. Sheet and strip products
made from the ingot have very good
surface quality. ASM, 1

rill
To mine ore in such as way that it runs
down a slope to a chute or loading
level. Ore is said to be rilled to a chute
when it is rolled down a slope
left in mining. Hess

rimrock
a. The outcrop of a horizontal layer of
resistant rock, such as sandstone,
at the edge of a plateau, butte, or mesa;
the cliff or ledge so formed.
b. The bedrock rising to form the
boundary of a placer deposit.

rill stope
Overhand stope so shaped that miners can
stand
on
the
ore
they
have
severed, and work horizontally along the
side walls of unbroken ore that
confine the excavation. The stope is
carried
as
an
inverted
stepped
pyramid, its apex ending in a winze that
leads to the tramming level, down
to which ore gravitates or is moved.
Pryor, 3

rimrocking
Prospecting for carnotite on the Colorado
Plateau,
where
the
favorable
beds, more or less flat-lying, crop out in
cliffs or rims.

rim
rim texture
a. The border, edge, or face of a cliff, as at
the
Grand
Canyon
of
Arizona.
AGI
b. The outermost portion of a zoned
crystal,
e.g.,
a
reaction
rim.
AGI

A texture in ores where the metasome


forms a narrow rim around grains of
the host mineral.
rim walking
Prospecting a canyon rim with a Geiger
counter. Ballard

rim flying
A reconnaissance method in which a plane
follows an outcrop along steep

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rincon

ring crusher

a. A term used in the Southwestern United


States for a recess or hollow in
a cliff or a reentrant in the borders of a
mesa or plateau. Also called a
cove.
b. A term used in the Southwestern United
States
for
a
small,
secluded
valley.
c. A bend in a stream.--Etymol: Spanish
rincon, inside corner, nook.

a. A type of hammermill with a highspeed horizontal shaft upon which a


series of steel rings are swung. ACSG, 2
b. Impact mill, beater mill, or
hammermill, in which the beaters are
loosely swinging rings. Pryor, 3
c. See also:hammermill
ring-cut
Holes in a ring around one central hole
used to carry a cavity forward,
usually six. Pryor, 3

ring
a. A complete circle of tubbing plates
around
a
circular
shaft.

ring dike

b. Troughs placed in shafts to catch the


falling water, and so arranged as
to convey it to a certain point.
c.
d. S. Staff. A circular piece of wrought
iron, about 8 in (20 cm) deep,
placed on the top of a skip of coal to
increase its capacity.

A subcircular to circular dike with steep


dip. Ring dikes may be many
kilometers long, and hundreds or
thousands of meters thick. Their radius
is generally from 1 to 20 km. Although
some ring dikes may form a nearly
complete circle, more commonly they
encompass 1/4 to 3/4 of a circle or
ellipse. They are commonly associated
with alkalic igneous complexes and
carbonatites, so are probably related to
deep shock effects or to cauldron
subsidence. Ring dikes are commonly
associated with cone sheets to form a
ring complex.

ring arch
One composed of a series of straight,
unbonded rows, one brick wide.
ring coal
a. An old name for bituminous coal.
Tomkeieff
b. Bituminous coal as opposed to stone
coal or anthracite. Arkell

ringed out
A diamond bit in the face of which has
been
gouged
a
circular
groove
deeper than, and at least as wide as, the
diameter of one row of the inset
diamonds. Long

ring complex
An association of ring dikes and cone
sheets. AGI

ringer
A crowbar. Fay

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ring fault

ring ore

A steep ring-shaped fault, complete or


incomplete. It is associated with
cauldron subsidence.

Fragments
deposits

ring-fracture intrusion

ring pit

See:ring dike

A circular pit in which a large wheel is


revolved
for
tempering
clay.
Fay

ring holes

of gangue covered with


of
other
minerals.

ring-roll crusher

The group of boreholes radially drilled


from
a
common-center
setup.
Long

A type of crusher in which high-speed


rolls
act
on
the
inside
circumference of a vertical cylinder to
powder raw material like clay.
Enam. Dict.

ring-induction method
An inductive method in which the primary
coil and the measuring coil are
concentric. Schieferdecker

ring-roll grizzly
A sturdily built grizzly for handling large
pieces
of
ore.
This
type
transports its material across a series of
grooved
rollers
moved
mechanically, or alternatively by the
sliding ore. Undersize falls through
the grooves. Pryor, 3

ringing
The audible or ultrasonic tone produced in
a mechanical part by shock, and
having the natural frequency or
frequencies of the part. The quality,
amplitude, or decay rate of the tone may
sometimes
be
used
to
indicate
quality or soundness. ASM, 1

ring-roll press
A press consisting of rolls of unequal
diameter, revolving one within the
other and in the same direction. BS, 5

ring main
Closed loop of piping, including provision
for
entry
of
material,
circulation
boost
and
controlled
withdrawal points; used for circulating
solids such as pulverized fuel, or fluids
such
as
lime
slurry,
continuously without settlement or
chokeup. Pryor, 3

Ringrose methane recorder


A recorder that gives a continuous record
in the range of 0% to 3%.
Roberts, 1

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into the excavation, causing a rock burst.


This rock burst is identical in
type with those occurring in development.
It is usually extremely local in
effect, though a heavy earth tremor is
caused. Spalding

Ringrose pocket methanometer


A small instrument that is capable of
estimating methane in the range of
0% to 2% . Roberts, 1
ring-shaped occurrences

ring tension
In some areas altered rock has been found
as a halo over an orebody and
thus serves as a geologic target for
guiding prospecting operations. The
ratio between the size of the ring and the
orebody must not be too large
for practical purposes. Such target rings
are not always obvious and will
only be recognized after much painstaking
work
and
study.
Also
called
bulls-eye alteration patterns. Lewis

Tension that develops in the wall of a


circular tank containing liquid or
solid material. Hammond
ring-type reaming shell
In drilling, a reaming shell, the inset
reaming diamonds of which are set
into a cast- or powder-metal band
encircling the outside surface of the
shell. Long

ring stone
ring-type wedge
a. A voussoir showing on the face of the
wall.
Webster
3rd
b. Eng. Large oolitic grains in very hard
crystalline
matrix,
above
the
slates at Collyweston, U.K. CF:sun bed

A drill-hole deflecting wedge having a


short metal sleeve attached to the
uppermost end. The outside diameter of
the sleeve is the same as that of
the lower, full-circle part of the wedge.
Long

ring stress
The zone of stress, higher than that preexisting
in
the
rock,
which
surrounds all development excavations is
called
the
ring
stress.
Spalding

ring wall
The inner firebrick wall of a blast furnace.
Standard, 2
rinkite

ring-stress bursts
A monoclinic mineral, (Na,Ca,Ce)3 Ti(Si2
O7
)2
OF3 ; weakly radioactive; forms prismatic
crystals
in
veins
containing silicates of cerium metals,
yttrium,
and
niobium;
near
Barkevik, Norway, in sodalite syenite in
the
Julianehaab
district,
Greenland, and in large crystals on the

In stoping, the ring stresses around a level,


rise,
or
winze
are
so
increased by the influence of an
approaching stope face that at some point
on the periphery the rock fails. The stress
ring is broken, and the rock
of sides, back, and bottom released
thereby expands suddenly and violently

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Kola
Peninsula,
spelled rinkolite.

Russia.

English-English

sulfates on prolonged
weathering. Pryor, 3

Also

atmospheric

Rinman scale

rip

A Swedish standard scale for the


estimation of slag inclusions in iron and
steel. This scale consists of a series of
micrographs,
designed
to
show
different typical fields of view, and
arranged in groups according to the
form and distribution of the inclusions and
numbered
according
to
their
quantity. Osborne

a. To bring down rock in a roadway to


increase
headroom.
Fraenkel
b. See:brush
riparian
a. Pertaining to or situated on the bank of
a body of water, esp. of a
watercourse such as a river; e.g., riparian
land
situated
along
or
abutting upon a stream bank, or a riparian
owner who lives or has property
on
a
riverbank.
AGI
b. Pertaining to shrubs and trees with root
systems that seek deep ground
water, as mesquite and greasewood. AGI

rinneite
A trigonal mineral, K3 NaFeCl6 ; colorless
to
varicolored;
becomes brown on exposure to air and has
an astringent taste.
rinsing

riparian rights
In the ion-exchange (IX) cycle, applied to
pregnant
leach
liquors,
the
displacement wash used after the
absorption cycle, which moves pregnant
liquor still in the column onto the next
absorption column in the series.
Term also applied to water rinse used after
elution
cycle,
and
before
acid
rinse. Pryor, 3

The rights of a person owning land


containing
or
bordering
on
a
watercourse or other body of water in or
to its banks, bed, or waters.
Under common law, a person owning land
bordering
a
nonnavigable
stream
owns the bed of the stream and may make
reasonable use of its waters.

rinsing water

rip current

a. Water used to remove fine particles


from larger sizes, usually located
over
vibrating
screens.
BS,
5
b.

A strong surface current of short duration


flowing seaward from the shore.
It usually appears as a visible band of
agitated water and is the return
movement of water piled up on the shore
by
incoming
waves
and
wind.

Rio Tinto process


Heap leaching of cupriferous sulfides after
their
slow
oxidation
to

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for haulage, traffic, and ventilation.;


second ripping. Nelson

rippability
A measure of the ease or difficulty with
which a rock or earth material
can be broken by tractor-drawn rippers or
rigid
steel
tines
into
pieces
that can be economically moved by other
equipment, usually scrapers.

ripping bed
A machine for cutting stone into slabs by
passing it on a bed under a gang
of saws. Standard, 2

ripper

ripping blasting

a. Coal miner who breaks down the roof


of a gate road to increase headroom
or breaks down the roof at the ripping lip,
or where the roof has sagged
on a roadway due to subsidence. The
miner is often paid on yardage of
ripping performed. Also known as
brusher;
stoneman;
repairer.

Where coal seams are worked by the


longwall method it is necessary to
maintain roadways leading to the face.
These
roadways
should
be
of
sufficient height to permit the easy
passage of workers and materials, and
this invariably means that some of the
stone above the coal must be
removed. This operation is known as
ripping, and, unless the roof strata
are very soft, blasting will be required.
The
main
considerations
in
ripping blasting are to keep the sides of
the
roadway
square,
and
to
obtain good fragmentation of the stone so
that it can be removed easily.
McAdam, 2

b. A tool for removing slates, or edging


them.
Standard,
2
c. An accessory that is either mounted or
towed at the rear of a tractor
and generally used in place of blasting as
a means of loosening compacted
soils and soft rocks for scraper loading.
The
ripper
has
long,
angled
teeth that are forced into the ground
surface, ripping the earth loose to
a depth of 2 ft (0.6 m) or more. Carson, 1
d. See:rooter

ripping face support


A timber, or timber and steel structure, to
provide
support
at
the
ripping
lip. There are various types: one consists
of
bent
corrugated
steel
bars
behind which wooden planks are wedged;
another
consists
of
adjustable
stretchers that are fitted across the
roadway.
Nelson

ripping
a. A machine for cutting stone into slabs
by passing it on a bed under a
gang
of
saws.
Standard,
2
b. The act of breaking, with a tractordrawn ripper or long-angled steel
tooth, compacted soils or rock into pieces
small enough to be economically
excavated or moved by other equipment
such as a scraper or bulldozer.
c. The breaking down of the roof in mine
roadways to increase the headroom

ripping lip
a. The edge of the rippings at the face of a
roadway.
When
enlarging
a
roadway, the ripping lip is the end of the

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enlarged section and where work


is
proceeding.
b. The edge of the nether roof at a gate
end at the point up to which the
ripping has been taken. TIME

ripple mark
a. An undulatory surface or surface
sculpture consisting of alternating
subparallel small-scale ridges and hollows
formed at the interface between
a fluid and incoherent sedimentary
material (esp. loose sand). It is
produced on land by wind action and
subaqueously by currents or by the
agitation of water in wave action, and
generally trends at right angles or
obliquely to the direction of flow of the
moving fluid. It is no longer
regarded as evidence solely of shallow
water.
AGI
b. One of the small and fairly regular
ridges, of various shapes and cross
sections, produced on a ripple-marked
surface; esp. a ripple preserved in
consolidated rock and useful in
determining
the
environment
of
deposition.
The term was formerly restricted to
symmetrical ripple mark, but now
includes asymmetrical ripple mark. The
singular form may be used to denote
general ripple structure (as well as a
specific
ripple),
and
the
plural
form to describe a particular example.

