A bonanza is a localized zone within a mineral vein that contains a massive concentration of high-grade ore. Striking a bonanza transforms a marginal mining operation into a highly profitable one overnight. The term is most heavily associated with historic silver and gold rushes, describing a strike rich enough to sustain years of lucrative extraction.
Heard on the job
The drill core from the lower level just hit a bonanza structure, showing visible gold across three meters of quartz.
Do not mix it up with
- Borrasca: A bonanza is a highly productive, rich ore zone, while a borrasca is a barren or unprofitable section of a mine.