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Fork or Forcque. — The bottom of a sump, into which the water of a mine 
drains. To bale a shaft dry. A prop. 
Formation. — A series of strata that have been deposited continuously over 
the same area. 
Fossicker. — A mining gleaner who works over old diggings, and scratches 
about in the beds of creeks. 
Fossil. — Petrified organic remains. 
Frue Vanner. — A table over which a blanket passes in one direction whilst 
the whole has a lateral shaking motion, used for concentrating pulp and slimes. 
Fuller’s Earth. — A non-plastic unctuous hydrous silicate of alumina. 
Fundamental. — A term applied to the oldest known rocks. 
Fuse. — A slow match by which charges are fired, also to melt. 
Fusible Metal. — A compound of bismuth, lead, and tin, which melts at a 
very low temperature. 
Gad. —A steel wedge used in mining. 
Gallery. — A level or drive in a mine. 
Gang or Gangue. — The non-metallic portion of a lode. 
Gas Coal. — A bituminous coal, such as cannnel or parrot. 
Gash Vein. — A simple fissure across the bedding of the rocks, without any 
throw or slide of the rocks. 
Glance. —Minerals exhibiting a pseudometallic lustre. 
Glist. — A dark ferruginous mineral found in lodes. Micaceous iron ore. 
Gneiss. — A compact granitic rock, having a banded appearance. 
Gossan. — Vein stuff stained with oxide of iron, found at the cap of a lode. 
Granite. — A rock composed of quartz, felspar, and mica. 
Graphite. — Plumbago or blacklead. 
Grass. — At the surface of a mine. 
Gravel. —Water-worn fragments of rock. 
Greenstone or Diorite. —A stone of a greenish black colour, composed 
largely of hornblende, occurring in dykes. 
Green V itriol. — Sulphate of iron. 
Grits. — Coarse sandstone. 
Ground.— Rock at the side of a lode. Country. 
Guag. That part of the lode from which the ore has been taken out. 
Gulch. — A deep ravine. 
Gully. A small water course falling into a creek. 
Gutter. Old stream bed on the bed rock, in which the gold is found below 
the alluvium. 
Gypsum. Sulphate of lime, plaster of Paris, or stucco, stone. 
Hade. The dip or underlie of a lode or fault. 
Hematite— Native oxide of iron, red and yellow ochre. 
Handwhip. — A contrivance for lifting water from a shaft by a lever and 
counter balance. 
Hanging Wall. — The upper or head wall of a lode. 
Harrow. — A pole with teeth in it, which revolves in a puddling trough to 
puddle auriferous clays. 
Hat. —The cap of a lode. 
Hatter. — A miner who works by himself. 