ripping scaffold
A staging or platform erected over the
moving conveyor at a ripping lip of
a gate road, on which the miners can stand
and work. This implies that the
coalface and conveyor loading point are
some
distance
ahead.
Nelson
rip plates
A means of repairing damaged belting. It
consists
of
two
short
plates,
with teeth on one side to grip the belting,
which
are
fastened
on
both
sides of the belting across the rip or worn
place.
Short
bolts
and
nuts
serve to compress and hold the plates
tightly
against
the
belting.
Jones, 1
ripple
A groove or bar across sluices for washing
gold.

ripple-mark index

ripple board

See:ripple index

An inclined trough having grooves or


strips across its bottom to catch
fine gold.

ripple voltage
The alternating component of a
substantially
unidirectional
voltage.
Coal Age, 1

ripple index

riprap

The ratio of wavelength to amplitude of a


ripple
mark.
It
usually
ranges
from 6 to 22 for ripples produced by water
currents or waves and from 20
to 50 for ripples produced by wind.

a. A layer of large, durable fragments of


broken
rock,
specially
selected
and graded, thrown together irregularly

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(as offshore or on a soft bottom)


or fitted together (as on the upstream face
of a dam). Its purpose is to
prevent erosion by waves or currents and
thereby preserve the shape of a
surface, slope, or underlying structure. It
is
used
for
irrigation
channels,
river-improvement
works,
spillways at dams, and sea walls for
shore
protection.
AGI
b. The stone used for riprap. AGI

Fay
b. See:column pipe; rising main.
rising
a. An excavation carried from below
upward;
a
rise
or
riser.
Standard,
2
b. Eng. The horizontal division of the
stratum, from which the blocks of
stone are lifted; e.g., in the Portland
quarries. Arkell

rip tide
rising column
See:rip current
See:rising main
rise
rising current
a. A vertical or inclined shaft from a lower
to an upper level in a mine.
Eng.
Min.
J.,
1
b. To dig upward, as from one level to the
next
one
above;
opposite
of
sink.
Standard,
2
c. Upward inclination of a coal stratum.
Standard,
2
d. An ascending gallery at the end of a
level.
Gordon

The direction in which a drill circulation


fluid
is
flowing
after
it
has
passed the bit and continues toward the
collar of a borehole. Long
rising-head test
A soil permeability test in which the level
of
water
in
a
borehole
is
reduced and then the rate at which the
water
recovers
is
observed.
Mining

rise and fall


A system of reduction of levels by
working out the rise or fall of staff
readings from each level point to the one
following it.

rising main
a. The length of steel piping that conveys
the water from a pump to the
surface or to a higher pump in the shaft.
The
term
rising
main
is
obsolete; delivery column preferred.
Nelson

rise heading
A heading driven to the rise in a long-way
workings.

rising shaft
riser
Excavating a shaft upwards from mine
workings; staple shaft. Nelson

a. A shaft excavated from below upward.


rise.

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rittingerite

river drift

See:xanthoconite

The gravel deposits accumulated by a


river in its torrential stages.

Rittinger's law
river flat
The energy required for reduction in
particle size of a solid is directly
proportional to the increase in surface
area.
CF:Kick's
law
CCD, 2

See:alluvial flat
river mining
Mining or excavating beds of existing
rivers
after
deflecting
their
course, or by dredging without changing
the flow of water.

Rittinger table
A side-bump table with plane surface,
actuated by a cam, spring, and
bumping post. Liddell

river pebble

rivelaine

Applied in Florida to a certain class of


phosphatic
pebbles,
or
concretions,
found
in
rivers
as
distinguished from land pebble phosphate.

A pick with one or two points, formed of


flat iron, used to undercut coal
by scraping instead of striking. Fay

river plain
river bar
See:alluvial plain
A ridge or mound of boulders, gravel,
sand, and mud found along or in a
stream channel at places where decrease
in velocity causes deposition of
sediment.

river quartz
Rounded, waterworn masses of quartz
found in stream gravels.

river-bar placer

river right

a. Gravel flats and terraces laid down by


rivers
when
flowing
at
higher
levels than at present. The deposits are
sometimes
gold
or
tin-bearing.
b. A term used in Alaska for placers on
gravel flats in or adjacent to the
beds of large streams.

See:creek right

river claim

river sand

A claim that includes the bed of a river.

Sand generally composed of rounded


particles, and may or may not contain

river run gravel


Natural gravel as found in deposits that
have been subjected to the action
of running water.

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clay or other impurities. It is obtained


from the
banks
and
beds
of
rivers. Zern

rivet test
A test on the steel used for rivets, in which
a
bar
is
bent
through
180
degrees ; if any cracks are formed, the
steel is rejected. Hammond

rives in
Eng. To crack open or produce fissures.

rivet tester
rivet
A trained worker who can detect sound or
loose rivets by testing them with
a hammer. Hammond

A round bar of mild steel having a


conical, cup- or pan-shaped head, which
is driven while red hot into a hole through
two plates of steel that have
to be joined together. Aluminum, copper,
and other materials are also used
for rivets.

riving seams
Open fissures between beds of rock in a
quarry.

riveter

R.K. process

A worker who forms the head of a rivet,


generally with a pneumatic rivet
hammer. Hammond

A method for converting pig iron into a


product with a low carbon content,
which is suitable as a substitute for steel
scrap
for
remelting
in
steel
furnaces. Osborne

rivet forge
A portable forge, used by boilermakers
and ironworkers, for heating rivets
near the work for which they are required.
Crispin

road
a. A roadway in a mine, e.g., gate road,
traveling
road,
dummy
road.
Nelson
b. Any mine passage or tunnel. Mason
c. Rail track. Mason

rivet heater
A laborer responsible for heating rivets in
a
portable
forge
and
throwing
them with tongs to the rivet catcher.
Hammond

roadbed
a. The material fundamental part of a
road; primarily, the foundation of
gravel, road metal, etc., constituting the
bed, but by extension, esp. in
railway use, the superstructure also.
Standard,
2
b. The foundation carrying the sleepers,
rails,
chairs,
points,
and
crossings, etc., of a railway track. CTD

rivet snap
A punch having a recess in its head
shaped to the form of the rivet.

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See:track cleaner

without asphaltic binder as the


traffic-bearing surface, generally on
secondary roads. AGI

road dust

road-mix method

Dust found on the floor of a mine entry.


Rice, 2

A method of preparing aggregates for


bituminous surfaces in which the
aggregates and bitumen are combined on
the surface of the road, using the
penetration or mixed-in-place method. Pit
and Quarry

road cleaner

roadhead
The face of a roadway, usually in longwall
conveyor
mining.
The
records
indicate that the roadhead is the most
dangerous place in a coal mine
based on accidents from falls of ground.
Nelson

road roller
Power-driven roller of any weight from
one-half
to
12
tons.
Hammond

road-making plant
roadside pack
Various types of specialized plant used
solely
for
road
construction,
including such machines as planers,
scarifiers,
rollers,
pavers,
finishers, gritters, and mixers. Hammond

A pack built alongside a roadway.


Nelson
roadster
Low-priced model of a scraper or a truck.
Nichols, 1

roadman
a. A person employed on the laying and
maintenance
of
rail
tracks
underground. Also known as a trackman.
Nelson
b. A person whose duty it is to keep the
roads
of
a
mine
in
order.
Fay
c. In bituminous coal mining, a general
term for miners working along
haulageways or airways (roads). Usually
designated according to job, as
repairman; wasteman. DOT

roadway
An underground drivage. It may be a
heading, gate, stall, crosscut, level,
or tunnel and driven in coal, ore, rock or
in the waste area. It may form
part of longwall or bord-and-pillar
workings or an exploration heading. A
roadway is not steeply inclined.
Nelson
roadway cable

road metal
An electric cable designed for use in mine
roadways.
It
may
be
either
rubber insulated, sheathed, and armored or
paper insulated. Nelson

Crushed stone for surfacing macadamized


roads, and for the base course of
asphalt and concrete roadways; also used

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Good, dead, or sweet roasting is


complete roasting; i.e., it is carried on
until
sulfurous
and
arsenious
fumes cease to be given off. Kernel
roasting is a process of treating poor
sulfide copper ores, by roasting in lumps,
whereby copper and nickel are
concentrated in the interior of the lumps.
Fay
d. The heating of solids, frequently to
promote a reaction with a gaseous
constituent in the furnace atmosphere.
ARI

roadway consolidation
To bind the floor dust together with water
and calcium chloride flakes, or
other chemical, to form a firm plastic
carpet.

roadway support
A timber, steel, concrete, or other erection
in
a
roadway
to
(1)
ensure
safety by preventing falls of ground, and
(2)
maintain
the
maximum
possible roadway size by resisting the
tendency of the roadway to contract
and distort.

roasting and reaction process


The treatment of metal ore in a
reverberatory, by first partly roasting at
a low temperature and then partly fusing
the
charge
at
a
higher
temperature, which causes a reaction
between the lead oxide formed by
roasting and the remaining sulfide,
producing sulfurous acid and metallic
lead.

roast
To heat to a point somewhat short of
fusing, with access of air, as to
expel volatile matter or effect oxidation.
Fay
roaster

roasting and reduction process


A reverberatory furnace or a muffle used
in
roasting
ore.
Standard, 2

The treatment of lead ores by roasting to


form lead oxide, and subsequent
reducing fusion in a shaft furnace. Fay

roaster slag
roasting cylinder
Slag resulting from the calcination of
white metal in the process of
copper smelting. Standard, 2

A furnace with a rotating cylinder for


roasting, amalgamating, or smelting
ore.

roasting
roasting furnace
a. Heating an ore to effect some chemical
change
that
will
facilitate
smelting.
ASM,
1
b. The operation of heating sulfide ores in
air
to
convert
to
oxide
or
sulfate.
CTD
c. Calcination, usually with oxidation.

A furnace in which finely ground ores and


concentrates
are
roasted
to
eliminate sulfur or other elements or
compounds; heat is provided by the
burning sulfur. The essential feature is
free access of air to the charge,

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by having a shallow bed that is


continually rabbled. Many types have
been
devised; multiple hearth is the most
widely used. CTD

robbing an entry

roast sintering
See:blast roasting

The mining of coal pillars left to support


the
roof
during
development
mining, often resulting in cave-ins.

roast stall

Robiette process

A form of roasting furnace, built in


compartments or stalls open in front,
with flues running up the wall at the back
for the purpose of creating a
draft.

A heat treatment process carried out in a


substantially
closed
furnace,
in
which a fluid fuel is burnt to partial
combustion with a gas containing
70% or more of oxygen to produce a
nonoxidizing atmosphere. The treatment
is effected continuously in the furnace
through which the heating gas and
metal are passed in opposed directions.
The fuel and gas are partially
burnt at the exit end of the furnace, and
passed to the cooler entry end
of the furnace, and burnt to substantially
complete
combustion
so
as
to
preheat metal entering the furnace.
Osborne

See:drawing an entry
robbing pillars

robber
a. In anthracite and bituminous coal
mining, one who breaks down and rips
out with a pick, pillars of coal left to
support the roof in rooms when
the usual mining was being done. Also
called
pillar
robber.
DOT
b. An extra cathode or cathode extension
that reduces the current density
on what would otherwise be a high
current-density area on the work.
ASM, 1

Robins-Messiter system
A stacking conveyor system in which
material arrives on a conveyor belt
and is fed to one or two wing conveyors.
This part of the system moves so
as to form a long ridge; reclaimed by
raking gear that works across the
ridge, moving slowly forward and shifting
material loosened and blended by
the rake action by means of a spiral that
pushes
it
to
a
reclaiming
conveyor at the side of the ridge. Used to
stockpile
ore,
concentrates,
and coal. Pryor, 3

robbing
a. Removing timber from a mined-out
stope to use it again elsewhere.
Stoces
b. Extraction of the pillars of ore left to
support
workings
during
original
stoping.
Pryor,
3
c. Scot. Reducing the size of pillars;
taking as much as possible off
pillars, leaving only what is deemed
sufficient to support the roof.

