The word "gangue" is pronounced as "ɡæŋ". It refers to the waste or low-grade rock in which valuable minerals are often found. The spelling of the word comes from the French language where it originally referred to a particular type of rock found in mines. In English, the spelling has been modified to be closer to its pronunciation. The use of IPA phonetic transcription helps to understand the exact pronunciation of words, making it easier to learn and communicate effectively.
Gangue is a term used in mining and geology to describe the worthless or economically insignificant material that surrounds and accompanies valuable minerals or ores. It refers to the non-desirable minerals, rocks, or particles that are found alongside the valuable mineral deposit in the earth's crust.
The gangue material is typically composed of various minerals or substances that do not have any commercial value on their own. These materials can include quartz, calcite, feldspar, mica, or various types of rocks. Gangue is often found in association with ore deposits, occurring in the form of waste rock, veins, or interstitial material.
The presence of gangue in an ore deposit poses several challenges for miners and mineral processing engineers. It can hinder the extraction of the valuable minerals by reducing the efficiency of separation processes. Gangue can also add to the cost of mining operations as it may require additional processing steps to separate the valuable minerals from the waste material.
In some cases, however, gangue can also have potential uses or economic value. For instance, gangue minerals such as quartz or feldspar can be used as raw materials in the production of ceramics, glass, or construction materials. While gangue is primarily considered as waste material in mining, it can sometimes find secondary uses in various industries.
See gang.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "gangue" has its origins in the German word "Gang", which means "vein" or "ore". In mining, gangue refers to the non-valuable materials that are found alongside valuable minerals within an ore deposit. The term was adopted into English from German in the mid-19th century, and in the mining context, it came to refer specifically to the waste or barren rock that needed to be separated from the desired minerals during the extraction process.