Underburden

Pronunciation: /ˈəndɝˈbɝdən/

Underburden (noun)

  1. Material or rock layer found below a mineral deposit or coal seam.

Examples

  • The underburden must be removed before mining can begin.
  • Engineers assessed the stability of the underburden.

Common collocations: remove underburden, assess underburden, underburden layer

Synonyms of Underburden

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Antonyms of Underburden

  • when discussing excessive loads or stress