2014 groundWORK Newsletter

groundWORK 2014 Educator Newsletter www.miningmatters.ca 1
Celebrating 20 Years!
In 2014, Mining Matters celebrates 20 years of commitment to broaden students’
understanding of Earth science and the vital role rocks, minerals, and metals play
in everyday life, and to increase awareness of the many career opportunities in the
minerals industry.
Looking back, we recall the original Mining Matters classroom resource being developed in response to
the lack of school curriculum or age-appropriate resources for Earth science education. Three teachers
designed an informative, activity-based resource about minerals, metals, rocks, and the mining sector
for Ontario grades 6 and 7. Rock and mineral samples included, the unit was available in English and
French, along with a training workshop to ensure its effective implementation in the classroom.
By August 1995, 600 Mining Matters kits had been given to Ontario teachers. The response was
overwhelming, and by 1999, more than 2,000 kits were distributed. How proud we were when
we received the Conference Board of Canada’s 1996 – 1997 Partnership Focus Award for our
education initiative promoting science literacy at the elementary and secondary school levels.
In 2002, we delivered our first program specifically designed for Aboriginal youth. Eighteen students
from six communities gathered for a week-long, classroom-based experience in Nunavut. In 2008,
we delivered our first Mining Rocks Earth Science Camp, marking the beginning of our highly
successful Aboriginal Education and Outreach Programs.
Today, Mining Matters is known for exceptional educational resources that complement curriculum
expectations across Canada. Last year, more than 60,000 students, teachers and members of the
public benefited from Mining Matters programming. Here are some highlights:
• 1,300+ Aboriginal youth and adults took part in Mining Rocks Earth Science Programs
• 25,557 students participated in educational workshops
• 1,456 teachers trained to implement Mining Matters curriculum kits in their classrooms
• 32,000+ members of the public benefited from our Outreach programs
• 2 new Mining Matters publications rolled out in English and French: What is a Mine? colouring
book and Power to the People poster
• 2 Mining Matters posters were translated to Ojibway, Cree, and Oji-Cree: From Northern Lights to
Urban Trails and Cutting Edge
Since inception in 1994, Mining Matters has reached over 550,000 teachers, students, and
members of the general public. We have come a long way. Please join us as we continue to
innovate, evolve, and reach new milestones on the journey ahead.
Contents
Celebrating 20 Years! ................................. 1
What Is Your Earth IQ?................................. 2
Mining Matters School Programs at the
PDAC Convention ....................................... 3
New Colouring Book and Poster ................. 3
Field Trip Subsidies For You ........................ 3
Field Trips Aplenty .................................... 3
• Field Trip of Many Wonders ................ 3
• Visiting the U of Waterloo Earth
Science Museum ............................... 4
• Rock Odyssey to the ROM .................. 5
• Geology in the Yukon .......................... 5
• Exploring the Bonnechere Caves ........ 5
Space: The Final Frontier ........................... 6
Niobium: A Transition Metal ........................ 7
Learning Opportunities Outside
the Classroom ............................................ 7
Resources For You ..................................... 8
• Websites ............................................ 8
• Publications ....................................... 8
• Mulitmedia ........................................ 9
• Careers .............................................. 9
Minerals and Fireworks ............................. 9
WHERE Challenge ...................................... 10
Robotics in Mineral Exploration .................. 11
Did You Know: Uses for Rocks in Ancient
Times ......................................................... 11
ACTIVITY: Engineer and Build an
Underground Mine Model .......................... 12
Mining Matters Mine Game Activity ............ 15
Gem and Mineral Shows across Canada .... 16

groundWORK 2014 Educator Newsletter www.miningmatters.ca2
8. Earth resources are precious and we should conserve them.
9. Earth Scientists conduct research to understand the planet
better and to discover resources of use to humankind.
10. Earth is best appreciated outdoors.
Earth Quiz: Do You Really Know Your Planet?
http://www.space.com/15351-earth-quiz-planet.html
During a week-long Earth science professional learning event, we
asked teachers at different education levels to list 10 things students
should know about Earth by the time they graduate.
Their responses are collectively represented in the Wordle* below:
*A Wordle is an image cloud of words generated from the text that the user provides. The
clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.
We also asked elementary students attending the Ancaster Gem and
Mineral Show what 10 things people should know about the Earth.
• Earth is very old – Gavin, age 9, grade 4, Alexander’s Public School
• Mining is very hard; mining has improved – Rayyan, age 9, grade 4,
Alexander’s Public School
• There is more water then (sic) land; it is a sphere – Rachel, age 8,
grade 4, Alexander’s Public School
• Minerals are everywhere – Natasha, age 9, grade 4, Alexander’s
Public School
• The Earth forms rocks – Danielle, age 9, grade 4, Sacred Heart P.S.
• The Earth is full of oxyon (sic) – Jesse, age 9, grade 4, Sacred Heart P.S.
• It’s round and beautiful – Malachi, age 9, Rehoboth Christian School
• The Earth has 4 layers; the Earth has 7 continents – Ethan, age 9,
Rehoboth Christian School
It would seem, by comparison, that the students and the educators
who teach them are rediscovering the connections between the Earth
and our well-being.
What Is Your Earth IQ?
We all have an IQ, or Intelligence Quotient. But have you ever heard
of an Earth Intelligence Quotient? There are things that every citizen
of the planet should know, and they should have learned them young.
It all starts with educating students. Teachers can inspire students to
reconnect with our planet Earth. Teachers need to look for opportunities
to incorporate information about Earth into existing curriculum:
interesting facts about its structure, its surficial and internal processes,
and its resources and their uses.
Keep in mind a simple statement:
If it cannot be grown, it must be mined.
Godfrey S. Nowlan Ph.D., Research Scientist with Geological Survey
of Canada and author of The Earth and its People: Repairing Broken
Connections says the following:
Humans are losing touch with the Earth. They tend to ignore the
strong linkages between Earth resources and the level of civilization
they enjoy. They also tend to ignore the forces of Earth processes,
rendering themselves insensitive to natural processes and hazards.
