copper mine

Thân thiện

Miners descend into the deep copper mine to begin their shift.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A mine where copper is dug from the ground: A specific type of mine, which is an excavation in the earth for extracting ore, from which the metal copper is obtained.

Usage

• The word "copper mine" is a compound noun. It is used to refer to the physical location and facility where copper ore is extracted. It functions as a singular, countable noun.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The old copper mine was closed after the ore was depleted.
  • He worked in a copper mine for twenty years.
  • The region's economy was historically dependent on the local copper mine.

Advanced Usage

• "to be a copper mine" (figurative): Used informally to describe something that is a very rich source of something, especially money or information.
  • That old database is a copper mine for historical researchers. (This is an idiomatic extension, comparing the richness of the source to the valuable output of a literal mine.)

Variants and Related Words

• Copper mining (n): The industry or process of extracting copper from the earth.
  • Copper mining has significant environmental impacts.
• Mine (n): A general excavation for extracting minerals, coal, etc.
• Copper (n): The reddish-brown metallic element (Cu) that is the target of extraction.

Synonyms

• Copper pit: A less common synonym.
• Copper excavation: A more formal term describing the site.

Related Phrases

• (To) work a copper mine: To be employed in extracting copper from such a mine.
  • His grandfather used to work a copper mine in Arizona.
• (To) operate a copper mine: To manage and run the business of copper extraction.
  • The company plans to operate the copper mine for another decade.

Related Idioms

• A rich seam / vein (like a copper mine): While not a fixed idiom with "copper mine," the concept is used in metaphors. A "rich seam" is a common idiom for a valuable source.
  • The archives proved to be a rich seam of information for her book. (This conveys a similar figurative meaning as the advanced usage example above.)

Học thuật

Noun

1. a mine where copper is dug from the ground