gold mining: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumTechnical, journalistic, business, historical
Quick answer
What does “gold mining” mean?
The process or industry of extracting gold from the earth.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The process or industry of extracting gold from the earth.
Any activity involving searching for or extracting something valuable; the act of profiting from a rich or abundant source of information, opportunity, or wealth.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling conventions for related terms follow regional norms (e.g., 'labour' vs. 'labor' in 'gold mining labour/labor').
Connotations
Similar connotations of adventure, historical significance (e.g., California Gold Rush, Klondike), and economic boom/bust cycles in both dialects.
Frequency
Comparable frequency, with potential slight increase in regions with historical or active mining industries (e.g., western US, Australia, South Africa).
Grammar
How to Use “gold mining” in a Sentence
[Noun] is involved in gold mining.The [region] is known for gold mining.They made a fortune from gold mining.Legislation regulates gold mining.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gold mining” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The company is seeking to gold-mine the newly discovered seam. (rare, hyphenated verb form)
- They've been gold mining in Wales for centuries.
American English
- The corporation plans to gold-mine the region. (rare)
- Prospectors gold mined these hills during the Rush.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. Use prepositional phrases: 'He works in gold mining.')
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. Use prepositional phrases: 'They made money through gold mining.')
adjective
British English
- The gold-mining sector faces new regulations.
- A gold-mining heritage centre.
American English
- Gold-mining operations have expanded.
- A historic gold-mining district.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a sector involving exploration, investment, and extraction companies (e.g., 'The gold mining stock surged.')
Academic
Studied in geology, environmental science, economic history, and development studies (e.g., 'The socio-economic impacts of colonial gold mining.')
Everyday
Used in historical contexts, news about discoveries or environmental issues, or metaphorically (e.g., 'That archive is a gold mine for researchers.').
Technical
Specific to methods (open-pit, underground, cyanide leaching), geology (ore bodies), and engineering processes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gold mining”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gold mining”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gold mining”
- Using 'gold mine' as an activity (incorrect: 'He works in a gold mine.' vs. correct activity: 'He works in gold mining.')
- Misspelling as one word: 'goldmining' (standard is two words).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost always written as two separate words: 'gold mining'. The hyphenated form 'gold-mining' is used when it functions as a compound adjective (e.g., a gold-mining company).
'Gold mining' refers to the full-scale industrial or organised process of extracting gold. 'Prospecting' is the preliminary search for mineral deposits, including gold, to see if mining would be viable.
Yes, it's commonly used as a metaphor. For example, 'data mining' or saying an old library is 'a gold mine of information' means searching through a source to extract something very valuable.
Yes. Major concerns include deforestation, use of toxic chemicals like cyanide and mercury (in small-scale mining), water pollution, and the creation of large open pits and waste rock piles.
The process or industry of extracting gold from the earth.
Gold mining is usually technical, journalistic, business, historical in register.
Gold mining: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡəʊld ˌmaɪnɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡoʊld ˌmaɪnɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[It's a] gold mine (metaphorical source of wealth)”
- “strike it rich (find gold, succeed)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'mining for GOLD' – the process of digging (mining) to find the precious yellow metal (gold).
Conceptual Metaphor
EXTRACTING VALUABLE RESOURCES IS MINING (e.g., 'data mining', 'mining for information').
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common metaphorical use of 'gold mining'?