[stope] n [prob. fr. LG stope, lit., step; akin to OE staepe step--more at step] (1747): a usu. steplike excavation underground for the removal of ore that is formed as the ore is mined in successive layers
STOPE
Meaning of STOPE in English
Merriam-Webster English vocab. Английский словарь Merriam Webster. 2012