slickens · verb1
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
slickens · noun2
Ultimately a reference to the slimy, slick nature of the material. Compare slicken (“smooth”, adjective), slick (noun).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
slickens
Today it means: 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. Full definition →