The worthless rock or mineral surrounding ore in a mine; the non-valuable material extracted alongside valuable metals or gems.
From French 'gangue,' possibly from German 'Gang' (vein or lode) or related to 'gang' as a passage. The term became standard in mining vocabulary.
When miners extract gold, silver, or diamonds, the gangue (often quartz or feldspar) often weighs 100 times more than the valuable ore—which is why mining waste is such a massive environmental challenge today.
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