{"id":41,"date":"2023-11-08T09:25:09","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T09:25:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/mineralsuk\/?page_id=41"},"modified":"2024-02-01T10:39:27","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T10:39:27","slug":"glossary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/mineralsuk\/glossary\/","title":{"rendered":"Glossary"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Glossary<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/mineralsuk\/glossary\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Glossary&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/mineralsuk\/glossary\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/mineralsuk\/glossary\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Glossary&#038;body=%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/mineralsuk\/glossary\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/mineralsuk\/glossary\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p id=\"Adit\"><strong>Adit<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 common mining term for a horizontal to sub\u2013horizontal tunnel driven into a hillside to access an ore body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Agglomerate\"><strong>Agglomerate<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a volcanic rock consisting of fragments of&nbsp;<em>pyroclastic<\/em>&nbsp;rocks more than 2 cm in size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Alkaline\"><strong>Alkaline<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a term applied to igneous rocks which are characterised by relatively high concentrations of sodium and potassium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Alluvial\"><strong>Alluvial<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 deposits of sediment, usually sand and gravel, transported and deposited by a river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Anode\"><strong>Anode<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a plate of metal cast in a shape suitable for refining by the electrolytic process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Archean\"><strong>Archean<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time that is the older of the two main&nbsp;<em>Precambrian<\/em>&nbsp;divisions. Ends 2500 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Argillaceousrocks\"><strong>Argillaceous rocks<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a group of detrital, fine grained, sedimentary rocks subdivided into silt grade (particle size range 1\/16 to 1\/256 mm) and clay grade (particle size &lt; 1\/256 mm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Arsenide\"><strong>Arsenide<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a mineral formed by the combination of arsenic with another chemical element e.g. sperrylite, PtAs<sub>2<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Autocatalyst\"><strong>Autocatalyst<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a cylinder made from ceramic or metal formed into a fine honeycomb and coated with a solution of chemicals and platinum\u2013group metals. It is used to control the emissions of pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and hydrocarbons, produced by motor vehicle exhaust systems. It is mounted in the exhaust system between the engine and the silencer and converts the noxious substances into harmless species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"B\">B<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Barite\"><strong>Barite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a white, yellow or colourless mineral, BaSO<sub>4<\/sub>. The principal ore of barium used in paints, drilling muds and as a filler for paper and textiles. Syn: baryte, barytes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Basic\"><strong>Basic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 describes an igneous rock with a relatively low silica content (between 45\u201352% SiO<sub>2<\/sub>). Basic rocks are relatively rich in iron, magnesium and calcium and thus include most mafic rocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Bench\"><strong>Bench<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 term used to describe the various working levels in a quarry, created and controlled by variations in bed depth as the worked quarry face is developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Beneficiation\"><strong>Beneficiation<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the process of concentration of the valuable components of an ore or other mineral commodity. Commonly includes multiple stages such as crushing, grinding, washing, screening, flotation, roasting, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Bituminous\"><strong>Bituminous<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 type of coal that contains a naturally occurring tar\u2013like hydrocarbon mineral of indefinite composition. It ranges in consistency from a thick liquid to a brittle solid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Boghead coal\"><strong>Boghead coal<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a type of coal comprising mostly algal material with fungal matter. See&nbsp;<em>sapropelic<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Breccia\"><strong>Breccia<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a rock that has been mechanically, hydraulically or pneumatically broken into angular fragments and re\u2013cemented. (brecciated,<em>&nbsp;adj<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"BuildingStone\"><strong>Building stone<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 naturally occurring rocks of igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic origin which are sufficiently consolidated to enable them to be cut or shaped into blocks or slabs for use as walling, paving or roofing materials in the construction of buildings and other structures. The principal