surface sediment containing particles of gold or some other valuable mineral
b.
(in combination)
placer-mining
Word origin
C19: from American Spanish: deposit, from Spanish plazaplace
placer in American English1
(ˈpleɪsər)
noun
a person who places
placer in American English2
(ˈplæsər)
US
noun
a waterborne or glacial deposit of gravel or sand containing heavy ore minerals, as gold or cassiterite, which have been eroded from their original bedrock and concentrated as small particles that can be washed out
Word origin
AmSp (for Sp placel) < Catalan, lit., sandbank < plassa, a place < L platea: see place
Examples of 'placer' in a sentence
placer
But I hadn't read up on the geological background of placer gold deposits then.
Innes, Hammond HIGH STAND (2002)
It followed the contour line of the mountain, running above the placer plant, then dipping quite sharply.
Innes, Hammond HIGH STAND (2002)
`Is this anything like a placer mine after they've got the gold out?
Innes, Hammond HIGH STAND (2002)
And they want Captain Largo to get us out checking the appropriate chapter houses to see if he's been doing any placer mining.