Beneficiations

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of improving the economic value of raw materials through physical or chemical treatment
2. The act of enhancing the quality or utility of a substance, often used in mining and material science
3. A method involving the separation and refining of valuable components from ores and minerals to increase their market value

Etymology: Beneficiation is the plural form of "beneficiation", the noun for the process of treating raw material to raise its quality, and the word is built from "benefit" plus the suffix "-ation". The base word "benefit" came into English from Anglo-French "benefet" and ultimately from Latin "beneficium", meaning a kindness or favour, from "bene" (well) and "facere" (to do). The suffix "-ation" marks an action or process, so the noun names the act of making something better. In mining, the sense is quite literal: ore is crushed, washed, separated or concentrated so that the valuable mineral makes up a larger share of what is shipped to the smelter. The word thus carries its original idea of doing good into a practical industrial setting, where the "favour" is done to rock.