Exploration & Mining Glossary

Feasibility study - An assessment of the economic viability of a potential mining project. The study must consider all aspects of the project, including mine and processing plant design, waste disposal, environmental management and permitting. A feasibility study will only be undertaken after an extensive series of desk studies, exploration and trial mining and processing projects have been completed.

Flagship - Are the highest priority projects. Example; Mallee Bull, Southern Nights/Wagga Tank, Wirlong and May Day.

Fold - A geological fold occurs when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation.

Foliation - A microscopic to cenimetre scale structure, creating a fabric (the preferred orientation of minerals and mineral aggregates) within a rock. Primary foliation is formed during the deposition of sediments and the formation of magmatic rocks, Secondary foliation is caused by introduced stress and strain, and Cleavage (refer to Cleavage).

Footwall - Refers to the mass of rock strata underlying the orebody (see Ore). For the opposing side, see Hanging wall.

Fresh rock - The rock that shows no visible sign of weathering, rarely encountered in surface exposures.

Galena - A lead sulphide mineral with the chemical structure of PbS. Galena attributes to the makeup of many of the orebodies seen within Peel Minining's prospects. The mineral is easily identified; it demonstrates perfect cleavage, a distinctive silver colour with a bright metallic lustre, as well as being soft enough to scratch it with a fingernail or copper coin.

Geochemical anomaly - The elevation or notable reduction/depletation of one or more elements of interest in the soil/sediment/outcrop/vegetation/water or drilled rock in comparison to background. Example; Lead (PbS) may be anomolous in the soils above an orebody.

Geological model - Is a numerical, three-dimensional, geological map contructed with the domain containing the quantities of interest, this could be the concentration of sulphides found from sampling drill core in an area. This modeling aids in defining the placement, shape and size of an orebody and is crucial in determining the economic value.

Geophysical anomaly - An irrgularity observed from the geophysical data of an area, obtained by one or more geophysical surveying methods. Example; an IP anomaly could indicate the presense of massive/semi-massive sulphides, as they tend to hold charge and have a distinctive signature.