building stones include igneous rocks (such as granite), massive bedded sandstones, limestones and metamorphic rocks (such as marble and slate). Also known as&nbsp;<strong><em>Dimension stone<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"C\">C<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Calcination\"><strong>Calcination<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the process of roasting metallic concentrates to remove sulphur prior to smelting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Calcite\"><strong>Calcite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a very common rock forming mineral comprising calcium, carbon and oxygen (CaCO<sub>3<\/sub>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Cambrian\"><strong>Cambrian<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 545 to 495 million years ago. Marks the beginning of the&nbsp;<em>Paleozic Era<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Cannelcoal\"><strong>Cannel coal<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;<em>sapropelic<\/em>&nbsp;coal type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Carat\"><strong>Carat<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 term used in gemology to describe the weight of a semi\u2013precious or precious stone (1 carat = 2.4 g). Derived from the ancient practice of using carob seeds as comparative weights for gems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Carbonate\"><strong>Carbonate<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a mineral characterised by a fundamental structure of CO<sub>3<\/sub>. Common examples include calcite, dolomite, magnesite and siderite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Carbonatite\"><strong>Carbonatite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a magmatic rock consisting of calcium carbonate, usually associated with nepheline\u2013syenite systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Carboniferous\"><strong>Carboniferous<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 354 to 292 million years ago. So named because of the globally extensive occurrence of coal and limestone (CaCO<sub>3<\/sub>) that was formed during this time. In the UK the Lower Carboniferous is dominated by marine sediments. Upper Carboniferous rocks are almost entirely fresh\u2013water and lacustrine sediments. The bulk of coal deposits in the UK occur in Upper Carboniferous strata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Cathode\"><strong>Cathode<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a plate of metal produced by electrolytic refining. Subsequently melted and cast into bars, ingots, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"CenozoicEra\"><strong>Cenozoic Era<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time extending from 65 million years ago to the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Chert\"><strong>Chert<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 sedimentary rock that is ultra\u2013fine grained and composed almost entirely of silica. May be of organic or inorganic origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"CokingCoal\"><strong>Coking coal<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 trade category of&nbsp;<em>coal<\/em>&nbsp;that is used in the steel industry to de\u2013oxidise iron ore in the blast furnace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"CoreStrategy\"><strong>Core strategy<\/strong>: sets out the long-term spatial vision for the local planning authority area, the spatial objectives and strategic policies to deliver that vision. The core strategy will have the status of a&nbsp;<em>development plan document<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Cretaceous\"><strong>Cretaceous<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 142 to 65.5 million years ago. Marks the end of the&nbsp;<em>Mesozoic Era<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"D\">D<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Dalradian\"><strong>Dalradian<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 late&nbsp;<em>Precambrian<\/em>&nbsp;metamorphosed marine sedimentary rocks found in the Grampian Highlands of Scotland and in Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Developmentplan\"><strong>Development plan<\/strong>: as set out in Section 38 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, an authority&#8217;s development plan consists of the relevant&nbsp;<em>regional spatial strategy&nbsp;<\/em>(or the spatial development strategy in London) and the&nbsp;<em>development plan documents&nbsp;<\/em>contained within its&nbsp;<em>local development framework<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Developmentplandocuments\"><strong>Development plan documents<\/strong>: spatial planning documents that are subject to independent examination, and together with the relevant regional spatial strategy, will form the&nbsp;<em>development plan&nbsp;<\/em>for a local authority area for the purposes of the&nbsp;<em>Act<\/em>. They can include a&nbsp;<em>core strategy, site specific allocations of land<\/em>, and&nbsp;<em>area action plans&nbsp;<\/em>(where needed). Other development plan documents, including generic development control policies, can be produced. They will all be shown geographically on an adopted&nbsp;<em>proposals map<\/em>. Individual development plan documents or parts of a document can be reviewed independently from other development plan documents. Each authority must set out the programme for preparing its development plan documents in the&nbsp;<em>local development scheme<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Devonian\"><strong>Devonian<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 417 to 354 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Diamagnetic\"><strong>Diamagnetic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 having a small negative magnetic susceptibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Dimensionstone\"><strong>Dimension