S - Z

Sample - A small portion of rock or mineral deposit, usually taken for the purpose of being assayed to determine possible content of valuable elements.

Shaft - A vertical or inclined excavation for the purpose of opening and servicing a mine. It is usually equipped with a hoist at the top, which lowers and raises a conveyance for handling men and material.

Square Set - A set of timbers used for support in underground mining, consisting of cap, girt and post.

Slab Round – Miner Speak for the process of blasting away the side of the mine shaft.

Sounding - The process of looking for loose rock accomplished by tapping the sides of the mineshaft and listening for loose rock.

Specimen – An ore sample that is sold as is - often to rock collectors looking for a visually interesting collection piece.

Stalactites - A deposit, usually of calcium carbonate, shaped like an icicle, hanging from the roof of a cave or the like, and formed by the dripping of calcareous (containing calcium) water.

Stope - An excavation in a mine from which ore is being or has been extracted.

Tailings - Material rejected from a mill after the recoverable valuable minerals have been extracted.

Timbers – The wooden beams used to support the mine tunnel’s walls and roof.

Tramp Miner – A miner who constantly moves from one mining job to another.

Tramping – The act of quitting or ‘walking off’ a job.

Troy Ounces - A type of measurement for gold. A troy is different than an ounce.

Tunnel - A horizontal underground passage that is open at both ends; the term is loosely applied in many cases to an adit, which is open at only one end.

Vein - A fissure, fault or crack in a rock filled by minerals that have travelled upwards from some deep source.

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