strip-mine
[ strip-mahyn ]
/ ˈstrɪpˌmaɪn /
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verb (used with or without object), strip-mined, strip-min·ing.
to excavate by open-cut methods.
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Origin of strip-mine
First recorded in 1925–30
OTHER WORDS FROM strip-mine
strip mine, nounWords nearby strip-mine
strip lighting, stripling, strip mall, strip map, strip mill, strip-mine, strip mining, strip out, strippable, stripped, stripped-down
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for strip-mine
Scientific definitions for strip-mine
strip mine
[ strĭp ]
An open mine, especially a coal mine, whose seams or outcrops run close to ground level and are exposed by the removal of overlying soil and rock. Strip mining can extract coal covered by as much as 60 m (200 ft) of rock and soil. If the seams roll through hills instead of lying flat, a series of tiers or contours are used to extract the coal or ore. Strip mining has been criticized for being ecologically destructive and for causing pollution of water resources, as the removed soil and rock are often dumped in lower-lying areas. Mining operators are sometimes required to restore soil and vegetation and to clean up the mining site.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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