| activated carbon |
chemically treated and heated carbon which has the ability
to absorb gold |
| alteration |
the physical or chemical change in the composition of rock |
| arsenopyrite |
iron arsenic sulphide, FeAsS |
| backfill |
waste rock or tailings used to fill mined out areas, particularly
underground |
| basalt |
dark colored, fine-grained volcanic igneous rock |
| base metal |
non-ferrous metals inferior in value to precious metals; i.e.
copper lead, zinc, nickel |
| bedrock |
solid rock beneath superficial soil cover and unconsolidated
sediments |
| belt |
an exposed zone or band of a particular kind of rock |
| bioxidation |
the oxidation of elements caused by naturally occurring bio-organisms
in rock. Bioxidation is used in the recovery of gold from sulhpide rock
by providing the optimum temperature, acidity (pH) and oxygen levels for
the natural oxidation process to work most effectively |
| breccia |
rock consisting of angular fragments in a finer-grained matrix
|
| bullion |
the product of smelting or refining precious metals, usually
in the form of bars or ingots |
| by-product |
revenue, net of transportation, refining and treatment charges,
from the sale of metals derived in conjunction with the production of the
primary mine metal |
| carbon-in-leach (CIL) |
a process to recover dissolved gold onto activated carbon,
by introducing activated carbon into a gold-cyanide slurry during the agitation
process and subsequently separating the loaded carbon from the slurry for
the removal of the gold |
| carbon-in-pulp (CIP) |
a process to recover dissolved gold onto activated carbon,
by introducing activated carbon into the system after the gold has been
dissolved by the cyanide solution and subsequently separating the loaded
carbon from the slurry for the removal of the gold |
| cash cost |
includes production costs, royalties, marketing and refining
charges, together with all administration expenses at the operating level |
| chlorite |
platey iron-magnesium silicate, typically formed during alteration
by other minerals at low temperatures |
| contractor |
any non-Newmont employee or group working for an operation
and who are regularly exposed to mine hazards |
| cut-and-fill |
a mining method which removes ore in horizontal slices and
the remaining void is filled with waste rock before proceeding to mine the
next slice of ore |
| cut-off grade |
the lowest grade of mineralized material considered to be
economic and used to calculate the ore reserve in a deposit |
| cyanide-leaching |
dissolving gold or silver in a weak solution of sodium cyanide
or potassium cyanide |
| dip |
the angle of incline from horizontal of a planar feature,
such as an orebody |
| disseminated ore |
ore bearing small particles of valuable minerals spread throughout
the rock |
| dolerite |
intrusive dyke rock made up mostly of feldspar and pyroxene |
| doré |
unrefined gold and silver bars usually containing more than
90 percent precious metal |
| drift-and-fill |
an underground mining method whereby ore is mined by drifting
along the mineralization and backfilling the void so that the next level
can be mined |
| dyke |
an igneous intrusion which cuts across the bedding of other
planar structures in the country rock |
| erosion |
the alteration, loosening and removal of land surface material
by the actions of running water and wind |
| exposure hours |
the total number of hours worked at the operation |
| extrusive |
igneous rock which has been erupted to the surface by volcanic
activity |
| facies |
distinctive rock type |
| fatality |
death of an individual as a result of a work related accident
or illness |
| fault |
a break in the sub-surface strata where there is displacement
relative to the original position of strata |
| feasibility study |
a comprehensive study undertaken to determine the economic
feasibility of a project; the conclusion will determine if a production
decision can be made and is used for financing arrangements |
| first aid |
all work related injury or illness that does not require medical
attention |
| flotation |
a process by which some mineral particles are induced, by
the introduction of specific reagents, to become attached to bubbles and
float while other particles sink; the valuable minerals are concentrated
and separated from the gaunge |
| fold |
a bend in rock strata |
| formation |
a unit of geological mapping, consisting of a large and persistent
stratum of rock |
| gabbro |
coarse-grained igneous rock containing minor silica |
| gold equivalent |
gold plus silver expressed in equivalent ounces of gold using
a conversion ratio dependent on prevailing gold and silver prices |
| grade |
the amount of valuable material in a specific volume of rock;
typically expressed as grams per tonne for precious metals and as a percentage
for base metals |
| granophyric |
an igneous texture characterized by irregular intergrowths
of quartz and feldspar |
| gravity separation |
recovery of gold from crushed rock using gold's high specific
gravity to separate it from lighter material |
| greenstone |
metamorphosed mafic igneous rock which is typically green
due to content of chlorite, actinolite, etc. |
| headframe |
the framework building at the top of the shaft which houses
the hoisting mechanisms |
| hedging |
the effective offsetting of a price or exchange risk inherent
in another transaction or arrangement |
| host rock |
the rock containing minerals; eg an orebody |
| hydrometallurgy |
the selective dissolution of metals from ore to concentrates |
| hydrothermal |
pertaining to heated water which transports minerals in solution |
