Definition
gossans
noun
- Plural of gossan; a type of iron-rich, weathered rock formed at the surface of ore deposits, often used as an indicator of underlying mineral wealth.
Usage: geology; mining
Examples
- Geologists identified gossans in the hillside that suggested valuable copper deposits below.
- The reddish gossans exposed on the mountainside indicated past mining activity in the region.
- Prospectors used gossans as natural markers to locate promising ore bodies.
- The weathered gossans contained iron oxides that gave them a distinctive rusty appearance.