Robinson and Rodger system


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A method of obtaining sound steel by


fluid compression of the ingot in the
mold. The molds are divided in the center,
a removable packing piece being
placed between the halves of the mold.
The packing piece is removed when
the metal has set, and the mold is placed
horizontally
in
the
press,
pressure being applied to the ingot at both
ends. Osborne

roche
Fr. Rock, boulder.
rock
a. An aggregate of one or more minerals,
e.g.,
granite,
shale,
marble;
or
a body of undifferentiated mineral matter,
e.g.,
obsidian,
or
of
solid
organic material, e.g., coal. AGI
b. Any prominent peak, cliff, or
promontory,
usually
bare,
when
considered
as a mass, e.g., the Rock of Gibraltar. AGI
c. A rocky mass lying at or near the
surface of a body of water, or along
a jagged coastline, esp. where dangerous
to
shipping.
AGI
d. A slang term for a gem or diamond.
AGI
e. Strictly, any naturally formed aggregate
or
mass
of
mineral
matter,
whether or not coherent, constituting an
essential and appreciable part of
the Earth's crust. Ordinarily, any
consolidated or coherent and relatively
hard, naturally formed mass of mineral
matter;
stone.
In
instances,
a
single mineral forms a rock, as calcite,
serpentine,
kaolin,
and
a
few
others but the vast majority of rocks
consist of two or more minerals.
f. A local term used in New York and
Pennsylvania for the more massive
beds of bluestone that are not jointed and
are,
therefore,
well-suited
for
structural
purposes.
g. In the geological sense, any natural
deposit or portion of the Earth's
crust whatever be its hardness or softness,
but used by miners to denote
sandstone.
TIME
h. In geology, the material that forms the
essential
part
of
the
Earth's
solid crust, and includes loose incoherent

robinsonite
A triclinic mineral, Pb4 Sb6 O13 .
robot loader
A pneumatic loader for
cartridges into drill holes.

inserting

Robson and Crowder process


An early oil flotation process. The oil was
added
to
several
times
its
weight of ore and mixed in a slowly
revolving drum or tube. The process at
one time had quite a large application. The
process
used
but
little
water
(25% to 30%) and no acid. Fay
Roburite
Smokeless and flameless safety explosive
consisting
of
ammonium
nitrate
and dinitrobenzene or dinitrochloro
benzene;
used
in
mines.
Bennett
roca
a. Sp. Rock or stone, whether in the
ordinary
or
geological
sense.
b. Sp. Rock standing out from the general
surface.
c. Sp. A vein or bed of hard rock and
stone.

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rotary-type drills for drilling large-size


holes
in
soft-to-medium-hard
rocks; also sometimes applied to dragtype
bits.
roller
bit.
Long
b. In mining, a detachable-type chisel or
cruciform bit used on percussive
drills to drill small-diameter holes in rock.
Long
c. See:drill bit

masses, such as a bed of sand,


gravel, clay, or volcanic ash, as well as the
very
firm,
hard
and
solid
masses of granite, sandstone, limestone,
etc. Most rocks are aggregates of
one or more minerals, but some are
composed entirely of glassy matter, or
of mixtures of glass and minerals. Hunt
i. In the Lake Superior region, crude
copper ore as it comes from the
mines. The concentrate obtained is called
mineral, and contains about 65%
metallic copper.

rock body
A dump body with oak planking set inside
a
double
steel
floor.
Nichols, 1

rock asphalt
See:asphalt rock

rock bolt
rock association
A bar, usually constructed of steel, that is
inserted
into
pre-drilled
holes in rock and secured for the purpose
of
ground
control.
Rock
bolts
are classified according to the means by
which
they
are
secured
or
anchored in rock. In current usage there
are mainly four types: expansion,
wedge, grouted, and explosive.

a. A group of igneous rocks within a


petrographic
province
that
are
related chemically and petrographically,
generally in a systematic manner
such that chemical data for the rocks plot
as
smooth
curves
on
variation
diagrams.
AGI
b. The association of mineral deposits
with
certain
rock
types.
If
mineral-producing
localities
are
considered
individually,
valuable
generalizations often can be made, and
lithotectonic-plate
tectonic
classifications of ore deposits and
exploration strategies derived from
them.

rock bolting
a.
See:roof
bolting
b. The process of rock bolting consists of
(1)
anchoring
the
bolt
in
a
hole; (2) applying tension to the bolt to
place the rock under compression
parallel to the bolt; and (3) placing the
bolts
in
such
a
pattern
that
they will properly support the rock
structure. Rock may be supported by
bolts in five ways: (1) suspension; (2)
beam
building;
(3)
reinforcement
of arched opening requiring support; (4)
reinforcement
of
an
opening
otherwise self-supporting; and (5)

rock base
See:bedrock
rock bit
a. Any one of many different types of
roller
or
drill
bits
used
on

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reinforcement of walls against shear


and compressive action.

rock channeler

An orthorhombic mineral, (Fe,Mn)Fe4


(PO4
)3
(OH)
(sub
5) ; forms a series with frondelite; dark
green;
named
for
Rockbridge
County, VA.

A machine used in quarrying for cutting


an artificial seam in a mass of
stone. It is made in several forms, the
principal
types
being
the
bar
channeler (in which the cutters are
mounted on a carriage that works along
a heavy bar or bars) and the track
channeler. Standard, 2

rock bump

rock chute

The sudden release of the weight of the


rocks over a coal seam or of
enormous lateral stresses due to structural
or
tectonic
folds
and
thrusts
and sometimes both. A rock bump may
take the form of a pressure bump or a
shock bump. Nelson

See:chute; rock hole. Also called slate


chute.

rockbridgeite

rock-chute mining
See:bord-and-pillar method
rock cleavage

rock burst
The property or tendency of a rock to split
along
closely
spaced
planar
structures, produced by deformation or
metamorphism.

A sudden and often violent breaking of a


mass of rock from the walls of a
tunnel, mine, or deep quarry, caused by
failure
of
highly
stressed
rock
and the rapid or instantaneous release of
accumulated
strain
energy.
It
may result in closure of a mine opening,
or projection of broken rock into
it, accompanied by ground tremors,
rockfalls,
and
air
concussions.
AGI

rock cone bit


See:roller bit
rock contractor
In anthracite coal mining, one who
contracts
to
mine
rock,
as
distinguished from coal, at a certain price
per ton or footage of advance.
DOT

rock butter
A soft yellowish mixture of alum with
aluminum
and
iron
oxides;
a
decomposition product of aluminous
rocks.
See:stone
butter
Standard, 2

rock cork
A light-colored variety of asbestos.rock
leather.
Standard, 2; Fay

rock car runner


See:car runner

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rock cover

rock dredge

Thickness of consolidated rock above the


roof of an opening (equivalent to
cover, minus depth of weathering or of
other soil). CF:cover

a. A dredge that excavates rock for the


purpose of deepening harbors and
waterways; also, a device for sampling
underwater outcrops and boulders.
b. A general term for a seabed sampling
device
consisting
of
a
heavy
bucket frame that is pulled across the
seabed on a cable controlled by a
winch operator on deck.

rock crusher
A machine for reducing rock or ore to
smaller sizes. Three principal types
are the jaw crusher, the gyratory, and the
hammer crusher.

rock drift
A horizontal mine passage cut in rock,
esp. along a vein on a principal
level of a mine. See:crosscut; stope.

rock crystal
a.
Transparent
quartz.
ASTM
b. Highly polished brown glassware,
hand-cut or engraved. ASTM

rock drill
a. A machine for boring relatively short
holes
in
rock
for
blasting
purposes. It may be a sinker, jackhammer,
drifter,
or
stoper.
rotary
drill.
Nelson
b.
A
roller
bit.
Long
c. A conical bit for drilling hard rock. AGI

rock cut
A way, esp. for a railroad, cut through a
rock
or
rocky
formation.
Mathews
rock cuttings
See:cuttings; sludge.

rock-drill bit
rock cycle
See:rock bit
A sequence of events involving the
formation, alteration, destruction, and
reformation of rocks as a result of such
processes as magmatism, erosion,
transportation, deposition, lithification,
and
metamorphism.
A
possible
sequence involves the crystallization of
magma to form igneous rocks that
are then broken down to sediment as a
result of weathering, the sediments
later being lithified to form sedimentary
rocks, which in turn are altered
to metamorphic rocks. AGI

rock driller
a. In bituminous coal mining, one who
works
in
rock
or
slate
as
distinguished from coal. Also called rock
shooter;
slate
driller.
DOT
b. See:rock splitter
rock drivage
A hard heading or stone drift. Nelson

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rock dust

rock dusting

a. The general name for any kind of inert


dust used in rendering coal dust
inert or in filling rock-dust barriers.
Equivalent to the British stone
dust.
Rice,
2
b. The dust produced in mines by blasting,
drilling,
shoveling,
and
handling rock. Rock dust in suspension
varies
in
particle
size
and
composition. The most dangerous dusts
are silica, sericite, and asbestos;
but all fine dusts are health hazards when
inhaled.
The
smaller
sizes,
10
microns and less, are more dangerous than
the
larger
sizes.
Wet
drills,
sprays, water infusion, and ample
ventilation are employed to reduce the
dust
menace.
stone dust; stone-dust barrier. Nelson

a. The dusting of underground areas with


powdered limestone to dilute the
coal dust in the mine atmosphere and on
the
mine
surfaces,
thereby
reducing
explosion
hazards.
b. A very widespread control measure
used in coal mines to combat
explosive dusts. By machine, inert
(combustible) dust is sprayed, dry or
wet, on the roof, floor, and ribs in all
working places and haulageways,
to reduce the explosibility of settled coal
dust.
The
Mine
Safety
and
Health Administration requires rock
dusting to within 40 ft (12 m) of the
face. The incombustible content of settled
dust samples after rock dusting
must constitute 65% or more by weight,
with an increase of 1% for each
0.1% methane present. A dust as nearly
inert,
physiologically,
as
possible, should be employed in rock
dusting;
limestone
(calcium
carbonate) is most widely used. Hartman,
2

rock-dust barrier
a. A device that releases a large quantity
of inert dust in the air in the
path of an explosion, extinguishing the
flame.
Rice,
2
b. A series of troughs or shelves laden
with rock dust and so arranged
that the air waves from an explosion will
trip them and fill the air with
rock dust and thus quench the flame of
exploding coal dust.

rock-dusting machine
A machine consisting essentially of a
flexible hose fed by a powerful
blower. It is used in forcing rock dust,
usually powdered limestone, onto
the floor, walls or ribs, and rooms and
entries of a mine, thereby making
the coal dust nonexplosive.

rock duster
a. A machine that distributes rock dust
over the interior surfaces of a
coal mine by means of air from a blower
or pipeline or by means of a
mechanical contrivance, to prevent coal
dust
explosions.
Also
called
rock-dust
machine.
b. See:rock-dust man

rock-dust man
In bituminous coal mining, a laborer who
sprinkles rock dust by hand or
with a machine throughout mine workings
as
a
precaution
against
explosions.
DOT

