Overburden

[əʊvə'bɜːd(ə)n]

(noun.) the surface soil that must be moved away to get at coal seams and mineral deposits.

(verb.) burden with too much work or responsibility.

(verb.) load with excessive weight.

Checker: Salvatore--From WordNet

(v. t.) To load with too great weight or too much care, etc.

(n.) The waste which overlies good stone in a quarry.

Checker: Rudolph

v.t. to burden overmuch.—n. alluvial soil overlying a bed of ore.

Typist: Marcus

Edited by Ian