The disconnection is strongest in the developed first world of which
Canada is a part. Earth scientists hold the key knowledge to repair
this disconnection between the Earth and its people. It is critical that
we place more of a social context on Earth science, especially as it is
communicated to the public. We need to re-establish the connections
between our well-being and the Earth resources that make it possible.
We also need to educate society about how Earth processes affect our
everyday life. By the same token, we also need to elaborate more of
the social context of Earth sciences to students of Earth sciences.
Earth scientists hold the key knowledge to repair the disconnection
between the Earth and its people. It is critical that we place more of
a social context on Earth science, especially as it is communicated
to the public.
Nowlan suggests 10 things Canadians should know about the Earth:
1. Earth functions through a complex of systems: Earth’s internal
workings (Geosphere), life on Earth (Biosphere), Water
(Hydrosphere) and Air (Atmosphere). They interact in complex ways
with intricate feedbacks, often with surprising results.
2. The Earth is old (4.6 billion years old—an unfathomable amount
of time).
3. Life on Earth has been evolving for 3.5 billion years (at least).
4. Earth is constantly moving and changing; changes are at different
scales, continuous or sporadic and gradual or catastrophic.
5. Some Earth processes can be hazardous (earthquakes, volcanoes,
landslides).
6. Human activity has changed the Earth.
7. Earth provides all the resources we all use every day (we are
dependent on Earth for all of the materials we manufacture and
for all of our energy needs).

Mining Matters School Programs at
the PDAC Convention
Since 2007, Mining Matters has presented a two-day, hands-on
learning school program for elementary and secondary students
at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)
International Convention, Trade Show and Investors Exchange in
downtown Toronto, Ontario.The four-day annual Convention, held at
the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, is the world’s largest annual
mineral exploration convention.
This learning opportunity is beneficial to all students, but may be
of greatest interest to those interested in geology, engineering,
geography, natural resource management, mining, Aboriginal studies
and environmental practices related to land use. The Trade Show
hosts over 1,000 exhibitors. Students visit the Trade Show and chat
with exhibitors, exposing them to the immense scope of the mineral
exploration and mining industry.
Teachers that use Mining Matters resources in their classroom and
are interested in providing their students with this unique opportunity
are encouraged to write a letter stating interest to Mining Matters
Manager of Teacher Training and School Programs. Letters, written on
school letterhead, must be received by the end of June each year to be
considered for the following year’s event.
New Colouring Book: What is a Mine?
Mining Matters is pleased to announce that our What is a Mine?
colouring book, for children ages 6 to 12 years, is now available in
English and French. Mighty Miner, or MM for short, takes children on
an exploratory adventure, using pictures and a story enhanced by a
word search, maze, and connect-the-dots activities, to answer the
question “What is a Mine?” Mining Matters thanks Barrick Gold for
their generous contribution and support. Children will love this fun and
informative book. For copies, email info@miningmatters.ca. Copies
may also be downloaded at www.miningmatters.ca
New Poster: Power to the People!
Our third in a series of original Mining Matters posters, Power to the
People is now available. This new Mining Makes It Happen publication
explores alternative energy sources and technology that can reduce
our dependence on gas and oil.
It shows how metals, minerals,
and the people in the mining
and minerals industry are key
components in bringing alternative
energy technology to the people.
For hard copies, contact us at
info@miningmatters.ca. An
online interactive version will
soon be available; watch for
it in 2015.
Human Resources
Manager
Field Trip Subsidies For You
Mining Matters offers a Field Trip Subsidy Program to enrich
Earth science learning. Teachers who have completed an
in-service workshop and use a Mining Matters resource kit in
the classroom may apply for the subsidy. The subsidies, up to
$500 each, are intended to help offset the cost of transportation
and entrance fees to stone, sand and gravel, mining, and
geoscience venues. Applications will be considered on a
first-come, first-served basis.
To learn more and download an application form, go to
www.pdac.ca/mining-matters/school-programs/teachers/
field-trip-subsidy
Field Trips Aplenty
Field Trip of Many Wonders
Rob Millard, Notre Dame Catholic High School, Carleton Place, ON
Meghan Packard, SES 4U student
Students have many misconceptions about mining and related industry.
Telling them about the industry and the advances made can only go so
far. Showing them the scope of mining, goes much, much further. I had
the opportunity to take students to the Mining for Society (M4S) show
in Toronto in May. Unlike most schools visiting the show, we drove from
Carleton Place, near Ottawa.
Using a Field Trip Subsidy from Mining Matters to help defray costs,
I was able to deliver a fun, informative field trip to 35 students: my
grade 12 Earth and Space class, some grade 10 science students, and
our Envirothon Team.
I gave students an information booklet that I had prepared to help
explain the geology of the route, the importance and history of each
site, assignments to be completed at each venue, and even an eye spy
game with prizes to be won.
Leaving at 6:15 am, we set off for Toronto, breaking up the long drive
with a series of educational stops. Our route took us from the Ottawa
Embayment through the Grenville Metasedimentary belt and into the
sedimentary basin around Lake Ontario.
Meghan carries on the story:
At our first stop, the Deloro Mine, we learned about the gold mining
process and the effect on the surrounding environment. With no
environmental laws in place at the time of operation, the mine site
became contaminated. Gold is no longer mined there, but arsenic and
other hazardous wastes were left behind. Today’s environmental and
safety laws called for the government to act. The mine site is now
being reclaimed, being made into a park and the water made safe
once again.

Next, we visited the Marmoraton Iron Mine, which began production in
1955 and provided nearly 520,000 tons of ore pellets before closing
in 1978. To access the iron, 35 metres of limestone and sandstone
had to be removed. The mine pit is 1/3 km wide, 1/2 km long, and 213
metres deep, and has been left to fill with water, creating an artificial
lake. Plans to reclaim the site completely have been put on hold as
the area is now used as a limestone quarry. The artificial lake was
beautiful and the surrounding paths allowed for more observation of
the surrounding geology.
Next up, the Scarborough Bluffs, a remnant of glacial history. Sixty
thousand years ago, the land was weighted down by the continental
glaciers, forming a solid deposit of silt, clay, and sand. Over the years,
Ontario Lake currents eroded the bluffs, causing concern to the
residents living above the formation. To stabilize the bluffs, a barrier
was created on the surrounding lake bottom. The barrier was extremely
successful and is now beautiful Bluffers Park.