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workers with a rocker can handle from 3


to
5
yd3
(2.3
to
3.8
m
3
) of gravel in place in 10 h if the ground
is
easily
rocked.
Lewis
c. A portable sluicebox used by
prospectors and fossickers in treating
alluvial mineral deposits. Also called
rocking cradle. Pryor, 3

rock-dust testing kit


This kit is designed to prevent coal-dust
explosions.
It
helps
to
determine the explosion hazard prior to
rock dusting, the fineness of the
rock dust as it comes from the pulverizer,
and
the
percentage
of
combustible matter present in rock and
coal
dust
mixtures
after
rock
dusting. Best, 1

rocker arm

A section of a mine entry, the ribs, roof,


and floor of which have been
coated with rock dust. Rice, 2

a. A lever resting on a curved base so that


the
position
of
its
fulcrum
moves as its angle changes. Nichols, 1
b. A bell crank with the fulcrum at the
bottom. Nichols, 1

rocker

rocker arm shovel

a. A small digging bucket mounted on two


rocker arms in which auriferous
alluvial sands are agitated by oscillation,
in
water,
to
collect
gold.
A
shortened term for rocker shovel; rocker
arm
shovel.
b. Used for testing placer deposits and for
working
pockets
and
small
placer deposits. The gold-bearing gravel is
placed on the screen; gold and
fine sand are washed through the screen,
and remaining stones are cleaned
out. A chute directs the material to the
upper end of the bottom, which
may be covered with small transverse
riffles or canvas. Waste material
passes over a tailpiece at the end of the
rocker. Rockers range in length
from 6 to 12 ft (2 to 4 m), and in bottom
width from 14 to 20 in (35 to 50
cm), with holes in the screens from 1/4 to
1/2
in
(0.6
to
1.2
cm)
in
diameter. The slope of the rock should be
adjusted to the nature of the
gravel and is commonly 1 in 12, ranging
from 1 in 8 to 1 in 20. Two

See:rocker shovel

rock-dust zone

rocker bottom
See:rocker
rocker dump car
Among the smaller capacity cars, the most
popular and most widely used are
the gravity dump types, such as rocker
dump and scoop cars, designed so
that the weight of the load tips the body
when a locking latch is released
by hand. The body of this type is balanced
to
right
itself
after
the
load
is discharged. Rocker dump cars range in
capacity from 1 yd3 (0.76 m3 ) handloaded
types, to units of 10 yd3 (7.6 m3 ) for
power shovel loading. Pit and Quarry
rocker shovel
A digging and loading machine consisting
of a bucket attached to a pair of
semicircular runners that when rolled, lifts

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and
dumps
the
bucket
load
into a car or other materials transport unit
behind the machine.

b. The mass of rock moving in or moved


by a rockfall; a mass of fallen
rocks. Also spelled rock fall. AGI

rocker sieve

rock fault

A miner's cradle or rocker, a cradlelike


device for washing out mud from
the contents of a dredge. Mathews

Eng. A replacement of a coal seam over a


greater or lesser area by some
other rock, usually sandstone.. Fay

rock excavation

rock-fill dam

In situ removal of all firm, unaltered, and


unweathered
surface
geological
materials.

An earth dam built of any broken rock or


similar
material
that
may
be
available. Hammond

rock fabric

rock filling

See:fabric

a. Waste rock, used to fill up worked-out


stopes
to
support
the
roof.
Weed,
2
b. See:overhand stoping

rock factor
See:resistance to blasting

rock flour
rock failure
a. Powdered rock material formed by the
grinding-up of rocks beneath a
glacier, either deposited as part of the till
or washed or blown away and
deposited elsewhere as stratified drift or
loess.
Also
called
glacier
meal.
b. Fault gouge.

Fracture or failure of a rock that has been


stressed
beyond
its
ultimate
strength. AGI
rockfall
a. The relatively free falling or precipitous
movement of a newly detached
segment of bedrock (usually massive,
homogeneous, or jointed) of any size
from a cliff or other very steep slope; it is
the
fastest
form
of
mass
movement and is most frequent in
mountain areas and during spring when
there is repeated freezing and thawing of
water
in
cracks
in
the
rock.
Movement may be straight down, or in a
series of leaps and bounds down the
slope; it is not guided by an underlying
slip
surface.
AGI

rock flow
a. The movement of solid rock when it is
in
a
plastic
state.
Leet,
1
b. The term given to a slope failure when
there is a general breakdown of
the rock mass. When such a rock mass is
subjected
to
shear
stresses
sufficient to break down the cement or to
cause
crushing
of
the
angularities and points of the rock blocks,

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the
blocks
will
move
as
individuals and the mass will flow down
the slope, or will slump into a
more stable slope position. Woodruff

rock glacier
An ice-cored mass of angular rock waste,
usually heading in a cirque or
other steep-walled amphitheater and in
many cases grading into a true
glacier.

rock formation
See:formation

rock glass
rock-forming mineral
Obsidian or other volcanic glass.
A mineral that is common and abundant in
the Earth's crust; one making up
large masses of rock. From 20 to 30
minerals are usually considered as
being the most important. Stokes

rock gypsum
A massive, coarsely crystalline to finely
granular,
sedimentary
rock
of
the mineral gypsum with bedding
commonly disturbed by expansion during
hydration of parent anhydrite.

rock foundation
A foundation that is carried down to the
solid rock. The rock is cut and
dressed level, loose and decayed portions
are
removed,
and
holes
filled
with concrete. The crushing strength of
the rock can be ascertained by
tests and the bearing pressure should not
exceed one-eighth of the value.
Nelson

rock hardness
The resistance of the rock to the intrusion
of
a
foreign
body.
Stoces
rockhead
a. The upper surface of bedrock.
b. The boundary between superficial
deposits (or drift) and the underlying
solid
rock.
BS,
11
c. See:bedrock

rock fracture
When rock is broken by crushing or
impact, the resulting fragments can be
divided into two components: (1) the
complement, comprising a wide size
distribution in accordance with a
probability law, and (2) the residue of
large incompletely broken pieces. The
relative proportions of complement
and residue depend upon the mode of
fracture. If the rock is completely
crushed, only complement is formed, but
if the rock is fractured by the
impact of a point or wedge, there may be
more
residue
than
complement.

rock hole
A short staple shaft driven from a lower to
a higher coal seam and used
for the gravity transfer of coal to the
haulage road in the lower seam.

rock hound
An amateur mineralogist or collector.

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rocking

rock fault

a. The process of separating ores by


washing
on
an
incline
trough.

Eng. A replacement of a coal seam over a


greater or lesser area by some
other rock, usually sandstone.. Fay

b. Pushing a resistant object repeatedly,


and
backing
or
rolling
back
between pushes to allow it to reach or
cross
its
original
position.
Nichols, 1

rock-fill dam
An earth dam built of any broken rock or
similar
material
that
may
be
available. Hammond

rocking beam
rock filling
See:walking beam
a. Waste rock, used to fill up worked-out
stopes
to
support
the
roof.
Weed,
2
b. See:overhand stoping

rocking cradle
Short sluice, hand-oscillated; used in gold
prospecting
and
fossicking.
rocker

rock flour

rocking lever

a. Powdered rock material formed by the


grinding-up of rocks beneath a
glacier, either deposited as part of the till
or washed or blown away and
deposited elsewhere as stratified drift or
loess.
Also
called
glacier
meal.
b. Fault gouge.

A beam to give the reciprocal motion in


hand boring. Nelson
rockfall
a. The relatively free falling or precipitous
movement of a newly detached
segment of bedrock (usually massive,
homogeneous, or jointed) of any size
from a cliff or other very steep slope; it is
the
fastest
form
of
mass
movement and is most frequent in
mountain areas and during spring when
there is repeated freezing and thawing of
water
in
cracks
in
the
rock.
Movement may be straight down, or in a
series of leaps and bounds down the
slope; it is not guided by an underlying
slip
surface.
AGI
b. The mass of rock moving in or moved
by a rockfall; a mass of fallen
rocks. Also spelled rock fall. AGI

rock flow
a. The movement of solid rock when it is
in
a
plastic
state.
Leet,
1
b. The term given to a slope failure when
there is a general breakdown of
the rock mass. When such a rock mass is
subjected
to
shear
stresses
sufficient to break down the cement or to
cause
crushing
of
the
angularities and points of the rock blocks,
the
blocks
will
move
as
individuals and the mass will flow down
the slope, or will slump into a
more stable slope position. Woodruff

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See:formation

other steep-walled amphitheater and in


many cases grading into a true
glacier.

rock-forming mineral

rock glass

A mineral that is common and abundant in


the Earth's crust; one making up
large masses of rock. From 20 to 30
minerals are usually considered as
being the most important. Stokes

Obsidian or other volcanic glass.

rock formation

rock gypsum
A massive, coarsely crystalline to finely
granular,
sedimentary
rock
of
the mineral gypsum with bedding
commonly disturbed by expansion during
hydration of parent anhydrite.

rock foundation
A foundation that is carried down to the
solid rock. The rock is cut and
dressed level, loose and decayed portions
are
removed,
and
holes
filled
with concrete. The crushing strength of
the rock can be ascertained by
tests and the bearing pressure should not
exceed one-eighth of the value.
Nelson

rock hardness
The resistance of the rock to the intrusion
of
a
foreign
body.
Stoces
rockhead

rock fracture

a. The upper surface of bedrock.


b. The boundary between superficial
deposits (or drift) and the underlying
solid
rock.
BS,
11
c. See:bedrock

When rock is broken by crushing or


impact, the resulting fragments can be
divided into two components: (1) the
complement, comprising a wide size
distribution in accordance with a
probability law, and (2) the residue of
large incompletely broken pieces. The
relative proportions of complement
and residue depend upon the mode of
fracture. If the rock is completely
crushed, only complement is formed, but
if the rock is fractured by the
impact of a point or wedge, there may be
more
residue
than
complement.

rock hole
A short staple shaft driven from a lower to
a higher coal seam and used
for the gravity transfer of coal to the
haulage road in the lower seam.

rock hound
An amateur mineralogist or collector.

rock glacier

rocking

An ice-cored mass of angular rock waste,


usually heading in a cirque or

a. The process of separating ores by


washing
on
an
incline
trough.

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rock-loader operator
b. Pushing a resistant object repeatedly,
and
backing
or
rolling
back
between pushes to allow it to reach or
cross
its
original
position.
Nichols, 1

See:rock loader
rockman
In bituminous coal mining, a foreman who
is in charge of the drilling of
holes in rock or slate and the charging and
tamping
of
explosives
in
the
holes drilled by miners prior to blasting.
DOT

rocking beam
See:walking beam
rocking cradle
Short sluice, hand-oscillated; used in gold
prospecting
and
fossicking.

rock mechanics
a. Mathematical analysis of the forces
acting
along
joints,
faults,
and
bedding planes of natural rock in situ, esp.
in
the
evaluation
of
wall
strengths, and hence slopes and slope
ratios,
in
open-pit
mines.
b. The theoretical and applied science of
the physical behavior of rocks,
representing a branch of mechanics
concerned with the response of rock to
the force fields of its physical
environment (NAS-NRC, 1966). AGI

rocking lever
A beam to give the reciprocal motion in
hand boring. Nelson
rock kicker
Usually found at sand and gravel
processing facilities. A mechanical
device consisting of a roller (with rows of
metal
protrusions
along
its
length) placed at a 45 degrees angle just
ahead
of
a
feed
hopper
(or
conveyor transfer point). It is usually run
by a small electric motor and
as roots, large stones, and clay meet the
roller, they are dumped off the
belt to a small pit that is periodically
cleaned out.

rock melt
A liquid solution of rock-forming mineral
ions
at
sufficiently
high
temperatures to be considered molten.
rock milk
Soft pulverulent forms of calcite found in
caves,
or
as
an
efflorescence.
See:agaric mineral

rock loader
a. Any device or machine used specif. for
loading slate or rock inside a
mine. However, it is most frequently used
with
scraper
loaders
equipped
for
handling
rock.

rock miner
In anthracite and bituminous coal mining,
a miner who works in rock as
distinguished from coal. DOT

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rock navvy

rock pressure burst

A cranelike loading machine used at


opencast
pits
and
quarries.

A sudden and violent failure of rock


masses under stresses exceeding the
elastic strength of the rock. The
classification and nomenclature of these
occurrences are not clear and are based
largely on effects and not on the
basic
causation
factor.
Nelson

rock pedestal
See:pedestal
rock phosphate

rock quartz
See:phosphate rock
rock pillar

Ordinary crystalline quartz. Also called


rock crystal.

