Footwalls

/ˈfʊtˌwɔlz/ noun

Definition

Plural of footwall; multiple rock formations that lie below sloping faults or ore veins in mining contexts.

Etymology

Plural form of footwall, maintaining the same 19th-century mining geological terminology. The suffix '-s' creates the standard English plural.

Kelly Says

Understanding footwalls versus hanging walls was literally the difference between fortune and catastrophe in mining—miners who confused them could dig in completely the wrong direction and waste months of labor!

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