We finally arrived at the M4S Show in Toronto. It featured six
pavilions: Exploration, Mining, Processing, Products and Fabrication,
Sustainability and Safety, and Education and Careers. Each pavilion
offered a variety of activities and learning opportunities.
The exploration pavilion demonstrated tools, maps, and technology
used in mineral exploration. The mining pavilion showed what follows
a successful exploration—this included mine development, mineral
extraction and mining methods. The next pavilion taught about mineral
processing. This included activities with magnets, electrical currents,
and acidity tests to help with mineral separation. Pavilion four featured
products and fabrication. We learned about the many daily uses of
mined minerals, such as toothpaste and cell phones. The sustainability
pavilion taught how communities are sustained by mining, as well as the
reclamation process of mines no longer in use. At the safety pavilion, I
learned about how safe the mining industry really is. I could see historical
and modern-day rescue equipment and learn how some of the most
important safety gear is used. The final pavilion, education and careers,
showed the many job opportunities associated with the mining industry,
and taught me that not all mining jobs involve working underground. I
learned how to get involved in the mining industry after high school.
The M4S experience was very educational and rewarding. The show
proved wrong many preconceived notions about mining and it being
dirty, dangerous work. After visiting the M4S exhibits, I have a better
outlook on mining and can even consider working in the mining
industry in the future.
Our last stop was the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), in downtown
Toronto. At the ROM, we saw the mineral gallery, which had hundreds
of amazing and rare minerals of all different types, including gold,
dioptase and serandite. We learned more about minerals and where
they’re found. We also visited other exhibits, including dinosaurs and
mammals. Exploring the ROM was fascinating.
Our visit to Toronto was a very long and tiring day, but gave us great
memories and new discoveries. The experience greatly enhanced my
understanding of geology and the mining process and the Earth and
Space Science course.
Visiting the U of Waterloo Earth Science Museum
Aimee Partlow, Aberfoyle Public School, Guelph, ON
After spending a week on the Teachers’ Mining Tour last summer, I
thought my grade 4 students needed to take a field trip of their own.
My week-long trip, which included going 1500 m underground in a
mine, wasn’t going to be feasible for them, but I knew just where to
take my students for a taste of mining and geology. The University of
Waterloo Earth Science Museum offers free programs to school groups.
I decided to take advantage of the Mining Matters field trip subsidy to
pay for the bus. If you are a teacher and haven’t taken advantage of
the tour or Mining Matters professional development and resources, I
strongly recommend it. (It might mean a free trip for your students too).
At the beginning of May, I got on the bus with 36 students and 10
parent volunteers and headed off to the museum. We were treated to
an excellent program put on by Peter Russell and Corina McDonald,
the outgoing and incoming curators of the museum. I first met Peter
when I was about the same age as my students, and he encouraged
my own growing interest in geology. Several years, collecting trips,
and boxes of ‘treasures’ later, I’m still just as excited as I was back
then. So, it was a treat to take my students to the museum and watch
Peter share his bubbling enthusiasm with a new generation of kids. I
met Corina more recently, and I can assure you the museum is being
left in good hands.
My students were delighted by the many activities. They learned about
mining in Ontario, from the nickel in Sudbury to the silver in Cobalt.
Then, they donned hard hats to visit the mining tunnel in the museum
and push the plunger for a simulated rock blast. There was also some

gold panning, a scavenger hunt through the atrium, and a picnic lunch
in the rock garden. Both the students and parents commented on
how much they enjoyed the trip. I now have specimens coming in for
identification and questions about where else parents can take their
kids to foster the interest. Several students gave me minerals instead
of chocolates at the end of the year. I think we may have some future
geologists in the making, or at least a few kids who won’t take gneiss
rocks for granite!
Rock Odyssey to the ROM
Ms. Hopkins and Ms. Nicholl, Thorncliffe Park Public School,Toronto, ON
In March, we headed downtown, riding the TTC to the Royal Ontario
Museum. We took a scenic walk through Philosopher’s Lane, noting the
many rocks used to construct the university and museum buildings. This
was the beginning of an outstanding day of exploration, observation, and
connections to our grade 4 Earth Science Unit on Rocks and Minerals.
We began with a guided tour through the ROM’s Gem and Mineral
Gallery. The enormous meteorite fascinated our students. Questions
abounded as they tried to connect their prior knowledge of minerals
and rock types to this specimen of unknown origin. Our students’ level
of thinking and questioning greatly impressed the ROM tour guides…
and their teachers!
In the Gallery, students saw a huge slab of mica the size of a
Smartboard! They were dazzled by precious gemstones. Question-
mark-shaped gypsum, moss-like minerals, and minerals spanning every
colour in the rainbow really “wowed” them. Such an impressive and
expansive collection greatly enhanced our students’ appreciation of
geology and Earth science. Perhaps this learning opportunity inspired
some of them to consider a career in mining and the geosciences.
From there, we ventured behind the walls of the public galleries to
the Rock and Mineral lab. Through hands-on experiences, students
consolidated their prior knowledge of rock and mineral properties, using
unique and high quality specimens. Once again, they demonstrated
their enthusiasm as they tested for hardness, streak, magnetism, and
density. Walking to the lunchroom, the building and galleries “came to
life.” Rocks here, minerals there, fossils on the floor….
This incredible learning opportunity would not have been possible
without the generous Mining Matters Field Trip Subsidy. Our “Rock
Odyssey” exploration broadened our students’ understanding of the
possibilities in the fields of mining and geology. How can one quantify
the power of a $500 subsidy? Ms. Hopkins’ and Ms. Nicholls’ classes
say “Thank you!!”
Geology in the Yukon
Kristin Innes-Taylor, Selkirk Elementary, Whitehorse, YK
In June 2013, I took my Grade 5 class to the Whitehorse Copper
Belt, where we spent three hours with Sarah Laxton, geologist from
Yukon Geological Survey. We examined three old copper mine sites,
collected specimens, and examined different rock formations. It was
an amazing field trip. Students were captivated and expanded their
knowledge base to the geology unit I had just taught. Thanks, Mining
Matters, for making this trip possible. It was a fabulous learning trip.
