# tailing

/ˈteɪɫɪŋ/ (US) · /tˈeɪlɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tailing
Updated: 2026-10-17

## Definition

the waste material that is left over after valuable metals or minerals have been removed from rocks.

For teachers: the residue of ore that remains after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction. Usually appears in the plural form when referring to mining waste.

## Examples

- The company must safely store the mining tailing to protect the river.
- Environmental groups expressed concern over the stability of the dam holding back the toxic tailing from the copper mine.
- The catastrophic failure of the tailing storage facility resulted in a massive release of sludge that devastated the local ecosystem for decades.

## Synonyms

residue, waste, slag, dross

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in the plural ('tailings') to refer to the mass of waste material.

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