Glossary A-Z

Mining is defined as the extraction, dressing and beneficiating of minerals occurring naturally as solids, such as coal and ores, liquids, such as crude oil, or gases, such as natural gas. Mining also includes underground and surface mines, quarries and wells and all supplemental  activities for dressing and beneficiating ores and other crude minerals such as crushing, screening, washing, cleaning, grading, milling, flotation, melting, pelleting, topping and other preparations needed to render the material marketable. Mining activities are classified into groups on the basis of the principal mineral produced.