My students now have a better understanding of why we having
mining and how important it is to our daily lives.
Exploring the Bonnechere Caves
Robert Barter, A.Y. Jackson Secondary School, Kanata, ON
Each year, I take my grade 11 physical geography class on several
field trips, since I believe real learning happens when students make
connections between the classroom and the real world. I am a former
exploration and mine geologist who made the switch to teaching
several years ago. I try to give my students a passion for Earth science
and an understanding of how geology affects our daily lives, from the
products we use to the landscape that surrounds us.
In May 2013, we visited the Bonnechere Caves in Eganville, Ontario
(about 100 km up the Ottawa Valley from Kanata). At the caves, we
had a guided tour as well as an introduction to the Ordovician fossils
that are common in the area. The students spent part of the morning
fossil hunting and many found some treasures to bring home.
We then went spelunking. Students crawled underground through
some tight passages and learned about cave formation and karst
topography. For many, this was their first time underground. I explained
how underground mining works and what it is like to work deep
underground. Many were surprised by the temperature difference from
the surface as well as the humidity underground.
Back in Ottawa, we drove to Shirley’s Bay on the Ottawa River to
compare the Ordovician limestone outcrops there to the units we
saw in Eganville. Seeing the water was high due to heavy rains, we
discussed river systems and river morphology. We also looked at some
of the local glacial erratics, which led to further discussions about
the glacial history of the Ottawa region. The trip was a great success
and the students came back with a better understanding of their
local geology. Several have already told me that they are considering
studying Earth science when they finish high school.

Resource Identification could tell us what metals and minerals and non-
renewable resources might be found elsewhere in our solar system.
Non-renewable resources are naturally occurring substances that must
be mined, quarried or pumped from underground. On Earth, we are
extracting them more quickly than natural processes can replace them.
If production continues to grow at current rates, and no new reserves
are found, the years are numbered for some important resources. The
following table represents a worst-case scenario but highlights the need
for action, if not from us, then from our children and grandchildren.
Locating other sources is becoming more and more necessary.
Finding valuable ore deposits is a challenge, especially when the
surface you are studying is in space. Sample return missions could
help test the viability of off-world mineral exploration. Also, planetary
scientists, or off-world geologists, can study the composition of
extraterrestrial bodies from afar, providing the scientific community with
information that could increase the success of these missions. Knowing
that elements and compounds reflect and absorb at different wave
lengths of radiation, they can look at the reflection spectrums coming
from a particular body and determine its surface composition.
There are hundreds of thousands of asteroids in our solar system,
ranging in size from a few to hundreds of kilometres, with most
being relatively small. OSIRIS-REx will travel to a near-Earth C-type
(carbonaceous) asteroid: carbon-rich and containing remnants of the
original planetary building blocks. S-type (silicaceous) and M-type
(metallic) asteroids are common and could be even more economically
relevant, since they contain a significant fraction of iron, nickel, and
cobalt, as well as rare metals such as gold and platinum.
A new start-up space mining company called Planetary Resources
intends to explore those asteroids for minerals and increase the access
between Earth and deep space. Based in Seattle, Washington, it offers
high school students paid internships, believing that young people who
show promise could become full-time employees after college. To learn
more, go to www.planetaryresources.com
Those who explore space for knowledge will further the possibility of
mining in space, and those who search for resources will certainly
increase our knowledge of “the final frontier.” Just as Chris Hadfield
realized his dream, other visionaries intend to do the same, searching
for knowledge and riches among the stars.
Up until 1957, leaving our planet to explore beyond the atmosphere
was science fiction. On July 20, 1969, men walked on the moon. That
was the day nine-year-old Canadian Chris Hadfield decided to become
an astronaut. On February 8, 2013, live from the International Space
Station, Commander Hadfield performed Is Somebody Singing, a song
he co-wrote with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies, in unison with
nearly a million Canadians coast-to-coast, mostly students. Throughout
his five-month orbit, he also captivated the world with stunning photos
and commentary, via social media. Clearly, one of Canada’s most
famous astronauts is now doing his fair share of inspiring young minds.
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, written by Hadfield and released
in 2013, will serve to inspire even more.
For those who follow in Hadfield’s footsteps, there will be options.
Exploring to gain understanding of the planets, the stars, and whole
galaxies could be one of them. In fact, Voyager 1, launched unmanned
in 1977, has travelled past Jupiter and Saturn and, at more than 18.67
billion kilometres from the sun, in August 2012, became the first
spacecraft to enter interstellar space.
Exploring for answers about our own planet and to find new resources
might be other options. Scientists in the United States and Canada are
currently planning a mission to explore an asteroid whose path will
make it a near-Earth object (NEO). NEOs are comets and asteroids that
have been nudged by the gravitational attraction of nearby planets into
orbits that allow them to enter the Earth’s neighbourhood. The asteroid
will come within 448,794 km of Earth (our moon is approximately
384,403 km distant). With a launch date set for September 2016, the
OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will conduct a return sample mission: travelling
to the asteroid, gathering samples, and returning to Earth. For details,
see http://osiris-rex.lpl.arizona.edu/
OSIRIS-REx
O = Origins: Study primitive asteroids to learn about the origins of the
Solar System
SI = Spectral Interpretation: Compare ground-based and spacecraft
observations
RI = Resource Identification: “Prospect” for future human uses
S = Security: Better predict hazardous impacts
REx = Regolith Explorer: Map and explore the asteroid’s “soil” in detail
Space:
The Final Frontier
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Yearsremaining1
Aluminum
Phosphate
Tantalum
Titanium
Copper
Silver
Indium
Antimony
Metals
80 76
46 44
32
17 14
8

Niobium: A Transition Metal
Niobium (Nb), a soft, rare, transition metal used in today’s high tech
metals, has links to the ancient stories of Greek mythology. It was named
after Niobe, daughter of King Tantalus, after whom the element tantalum
is named; the two elements occur together in the mineral columbite.
Niobe boasted that she had more children than the goddess Leto. In
anger, Leto’s sons Artemis and Apollo killed all but one of Niobe’s seven
children. Mourning her loss, she turned to stone.
Niobium is a member of the group of Vanadium transition elements.
