gangue

[gang] /gæŋ/
noun
1.
rock or mineral matter of no value occurring with the metallic ore in a vein or deposit.
Origin
1800-10; < French < German Gang; see gang1
Examples from the web for gangue
  • Grain size varies according to degree of metamorphism as does the nature of gangue minerals.
  • Quartz and calcite are usual gangue minerals, and organic debris occurs in some deposits.
  • gangue quartz is not usually amethystine, and gangue calcite is poor in iron and manganese.
  • The method is determined by the differences in surface activity between the iron and gangue particles.
  • Slime is separated from the gangue and is reground and refloated to remove additional copper value.
  • The residual dolomite gangue was crushed and sold as agricultural dolomitic limestone.
  • Cinnabar and stibnite occurred in a gangue consisting chiefly of quartz and kaolin, with a small amount of dolomite.
  • However, low acid-buffering capacity may be offset by the local presence of calcite gangue.
  • The predominant gangue minerals are siderite and quartz.
  • The tetrahedrite occurs in a gangue of calcite and quartz.
British Dictionary definitions for gangue

gangue

/ɡæŋ/
noun
1.
valueless and undesirable material, such as quartz in small quantities, in an ore
Word Origin
C19: from French gangue, from German Gang vein of metal, course; see gang1