Overburden is the material that lies above an area of economic interest. Overburden is distinct from tailings, the material that remains after economically valuable components have been extracted from the generally finely milled ore.
Overburden is removed during surface mining, but is typically not contaminated with toxic components and may be used to restore an exhausted mining site to a semblance of its appearance before mining began. Overburden may also be used as a term to describe all soil and ancillary material above the bedrock horizon in a given area.
A related term is interburden, meaning material that lies between two areas of economic interest, such as the material separating coal seams within strata.
The depth and composition of any overburden must also determine to calculate its effect on the economic viability.
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