lähdeaines
Lähdeaines is a Finnish term used in geology and mining to denote the portion of an ore body that serves as the primary source of a target element. It is not a mineral species or a specific ore mineral, but a concept used in economic geology to differentiate the productive portion of a deposit from secondary material or waste.
Etymology and scope: The word combines lähde, meaning “source,” with aines, meaning “material” or “ore.” In practice,
Occurrence and assessment: The concept applies to various ore deposits where the target element concentrates in
Processing implications: Recognizing the lähdeaines portion guides the mining sequence and processing flowsheets. Practices such as
Relation to other terms: Lähdeaines is related to ore grade, cut-off grade, beneficiation, and economic geology.
See also: Ore genesis, Ore grade, Cut-off grade, Beneficiation. Note: the term is primarily used in Finnish-language