It has high melting and boiling points and superconductivity properties
and is corrosion resistant. It is an alloying agent, which when added
to another material creates a material with substantial benefits. Steel
made with niobium is stronger, lighter in weight, and corrosion resistant,
making it desirable for use in the automotive, gas pipeline, and
construction industries.
The transition elements are located in the centre of the periodic table.
Because they possess the properties of metals, the transition elements are
also known as the transition metals. Their d electrons are loosely bound,
which contributes to their high electrical conductivity and malleability.
Niobium found in Brazil and Canada accounts for about 99 per cent
of total reported niobium production. Niobium occurs in the minerals
pyrochlore and columbite. Pyrochlore is mined primarily for its niobium
content. Pyrochlore ores are mined using two main types of mining
methods, either in isolation or as a combination: open-pit is the
prevalent method in Brazil while underground mining is used at the
Niobec mine in Canada. Mining columbite for other minerals produces
niobium as a by-product.
Niobium in the form of standard grade ferroniobium represents over
90 per cent of niobium production. Its primary uses are alloying steels,
rocket construction, aircraft and space machinery, radio engineering,
electronics, chemical apparatus, and atomic energy. It is also used in
refractory materials, optical glass, and catalysts. Future uses could
include superconducting technology, magnets, and superalloys.
The use of niobium dates back to 1925 when it was used to replace
tungsten in tool steel production. By the 1930s, niobium was being used
to prevent corrosion in stainless steels. With the primary production
of niobium, it became a key element in the development of modern
engineering materials, and its usage has steadily increased with further
advances in the metallurgical field.
Niobium facts: Melting point 2,468°C; boiling point 4,927°C;
specific gravity 8.57
Learning Opportunities outside
the Classroom
For Teachers
Since 2007, Mining Matters has coordinated a special event for teachers
at the Annual PDAC International Convention, Trade Show and Investor’s
Exchange, held in March, in Toronto, Ontario. This is the World’s largest
annual mineral exploration convention. The program for the day features
guest speakers, workshops, and visits to the Trade Show Floor. For
more information, contact Mining Matters Teacher Training and School
Programs Manager Janice Williams at 416-863-6463, ext. 322.
Stonehammer Geopark, North America’s first Global Geopark,
located in Southern New Brunswick, is a geological park where you
can experience a billion years of Earth’s history. Its landscape has
been created by the collision of continents, the closing and opening of
oceans, volcanoes, earthquakes, ice ages and climate change.
http://stonehammergeopark.com
In September 2014, the Stonehammer Geopark will host an International
Geopark Conference, which will have a strong outreach component.
Go to www.stonehammergeopark.com/teachers.html for updates.
Earth Science across Canada
The Johnson GEO CENTRE is a geological interpretation centre
located on Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.
www.geocentre.ca/about-geo/
At the New Brunswick Museum, in St. John, New Brunswick, explore
Our Changing Earth to discover New Brunswick’s place in Earth history.
www.nbm-mnb.ca/
At the Montreal Science Centre, discover permanent exhibitions,
temporary exhibitions and special events that explore science and
technology through a variety of interactive means.
www.montrealsciencecentre.com/
The Nature Science Museum in Sherbrooke, Quebec, features changing
exhibitions as well as virtual exhibitions. Witness the birth of the
Appalachian Mountains and cross the lava fields. Feel the continents shift
and the glaciers retreat as the Earth trembles and the temperature soars,
then plunges… You’ll never see the Eastern Townships quite the same
way again! www.naturesciences.qc.ca/en/museum/exhibits-ans-shows/

how our everyday decisions can affect the world around us.
www.scienceworld.ca/
Resources For You
Websites
Start creating, sharing, and exploring great visual content today at
www.visual.ly. For example, take a look at the following:
• Uranium: The Metal of Tomorrow
http://visual.ly/uranium-metal-tomorrow
• Mining in Ontario: A Dependable Engine of Growth
http://visual.ly/mining-ontario-dependable-engine-growth
• 50 Unbelievable Facts about Earth
http://visual.ly/50-unbelievable-facts-about-earth
Manitoba Mineral Resources lets kids explore rock origins, rock lore,
Aboriginal Earth wisdom, and more at Manitoba Rocks!
www.manitoba.ca/iem/min-ed/index.html
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and Parks Canada have launched
a Burgess Shale online exhibition, as part of the Virtual Museum of
Canada. The website provides an immersive journey into the world of the
bizarre prehistoric creatures that formed the foundation for all animal life
on Earth half a billion years ago. www.burgess-shale.rom.on.ca/
On www.facebook.com/AmazingGeologist, a group of geoscientists
explores, posts, explains, and discusses geology. Look for interesting
photos and explanations of worldly wonders as well as simplified
geological principles and theories. They also have a Twitter account,
https://twitter.com/AmazinGeologist
Learn how to make an Our Dynamic Earth pop-up book demonstrating
plate tectonics. Watch videos to show you how to create an interactive
book showing our dynamic Earth. http://earthpopupbook.weebly.com/
Teachers of Earth and environmental sciences in grades 8 – 12 will
welcome Earth Science Puzzles: Making Meaning from Data (e-book)
by Margie Turrin and Kim Kastens. This activity book, centred on six
“data puzzles,” fosters critical-thinking skills in students and supports
science and math standards. http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.
aspx?id=10.2505/9781936137565
Follow Mining Matters on Twitter https://twitter.com/MiningMattersCA
and see what we have to offer on www.slideshare.net/MiningMatters
Publications
NRCan Posters look at an underground mine, a surface mine, a
concentrator, and the smelting refining process.
