# mine

/ˈmaɪn/ (US) · /mˈaɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mine
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. belonging to me

pronoun · CEFR A1

the thing or things that belong to you.

For teachers: the first-person singular possessive pronoun, used to replace a noun phrase indicating ownership by the speaker.

- You have your coffee and I have mine.
- The responsibility for the final decision was entirely mine, though I had consulted several experts beforehand.

### 2. mineral excavation

noun · CEFR B1

a deep hole or tunnel in the ground where people take out coal, gold, or other minerals.

For teachers: an excavation in the earth for extracting coal, ores, or other precious minerals.

- The workers spent all day underground in the coal mine.
- The abandoned silver mine became a significant safety hazard for the local community after the structural supports began to fail.

### 3. explosive device

noun · CEFR B2

a bomb placed under the ground or in the water that explodes when something touches it.

For teachers: a stationary explosive device designed to be detonated by the proximity or contact of a person, vehicle, or ship.

- The soldiers had to be careful because the field was full of mines.
- Naval forces were deployed to clear the shipping lanes of underwater mines left behind after the conflict ended.

### 4. rich source

noun · CEFR B2

a place or person that provides a lot of useful information or wealth.

For teachers: an abundant source of something valuable, such as information or resources.

- My grandfather is a mine of information about the history of our town.
- The archives proved to be a mine of data for the researchers, offering insights that had been overlooked for decades.

### 5. to extract minerals

verb · CEFR B1

to dig deep into the ground to find minerals like coal or gold.

For teachers: to extract ore or minerals from the earth; can be used transitively or intransitively.

- They have been mining for gold in these mountains for centuries.
- The company plans to mine the region for lithium, citing the growing global demand for battery components.

### 6. to get data or information

verb · CEFR B2

to search through a lot of information to find something useful.

For teachers: to systematically search or analyze a large body of information to extract valuable data.

- The company mines customer data to find out what people like to buy.
- Social media platforms often mine user interactions to refine their advertising algorithms and increase engagement.

### 7. to create cryptocurrency

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to use powerful computers to create new units of digital money like Bitcoin.

For teachers: to perform the computational work required to verify transactions and earn new units of a cryptocurrency.

- He uses a special computer in his basement to mine Bitcoin.
- The environmental impact of mining cryptocurrency has become a major concern due to the immense electricity consumption required for the process.

### 8. to weaken or destroy

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to slowly destroy or weaken something, often in a secret way.

For teachers: to weaken or ruin by slow degrees or secret means; often used as 'undermine'.

- Constant criticism began to mine her confidence in her own work.
- The scandal served to mine the public's trust in the institution, eventually leading to a total collapse of authority.

### 9. archaic form of 'my'

determiner · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

an old-fashioned way of saying 'my', used before words starting with a vowel.

For teachers: an archaic first-person singular possessive determiner used before a vowel sound.

- The old poem began with the words, 'Mine eyes have seen the glory'.
- In the King James Bible, the phrase 'mine eyes' is frequently employed where modern English would use 'my eyes'.

## Examples

- The workers spend all day underground in the coal mine.
- The old gold mine was closed years ago after it became too dangerous for the workers to enter.
- Environmental regulations now require companies to restore the landscape after a mine has been exhausted of its natural resources to prevent long-term ecological damage.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.