A roadway or working place excavated at an angle to both the true dip (the steepest descent) and the strike (the level contour) of a geological deposit. Miners drive slants to maintain a manageable gradient for haulage equipment where driving straight down the dip would be too steep for conveyors or rail cars.
Heard on the job
The new slant will give the shuttle cars an easier grade up to the main conveyor.