Definition of "placer"

Thou placer of plants both humble and tall

1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Februarie. Aegloga Secunda.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […]; reprinted as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, The Shepheardes Calender […], London: John C. Nimmo, […], 1890,

This is a “placer” sheep, as it is called. The prerequisites to this condition are that the young sheep must be still nursing, but must have begun to nibble grass. It must be the young of a mother that has been somewhat isolated, away from the corral and away from the herd, by herself out on the prairie. Now, when the mother dies, the lamb remains close to the mother′s body […] .

1951, Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, Problems of Infancy and Childhood, volume 4, page 101

In Australia “placer” lambs are also destroyed, for these too are of little use; they will return constantly to one place, not staying with the flock.

1971, American Society of Animal Science. Journal of Animal Science, Volume 32, Pages 601-1298, page 1281

Placer gold comes from the weathering of the primary veins releasing the gold to be transported by water action and concentrated in gravel or sand beds.

1995, Paul T. Craddock, Early Metal Mining and Production, page 110

Since time immemorial, people found that they could extract the gold from placer deposits by sifting the fine-grained material through a mesh: the technique of panning.

2002, Philip Ball, The Elements: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, published 2004, page 46

He still ran a placer mine in the Interior.

2008, Tanyo Ravicz, Of Knives and Men: Alaskans, page 77