stone<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 See Building stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Dolomite\"><strong>Dolomite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a common rock forming mineral comprising calcium, carbon, magnesium and oxygen (CaMg(CO<sub>3<\/sub>)<sub>2<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"E\">E<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Electrolytic\"><strong>Electrolytic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the process of extracting metal based on passing an electric current through a solution containing dissolved metals, causing the metals to be deposited on the cathode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Evaporite\"><strong>Evaporite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a sedimentary rock composed mainly of minerals produced by evaporation, normally from an enclosed body of seawater or a salt lake. Minerals formed in this way include gypsum, rock salt, and various nitrates and borates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Exinite\"><strong>Exinite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 one of the three types of&nbsp;<em>macerals<\/em>&nbsp;that make&nbsp;<em>coal<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Extrusive\"><strong>Extrusive<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 describes igneous rocks that have been formed by solidification of magma on or above the Earth&#8217;s surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"F\">F<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Ferromagnesian\"><strong>Ferromagnesian<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 describes rock\u2013forming silicate minerals which contain essential iron (Fe) and\/or magnesium (Mg). The most common ferromagnesian minerals include olivine, pyroxene, amphibole and mica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Fluorite\"><strong>Fluorite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a common mineral comprising, when pure, of 51.1% calcium and 48.9% fluorine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Fluorspar\"><strong>Fluorspar<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the commercial name for the mineral fluorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Footwall\"><strong>Footwall<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the name given to the host rock of an ore deposit that is&nbsp;<strong>physically<\/strong>&nbsp;below the ore deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Frothflotation\"><strong>Froth flotation<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a process by which some mineral particles are induced to become attached to bubbles and thereby to float, while others sink. Thus valuable minerals in an ore are separated from other components and concentrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"G\">G<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Gabbro\"><strong>Gabbro<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a coarse\u2013grained mafic igneous rock consisting of plagioclase feldspar and pyroxene. Olivine may also be a major constituent, while hornblende, biotite, quartz, magnetite and ilmenite are common minor phases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Gangue\"><strong>Gangue<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the undesirable or unwanted minerals in an ore deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Gneiss\"><strong>Gneiss<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 coarse-grained, granular, banded rock of metamorphic origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Goaf\"><strong>Goaf<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 name given to the collapsed hanging wall resulting from&nbsp;<em>longwall<\/em>&nbsp;mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Granite\"><strong>Granite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a pale-coloured, coarsely crystalline igneous rock rich in silica (quartz) and alkali feldspar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"H\">H<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Hangingwall\"><strong>Hanging wall<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the name given to the host rock of an ore deposit that is&nbsp;<strong>physically<\/strong>&nbsp;above the ore deposit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Highwallmining\"><strong>Highwall mining<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 mining method used to maximize the output of an open\u2013pit coal mine. Remotely operated cutting or boring machines are used to penetrate the coal seam at the foot of the highwall (the final wall in an open\u2013pit) to extract coal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Holocene\"><strong>Holocene<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 11,500 years ago to the present day. The youngest epoch and series of the&nbsp;<em>Cenozoic Era<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Humic\"><strong>Humic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 type of coal that is predominantly composed of mixed plant debris. These typically contain the&nbsp;<em>maceral<\/em>&nbsp;minerals. See also&nbsp;<em>sapropelic<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Hydrometallurgy\"><strong>Hydrometallurgy<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the treatment of ores by wet processes, resulting in the dissolution of a particular component and its subsequent recovery by precipitation, adsorption or electrolysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"I\">I<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Igneous\"><strong>Igneous<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 one of the three main groups of rocks on Earth. They have a crystalline texture and appear to have consolidated from a silicate melt (magma).