mining
UK: ˈmaɪnɪŋ | US: ˈmaɪnɪŋ
n. the process or industry of extracting minerals or other geological materials from the earth
vt. the act of extracting (resources) from the ground
The word "mining" derives from the Old French miner (to dig, extract ore), which traces back to the Celtic mein (ore, metal). The suffix -ing was added in Middle English to form a noun denoting the action or process. The morpheme "mine" preserves its core meaning of extraction, while -ing generalizes it into an ongoing activity or industry.
Coal mining has been a major industry in this region for centuries.
The company specializes in deep-sea mining for rare minerals.
Environmentalists oppose mining in protected forests.
He studied mining engineering to work in resource extraction.
Bitcoin mining requires significant computational power.