tailings

tailings

A farmer separates the tailings from the harvested grain.

Definition
  1. Noun (plural):
    • Waste or residue from a process: "tailings" refers to the material left over after a valuable component has been extracted, typically in mining, milling, or agricultural processing. This includes crushed rock, sand, or other byproducts.
    • Specifically in mining: The refuse or waste material resulting from the washing, crushing, or grinding of ore, often containing small amounts of unrecovered minerals.
    • In agriculture: The lighter, less valuable parts of grain, such as chaff or broken kernels, that are separated during threshing or winnowing.
Usage Examples
  • (Waste material from ore processing.)
  • (Leftover grain byproducts.)
  • (Mining waste.)
Advanced Usage

  • "Tailings dam": a structure built to contain the waste slurry from mining operations.

    • The collapse of a tailings dam caused a devastating mudslide. (A dam for storing mining waste.)

  • "Tailings pile": a heap or mound of waste material.

    • The tailings pile was visible from miles away. (A large accumulation of mining refuse.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Tail (verb): to follow closely or remove the end part of something.

    • The dog tailed its owner through the park. (Followed closely.)

  • Tail (noun): the rear part of an animal or object.

    • The cat's tail twitched nervously. (The appendage at the back.)

  • Tailings is used only in the plural form; there is no singular "tailing" in common usage.

Synonyms
  • Waste: unwanted or unusable material.
  • Residue: what remains after a process.
  • Refuse: discarded matter.
  • Byproduct: secondary product from a manufacturing process.
Related Idioms
  • "Tailings of the crop": an idiomatic phrase referring to the least valuable part of a harvest.
    • They sold the tailings of the crop at a discount. (The leftover, inferior grain.)
Phrasal Verbs

  • Tail off: to decrease gradually.

    • Production tailed off after the mine closed. (Declined slowly.)

  • Tail after: to follow or pursue.

    • The children tailed after the parade. (Followed behind.)
Related Words

  • Tailgate (n): a board at the back of a truck that can be lowered for loading.

    • He lowered the tailgate to unload the boxes. (The rear panel.)

  • Tailing (n, rare): the act of following or the end part of something.

    • The tailing of the procession was lost in the dust. (The rear portion.)