An excavated or worked-out area in a mine, particularly in coal mining, where ore or coal has been completely extracted.
From Middle English 'gave' or 'goaf,' possibly from Cornish or Welsh origins. The term is primarily used in British mining terminology, particularly in Cornwall and Wales where it likely originated from Celtic languages.
Goaves are ghost mines—miners would leave them behind as hollow chambers, and some actually collapsed generations later. These empty underground spaces accidentally created networks where miners could escape if trapped, sometimes saving lives!
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