Definition

1. Noun:
   • The main vein of ore in a deposit: The primary, richest, or most significant continuous body of ore-bearing rock within a larger mineral deposit.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The geologists identified the champion lode, which contained the highest concentration of gold.
  • Mining operations focused on extracting ore from the champion lode before exploring secondary veins.

Advanced Usage

• "To hit the champion lode": To discover the primary, most valuable vein of ore; often used metaphorically to mean finding the main source of something valuable.
  • After years of research, the team felt they had finally hit the champion lode of data for their project.

Variants and Related Words

• Lode (n): A vein of metal ore in the earth.
• Mother lode (n): A principal vein or zone of veins of ore; often used synonymously with "champion lode" but can imply an exceptionally large or rich source.
• Vein (n): A distinct sheet-like body of crystallized minerals within a rock.

Synonyms

• Main vein: The primary ore-bearing vein.
• Principal lode: The most important lode in a deposit.

Related Phrases

• Lode mining: The process of extracting ore from a lode or vein deposit.

Noun

1. the main vein of ore in a deposit