accident |
an undesired event that results in harm to people,
damage to property, loss to process, or harm to the
environment |
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 |
incident |
an undesired event which under slightly different
circumstances could result in harm to people, damage
to property, loss to process, or harm to the environment |
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 |
lode |
|
lost time injury (LTI) |
the number of lost time injuries multiplied by 200,000
and divided by the total number of exposure hours |
lost time injury incident rate (LTA) |
all work related injuries or illnesses where the
employee cannot work the next regular scheduled shift |
mafic |
igneous rock with dark coloration due to high magnesium
and iron content |
medical injury |
any injury that requires treatment by a licensed
medical professional that does not result in lost time
or restricted duty but is beyond first aid |
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 |
property damage |
damage occurring to property through an accident,
abuse, negligence, or act of God |
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 |
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 |
restricted duty injury |
all work related injuries or illnesses that result
in the employee not being able to perform 100% of normal
duties, whether scheduled to or not |
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 |
severity measure |
the number of days lost, plus the number of days
of restricted duty, multiplied by 200,000 and divided
by the number of exposure hours |
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 |
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 |
total days lost |
the total number of days an employee was scheduled
to work but was unable to as a result of a work related
injury or illness |
total days restricted |
the total number of days an employee cannot do any
of a part of normal work activities but does not result
in lost time |
total reportable injury incident rate |
the number of medical injuries, plus the number of
restricted duty injuries, plus the number of lost time
injuries, plus the number of fatalities, multiplied
by 200,000 and divided by the total number of exposure
hours |
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. |
