Illustrated Mining Terms

W

Wall - the waste or country rock on each side of a vein  
Waste - That rock or mineral which must be removed from a mine to keep the mining scheme practical, but which has no value. thumbnail
Water Gauge (standard U-tube) - Instrument that measures differential pressures in inches of water.

Weathering - the alteration of rock by such processes as the chemical action of air, water, plants and bacteria, and the mechanical action of temperature change.
Wedge - A piece of wood tapering to a thin edge and used for tightening in conventional timbering.  
Weight - Fracturing and lowering of the roof strata at the face as a result of mining operations, as in "taking weight".  
Width - The thickness of a lode measured at right angles to the dip.  
Winning - The excavation, loading, and removal of coal or ore from the ground; winning follows development.  
Winze - Inside a mine for the purpose of connecting with a lower level or of exploring the ground for a limited depth below a level.

Winze shaft

Wire rope - A steel wire rope used for winding in shafts and underground haulages. Wire ropes are made from medium carbon steels. Various constructions of wire rope are designated by the number of strands in the rope and the number of wires in each strand. ropes1.jpg (29215 bytes)
Working - When a n ore seam is being squeezed by pressure from roof and floor, it emits creaking noises and is said to be "working". This often serves as a warning to the miners that additional support is needed.  
Working face - Any place in a mine where material is extracted during a mining cycle.  
Working place - From the outside of the last open crosscut to the face.  
Workings - The entire system of openings in a mine for the purpose of exploitation.  
Working section - From the faces to the point where coal is loaded onto belts or rail cars to begin its trip to the outside.  

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