surface-mine

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Word: Surface-mine

Part of Speech: Verb

Definition: To surface-mine means to extract minerals or ores from the ground by removing the top layer of soil and rock. This method is often used when the minerals are located near the surface of the earth.

Usage Instructions:

• When to use: Use "surface-mine" when talking about the process of mining in which the surface of the land is stripped away to access the minerals underneath.
• Subject: You can use it with subjects like companies, miners, or industries.

Example Sentence:

• "The company decided to surface-mine the area because it was the most efficient way to access the gold deposits."

Advanced Usage:

In more technical contexts, "surface-mine" can be used to discuss environmental impacts, resource management, or mining regulations.

Word Variants:

• Noun Form: Surface mining (the process)
• Adjective Form: Surface-mining (describing something related to this method, e.g., surface-mining techniques)

Different Meaning:

The term "surface-mine" specifically refers to the process of mining. It does not have multiple meanings, but it can be contrasted with "underground mining," which is another method of extracting minerals located deeper in the earth.

Synonyms:

• Open-pit mining
• Strip mining
• Quarrying (though this often refers to extracting stone rather than ore)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly relate to "surface-mine." However, you may encounter phrases like "strip away" in different contexts, which means to remove something layer by layer, similar to how surface mining works.

Summary:

"Surface-mine" is a verb used in the context of extracting minerals from the earth by removing the top layers of soil and rock.

Academic

Verb

1. extract (ore) from a strip-mine

Synonyms

• strip mine
• surface mine