A more thorough explanation:

A mineral lode is a concentrated deposit of valuable minerals within a rock bed that has clear boundaries separating it from the surrounding rock. It is also known as a mineralized belt or lode.

For example, a gold lode is a concentrated deposit of gold within a rock bed that has clear boundaries separating it from the surrounding rock. The gold lode can be traced through the enclosing mass of rock, making it easier to extract the gold.

Mineral lodes are important for mining because they allow miners to extract valuable minerals more efficiently. By identifying the boundaries of the lode, miners can focus their efforts on extracting the minerals from a specific area, rather than searching for them throughout the entire mountain.