Cryptic crossword clue
Substance — heavy metal — left untouched in top of shaft 7

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PITHEAD

P
I
T
H
E
A
D

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The straight part
We know that "top of shaft" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case top of shaft = pithead.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does PITHEAD mean?

PITHEAD noun
  1. The area around the top of the mineshaft of a coal mine

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