A practical reference for the language that moves between the pit, plant, maintenance team and safety system.

A shared vocabulary is operational infrastructure

Mining teams compress a great deal of context into a few words. A term can describe where work is happening, what state an asset is in, which control applies and who needs to act next.

The challenge is that meaning can shift between sites, contractors and systems. A useful glossary creates a common starting point. It does not override local terminology, regulatory definitions or approved site procedures.

Mining and production terms

Bench
A horizontal working level in an open pit, created as material is removed in stages.
Face
The exposed surface where excavation or extraction is actively taking place.
Stope
An underground opening from which ore is extracted.
Decline
An inclined underground access route used by people, vehicles and services.
Run-of-mine ore
Material delivered from the mine before it has been processed or upgraded.
Ore pass
A vertical or steeply inclined opening used to move broken ore between levels.
Tailings
The material left after valuable minerals have been separated from the ore.
Recovery
The proportion of valuable material successfully extracted during processing.

Maintenance and reliability terms

Availability
The proportion of planned time that an asset is ready to perform its intended function.
Reliability
The likelihood that an asset performs as required for a defined period and condition.
MTBF
Mean time between failures: a measure used to understand the interval between repairable failures.
MTTR
Mean time to repair or restore: the average time required to return an asset to service.
Failure mode
The specific way in which a component or system fails to meet its intended function.
Condition monitoring
The observation of asset condition through measurements, inspections or operating signals.
Defect
A condition that may reduce performance, reliability or safety but has not necessarily caused failure.
Work order
A controlled record that defines, assigns and tracks maintenance work.

Safety and reporting terms

Hazard
A source, situation or condition with the potential to cause harm.
Near miss
An unplanned event that did not result in harm but had the potential to do so.
Incident
An event that caused, or could have caused, injury, damage, loss or interruption.
Critical control
A control that is essential for preventing a serious unwanted event or reducing its consequence.
Pre-task assessment
A short review of hazards, controls and changes before work begins.
Isolation
The controlled separation of an energy source so work can be performed safely.
Corrective action
A defined action intended to address a cause or prevent recurrence.
Permit to work
A formal authorization process used for specified high-risk work.

Use the glossary as a bridge, not a procedure

A glossary helps people understand one another and helps information move cleanly between the frontline and business systems. It should always sit beneath current site rules, approved work instructions and the definitions required by the relevant jurisdiction.

Where wording matters, show the source and revision. Where a worker is reporting an event, preserve their account before translating it into the structure the business needs.