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/minerals-metals/business-market/3828
A Rock Is Lively, by Dianna Hutts Aston, Sylvia Long (2012). This book
showcases a variety of rocks in all their splendour, from dazzling blue
lapis lazuli to volcanic snowflake obsidian.
www.goodreads.com/book/show/14553643-a-rock-is-lively
The Mineral and Mining Museum of Thetford Mines, in Thetford
Mines, Quebec, highlights the mining history and exceptional minerals
around Thetford Mines, including the history of asbestos, its discovery,
its use, and its controversy. A tour reveals the place of discovery of the
“stone cotton” in 1876. www.museemineralogique.com/
Science North, in Sudbury, Ontario, maintains the second- and eighth-
largest science centres in Canada: Science North, featuring an IMAX®
theatre, digital Planetarium, butterfly gallery, and Special Exhibits Hall;
Dynamic Earth, an Earth science centre. www.sciencenorth.ca/
The Cobalt Mining Museum, in Cobalt, Ontario, boasts the world’s
largest display of native silver ore.
www.cobalt.ca/index.php/historic-cobalt/mining-museum
Elliot Lake, Ontario, was once touted as the Uranium Capital of the
World. The Elliot Lake Nuclear and Mining Museum stands as a
tribute to the town’s mining heritage.
www.cityofelliotlake.com/en/recleisure/museum.asp
Winnipeg’s Manitoba Museum allows visitors to discover Manitoba’s
geological history in the fossils of the Ordovician Sea. http:/
manitobamuseum.ca/main/visit/museum-galleries/earth-history-gallery/
Regina’s Saskatchewan Science Centre goes hands-on managing
water in its Field of Streams exhibit and illustrates the connection
of soil, rocks, minerals, and erosion to agriculture in its Richardson
Ag-grow-land exhibit. www.sasksciencecentre.com/
The Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre in Canmore, Alberta,
tells the stories of “our mountains and our communities.”
http://cmags.org/
The new Syncrude Environment Gallery in Telus World of Science –
Edmonton won the CASCADE award for the Best Exhibit or Show – Large
Institution, presented by the Canadian Association of Science Centres
(CASC). The centrepiece of the gallery is Science on a Sphere, a six-foot
diameter projection system used to visually enhance presentations on
environmental science. Four other areas of the gallery present interactive
exhibits among four themes: Ice Detectives, Rock Hounds, Eco Explorers,
and Storm Trackers. www.telusworldofscienceedmonton.com/
The Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site, in Drumheller, Alberta, is
famous for fascinating underground tours, train tours, and tipple tours.
www.atlascoalmine.ab.ca
Calgary’s Telus Spark, opened in 2011 and described as a “new
kind of Science Centre,” features an interactive Earth and Sky Gallery.
Play in a stream, dig a canyon, or cause an avalanche; experience the
forces of nature that shape our neighbourhoods and our world.
www.sparkscience.ca/
The Britannia Mine Museum, a multi award-winning museum near
Squamish, B.C., presents awe-inspiring sights and memorable family
experiences. www.britanniaminemuseum.ca
Science World in Vancouver, B.C., offers Our World: The BMO
Sustainability Gallery. Delve into how your choices create a sustainable
future by exploring electricity, water consumption, and waste. Learn

Global CareerMine lists new mining jobs and employers looking for
qualified candidates every day. www.infomine.com/careers/
From Millwrights to Assayers, Buyers to Chemical Engineers, the
Mining Association of B.C. (MABC) is the place to find B.C.’s best
mining industry career opportunities. www.mining.bc.ca/job-board
TalentEgg lists itself as Canada’s most popular online career resource
and job board for students and recent graduates.
http://talentegg.ca/career-guides/mining/
Jump into Science: Rocks and Minerals, by Steve Tomecek,
Kyle Poling (2010)
Tomecek’s illustrated guide for kids surveys Earth’s astounding
variety of rocks and minerals and the fascinating ways people have
transformed them into usable materials.
The Story of Earth: The First 4.5 Billion Years, from Stardust to Living
Planet, by Robert M. Hazen (2012)
Senior Carnegie Institution researcher and national bestselling author
Robert M. Hazen reveals how the co-evolution of the geosphere and
biosphere—of rocks and living matter—has shaped our planet into the
only one of its kind in the Solar System, if not the entire cosmos.
Why Geology Matters: Decoding the Past, Anticipating the Future,
by Doug Macdougall (2011)
Volcanic dust, climate change, tsunamis, earthquakes—geoscience
explores phenomena that profoundly affect our lives. Doug Macdougall
makes clear the science that provides important clues to the future of
the planet.
Project Earth Science: Geology (Revised 2nd Edition),
by Paul D. Fullagar and Nancy W. West (2011)
Recommended by the National Science Teachers Association in the
USA, this book is “a must-have book for every teacher of geology!”
A History of Earth in 100 Groundbreaking Discoveries,
by Douglas Palmer (2011)
Douglas Palmer, science writer and freelance journalist, based in
Cambridge, England, specializes in the history of life, especially human
evolution and Earth’s environments.
Multimedia
Rock ‘n Learn Earth Science: This science DVD covers the Solar
System, weather and the water cycle, types of rocks, properties of
minerals, volcanoes and plate tectonics, weathering, and alternative
energy. Good for Earth Sciences grades 3 – 8
http://rocknlearn.com/html/earth_science.htm
Epic Rock is Ian Tamblyn’s 2013 release (free) album of geology songs:
the result of writing 12 songs for a geology conference. Download and
enjoy! www.tamblyn.com/album_epic_rock.html
Cambrian Explosion is a great song performed by Brighter Lights,
Thicker Glasses. www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMwxwRA9Xr8
Dinotasia: Based on cutting-edge paleontology and the latest fossil
records, this 2012 documentary presents a series of vignettes about
dinosaurs. www.youtube.com/watch?v=evN40S-K9LQ
Careers
Mining Your Future is a TV Mini-Series showcasing the diverse career
opportunities in B.C.’s mineral exploration and mining industry. Hosts
Danielle and Maggie follow three unique jobs each week for eight
weeks, allowing you to discover, first-hand, over 20 of the 120 top-
paying jobs in the province. www.miningyourfuture.com/videos
Minerals and Fireworks
Minerals and their influence are everywhere, even in our
holiday celebrations. Thousands “oooh” and “ahhh” as they
watch spectacular fireworks displays marking occasions
such as Canada Day, Victoria Day, Jean Baptiste Day
(Quebec), and even Halloween (B.C.).
What makes those spectacular fireworks colours? Each colour
is produced by a specific mineral compound. Bright greens
are made with barium. Deep reds are a product of strontium
and blues come from copper. Yellows require sodium.
More colours can be created by mixing compounds.
Strontium and sodium together produce a brilliant orange.
