MLchartDataset catalogue

Pay dirt

Term · Industrial and trades · MLC-T-IND-004176

Gravel, sand, or other earthen material that contains a sufficient concentration of a valuable mineral, such as gold, to make its extraction economically profitable. The term originated in placer mining, where miners would wash material to separate the heavier precious metals. Finding pay dirt signifies the discovery of a deposit worth the cost and effort of mining.

Table 1. Record
IdentifierMLC-T-IND-004176
FieldIndustrial and trades
SubjectMining and extraction
TranslationsGerman: Erzmaterial; Spanish: tierra rentable; French: terre à minerai
Record as JSON 
{
  "id": "MLC-T-IND-004176",
  "term": "Pay dirt",
  "field": "Industrial and trades",
  "definition": "Gravel, sand, or other earthen material that contains a sufficient concentration of a valuable mineral, such as gold, to make its extraction economically profitable. The term originated in placer mining, where miners would wash material to separate the heavier precious metals. Finding pay dirt signifies the discovery of a deposit worth the cost and effort of mining.",
  "subject": "Mining and extraction",
  "translations": {
    "de": "Erzmaterial",
    "es": "tierra rentable",
    "fr": "terre à minerai"
  },
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/industrial/pay-dirt/"
}

Record 4,534 of 7,291 in Industrial and trades terminology (MLC-0113). Request the full dataset.