veinstuffn.
/ˈveɪnstʌf/, U.S. /ˈveɪnˌstəf/ Geology and Mining.
Crystalline or earthy matter forming the bulk of the material in a vein and containing metallic ore; = veinstone n. 1a.
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the world > the earth > minerals > mineral sources > [noun] > material containing ore > matrix
miner?a1425
mother stone1442
minera?1645
matrix1651
mother-spar1681
veinstone1696
gangue1778
veinstuff1796
gangart1799
matrice1855
cement1881
skarn1901
1796 J. Sinclair Statist. Acct. Scotl. XVIII. 143 Spar and other vein-stuff appearing, the further working of the mines in this place was totally abandoned.
1845 J. Phillips & C. G. B. Daubeny Geol. in Encycl. Metrop. VI. 769/1 Metallic matter and certain nonmetallic substances usually connected therewith, and commonly called vein-stuff.
1881 H. Bauerman in Nature 17 Nov. 50/1 Malleable native Copper..intimately mixed with siliceous vein-stuff.
1917 A. C. Spencer Geol. & Ore Deposits Ely, Nevada 122 As a rule the veinstuff is highly siliceous and in many places it is composed of jasperoid.
1997 Jrnl. Field Archaeol. 24 412/1 The present workings are in ridges of sandstones and shales around the harder and more resistant veinstuff of quartz, diorite, and metal sulphides.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1796