See:hoodoo

rock rake

rock pressure

A heavy duty rake blade. Nichols, 1

a. The pressure exerted by surrounding


solids on the support system of
underground openings, including that
caused by the weight of the overlying
material, residual unrelieved stresses, and
pressures
associated
with
swelling
clays.
AGI
b. The compressive stress within the solid
body
of
underground
geologic
material.
AGI
c. See:ground pressure; geostatic pressure.
d. In petroleum geology, the pressure
under which fluids, such as water,
oil, and gas, are confined in rocks. No
particular cause or origin of the
pressure is implied. Geophysicists and
isostasis, however, have used, and
are using, the term rock pressure in the
primitive and more correct sense
of the pressure exerted on underlying rock
by
superincumbent
strata.
To
avoid confusion, it is desirable to
substitute for the term rock pressure,
as now used in oil, gas, and underground
water
technology,
the
more
appropriate term reservoir pressure. Stokes

rock roll
Inverted ridges of rock, usually sandstone,
extending
from
the
overlying
strata into a coal seam, caused by
localized streams active during the
formation of the coal.
rock ruby
A fine red variety of pyrope garnet.
rock salt
Coarsely crystalline halite, NaCl, resulting
from
evaporation
of
saline
water; in massive, fibrous, or granular
aggregates;
occurs
as
a
nearly
pure sedimentary rock, as extensive beds,
or
in
domes
or
plugs.

rock sediment
The combined cuttings and residue from
drilling and sedimentary rocks and

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formations, commonly known as sand


pumpings. Williams

rock slip
See:rockslide

rock series
rock slope
See:igneous-rock series
A slope driven through rock strata.
rockshaft
rock soap
A shaft made for sending down rock for
filling the stopes, etc., generally
kept nearly full, the rock being trammed
away
as
needed.
Standard, 2

See:mountain soap
rock spar
Material filling fracture cleavages in coal,
consisting
of
nonclay
mineral
matter, probably deposited from solution,
and
sand,
usually
calcite
or
gypsum. AGI

rock sharp
A mineral expert. Mathews
rock shovel

rock splitter
A machine for loading broken rock.
Nelson

In the stonework industry, one who splits


large
blocks
of
building
granite, marble, and sandstone into slabs
or
smaller
blocks,
by
drilling
holes into the stone and then driving
wedges into them until the stone
breaks along the line of drilled holes. Also
called
rock
breaker;
rock
driller. DOT

rock silk
A silky variety of asbestos. Fay
rockslide
a. A slide involving a downward and
usually sudden and rapid movement of
newly detached segments of bedrock
sliding or slipping over an inclined
surface of weakness, as a surface of
bedding, jointing, or faulting, or
other preexisting structural feature. The
moving mass is greatly deformed
and usually breaks up into many small
independent
units.
Rockslides
frequently occur in high mountain ranges,
as the Alps or Canadian Rockies.
AGI
b. The mass of rock moving in or moved
by a rockslide. Also spelled rock
slide.

rock stress
a.
See:rock
pressure
b. The problem of determining the stresses
that exist in the Earth's crust
has long been of interest to engineers and
geologists.
Many
mining
problems are directly concerned with
stresses that may cause mine openings
to collapse. Two phases of occurrence of
rock stresses are important: (1)
the stresses existing in the rock before the
excavation
of
the
mine
openings; i.e., the free field stress, and (2)

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the
indirect
caused by the mine openings.

English-English

stresses

rock weight
S. Afr. One (short) ton (0.9 t) of rock in
place equals about 12 ft (super
3) (0.34 m3 ). Horizontally, therefore, the
weight
of
an
ore
reserve covering a claim over a stoping
width of 3 ft (0.91 m) is 64,000
ft2 X 3 ft / 12 ft3 /st = 16,000 st (14,500 t)
at
100%
payability. In case the vein dips
downward, the resulting amount must be
divided by the cosine of the angle of dip.
Beerman

rock temperature
a. The formational temperature at depth.
The
rate
of
increase
of
temperature with depth (the geothermal
gradient) is highly variable over
the earth, but averages 25 degrees C/km.
AGI
b. The temperature of the rock in a mine.
Lewis
rock tunnel

Rockwell hardness test


A tunnel, drift, or crosscut driven through
rock,
usually
connecting
one
coalbed with another; also through barren
rock in metal mines.

A method of determining the relative


hardness of metals and case-hardened
materials. The depth of penetration of a
steel ball (for softer metals) or
of a conical diamond point (for harder
metals)
is
measured.

rock turquoise
A matrix of turquoise with small grains of
turquoise
embedded
in
it.
Fay

Rockwell machine
Trade name for an apparatus that
measures the hardness of metals and
alloys, in which a diamond-pointed cone
is pressed under a specific load
into the metal. The relative resistance to
penetration
(Rockwell
hardness)
is indicated by a number (Rockwell
number) on a dial. The operation is
called a Rockwell hardness test.

rock type
a. One of the three major groups of rocks:
igneous,
sedimentary,
metamorphic.
AGI
b. A particular kind of rock having a
specific set of characteristics. It
may be a general classification, e.g., a
basalt,
or
a
specific
classification, e.g., a basalt from a
particular area and having a unique
description.
AGI
c. The megascopically recognizable
ingredients
of
coal
rock;
i.e.,
vitrain, clarain, durain, and fusain.

rod bit
A noncoring bit designed to fit a reaming
shell that is threaded to couple
directly to a drill rod, thus eliminating the
core
barrel
in
blasthole
drilling. Also called blasthole bit. Long

rock waste
See:debris

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Long
b. See:rod drag

rodding
a. Cleaning and descaling of piping by
means
of
scrapers
attached
to
series of jointed rods. Pryor, 3
b. Eng. The operation of fixing or
repairing wooden cage guides in shafts.
c. In metamorphic rocks, a linear structure
in
which
the
stronger
parts,
such as vein quartz or quartz pebbles,
have been shaped into parallel
rods. Whether the structure is formed
parallel
to
the
direction
of
transport or parallel to the fold axes has
been debated. AGI

rodingite
A massive dense buff to pink rock
typically rich in grossular garnet and
calcic pyroxene, and enveloped in
serpentinite. Epidote, vesuvianite, and
other calcium-rich minerals are commonly
present.
It
is
formed
by
metasomatic alteration of a protolith that,
in
many
cases,
was
a
dike
rock, as shown by preservation of
structures. The name was applied by Bell
in 1911. AGI

rod dope
Rodio-Dehottay process
Grease or other material used to protect or
lubricate
drill
rods.
Also
called rod grease.

A method of shaft sinking by the freezing


method.
It
is
based
on
the
direct cooling effect of expanding highly
compressed carbon dioxide in the
freezing pipes.

rod drag
The rubbing of the rods or drill string on
the
sidewalls
of
the
borehole.

rodlike

rod drop

Refers to elongate crystals. CF:acicular;


equant; tabular; lathlike.

The distance of slump or slag in a long


string of rods when released from
the drill chuck. Long

rodman
a. A person who uses or carries a
surveyor's leveling rod. Also called
rodsman.
Standard,
2
b. See:staff man

rod elevator
See:elevator; elevator plug.

rod mill
rod friction
a. A mill for rolling rod. ASM, 1
b. A mill for fine grinding, somewhat
similar
to
a
ball
mill,
but
employing long steel rods instead of balls
to
effect
the
grinding.
ASM, 1

a. The drag created in the flow of the


drilling
liquid
by
contact
and
constrictional effects created by the inside
surface of the drill rods and
couplings. CF:skin friction; wall friction.

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rod millman

rod reaming shell

One who grinds clinker, phosphate rock,


or ore in a revolving cylinder
partially filled with round steel rods; also,
he
or
she
tests
a
product
for fineness by observing how much
material is left on sieve of determined
mesh, and regulates amount of material
entering
the
mill
accordingly.
DOT

A reaming shell designed to be coupled


directly
to
a
drill
rod.

rodney

rod reducing coupling

Eng. A rude platform near the shaft's


mouth for a night fire. Fay

A pin-to-pin adapter used to connect a rod


of one size to one of a larger
or smaller size. Long

rod reducing bushing


A pin-to-box sub used to connect one size
rod in a string to a larger or
smaller size. Long

rod plug
rods
See:elevator plug
a. Eng. Vertical or inclined timbers for
actuating
pumps.
b. Long bars of Swedish iron of the
toughest quality, for boring through
rocks,
etc.
c. See:cage guide

rod proof
A test specimen taken from the melt on an
iron rod. ASTM
rod pull

rod sag
a. The number of borehole round trips
made in a unit of time. Long
b. The number of lengths of drill rod (two
or
more
standard
10-ft
lengths
coupled together and handled and stacked
as unit lengths) needed to reach
the bottom of the borehole. Long

The bending of a long drill string due


solely to its own weight. Also
called rod slack.
rod shaft
The mine shaft containing the pump rods.

rod puller
rod slap
Various mechanisms, essentially a doubleacting
air-actuated
piston
equipped with a rod-gripping device,
commonly used to pull drill rods from
a borehole in underground workings
where a small drill without a hoist is
used, or from drill rods stuck in a drill
hole. Long

The impact of drill rods with the sides of a


borehole,
occurring
when
the
rods are rotating.

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when drilling up holes


underground drill site. Long

rod snap
A sudden acceleration in rotational speed
of the rods followed immediately
by a sudden return to the former speed.
Long

from

an

roentgen equivalent man


A unit of ionizing radiation, equal to the
amount that produces the same
damage to humans as 1 R of high-voltage
X-rays.
Abbrev.
rem.
McGraw-Hill, 1

rod spear
A long, tapered, four-sided fishing tool.
Used to remove a lost drill rod
or other tubular piece of drill equipment
from a borehole. Long

roentgenite
See:roentgenite

rod stand
roentgenogram
The length of drill rod handled and
stacked in the tripod or derrick as a
unit piece during round trips. Also called
offtake.;
treble. Long

A photograph
radiograph.
Webster 3rd

made

with

X-rays.

roentgenograph
rod stock
See:roentgenogram
Round steel rod. Nichols, 1
Roesing lead pump
rod string
The drill rods
connecting link
and bit in the
machine at
borehole. Long

An automatic apparatus for discharging


lead from the kettle; used in the
Parkes process. Fay

coupled to form the


between the core barrel
borehole and the drill
the collar of the

Roesing wires
Wires suspended in a dust chamber to
assist in settling and condensing
dust and fumes from furnace gases. Fay

rod stuffing box


An annular packing gland fitting between
the drill rod and the casing at
the borehole collar. It allows the rod to
rotate
freely
but
prevents
the
escape of gas or liquid under pressure.
Esp. utilized when drilling with
counterflow; when drilling in an area
where a high hydrostatic pressure or
flow of water may be encountered, as in
drilling a cover or pilot hole; or

Roesler process
A process for separating copper, and in
part silver, from gold by fusing
with sulfur or with antimony sulfide,
obtaining copper or silver sulfide.
Fay

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commonly overlain by a thin coal stringer.


AGI
b. An elongate upheaval of the floor
material into a coal seam, causing
thinning
of
the
seam.
c. Various minor deformations or
dislocations of a coal seam, such as
washouts, small monoclinal folds, or
faults
with
little
displacement.
AGI
d. In veins and other types of ore deposit,
a
thickening
or
an
arcuate
change in dip in the orebody.
e.
See:roll
orebody
f. A rotating cylinder used to support or
guide
a
portion
of
conveyor
belt.
g. One of two cylinders or grooved rollers
between
which
material
is
drawn, for reducing its thickness, as the
finished
rolls
of
a
rolling
mill.
BS,
11
h. The appearance of other types of
mineral deposits in places where the
bed or vein thickens or thins. Mason
i. A roughly cylindrical distribution of
uranium
mineralization
occurring
usually in the Salt Wash Sandstone. There
is
some
question
whether
the
feature is structural or sedimentary.
j. An inequality in the roof or floor of a
mine.
NEMA,
1
k. S. Wales. The drum of a winding
engine.
l. Cast-iron or steel cylinder, used to break
coal
and
other
materials
into various sizes. Applies to the type of
crushing machinery in which the
ore or coal is broken between cylindrical
rolls,
either
plain
or
fitted
with steel teeth, revolving toward each
other,
drawing
the
material
in
between the crushing peripheries, which
rotate
in
a
vertical
plane.
Fay;
Liddell
m. In powder metallurgy, a machine used

roestone
A fine-grained oolite resembling the roe
of
a
fish.
See:oolite
Fay
Rohbach solution
An aqueous solution of mercuric barium
iodide with a density of 3.5 g/cm
3
; used for separating minerals by density.
Roheisenzunder process
A method that makes use of an airstream
at a pressure of 4 atmospheres for
atomizing molten pig iron into minute
particles. The molten metal falling
into an air stream formed by an annular
slit
in
a
steel
cyclone
is
atomized, the particles falling into a water
bath
and
subsequently
dried.
Osborne
Rohrbach solution
An aqueous solution of mercuric barium
iodide; clear, yellow liquid; very
refractive; sp. gr., 3.5. Used in separating
minerals
by
their
specific
gravity and in microchemical detection of
alkaloids. CCD, 2
roke
Prov. Eng. A vein of ore. A variation of
rake. See:rake
roll
a. An elongate protrusion of shale,
siltstone,
or
sandstone
(locally
limestone) from the roof into a coal seam,
causing a thinning of the seam
and sometimes replacing it almost
entirely.

