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Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing

Tailings

noun / TAY-lingz / Medium
Meaning

The waste material left over after the valuable fraction has been extracted from mined ore

Origin / Etymology

From tail, the remaining part, plus the suffix -ings

Synonyms
Mine waste Residue
Antonyms
Concentrate Ore
Example Sentence
"Refining carries environmental burdens, tailings, effluent and, in the case of rare earths processed from monazite, radioactive thorium and uranium residues, which make siting a multi-year political contest."
🎯 UPSC Usage

Precise technical vocabulary for GS3 answers on mining and mineral-processing environmental impact, e.g. 'unmanaged tailings ponds are a recurring source of downstream water contamination near refining and beneficiation sites.'

Relevant Subjects
Environment
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