El Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, and Related Terms
http://www.maden.hacettepe.edu.tr/dmmrt/ define stopr así: b. To excavate ore in a vein by driving horizontally upon it a series of
workings, one immediately over the other, or vice versa. Each horizontal
working is called a stope because when a number of them are in progress,
each working face under attack assumes the shape of a flight of stairs.
When the first stope is begun at a lower corner of the body of ore to be
removed, and, after it has advanced a convenient distance, the next is
commenced above it. This is called overhand stoping. When the first stope
begins at an upper corner, and the succeeding ones are below it, it is
called underhand stoping. The term stoping is loosely applied to any
subterranean extraction of ore except that which is incidentally performed
in sinking shafts, driving levels, etc., for the purpose of opening the
mine.
c. Commonly applied to the extraction of ore, but does not include the ore
removed in sinking shafts and in driving levels, drifts, and other
development openings. Lewis
e. Any excavation in a mine, other than development workings, made for the
purpose of extracting ore.
La definición de stope es bien diferente de la de una galería, si bién en ambas se se puedan utilizar explosivos o máquinas similares. Para simplificar realmente la cosa se lo podría llamar directamente "minero". No he interpretado para nada tu prpropuesta como descalificante, tus aportes son siempre positivos. Mi puntillosidad deriva de conocer muchas minas por haber trabajado en ellas y tratar de ser lo más preciso posible con la terminología. Un abrazo.