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Inertinite\"><strong>Inertinite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 one of the three&nbsp;<em>macerals<\/em>&nbsp;that make&nbsp;<em>coal<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Intrusion\"><strong>Intrusion<\/strong>,&nbsp;<em>n.<\/em>&nbsp;\u2013 a body of&nbsp;<em>igneous<\/em>&nbsp;rock emplaced into pre\u2013existing rocks, either along some structural feature such as a fault or by deformation and rupturing of the invaded rocks.<br>(intrusive,&nbsp;<em>adj<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"J\">J<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Jurassic\"><strong>Jurassic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 205.1\u2013142 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"K\">K<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Kaolin\"><strong>Kaolin<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 group of pale coloured clay minerals. In the UK kaolin is an industrial mineral extracted from kaolinised granites in south\u2013west England. It is used as a paper filler and coater, and for high grade ceramics and pottery (china clay).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Karat\"><strong>Karat<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the proportion of pure gold in an alloy. Pure gold is 24 karat, with lesser quantities of gold represented by a fraction. For example, 18 karat gold is 18\/24 or 75% gold, 25% non\u2013gold alloying metal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"L\">L<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Leach\"><strong>Leach<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a chemical process in which certain components of the ore are dissolved to extract and concentrate valuable minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Lenticular\"><strong>Lenticular<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 lens shaped body of rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Limestone\"><strong>Limestone<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 any sedimentary rock consisting mostly of carbonates (calcite and\/or&nbsp;<em>dolomite<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Localdevelopmentdocument\"><strong>Local development document<\/strong>: the collective term in the Act for&nbsp;<em>development plan documents<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>supplementary planning documents&nbsp;<\/em>and the&nbsp;<em>statement of community involvement<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Local development framework<\/strong>: the name for the portfolio of&nbsp;<em>local development documents and related documents.&nbsp;<\/em>It consists of&nbsp;<em>development plan documents<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>supplementary planning documents<\/em>, a&nbsp;<em>statement of community involvement<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>the local development scheme and annual monitoring reports<\/em>. It may also include&nbsp;<em>local development orders and simplified planning zone schemes.&nbsp;<\/em>Together all these documents will provide the framework for delivering the spatial planning strategy for a local authority area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Localdevelopmentscheme\"><strong>Local development scheme<\/strong>: sets out the programme for preparing&nbsp;<em>local development documents<\/em>. All authorities must submit a scheme to the Secretary of State for approval within six months of commencement of&nbsp;<em>the Act.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Lode\"><strong>Lode<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 mining term for a mineralized&nbsp;<em>vein<\/em>&nbsp;(used irrespective of whether the&nbsp;<em>vein<\/em>&nbsp;can be economically extracted).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Longwallmining\"><strong>Longwall mining<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 type of mining that is typically found in underground coal mines. The coal seam is mechanically extracted and the&nbsp;<em>hanging wall<\/em>&nbsp;is allowed to collapse, under controlled conditions, to fill in the void. The collapsed&nbsp;<em>hanging wall<\/em>&nbsp;material is known as the&nbsp;<em>goaf<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"M\">M<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Macerals\"><strong>Macerals<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 in&nbsp;<em>coal<\/em>, the organic equivalent of minerals. These are typically&nbsp;<em>vitrinite<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>exinite<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>inertinite<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Mafic\"><strong>Mafic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 composed of one or more&nbsp;<em>ferromagnesian<\/em>&nbsp;(iron\u2013magnesium), dark\u2013coloured minerals, such as olivine and pyroxene, in combination with quartz, feldspar or feldspathoid minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Magneticsusceptibility\"><strong>Magnetic susceptibility<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a measure of the degree to which a rock is attracted to a magnet. A dimensionless constant which determines the degree to which a body is magnetised. Used in the interpretation of geophysical magnetic surveys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Marble\"><strong>Marble<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 metamorphosed (or recrystallized) limestone formed by extremes of heat and pressure, commonly occurs in highly colourful, variegated forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Marl\"><strong>Marl<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a calcareous&nbsp;<em>mudstone<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Matte\"><strong>Matte<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a product of a smelter that is composed of a metal, or metals, combined with sulphur. Requires further treatment to remove the