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to apply pressure
form a compact.Rolfe

progressively

English-English

to

roller

Newton, 1

a. A broad pulley or wheel fixed to the


floor, roof, or sides of roadways
to prevent a haulage rope running against
the
ground
that
would
cause
excessive friction and wear of rails and
sleepers.
Nelson
b. A component part of a roller chain in
which it may serve only to reduce
frictional loss occurring as the chain
negotiates sprockets. Rollers may
also serve as the rolling support for the
chain
and
the
load
being
conveyed.
c. A heavy vehicle used for compacting
soil, earth fill, and top layers of
spoil dumps to increase the density and
bearing capacity of the material.
Nelson

rolled metal

roller bearings

Refers to metal, such as silver or stainless


steel,
which
has
been
clad
with a precious metal and rolled to reduce
the
thickness
of
the
coat.
USBM, 7

Hard steel cylinders in bearings that have


very
low
frictional
resistance.
Hammond

rolled plate

a. A rotary boring bit consisting of two to


four
cone-shaped,
toothed
rollers that are turned by the rotation of
the
drill
rods.
Such
bits
are
used in hard rock in oil well boring and in
other deep holes down to 5,000
m
and
more.
b. A type of rock-cutting bit used on
diamond and rotary drills. The bit
consists of a shank with toothed, circular,
or
cone-shaped
cutter
parts
affixed to the head of the bit in such a
manner that the cutters roll as
the bit is rotated. Generally used for
drilling 10-cm-size or larger holes
in soft to medium-hard rocks, such as
shale
and
limestone.
Usually

roll compacting
The progressive compacting of metal
powders by the use of a rolling mill.
ASTM
roll crusher
A type of secondary or reduction crusher
consisting of a heavy frame on
which two rolls are mounted. These are
driven so that they rotate toward
one another. Rock fed in from above is
nipped between the moving rolls,
crushed, and discharged at the bottom.

roller bit

A thin plate of gold spread upon a layer of


base
metal
by
soldering
the
metals in the bar and then rolling the
whole out into plate, forming a
thinner plate of gold than that of the ware
known
as
gold-filled.
Also
called rolled gold. Fay
rolled-steel joist
An I-beam made from a single piece of
steel passed through a hot rolling
mill. Hammond

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noncoring and not diamond set. Also


called cone bit. CF:noncoring bit

roller grip

roller-cutter bit; rolling cutter bit; toothed


roller bit. Long

A device for clutching a traction cable


between
grooved
sheaves
or
rollers.

roller chain

rollerman

a. Generally, any sprocket-driven chain


made up of links connected by
hinge pins and sleeves. Nichols, 1
b. Specif., a chain whose hinge sleeves are
protected
by
an
outer
sleeve
or roller that is free to turn. Nichols, 1

In mining, a laborer who inspects idler


rollers or pulleys over which a
cable passes along inclined haulageways,
oiling
or
greasing
rollers,
resetting displaced ones, and repairing or
replacing
damaged
ones.
Also
called pulley man; pulley repairer; pulley
repairman;
roller
repairman;
sheaveman; wheelman. DOT

roller cone bit


See:roller bit

roller repairman
roller-cone core bit
See:rollerman
A type of roller bit with cutter cones
arranged to cut an annular ring
leaving an uncut section in the center as
core. Long

roller rock bit


A rotary bit fitted with two or more
hardened
steel
or
tungsten-carbide-tipped
rollers
of
cylindrical or conical form. Variously
known as two-cone bit, three-cone bit,
four-cutter
bit,
etc.
roller screen

roller conveyor
A series of rolls supported in a frame over
which
objects
are
advanced
manually, by gravity or by power.
gravity conveyor; herringbone roller
conveyor;
hydrostatic roller conveyor; portable
conveyor.

See:revolving screen
rolley man
See:incline repairman

roller-cutter bit
roll feeder
See:roller bit
a. A smooth, fluted, or cleated roll or
drum
that
rotates
to
deliver
packages, objects, or bulk materials.
b. A circular drum, plain or ribbed,
rotating on a horizontal shaft and
situated at the mouth of a bunker or

roller gate
Hollow cylindrical crest gate controlling a
dam spillway.

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of

friction
between
the
rails
and
wheels, which forms the major resistance
on
level
tracks.
rolling-up curtain weir

A roll orebody of the Wyoming type,


which is bounded on the concave side
by oxidized altered rock typically
containing hematite or limonite, and on
the convex side by relatively reduced
altered
rock
typically
containing
pyrite and organic matter.

A type of frame weir, the frame of which


remains upright, being rolled up
from the bottom. Hammond

hopper to control the rate


discharge of material therefrom. BS, 5
roll-front orebody

roll jaw crusher


A crusher of the same general type as the
Blake or Dodge, but the moving
jaw has a rolling instead of an oscillating
motion. Liddell

rolling and quartering


A sampling method in which the sample is
formed
into
the
requisite
flat
heap by placing it upon a rubber or other
smooth sheet and, by lifting the
corners of this sheet in proper rotation,
rolling the material to and fro.
The resultant heap is then quartered and
alternate
quarters
are
taken.
This method is used with smaller bulk and
smaller
sizes
of
material.
Truscott

rollman
In beneficiation, one who tends rolls that
are used to crush ore, which
has already been broken into small pieces
in a crusher, to a fine size
preparatory to the extraction of the
valuable minerals. DOT
roll operator

rolling cradle

One who operates conical rolls that


separate stone from clay, preventing
machine from jamming by regulating flow
of clay into it. DOT

A rod slide equipped with rollers that


contact the rods and over which the
rods roll on being pulled or lowered into
an angle borehole. Long

roll orebody

rolling plant

A uranium and/or vanadium orebody in a


sandstone lens or layer, which cuts
across bedding in sharply curving forms,
commonly C-shaped or S-shaped in
cross section. Two types can be
distinguished: the Colorado Plateau type,
named in 1956, and the Wyoming type,
named in 1962. Roll orebodies of the
Colorado Plateau type are of highly
variable geometry, with their longest
dimension in plan view parallel to the
axes of buried sandstone lenses

A rolling mill or establishment for rolling


metal
into
forms.
Standard, 2
rolling resistance
a. The sum of the external forces opposing
motion
over
level
terrain.
Carson,
1
b. The tractive resistance caused by

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representing former stream channels, and


surrounded by a wide halo of
reduced (altered) rock. Orebodies of the
Wyoming type are crescent-shaped
in cross section and typically form in
relatively
thick,
tabular,
or
elongate sandstone bodies, with the tips of
the
crescent
thinning
and
becoming tangent to mudstone layers
above
and
below.
roll scale

Roman ocher
A native ocher of a deep orange-yellow
color. Standard, 2
Roman pearl
A hollow sphere of opalescent glass with
its interior coated with essence
d'orient and then filled with wax.
romeite

See:mill scale
An isometric mineral, (Ca,Fe,Mn,Na)2
(Sb,Ti)2
O6
(O,OH,F) ; stibiconite group; forms
clusters of minute yellow octahedra.

roll screen
A screen consisting of a number of
horizontal rotating shafts, fitted with
elements arranged to provide screening
apertures. BS, 5

romometer

roll sulfur

An instrument for measuring changes in


vertical
height
and
lateral
movements of the roof relative to the floor
at
the
coal
face.
Nelson

a. A commercial name for sulfur that has


been purified and cast into rolls
or
sticks.
Standard,
2
b. See:brimstone

rondle
Roman cement
The crust or scale that forms upon the
surface of molten metal in cooling.
Fay

See:pozzolana cement
romanechite

roentgen
A monoclinic mineral, (Ba,H2 O)Mn5 O10
;
rare
as
single crystals; commonly intergrown
with other manganese oxides. Formerly
called psilomelane, a term now reserved
for mixtures. CF:hollandite

The unit of exposure dose of X-ray or


gamma-ray radiation. One roentgen is an
exposure dose of X-ray or gamma-ray
radiation such that the associated
corpuscular emission per 0.001293 g of
air produces, in air, ions carrying
1 electrostatic unit of quantity of
electricity of either sign. Designated
by the symbol R. Also spelled roentgen.
NCB

romanite
A yellow, black, or green amber from
Romania.
Also
spelled
rumanite.
English

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roentgenite

roof bolt

Minute wax-yellow to brown, trigonal


pyramidal crystals, intergrown with
synchysite, parisite, and bastnasite, from
Narsarsuk,
Greenland.
From
X-ray and optical data, the composition is
deduced
as
Ca2
(Ce,La)
(CO
)
F
.
Also
spelled
roentgenite.
3
3 5
3
Spencer, 5

a. A long steel bolt inserted into walls or


roof
of
underground
excavations to strengthen the pinning of
rock strata. It is inserted in a
drilled hole and anchored by means of a
mechanical
expansion
shell
that
grips the surrounding rock at about 4 ft (1
m)
spacing
and
pins
steel
beams
to
the
roof.
b.
c. Current roof bolting consists of steel
rods, 5/8 to 1 in (2 to 2.5 cm)
or more in diameter and 3 to 8 ft (1 to 2.5
m) in length, anchored by a
mechanical expansion shell, resin grout,
or a combination of both. Grouted
bolts may be fully or partially grouted. A
steel
plate,
sometimes
in
combination with wooden headers or steel
straps,
fits
tightly
between
the
bolthead and mine roof or rib.

roof
a. The rock immediately above a coal
seam. It is commonly a shale and is
often carbonaceous in character and softer
than similar rocks higher up in
the roof strata. The roof shale may contain
streaks
and
wisps
of
coaly
material, which tends to weaken the
deposit.
Roof
in
coal
mining
corresponds to hanging wall in metal
mining.
b. In mine timbering there are two
classifications of roof, the immediate
roof and the main roof. The immediate
roof lies directly over the coal and
may be a single layer or several layers of
rock material of the same, or
different consistencies, and from a few
inches
to
several
feet
in
thickness. This roof requires timbering to
support
it
as
the
coal
is
removed. The main roof is the roof above
the immediate top, and may vary
from a few feet to several hundred, or
even
thousands
of
feet
in
thickness. This roof is generally controlled
by
leaving
pillars
of
solid
coal that will support its weight. Kentucky
c. The country rock bordering the upper
surface of an igneous intrusion.
CF:floor

roof bolter
In bituminous coal mining, one who
reinforces roofs of mine haulageways,
side drifts, and working places with metal
or timber to prevent rock and
slate falls. Also called raise driller;
stoperman;
stoperperson;
timberman. DOT
roof bolting
A system of roof support in mines.
Boreholes usually from 3 to 12 ft (1 to
4 m) long are drilled upward in the roof,
and bolts of 5/8 to 1 in (2 to
2.5 cm) or more in diameter are inserted
into the holes and anchored at
the top by a split cone, mechanical anchor,
or resin grout. The bolts are
put up in a definite pattern. The idea is to
clamp
together
the
several

