Milling The grinding or crushing of ore. Top of page Open cut mining A form of mining designed to extract minerals that lie near the surface. Waste or overburden is removed to expose the minerals for mining. Rock covering the minerals is blasted and removed by large draglines or electric shovels and trucks. Ore A mixture of minerals, host rock and waste material which is expected to be economically mineable.
Ore reserves Refers to that part of an orebody that has been planned for extraction.
Proved Ore Reserve' is the highest level, followed by 'Probable Ore Reserve'. A mass of ore of any shape, which may include low-grade and waste as well as valuable minerals, but is separate in form and character from the surrounding country rock. That part of a geological formation or structure that appears at the surface of the Earth. Overburden The surface waste or worthless rock overlying a flat or moderately inclined economic deposit. Oxide ore Ore containing minerals which have been altered by oxidation or weathering.