Pronunciation: [lˈiːt͡ʃɪŋ] (IPA) 
The word "leaching" is spelled with an "ea" combination, which can be tricky to pronounce correctly. In IPA phonetic transcription, it is written as /ˈliːtʃɪŋ/. The "ea" is pronounced as a long "ee" sound, followed by a "ch" sound that is formed by pressing the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth. The final "-ing" is pronounced with a nasal "n" and a hard "g" at the end.
Leaching is a process that refers to the extraction or removal of a substance from a solid material by dissolving it or washing it out with a liquid. This process predominantly occurs in the field of metallurgy, mining, and agriculture.
In metallurgy, leaching is utilized for the recovery of valuable metals from their ores. It involves treating the ore with a solvent to dissolve the desired metal, creating a solution referred to as a leachate. The leachate is then separated from the solid residue, and the desired metal is subsequently obtained through further chemical processing.
In the context of mining, leaching is employed to separate and extract valuable minerals from the surrounding rock or ore. It usually involves the use of various chemical agents or bacteria to dissolve the minerals, which are then recovered from the resulting solution.
In agriculture, leaching refers to the process by which water-soluble nutrients or fertilizers are washed away from the soil due to excessive irrigation or rainfall. This can lead to the loss of essential nutrients, resulting in reduced soil fertility and potential environmental pollution as these nutrients may contaminate groundwater or nearby water bodies.
Overall, leaching is a technique used to extract desired substances from solid materials or deposits through the use of a liquid solvent, benefiting industries such as metallurgy, mining, and agriculture.
Lixiviation.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "leaching" is derived from the Old English word "leccan", which means "to moisten or wet". In Middle English, it was referred to as "lecchen" and later transformed into "leech". The term eventually developed into "leaching" and began to be used specifically in the context of extracting substances or minerals from a solid material by dissolving them in a liquid medium.