Titanium, zirconium, and magnesium alloys combine to
make a silvery white. Copper and strontium mix to yield a
lavender hue.
Certain minerals are used for special effects. Iron filings
and small particles of charcoal produce gold sparks. For
a loud flash, fine aluminum powder is the fuel to choose.
Larger particles, such as small flakes or granules, give
a longer, shower-like effect. Magnalium, a magnesium-
aluminum alloy, can produce a tiny series of silvery-white
flashes. Aluminum, antimony sulfide, and perchlorate are
some flash mixtures.

Water Hazards Energy Resources Environment
Understanding these subjects, the core of geoscience
studies, is key to effectively living and managing our lives
on this Earth. We invite students to explore them in the
WHERE Challenge. The WHERE Challenge, a national contest,
promotes the awareness of non-renewable resources
among Canadian youth. Students ages 9 to 14 discover
and creatively tell us why non-renewable resources are so
important in everyday life.
Mining Matters and Kinross Gold would like to thank all those teachers
and students who participated in the 2014 challenge and congratulate
them for their efforts and creativity. They learned, “Do you know what’s
in your pencils, your shoe laces, your toonies?” Ask our 2014 WHERE
Challenge winners; they know! National winners are listed to the right.
“I have learned how important non-renewable resources are to
everyone on Earth…I also learned that almost everything that matters
to me (entertainment, clothes, sports, and even some food items)
contain non-renewable resource.”
—Julie Krug-MacLeod, WHERE Challenge Best Overall Winner in the
9 to 11 age category
Entries are welcome in French and English. To learn more about
the Challenge and to see all national and regional winning
entries, go to www.earthsciencescanada.com/where
Glass
Aggregates
Quartz sand and
limestone
Bells
Metal alloy
Chromium,
iron, and
molybdenum
Gears
Plastic
Petroleum
by-products
Paint
Industrial minerals
Clay, calcium
carbonate,
and talc
What on Earth is in your
stuff and WHERE on
Earth does it come from?
Water • Hazards • Energy • Resources • Environment
The only reason for time
is so that everything
doesn’t happen at once.
— Albert Einstein
Í
Í
Í
Í
Í
Í
Í
Í
“
”
2014 WINNERS
NATIONAL WINNERS (9 to 11 years)
BEST CREATIVE
What is a pencil made of? ($250)
Emily Liu and Katrina Stanfield
Toronto, Ontario
BEST RESEARCH
From the Earth to Our Kitchen ($250)
Taeya Nial and Jaiden Csintalan
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
NATIONAL WINNERS (12 to 14 years)
BEST OVERALL
Brace yourself for an Adventure out of this World
($500)
Julie Krug-MacLeod
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
BEST CREATIVE
What’s in a Crayon? ($250)
Katie Sell
Georgetown, Ontario
BEST RESEARCH
The Secret of the Stuffed Animal ($250)
Famke Alberts
Georgetown, Ontario
SCHOOL WINNERS
Montgomery School
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
($750)
Georgetown District High School
Halton Hills, Ontario
($750)
Queen of All Saints School
Coquitlam, British Columbia
($750)

Robotics in Mineral Exploration
Looking for mineral resources these days involves some of the highest-
tech equipment developed on the planet; robotic technology holds the key
to the industry’s future. Mining companies are going deeper underground,
to the bottom of the sea, and into space to find mineral resources, all
environments that challenge a human presence. Robotics is proving to
help us meet that challenge, without risk to ourselves, allowing us to
explore for knowledge and resources previously unattainable.
Pathfinder’s Sojourner Rover is taking its Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer measurement
of the Yogi Rock (NASA). This instrument measured the elements in the rock.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pathfinder01.jpg
In February 2012, CBC News reported that Greg Baiden of Sudbury
was on site at a copper mine in Chile testing a $3 million mining
robot he helped design and build. The teacher of robotics and mine
automation at Laurentian University and CEO of Penguin Automated
Systems is getting attention from around the world for the invention.
The robot can accurately determine dimensions of excavations
underground, improve the quality of mining work, and allow workers
to see exact locations of drill holes and tunnels underground without
physically travelling there. Baiden originally designed the robot with
safety and mining disasters in mind. He calls it “a reconnaissance
robot” that can cover difficult terrain where people might not be able to
go, survey the ground, test the air, and carry a load.
In space, robotic exploration is and will be key to learning about the
celestial bodies in our solar system and beyond. Robots can physically
sample and measure their rocks and surface soil, allowing us to gain
tremendous knowledge from afar. For example, the Osiris-REx mission
(see Space: The Final Frontier, page 6) aims to robotically collect
samples from a near-Earth asteroid. Robotic tools on the last three
generations of NASA’s Mars Landers have collectively completed 300
excavations of Martian dirt and rocks. A water-prospecting robot has
been developed to explore water and gas resources discovered as ice
on the Moon that could be used by future colonists. The Canadarm, the
robotic arm developed for NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, deployed,
captured and repaired satellites, positioned astronauts, maintained
equipment, and moved cargo.
Oceans and seas cover approximately 71 per cent of the Earth’s
surface, covering potentially rich mineral deposits. Underwater
exploration poses challenges just as does working in Earth orbit or on
the surface of Mars, but robotic technologies can also be adopted to
tackle the difficulties of the deep. The 2013 Deep Sea Mining Summit,
held in London, England, featured remotely operated vehicles (ROVs),
Did You Know:
Uses for Rocks in Ancient Times
PIGMENTS: Some pigments, such as ochre and iron oxide,
have been around since prehistoric times. Azurite is a pigment used
since medieval times, mined from deposits in Saxony and France.
It was a major source for the blues in medieval paintings and even
Japanese works. Before the
industrial revolution, most
pigments were technically
limited, using naturally
found minerals or organic
substances. Many of the
most important substances
mined were for pigments.
MEDICINE:
Drug treatments likely
started with plants but the
concept of using rocks or minerals to treat diseases came soon after.
Having seen grazing animals lick the soil around an old ocean bed
for salt, people eventually tried it themselves. Nephrite, one of two
types of jade, was once believed to be a cure for kidney stones.
COSMETICS: Cosmetics were important to nearly every early
society, including Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Chinese.
