beneficiation

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

beneficiation
    n 1: crushing and separating ore into valuable substances or
         waste by any of a variety of techniques [syn: {mineral
         extraction}, {mineral processing}, {mineral dressing}, {ore
         processing}, {ore dressing}, {beneficiation}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Beneficiate \Ben`e*fi"ci*ate\, v. t. [Sp. beneficiar to benefit,
   to work mines.] (Mining)
   To reduce (ores). -- {Ben`e*fi`ci*a"tion} (?), n.
   [1913 Webster]

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