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bing ore

The purest lead ore and with the largest crystals of galena. Hess

bing place

Derb. The place where ore is stored for smelting.

binnite

A silver-bearing variety of tennantite.

bioassay

A determination of the concentration of a substance in biological fluids
and tissue by analysis of urine, feces, blood, bone, tissue, etc.
ANSI

biochemical deposit

A precipitated deposit resulting directly or indirectly from vital
activities of an organism, such as bacterial iron ore or coralline
limestone.

biochemical prospecting

a. See:biogeochemical prospecting
b. Prospecting by means of vegetation. The root systems of trees are
actually powerful sampling mechanisms that represent samples of solutions
from a large volume of earth. Much of the mineral content from these
solutions is found in the leaves. Analysis of leaves may serve as a guide
to prospectors. Lewis

bioclastic

Said of rocks consisting of fragmental organic remains.

biogenic

Said of a rock resulting from the physiological activities of organisms,
e.g., a coral reef.

biogeochemical anomaly

An area where the vegetation contains an abnormally high concentration of
metals. Hawkes, 2

biogeochemical prospecting

Geochemical exploration based on the chemical analysis of systematically
sampled plants in a region, to detect biological concentrations of
elements that might reflect hidden orebodies. The trace-element content of
one or more plant organs is most often measured.
Syn:biochemical prospecting
AGI

biogeochemistry

A branch of geochemistry that deals with the effects of life processes on
the distribution and fixation of chemical elements in the biosphere.
AGI

bioherm

A moundlike or circumscribed mass of rock built up by sedentary organisms
such as corals, mollusks, and algae. CF:biostrome

bioleaching

The catalytic action of bacteria, such as Thiobacillus ferroxidans and
Thiobacillus thiooxidans to accelerate chemical oxidation reactions by as
much as 106 times those of chemical reactions alone; esp. useful
in leaching copper and uranium systems. SME, 1

biolite

a. A group name for minerals formed by biologic action. AGI
b. See:biolith
c. An old term for a concretion formed through the action of living
organisms. AGI

biolith

A rock of organic origin; a biogenic rock.

bioluminescence

The emission of visible light by living organisms. Hy

biomechanical deposit

A deposit due to the detrital accumulation of organic material, as in the
cases of limestones and coal. AGI

bionomics

See:ecology

biopelite

See:black shale

biophile

a. An element that is required by or found in the bodies of living
organisms. The list of such elements includes carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, iodine, bromine, calcium,
magnesium, potassium, sodium, vanadium, iron, manganese, and copper. All
may belong also to the chalcophile or lithophile groups. Hess
b. Said of those elements that are the most typical in organisms and
organic material. AGI
c. Said of those elements that are concentrated in and by living plants
and animals. AGI

bioreactor

A tank equipped for temperature, pH, and reagent control used to employ
bacteria to oxidize or reduce ores of gold and other metals and render
them amenable for metal extraction by leaching.