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roof beds to form a composite beam with


a
strength
considerably
greater
than the sum of the individual beds acting
separately.
.
CF:strata bolt

roof drill
Various
hydraulically
operated
mechanized machines designed to install
roof bolts. Two workers can install up to
200 bolts per shift. Units are
available in both standard and special
design to satisfy requirements in
different mines. Best, 1

roof control
The scientific study of the behavior of
rock
undermined
by
mining
operations and the most effective
measures of controlling movements and
failure. The subject is comprehensive,
including
the
systematic
measurement of the movement of strata
and
the
forces
and
stresses
involved. An attempt is made to correlate
data with rock types and the
type of excavation.

roof-framy
A roof that is tenacious and when allowed
to fall breaks down in large
blocks or frames of stone. Peel
roofing
The wedging of a loaded wagon or horse
against the top of an underground
passage. Fay

roof cut
roofing hole
A machine cut made in the roof
immediately above the seam. A roof cut is
sometimes made in a soft band of dirt over
the coal, which gives increased
height in thin seams. The cut is made with
a
turret
coal
cutter.
Nelson

In West Wales, a small, steeply inclined


stone drivage from a lower to an
upper coal seam or for exploration in
disturbed
ground.
Nelson
roof jack

roof cutting
A screw- or pump-type extension post
used as a temporary roof support.
BCI

It is a common occurrence to hear miners


talk of gas cutting the roof and
causing it to weaken; however, this
condition is seldom encountered. There
are some seams where gas does cut the
roof, generally where top coal is
left in gassy seams. The most common
cause of roof cutting is its exposure
to air. Gunite or painting of the top helps a
condition
of
this
kind.
Kentucky

roof layer
a. Uniformly thick layer of rock supported
or
clamped
at
the
edges
by
pillars.
Obert
b. A layer of combustible gas under the
roof
of
mine
workings.
BS, 8

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life. It is done by placing lagging bars


running parallel with the working
place above the header. It has limited uses
because
of
necessary
additional height and because its weight
rests
on
the
center
of
the
header.

roof movement meter


See:romometer
roof pendant
A downward projection of country rock
into
an
igneous
intrusion.
CF:cupola

roof testing
In the simple testing of the roof, it is
struck by a hammer or a heavy
object. A loose roof will give off a dull or
hollow sound compared with a
solid top, which has a clear ring. Good
roof that has a clear ringing
sound is called "bell top." Also known as
sounding,
sounding
the
roof,
sounding the top, and jowling.

roof pressure
The pressure that the overlying rocks exert
on
the
support
of
mine
workings.
roof rock
Rock forming the ceiling of a cave
passage, underground chamber, mine
opening, etc. AGI

roof-testing tool
Usually a wooden pole with a metallic
ball at the upper end.

roof shale
The layer or seam of shale occurring
immediately above the Pittsburgh coal
seam. Because of its friable nature, this
shale or slate is taken down in
most mining operations. Rice, 2

roof-to-floor convergence
The deformation of the coal or ore pillars
is estimated by monitoring the
closure of the entry. This roof-to-floor
convergence is generally measured
with a tube extensometer, to an accuracy
of 0.001 in (25.4 mu m), or a
tape measure, to an accuracy of 0.01 ft
(3.048
mm).
Measurements
are
repeatedly taken as the mining geometry
changes. SME, 1

roof station
A survey station fixed in the roof of a
mine roadway or working face.
BS, 7
roof stone
Scot. The stone immediately above a coal
seam.roof
Fay

roof-up

roof stringer

roof work

Used in a weak or scaly top in narrow


rooms or entries that have short

A term applied to a vein worked overhead.

See:roofing hole

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another conveyor at the mouth of the


room, but occasionally it will dump
into a cross conveyor at some point
between the face and the mouth.
Jones,
1
b. See:underground mine conveyor

room
a. A place abutting an entry or airway
where coal or ore has been mined
and extending from the entry or airway to
a
face.
b. A wide working place in a flat mine
corresponding to a stope in a steep
vein.
A
chamber.
CF:stope
c. A heading or short stall.

room entry
Any entry or set of entries from which
rooms are turned. A panel entry.

room-and-pillar
room neck
Said of a system of mining in which
typically flat-lying beds of coal or
ore are mined in rooms separated by
pillars of undisturbed rock left for
roof
support.;
County of Durham system.

A short passageway from the mine entry


to the room in which a miner works.
room system with caving
See:bord-and-pillar

room-and-pillar mining
rooseveltite
In coal and metal mining, supporting the
roof by pillars left at regular
intervals. Lewis

A monoclinic mineral, BiAsO4 ; monazite


group;
at
Santiaguillo,
Bolivia.

room-and-pillar with waste filling


root clay
See:overhand stoping
See:underclay
room boss
root deposit
In bituminous coal mining, a miner who
inspects
the
working
face
in
working places (rooms) to determine
whether mining operations are being
carried on properly and safety regulations
are being observed. Also called
wall boss. DOT

A lode or vein from which alluvial


cassiterite or gold may have been
derived.
rooter
a. A towed scarifier; sometimes used to
break up a hard surface and prior
to the use of bulldozers in removing
overburden at quarries and opencast
pits. A heavy-duty ripper. Nelson
b. A towed machine equipped with teeth,

room conveyor
a. Any conveyor that carries coal from the
face
of
a
room
toward
the
mouth. Normally, a room conveyor will
deposit its coal into a car or

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used primarily for loosening


soil and soft rock. Nichols, 2

English-English

of fiber or of wire. In winding ropes it is


generally
made
of
manilla,
sisal, or hemp. The function of the core is
to
support
the
strands
and
prevent them from bearing hard against
one another. An even more important
function is as a store for lubricant for the
interior
of
the
rope,
and
during manufacture it is saturated with
lubricant. Sinclair, 5

hard

root hook
A very heavy hook designed to catch and
tear out big roots when it is
dragged along the ground. Nichols, 1
root-mean-square value

rope cutter

The root-mean-square value of an


alternating current or voltage. It is the
square root of the mean value of the
squares of the instantaneous values
taken over a complete cycle. When an
alternating current or voltage is
specified, it is almost invariably the rootmean-square
value
that
is
used. Also used of quantities that alternate
over
longer
periods,
for
example, a month or year. Also known as
effective
value.
Abbrev.,
R.M.S.
CTD

See:hook tender
rope diameter
The diameter of a steel wire rope is the
maximum
obtainable
measurement
across the outer edges of the strands. The
size of fiber ropes is usually
specified by their circumference. Modern
steel
wire
winding
ropes
are
large and heavy and may be 2-1/4 in (5.7
cm) in diameter for a moderately
deep shaft. Nelson

rope and button conveyor


A conveyor consisting of a rope with
disks
or
buttons
attached
at
intervals, the upper flight running in a
trough.
The
coal
or
other
material is dropped into the trough, and
the conveyor either is actuated
by the weight of the coal in the trough
when
the
trough
is
inclined
forming a retarding conveyor, or moves
the coal along the trough where the
gradient is insufficient or adverse. In the
one case a brake is provided;
in the other, the sprockets are actuated by
a motor. Zern

rope driver
In bituminous coal mining, a foreperson
who looks after the haulage cable
and the equipment of trains of cars by
which coal is hauled from the mine.
The rope driver superintends the attaching
of cars to cable by clipper and
directs movement of the cable by
signaling a slope engineer through a
buzzer system. DOT
rope driving
The transmission of power by means of
rope gearing, as distinguished from
belt drive. Crispin

rope core
An important component of stranded
ropes is the core, which may be either

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rope drum

rope haulage systems

Any drum, powered or otherwise, on


which rope is wound; e.g., mining
machine rope drums, room hoist rope
drums, etc. Jones, 1

Systems of rope haulage may be classified


as
(1)
self-acting
or
gravity
planes; (2) engine planes; (3) tail-rope
haulage;
(4)
endless-rope
haulage; and (5) aerial tramways, which
are
frequently
considered
by
themselves, since they are not applied to
transporting
material
underground. Lewis

rope fastening
The most suitable fastening between a
wire rope and its socket is a white
metal capping. Haulage ropes are
generally doubled back on themselves
around a steel thimble and secured with
bulldog clips. Hammond

rope lay
That length of rope in which one strand
makes
one
complete
revolution
about the core.

rope guide
Steel rope suspended in a vertical shaft to
prevent
excessive
swinging
of
the cages or skips. Eight rope guides are
generally
used
for
the
shaft,
four for each cage, and two additional
rubbing
ropes
are
installed
to
prevent possible collision between the
cages or skips. The ropes are
suspended from girders fixed on the safety
hook
catch-plate
platform
and
kept taut in the shaft by means of weights
in the shaft bottom sump. The
clearances between the cages, and also
between the cage corners and the
shaft wall, should be about 12 in (30.5
cm).
Nelson

rope plucking

rope haulage

rope roof bolt

a. Means of moving loaded and empty


mine cars by use of wire rope;
generally used on steep inclines where use
of electric mine locomotives is
inefficient.
BCI
b. Any transportation system employing a
steel wire rope to haul the mine
cars or trams. Nelson

A steel wire rope, with wedge heads fixed


to its ends, used instead of the
normal steel rod in roof bolting. Also
known as cable bolting. The rope
has a diameter of about 7/8 in (2.2 cm)
and a length from 15 to 20 ft (4.5
to 6 m). Nelson

The sudden jerking or twitching of a


haulage rope due to the rope laps
slipping to a smaller diameter on the
drum. A severe plucking of a rope
may be felt faintly more than 800 yd (725
m)
distance
from
the
engine.

rope rider
An employee whose duty it is to see that
cars are coupled properly, and to
inspect ropes, chains, links, and all
coupling equipment. A trip rider.

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rope socket

Roeschen method

A drop forged-steel device, with a tapered


hole, which can be fastened to
the end of a wire cable or rope and to
which a load may be attached. It
may be either the open- or closed-end
type. Long

A combustible-gas drainage method


utilizing controlled drainage from the
coal seams as they are being mined. This
method, which is also known as
the pack cavity method, was devised to
extract gas from the mined-out
areas of advancing longwall mining
systems by leaving corridors or
cavities at regular intervals in the pack.
Virginia Polytechnic

ropeway
a. A line or double line of suspended
ropes, usually wire, along which
articles of moderate weight may be
transported on slings, either by
gravity or power; much used in mining
districts
for
transportation
to
watercourses or to railway lines. An aerial
tramway.
Standard,
2
b. See:aerial ropeway

roscherite
A monoclinic and triclinic mineral,
Ca(Fe,Mn)2
Be3
(PO
(sub
4) )3 (OH)3 .2H2 O .
roscoelite

Ropp furnace

A monoclinic mineral, K(V,Al,Mg)2


(AlSi3
)O10
(OH)
;
mica
group;
soft;
a
source
of
vanadium.
2

A long reverberatory furnace with a series


of
plows
or
rakes
that
are
drawn over the hearth by a continuous
cable, moving the ore steadily from
the feed to the discharge end. Fay

rose beryl

roquesite

rose bit

A tetragonal mineral, CuInS2 ;


chalcopyrite
group;
at
Charrier,
Allier, France.

