mining
Subterranean resource harvesting
Mining is the extraction of valuable materials from the earth, including metals, coal, gemstones, and other minerals.
The process ranges from surface operations like open-pit mines to deep underground excavations.
By extension, mining applies to any systematic extraction of resources: data mining involves sifting through large datasets for useful patterns, and cryptocurrency mining uses computing power to validate transactions and generate new coins.
To mine something is to extract it through such processes: They've been mining copper in this region for decades.
Metal-bearing rock
- excavationAct of unearthing
- drillingHole-making by rotation
- blastingExplosive material removal
- tunnelingDigging underground passages
quarrying · shaft · vein · deposit · seam · adit · stope · pit
Element seventy-nine
- coalCombustible sedimentary rock
- copperReddish-brown metallic element
- ironElement twenty-six
- silverLustrous white precious metal
diamonds · uranium · platinum · nickel · zinc · tin · lead · bauxite
Finite problem-solving procedure
- pattern recognitionIdentifying regularities in inputs
- clusteringForming concentrated groups
- machine learningAlgorithms that improve from data
- analyticsSystematic examination of datasets
predictive · classification · dataset · scraping · extraction · decision tree · neural network · big data
Extracting metal from ore
- refiningRemoving unwanted elements
- millingProcessing grain mechanically
- flotationAbility to stay afloat
- leachingDissolving out by liquid
concentration · assaying · metallurgy · crushing · screening · tailings · slag · cyanidation
Traveling through unknown regions
- surveyingMeasuring and charting terrain
- geologyStudy of Earth's composition
- prospectorOne seeking valuable deposits
- claimStatement of ownership or truth
stake · assay · core sample · geophysics · outcrop · strike · panning · sourdough
Post-extraction mineral waste
- pollutionEnvironmental harm from waste
- reclamationRecovery of something lost
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
- subsidenceGradual ground sinking
spoil heap · deforestation · water contamination · heavy metals · overburden · sustainability · remediation · toxic waste
Legally separate business entity
- commoditiesTradeable raw materials
- sectorDistinct division of whole
- productionMaking or generating something
- operationsPlanned systematic activities
concession · royalties · exports · boom · workforce · union · labor · safety
ore
Metal-bearing rock
- excavationAct of unearthing
- drillingHole-making by rotation
- blastingExplosive material removal
tunneling · quarrying · shaft · vein · deposit · seam · adit · stope · pit · opencast
gold
Element seventy-nine
silver · diamonds · uranium · platinum · nickel · zinc · tin · lead · bauxite · lithium
algorithm
Finite problem-solving procedure
- pattern recognitionIdentifying regularities in inputs
- clusteringForming concentrated groups
- machine learningAlgorithms that improve from data
analytics · predictive · classification · dataset · scraping · extraction · decision tree · neural network · big data
smelting
Extracting metal from ore
- refiningRemoving unwanted elements
- millingProcessing grain mechanically
- flotationAbility to stay afloat
leaching · concentration · assaying · metallurgy · crushing · screening · tailings · slag · cyanidation · roasting
exploration
Traveling through unknown regions
- surveyingMeasuring and charting terrain
- geologyStudy of Earth's composition
- prospectorOne seeking valuable deposits
claim · stake · assay · core sample · geophysics · outcrop · strike · panning · sourdough · forty-niner
tailings
Post-extraction mineral waste
- pollutionEnvironmental harm from waste
- reclamationRecovery of something lost
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
subsidence · spoil heap · deforestation · water contamination · heavy metals · overburden · sustainability · remediation · toxic waste · sedimentation
corporation
Legally separate business entity
- commoditiesTradeable raw materials
- sectorDistinct division of whole
- productionMaking or generating something
operations · concession · royalties · exports · boom · workforce · union · labor · safety · regulation
excavator
Machine that digs earth
conveyor · bulldozer · loader · dump truck · jackhammer · sluice · dredge · sieve · pan · pickaxe
- human-environment interactionfarming, fishing, hunting, logging, pollution
- Industrial Sectorsmanufacturing, aerospace, defense, automotive, machinery
- manual laborfarming, lifting, carrying, shoveling, loading
- blue-collar jobsfactory work, factory worker, factory workers, construction, farm hand
- extractingdrilling, juicing, pulling, yanking, prying
- extractionexcavation, distillation, filtration, extraction, drilling
miningfilling
Material placed within
backfilling · burial · landfilling · depositing · burying
miningantimining
Opposing mineral excavation
land restoration · reclamation · reforestation · rewilding · conservation
miningsynthesizing
Combining elements into unity
manufacturing · fabricating · cultivating · creating · producing
- mining disasterFatal underground excavation accident
- coal miningUnderground carbon extraction
- mining townSettlement serving ore extraction
- gold miningExtracting precious ore
- diamond miningExtracting precious stones underground
- strip miningRemoving overburden for minerals