# slickens

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. Fine, harmful, and (when wet) slimy pulverized rock, a waste product (pollution) produced by hydraulic mining and quartz milling, which can silt up rivers and accumulate on soil downstream of such activities.

## Etymology
Ultimately a reference to the slimy, slick nature of the material. Compare slicken (“smooth”, adjective), slick (noun).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/slickens