A hardened steel or alloy noncore bit with


a serrated face to cut or mill
out bits, casing, or other metal objects lost
in
the
hole.
Also
used
to
mill off the rose-bit dropper on a HallRowe wedge. Also called mill;
milling bit. CF:junk mill

The morganite variety of beryl.

rosasite
a. A monoclinic mineral, 4[(Cu,Zn)2 (CO3
)(OH)2
]
;
forms green to blue spherules in oxidized
zones
of
zinc-copper-lead
deposits.
b. The mineral group glaukosphaerite,
kolwezite,
mcguinnessite,
nullaginite, rosasite, and zincrosasite.

rose diagram
A circular diagram for plotting strikes
(with or without dips) of planar
features, such as joints, faults, and dikes;
so
named
because
clusters
of

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preferred orientations resemble the petals


of a rose. AGI

rosette
A
radially
symmetric,
sand-filled
crystalline aggregate or cluster with a
fancied resemblance to a rose; formed in
sedimentary
rocks
by
barite,
marcasite, or pyrite.

roselite
a.
A
monoclinic
mineral,
Ca2
(Co,Mg)(AsO4
)2
.2H
(sub
2) O ; roselite group; forms a series with
wendwilsonite;
dimorphous
with
roselite-beta;
perfect
cleavage.
b. The mineral group brandtite, roselite,
wendwilsonite, and zincrosasite.

rosette copper
Disks of copper (red from the presence of
suboxide) formed by cooling the
surface of molten copper through
sprinkling with water. Also called rose
copper. Fay

rose of cracks
The system with radial cracks issuing
from the center of the hole as a
result of the tangential stresses. Langefors

rosette texture
A flowerlike or scalloped pattern of a
mineral aggregate. AGI

rose opal
A variety of opaque common opal having
a fine red color. CMD

rose vitriol
Cobalt
vitriol. Standard, 2

rose quartz
Crystalline quartz with a rose pink color,
due
probably
to
titanium
in
minute quantity. The color is destroyed by
exposure
to
strong
sunlight.
Used as a gem or an ornamental stone.
Fay

sulfate.

rosickyite
A monoclinic mineral, S (gamma sulfur);
dimorphous
with
sulfur.

rosin
rose steel
a. The hard, amber-colored residue left
after
distilling
off
volatile
oil
from
pine
pitch.
API,
1
b. To melt a resin and apply a coat to the
right-handed
threads
of
heated
rod couplings; the coating sets when
cooled, which permits the rods to be
used in the same manner as left-handthreaded rods in fishing operations.
Also called rosining. Long

A steel that shows a peculiar fracture and


texture
in
the
interior,
different from that near the surface.
Standard, 2
rose topaz
The yellow-brown variety of topaz
changed to rose pink by heating. These
crystals often contain inclusions of liquid
carbon dioxide. CMD

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A yellow variety of zinc blende, ZnS.


When dark in color it is called
blackjack.

exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential: R = 100e-bx (super n , where
e
is
the
base
of
the
natural logarithm and b and n are
constants. Dodd

rosined joints

rosin tin

Drill-rod or casing couplings to which hot


rosin was applied and that were
joined before the rosin cooled. Long

A reddish or yellowish variety


cassiterite. Also spelled resin tin.

rosin blende

of

rosin zinc
rosing
Sphalerite of a rosiny appearance. Hess
The act or process of milling a metal
object in a borehole with a rose
bit. Long

rosite

rosin jack

a.
See:anorthite
b. An impure muscovite as alteration
product.

A yellow variety of sphalerite. Also called


resin
jack,
rosin
blende,
rosen zinc. CF:blackjack

rosiwal analysis
In petrography, a quantitative method of
estimating the volume percentages
of the minerals in a rock. Thin sections of
a
rock
are
examined
with
a
microscope fitted with a micrometer that
is used to measure the linear
intercepts of each mineral along a
particular set of lines. This method is
based on the assumption that the area of a
mineral on an exposed surface
is proportional to its volume in the rock
mass. AGI

Rosin-Rammler equation
An equation relating to fine grinding: for
most
powders
that
have
been
prepared by grinding, the relationship
between R, the residue remaining on
any particular sieve, and the grain size in
micrometers
(x)
is
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx
exponential:
R
=
100e-bx

rosolite
A rose-pink variety of grossulatire garnet.
Also
called
landerite
and
xalostocite. From Xalostoc, Morelos,
Mexico. English

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A multiple-deck roasting furnace of the


annular type; used in Germany.
Fay

the velocity of the rising liquid. Variations


include
spinning
floats
and
magnetic or radioactive ones for use with
opaque
fluids.
Rate-of-flow
indicator. Pryor, 3

Ross feeder

rotap

Mechanism for control of rate of feed of


coarse ore in the primary and
secondary crushing system. Several heavy
loops of chain lie above and bear
on ore that rests in the delivery chute at
just above its natural angle of
repose. When the shaft from which the
loops are suspended is rotated by
its small motor, ore slides under control.
Pryor, 3

Laboratory screen shaker widely used in


screen
sizing
analysis.
Up
to
seven 8-in round screens are nested on the
appliance and given a shaking,
rotary, and tapping motion. Pryor, 3

Ross and Welter furnace

rotary
See:rotary table; rotary-drill rig.
rotary bit

Rossie furnace
As used in a broad sense by drillers, a
roller bit. Long

An American variety of hearth for the


treatment of galena, differing from
the Scotch hearth in using wood as fuel,
working continuously, and having
hollow walls, to heat the blast. Fay

rotary boring
A system of boring, using usually hollow
rods,
with
or
without
the
production of rock cores. Rock
penetration is achieved by the rotation of
the cutting tool. The method is used
extensively
in
exploration,
particularly when cores are required. It is
the usual method in oil well
boring with holes from 6 to 18 in (15 to 45
cm)
in
diameter.
. Nelson

Rossi-Forel intensity scale


A scale for rating earthquake effects.
Devised in 1878 by de Rossi (Italy)
and Forel (Switzerland). No longer in
general use, having been supplanted
by Wood and Neumann's Modified
Mercalli intensity scale of 1931.
rosthornite

rotary breaker
A brown to garnet-red resinous material
forming lenticular masses in the
coal of Carusthia. AGI

A breaking machine for coal, rock, or


minerals. It consists of a trommel
screen with a heavy cast steel shell fitted
internally
with
lifts
that
progressively raise and convey the coal
and stone forward and break it. As
the material is broken the undersize passes

rotameter
A tapered float rises or falls in a
transparent tube in accordance with

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through
the
apertures,
so
that
excessive degradation does not occur.;
Bradford breaker. Nelson

rotary-drill cuttings
The chips and pulverized rock produced
by the abrasive and chipping action
of a drag, roller bit, or diamond bit when
used
on
a
diamondor
rotary-drill machine to drill a borehole.
CF:cuttings

rotary bucket drill


A rotary-type drill on which a rotary
bucket is fastened to the kelly bar.
The bucket is equipped with a hinged
bottom,
which
has
straight-edged
cutting blades or teeth. When rotated by
the kelly bar, the bucket loads
from the bottom; when filled, it is
withdrawn from the hole and dumped by
unlatching the bottom. Holes 30 to 250 cm
in diameter can be drilled with
this machine in soft, boulder-free ground.
Also
called
bucket
rig;
dry-hole digger; rathole rig.

rotary drilling
The hydraulic process of drilling that
consists of rotating a column of
drill pipe, to the bottom of which is
attached a drilling bit, and during
the operation, circulating down through
the pipe a current of mud-laden
fluid, under pressure, by means of special
slush pumps. The drilling mud
and cuttings from the bit are forced
upward and outside the drill pipe to
the surface. CF:cable-tool drilling

rotary compressor
A compressor designed for a delivery
pressure of 100 psi (690 kPa) and
ranging in capacity from 60 to 300 ft3
/min
(2.1
to
8.5
m
(super
3) /min).

rotary drill motor


The space available in the casing of a
pneumatic rotary rock or coal drill
is necessarily limited and precludes the
use
of
a
reciprocating
engine.
The power unit used instead is similar in
design to the vane compressor.
The rotor runs at a very high speed,
between 3,500 rpm and 4,000 rpm, and
this is reduced by gearing to give a drill
spindle speed of about 650 rpm.

rotary drier
A drier in the shape of an inclined rotating
tube
used
to
dry
loose
material as it rolls through. ACSG, 2
rotary drill

rotary-drill rig

Broadly, various types of drill machines


that
rotate
a
rigid,
tubular
string of rods to which is attached a bit for
cutting
rock
to
produce
boreholes. The bit may be a roller cone
bit, a toothed or fishtail drag
bit, an auger bit, or a diamond bit..
CF:diamond drill; shot drill.

A rotary drill complete with accessory


tools and equipment necessary to
drill boreholes. Long
rotary dump
An apparatus for overturning one or more
mine
cars
simultaneously
to

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discharge coal. They may rotate either 180


degrees
or
360
degrees
.
BCI

rotary-percussive drill
A drilling machine that operates as a
purely rotary machine to which is
added a percussive action. The specially
designed
rotary-percussive
drilling bit not only gives a greater
penetration rate, but is also able
to operate longer without deterioration of
the
cutting
edges.
A
disadvantage is the great size of the airoperated
machine,
which
is
usually mounted on a carriage. Nelson

rotary dump car


A standard small car in which the car
body, of about 2 yd3 (1.5 m
3
) capacity, is mounted on a turntable in
the car fr
rotary dumper
A steel structure that revolves a mine car
and
discharges
the
contents,
usually sideways, into a bunker or onto a
screen. Nelson

rotary percussive drilling


A method of drilling in which repeated
blows are applied to the bit, which
is continually rotated under power. BS, 12

rotary excavator

rotary pump

Earth-moving machine with vertical wheel


that
carries
digging
buckets
peripherally. These loosen soil and deliver
to
short
conveyor
loader,
the
assembly being mounted on crawler track.
Capacity up to 5,000 st/h (4,500
t/h). Also called bucket wheel excavator.
Pryor, 3

A positive-displacement pump in which


the
liquid-propelling
parts
are
cams, gears, impeller wheels, etc., rotating
within
a
case,
as
distinguished from those pumps that move
liquids
by
means
of
the
to-and-fro motion of a piston within a
cylinder.
CF:centrifugal
pump
Long

rotary feed table


a. A feeder comprising a horizontal
rotating circular plate mounted under
the mouth of a hopper and arranged with
an adjustable plow to control the
rate of flow of material over the edge of
the plate. BS, 5

rotary screen
a. A screen for sizing aggregate and
similar material; it is a pierced
rectangular plate bent into a cylinder.
Hammond
b. See:trommel

rotary furnace

rotary shot drill

Horizontally mounted cylinder rotating


between trunnions through which gas
or oil flame is introduced. Pryor, 3

a. Any rotary drill used to drill blastholes.


Long
b. See:seismograph drill

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Any of the cylindrical smelters that


depend on slow rotation about a
horizontal axis for agitation of the molten
mass.
ASTM

the bottom of the tubs or mine cars. When


the tippler is in the inverted
position, the car rests upon a vibrating
frame that gives it a high-speed
vertical jolting motion, which frees any
material tending to stick inside
the car. Nelson

rotary sorting table

rotating casing screw conveyor

A circular plate conveyor to effect a


preliminary grading of coals and
removal of stone by hand. A screened-out
fraction of the run-of-mine coal
is delivered to the table by chute from a
conveyor. As the stream of coal
revolves on the table, the various grades
of coal and the dirt are raked
into positions where they are diverted by
plows into chutes. The operators
are positioned on the inner and outer
edges of the table and the coal is
not handled but only raked.

A screw conveyor in which the tubular


casing rotates at a different speed
or in an opposite direction to the conveyor
screw.

rotary smelter

rotational fault
A fault on which rotational movement is
exhibited; a partial syn. of hinge
fault. CF:hinge fault; scissor fault.
rotational flow

rotary table

Turbulent flow involving all parts of a


moving liquid.

a. The geared rotating table that propels


the
kelly
and
the
drill
stem
when drilling a borehole with an oilfieldtype
rotary
rig.
Also
called
rotary;
table;
turntable.
Long
b. The mechanism used in some forms of
rotary
drilling
to
rotate
the
drilling column. BS, 9

rotational movement
Apparent fault-block displacement in
which
the
blocks
have
rotated
relative to one another, so that alignment
of
formerly
parallel
features
is disturbed. CF:translational movement
AGI

rotary vane feeder


rotational shear
A rotor of cylindrical outline with radial,
spaced
plates
or
vanes
rotating on a horizontal axis, for
controlling the flow of bulk materials.

One of four types of slope failure. Failure


by
rotational
shear
produces
a
movement of an almost undisturbed
segment along a circular or spoon-shaped
surface and occurs in comprehensive,
uniform material. This material would
not be affected by geological planes of
weakness. Failure of this type can

rotary vibrating tippler


A tippler designed to overcome the
tendency for coal or dirt to stick to

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occur from causes that either increase the


shear
stresses
or
decrease
the
shear strength of the material. Woodruff

rotational slide
A slide of homogeneous earth or clay in
which the slip surface of failure
closely follows the arc of a circle. Nelson

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