Washery

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A place dedicated to the cleaning and processing of coal or ores for improved quality
2. An industrial site focused on the preparation and washing of raw minerals to enhance their market value
3. A facility where coal or mineral ores are cleaned and processed to remove impurities

Etymology: "Washery" is a plain English formation: the verb "wash" with the suffix "-ery," which attaches to a base to name a place where something is done or kept. Familiar relatives include "bakery," "brewery," and "nursery," all built the same way. The suffix itself came into English through Old French "-erie," and it was productive enough that speakers attached it freely to verbs and nouns alike. The sense of a place for washing is the oldest and most literal, and "washery" is often used in that everyday way for a laundry or washing house. The mining sense, a plant where coal or ore is cleaned of earth, rock, and other impurities, is a specialised extension of the same idea: material is washed with water so that the valuable part can be separated from the waste.