sulphur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"MesozoicEra\"><strong>Mesozoic Era<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 250 to 65.5 million years ago. Subdivided into the&nbsp;<em>Triassic<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Jurassic<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Cretaceous<\/em>&nbsp;periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Miocene\"><strong>Miocene<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 23.8 to 5.32 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"MississippiValleytype\"><strong>Mississippi Valley type, (MVT)<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a type of&nbsp;<em>stratabound<\/em>&nbsp;deposit of lead and\/or zinc in carbonate rocks, as occurring in the Mississippi valley, USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Mudstone\"><strong>Mudstone<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 fine grained sedimentary rocks that are similar to&nbsp;<em>shales<\/em>&nbsp;in their non\u2013plasticity, cohesion and low water content but lack fissility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"N\">N<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Naturalcoke\"><strong>Natural coke<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013&nbsp;<em>coal<\/em>&nbsp;that has been carbonized by contact with an igneous intrusion or natural combustion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Naturalgas\"><strong>Natural gas<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 hydrocarbons that occur as a gas or vapour. Usually methane, but propane may be present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Neogene\"><strong>Neogene<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 part of the&nbsp;<em>Cenozoic Era<\/em>, comprising the&nbsp;<em>Miocene<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Pliocene<\/em>&nbsp;epochs from 23.8 to 1.81 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"O\">O<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Oligocene\"><strong>Oligocene<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 28.5 to 23.8 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Oligocene\"><strong>Ophiolite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a distinctive assemblage of&nbsp;<em>mafic<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>ultramafic<\/em>&nbsp;<em>igneous<\/em>&nbsp;rocks which occur in sequence from a basal&nbsp;<em>ultramafic<\/em>&nbsp;complex upwards to a gabbroic complex, a mafic sheeted\u2013dyke complex and an uppermost mafic volcanic complex. Commonly associated with deep\u2013water sediments such as&nbsp;<em>shales<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>cherts<\/em>. Generally interpreted to be derived from oceanic crust and upper mantle. Ophiolites may contain important deposits of chromite, copper and the platinum\u2013group elements (PGE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Ordovician\"><strong>Ordovician<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 495 to 440 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Overburden\"><strong>Overburden<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 material which includes soft sediment and weathered bedrock which must be removed to access the dimension stone beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"P\">P<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Paleogene\"><strong>Paleogene<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 part of the&nbsp;<em>Cenozoic Era<\/em>&nbsp;comprising the&nbsp;<em>Paleocene<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Eocene<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Oligocene<\/em>&nbsp;epochs, from 65.5 to 23.8 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Paleozoic Era\"><strong>Paleozoic Era<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 545 to 245 million years ago. Subdivided into the&nbsp;<em>Cambrian<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Ordovician<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Silurian<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Devonian<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Carboniferous<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Permian<\/em>&nbsp;<em>Periods<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Pegmatite\"><strong>Pegmatite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a very coarse\u2013grained igneous rock characterized by crystals &gt; 3 cm in length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Peridotite\"><strong>Peridotite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a class of ultramafic rocks consisting of predominantly olivine, with or without other&nbsp;<em>ferromagnesian<\/em>&nbsp;(Fe\u2013Mg) minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Permian\"><strong>Permian<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 280 to 255 million years ago, marks the end of the Paleozoic Era. Globally important source of coal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"permittedReserves\"><strong>Permitted reserves<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 Mineral deposits with the benefit of planning permission for extraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"planningPermission\"><strong>Planning permission<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 Formal approval sought from a council, often granted with conditions, allowing a proposed development to proceed. Permission may be sought in principle through outline plans, or be sought in detail through full plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Pliocene\"><strong>Pliocene<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 5.3 to 1.81 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Porphyry\"><strong>Porphyry deposit<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a mineral deposit comprising veinlets and disseminated grains of ore minerals, commonly hosted by an igneous rock, known as a porphyry, in which