| ISO 9000 |
international standards for organizations to implement quality
management systems and quality assurance programs |
| ISO 14000 |
international standards for organizations to implement sound
environmental management systems |
| infill drilling |
drilling between previously drilled holes to provide additional
geological information to more accurately define mineralization |
| lag |
coarse gravel material remaining behind when finer material
has been eroded away |
| lava |
molten magma extruded from volcanic vent |
| mafic |
igneous rock with dark coloration due to high magnesium and
iron content |
| Merrill-Crowe |
a precipitation process to recover precious metals from a
cyanide solution using zinc dust |
| metasediments |
metamorphosed sedimentary rocks |
| metasomatism |
the process by which one mineral is replaced by another |
| mill |
the plant for grinding ore to a fine powder and extracting
the economic metals by physical and/or chemical means |
| mineralized zone |
host rock in which minerals of potential commercial value
occur |
| net smelter return (NSR) |
a share of the net revenue generated from the sale of metal
produced by the mine |
| open pit |
a mine on the surface |
| ore |
a mixture of minerals, host rock and waste rock which is expected
to be profitably mined |
| ounces |
weight of gold with a fineness of 999.9 parts per 1,000; 1
Troy ounce is equal to 31.1034 grams |
| outcrop |
part of a geological formation or structure that appears at
the surface of the earth |
| oxidation |
chemical reaction between any substance and oxygen |
| oxide ore |
mineralized rock in which the minerals have been partially
or wholly oxidized by weathering processes |
| porphyry |
igneous rocks containing large crystals in a fine-grained
groundmass |
| pressure oxidation |
an oxidation process which uses high temperature and pressure
to convert refractory sulphide mineralization into amenable oxide ore |
| process loss |
any unplanned interruption or downgrading of operating processes
resulting from an accident, abuse, negligence, or act of God |
| production cost |
cash cost plus depreciation, amortization and reclamation |
| pyrite |
an iron sulphide, FeS |
| pyrrhotite |
an iron sulphide, FeS |
| raise |
a vertical or upward inclined drive to connect underground
mine levels or to the surface |
| reagent |
a chemical used in the mineral recovery process/td>
|
| reclamation |
the rehabilitation to beneficial use of land disturbed by
mining activity |
| refractory ore |
gold mineralization encapsulated in silica or sulphide, which
is not amenable to cyanide leaching methods |
| reserve |
that part of a resource that can be profitably mined under
current or specified economic conditions. A reserve estimate must consider
all technical, operating, legal and financial factors |
| reserve - proven |
the estimated quantity and grade of part of a measured resource
for which all consideration factors establish the highest degree of confidence
in the estimate |
| reserve - probable |
the estimated quantity and grade of part of a indicated resource
for which all consideration factors establish a confidence level for positive
decisions on major expenditures |
| resource |
the grade and quantity estimate of a mineralized deposit that
indicates mining is currently or potentially profitable under economic and
operating conditions |
| resource - measured |
the estimated grade and quantity for that part of a deposit
configuration which has been very well established by observation, sampling,
drilling trenches and mine workings |
| resource - indicated |
the estimated grade and quantity for that part of a deposit
for which grade continuity, shape and extent has been established for reliable
grade and tonnage estimation |
| resource - inferred |
the estimated grade and quantity determined from limited sampling
but sufficient geological information and understanding to outline a deposit
of potential economic merit |
| room-and-pillar |
mining method used for flat-lying deposits where the ore is
removed in chambers or rooms leaving pillars for support |
| schist |
fine-grained metamorphic rock with laminations similar to
slate |
| shaft |
a vertical passage in an underground mine used for transporting
personnel, equipment, supplies and mined material |
| silicic alteration |
replacement of silica |
| spot price |
current price of gold or other commodity traded in the immediate
market |
| stockwork |
a 3-dimensional network of veins or veinlets/td>
|
| stope |
the working area from which ore is extracted in an underground
mine |
| strike |
the direction or bearing of a mineralized vein or rock formation |
| stripping ratio |
the ratio of the amount of waste rock removed per tonne of
ore mined |
| sulfide |
a mineral compound characterized by the linkage of sulfur
with metal or semimetal; eg galena, PbS, or pyrite, FeS2 |
| syncline |
a fold of strata forming an inverted arch |
| tailings |
material rejected from a treatment plant after the valuable
minerals have been recovered |
| telluride |
a mineral characterized by the linkage of metal with tellurium
|
| tholeiitic |
basaltic magma containing little or no olivine |
| tuff |
strata of volcanic ash |
| turbidite |
a marine clastic sediment deposited by sea bed currents laden
with suspended material |
| ultrabasic |
igneous rock with very low silica content |
| wall rock |
the rock mass adjacent to a fault, fault zone or lode |
| weathered zone |
near surface zone in which the exposed rock has been chemically
or physically changed due to the action of rain, water, etc. |
