rock dustn.
/ˈrɒk dʌst/, U.S. /ˈrɑk ˌdəst/ Chiefly North American Mining.
Pulverized rock, esp. (in later use) as spread in coal mines in order to reduce the risk of coal-dust explosions.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > stone or rock > [noun] > pulverized stone for use in mines
rock dust1816
1816 Amer. Mag. Apr. 400 Here lie all the constituents of the eldest and hardest rocks,..in strata of rock-dust, with rotten stones, irregular fragments, and innumerable stony nuclei.
1864 Q. Jrnl. Sci. 1 583/2 The working parts [of the boring machine] are covered to protect them from the rock-dust and débris.
1914 G. Atherton Perch of Devil i. 148 His..hands were white with ‘muck’, a mixture of rock-dust and water.
1954 J. F. Kirkaldy Gen. Princ. Geol. vi. 69 They often appear quite milky owing to the large amount of ‘rock flour’, the rock dust produced by the grinding action of the ice.
1998 Our Times May–June 38/1 Distributing inert rock dust to suppress coal dust so that it does not explode in case of fire.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
rock dustv.
/ˈrɒk dʌst/, U.S. /ˈrɑk ˌdəst/ North American. Mining.
transitive. To subject (a coal mine) to rock dusting.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > industry > mining > mine [verb (transitive)] > treat (mine) with pulverized stone
rock dust1916
stone-dust1975
1916 Compressed Air Mag. 21 8015/2 In rock-dusting a mine entry, the best way to apply the first coating is..to throw the dust on by hand.
1971 Morning Herald (Hagarstown, Maryland) 30 Jan. 1/4 The report also said the mine was not adequately rock dusted or sprayed to prevent an explosive mixture of coal dust with air.
2004 P. V. Fishback in E. L. Glaeser & C. Goldin Corruption & Reform ix. 292 The mine must be sprinkled or rock dusted.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1816
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