relatively large conspicuous crystals (phenocrysts) are set in a fine\u2013grained groundmass. Porphyry deposits are important sources of copper, molybdenum and gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Precambrian\"><strong>Precambrian<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 extensive period of geological time used literally as \u2018before the&nbsp;<em>Cambrian<\/em>\u2019. Contains around 90% of all geological time and ends approximately 545 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Proterozoic\"><strong>Proterozoic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a period of geological time that is the uppermost of the two main&nbsp;<em>Precambrian<\/em>&nbsp;divisions. Runs from 2500 to 545 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Pyroclastic\"><strong>Pyroclastic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 fragmental volcanic material that has been blown into the atmosphere by an explosive eruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Pyrometallurgical\"><strong>Pyrometallurgical<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the treatment of ores by processes involving heating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Q\">Q<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Quarrying\"><strong>Quarrying (mining)<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the extraction of rock from an open pit site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Quartzite\"><strong>Quartzite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 sandstone consisting of almost pure quartz in the form of silica grains and pervasive intergranular silica cement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Quaternary\">Quaternary \u2013 the uppermost part of the&nbsp;<em>Cenozoic Era<\/em>&nbsp;from 1.81 million years ago to present day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"R\">R<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Refractory\"><strong>Refractory<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a general term for a material that resists chemical or physical change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Refractory ore\"><strong>Refractory ore<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 ore from which it is difficult to extract the valuable constituents. May require special treatments, such as pressure leaching, to recover the valuable minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Regionalspatialstrategy\"><strong>Regional spatial strategy<\/strong>: sets out the region&#8217;s policies in relation to the development and use of land and forms part of the&nbsp;<em>development plan.&nbsp;<\/em>Planning Policy Statement 11 \u2018Regional Spatial Strategies&#8217; together with the document \u2018Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional Planning Strategies (2004), technical amendments\u2019 provide detailed guidance on the function and preparation of regional spatial strategies. Guidance will change if the \u2018Draft Policy Statement on Regional Strategies\u2019 is approved as scheduled in early 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Residual\"><strong>Residual<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 material left behind&nbsp;<em>in situ<\/em>&nbsp;after chemical weathering of a rock has removed completely removed some components.&nbsp;<em>Laterite<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>bauxite<\/em>&nbsp;are examples of residual deposits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"RoomandPillarmining\"><strong>Room and Pillar mining<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 common mining method most suitable for thick, flat lying, laterally homogeneous, ore bodies. Pillars of ore are left behind after mining to support the&nbsp;<em>hanging wall<\/em>. Also called Pillar and Stall mining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"S\">S<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Sapropelic\"><strong>Sapropelic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 type of coal that is composed mostly of algae and plant spores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Schist\"><strong>Schist<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a highly micaceous metamorphic rock which can be split along its characteristic undulating laminae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Sedimentaryexhalative\"><strong>Sedimentary exhalative (Sedex)<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 an ore deposit formed from hydrothermal fluids discharged onto the sea\u2013floor and hosted by sedimentary rocks such as black shale, siltstone and chert. Deposits comprise sheets or lenses of fine\u2013grained laminated sulphides. Sedex deposits are important sources of zinc, lead and silver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Sedimentaryrocks\"><strong>Sedimentary rocks<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 all rock types formed by the weathering, erosion and deposition (or sedimentation) of inorganic (quartz, feldspar and rock fragments) and growth, decay and deposition of organic (bioclasts) grains in rivers, lakes or the sea or by deposition from wind-borne sources (volcanic ash, sand dunes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Shale\"><strong>Shale<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a fine\u2013grained, indurated, sedimentary rock of detrital origin formed by the consolidation of clay, silt or mud. Characterised by finely stratified structure and\/or fissility approximately parallel to bedding. Composed mainly of clay minerals and detrital quartz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Silurian\"><strong>Silurian<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 440 to 417 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Sinter\"><strong>Sinter<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 roasting of fine\u2013grained ore to produce larger particles for further treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Skarn\"><strong>Skarn<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 metamorphic rocks formed around an igneous intrusion where it comes into contact with limestone or dolomite. Many skarns contain iron ore and various sulphide minerals and are important sources of metals including tin, tungsten, copper, lead, zinc, iron, gold, silver and molybdenum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Slate\"><strong>Slate<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 fine grained metamorphic rock with well developed cleavage which enables the stone to be split easily into thin slabs or sheets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Steamcoal\"><strong>Steam coal<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 trade category of&nbsp;<em>bituminous<\/em>&nbsp;coal that is used for burning in power stations and other industrial\/domestic uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Stope\">Stope \u2013 mining term for the underground void left after ore extraction has taken place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Stratabound\"><strong>Stratabound<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 an ore deposit that is confined to a single stratigraphical bed or horizon but which does not constitute the entire bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Stratiform\"><strong>Stratiform<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 an ore deposit that occurs as a specific stratigraphic (i.e. sedimentary) bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Sulphide\"><strong>Sulphide<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a mineral formed by the combination of sulphur with another chemical element. Most economic deposits of non\u2013ferrous metals occur as sulphide minerals e.g. galena, PbS; sphalerite, ZnS; chalcopyrite, CuFeS<sub>2<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Supplementaryplanningdocuments\"><strong>Supplementary planning documents<\/strong>: provide supplementary information in respect of the policies in&nbsp;<em>development plan documents.<\/em>&nbsp;They do not form part of the development plan and are not subject to independent examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"T\">T<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Telluride\"><strong>Telluride<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a mineral formed by the combination of tellurium with another chemical element e.g. calaverite, AuTe<sub>2<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Travertine\"><strong>Travertine (or tufa)<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 fine-grained limestone deposited by chemical precipitation from a lime-saturated solution, commonly sold as a marble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Triassic\"><strong>Triassic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 period of geological time from 250 to 205.1 million years ago. Marks the beginning of the&nbsp;<em>Mesozoic Era<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"U\">U<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Ultrabasic\"><strong>Ultrabasic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 describes an igneous rock containing less than 45% silica (SiO<sub>2<\/sub>), including most ultramafic rocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Ultramafic\"><strong>Ultramafic<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 composed chiefly of&nbsp;<em>ferromagnesian<\/em>&nbsp;(Fe\u2013Mg) minerals, such as olivine and pyroxene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"V\">V<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Vein\"><strong>Vein<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 A tabular or sheet\u2013like assemblage of minerals that has been intruded into a joint or fissure in rocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Vitrinite\"><strong>Vitrinite<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 one of the main groups of&nbsp;<em>macerals<\/em>&nbsp;that make coal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Volcanogenicmassivesulphide\"><strong>Volcanogenic massive sulphide, VMS<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 an ore deposit typically comprising a lens of massive sulphide minerals (&gt;60% sulphide) formed by volcanic processes normally on the sea\u2013floor. VMS deposits are important sources of copper, lead and zinc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"W\">W<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Wallrock\"><strong>Wall rock<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 an economic geology term used to describe the rock adjacent to an accumulation of ore minerals (veins, layers, disseminations, etc).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Workings\"><strong>Workings<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 the current or past underground or surface openings and tunnels of a mine. More specifically, the area where the ore has been extracted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"X\">X<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Xenolith\"><strong>Xenolith<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a discrete and recognizable fragment of country rock in an igneous intrusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Y\">Y<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Yellowcopperore\"><strong>Yellow copper ore<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 a historically common, but now rare, mining term for the mineral chalcopyrite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Z\">Z<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"Zoning\"><strong>Zoning<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 in economic geology, the spatial distribution of distinct mineral assemblages or chemical elements associated with an ore\u2013forming process.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - 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