For example, both Galena (lead sulphide) and Stibnite (antimony
sulphide) were used to make kohl, an eye cosmetic for people in the
Middle East and surrounding areas.
deep water technology, and other robotic innovations. Canadian mining
company Nautilus Minerals is on track to develop the world’s first
oceanic precious-metal mine, off the coast of Papua New Guinea,
1,600 metres below the ocean surface. Countries such as Japan and
South Korea are very interested in deep sea mining. In August 2013,
South Korea successfully tested its first-ever deep sea mining robot,
and hopes independent underwater mining of manganese ores can
begin as early as 2015.
Today, mineral exploration and mining draw upon the expertise of many
scientific disciplines, from geology to computer science, chemistry to
high-tech robotics: something to keep in mind for those considering
career options. Also interesting to note, as we redefine the extent
of our reach with such technology as robotics, the very metals and
minerals that we look for make possible the innovations that can take
us to the next level.

ACTIVITY: Engineer and Build an
Underground Mine Model
Engage your students and stimulate their imaginations with this
engineering challenge. Student groups build their own models of an
underground mine and use them to show how to extract ore (a mixture)
from the ground to obtain the desired mineral (a pure substance).
Activity duration is two to three hours.
A poster series produced by the Minerals and Metal Sector of Natural
Resources illustrates many aspects of mining and mineral processing.
The four posters look at an underground mine, a surface mine, a
concentrator, and the smelting refining process.
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/minerals-metals/business-market/3828
Showcase your Mine! Mining Matters invites teachers and
students to send us pictures of the finished “mines.” We’d
love to show off your work on our website.
Background
Mining is a temporary use of the land during which valuable material
from the Earth is extracted (removed). When the rock is valuable
because it contains metal or minerals, it is called an ore body. If the
ore body is buried deep in the Earth, miners must dig tunnels to the ore
body. Such an operation is called an underground mine. The vertical
tunnel to the area of the ore body is called a shaft. Inside the shaft an
elevator (cage) is used to transport the miners and equipment from
the surface to the underground workings and a bucket (skip) is used
to lift the broken rock and ore from underground. Other vertical tunnels
called ventilation shafts bring fresh air to the mine. Horizontal tunnels
called drifts provide access from the shaft to the ore body. Explosives
such as dynamite are used to break up the rock. Broken rock is loaded
into a scoop, a large machine that combines a front-end loader and a
truck. It is driven back to the shaft where the ore is dumped and lifted
to the surface in the skip.
Mined ore contains metals and minerals of value as well as other
minerals of no value. The two are often evenly mixed in the ore and
must be separated to form a concentrate of the valuable mineral.
After separation, the minerals of no value are usually called tailings.
The first step in separating the valuable minerals almost always
involves crushing the rock to a fine powder. The rock is broken up
in large crushers and pulverized in large rotating drums containing
hard balls or rods. The process of producing the fine powder is called
milling and the process takes place in a mill. This process is like
grinding wheat or oats to make flour.
Two procedures are commonly used to separate the valuable and non-
valuable minerals from the milled ore. When mixed with liquid, heavier
minerals sink and therefore can be separated from lighter minerals.
This procedure is called heavy media separation. This process
could be used to separate heavier chalcopyrite from lighter quartz. If
the valuable minerals are magnetic, they can be separated from the
minerals of no value by passing the crushed ore under a powerful
magnet. This procedure is magnetic separation.
Once the valuable metals have been separated or concentrated, the
leftover material (rock fragments, dust, and chemicals) is called tailings.
Mining companies work hard to ensure that these tailings are managed
effectively and responsibly. Such efforts are necessary because the
real-life tailings might contain dangerous chemicals that could escape
into streams and lakes. Some tailings contain minerals such as pyrite.
As pyrite is exposed to water from rain and other sources, it can make
the water somewhat acidic. This acid water can drain into streams and
lakes and negatively affect the fauna and wildlife.
In the early part of the century, people, including mining people, did not
understand that material such as tailings could cause serious damage
to the environment. Now, mine tailings are kept in specially designed
ponds. The base of the pond is lined with heavy plastic or dense clay.
Any water leaving the pond is chemically treated to remove acids or
dangerous chemicals. The tailings are eventually covered with soil and
planted with grass and trees. Strict government rules are applied to
tailings. Some mining companies have even stricter internal rules.
After underground mining is completed, the reclamation process
includes filling all the opened areas with sand, cement, or waste rock.
The shafts are capped (plugged) and the buildings at the surface are
removed. The small areas used for the buildings are replanted with
grass and trees and very little evidence of the mine remains.
Construction
Mine Site
Headframe
Buildings on Site
Trucks
Trees
Shaft
Cage/Skip
Ventilation Shaft
Drift
Ore host rock
Mineralization
Rock
Other supplies
Materials Needed for Each Group
Cardboard box
Cardboard/construction paper/popsicle sticks
Cardboard/construction paper/miniature
toy buildings
Construction paper/miniature toy trucks
Construction paper/miniature toy trees/twigs
Cardboard/construction paper/cardboard tubes
Cardboard/construction paper/string
Cardboard/construction paper/cardboard tubes
Cardboard/cardboard tubes
Aluminum foil
Mixture of 50 ml flour, 50 ml water, 20 ml iron
filings. Iron filings may be purchased from a
provider of scientific supplies and equipment
Construction paper/newspaper/painted fibrefill
Masking tape or duct tape, paint, flashlight
Materials

Safety Matters
This activity requires that iron filings be mixed with flour and water. It is very important that the dish and mixing equipment used
to prepare this mixture are cleaned while the mixture is still wet. NEVER dispose of iron filings down the sink. When airborne, iron
filings present a health hazard by irritating the lungs and eyes. Care should be taken to ensure that only the teacher handles
unmixed iron filings. Eye protection must be used. Respiration protection should not be needed in normal laboratory handling.
Spills can be swept up and iron filings may be reused or placed in the garbage.
Activity 1: Building a Mine
1. Prepare your box, the mine site, by taping all sides closed.
2. Cut open one side of the box to make a “door.”
3. Locate the position of a drift by measuring and drawing horizontal
lines on the inside of the “door.” Draw corresponding marks on
the insides of the sides of the box as shown below. Cut a “peep
hole” out of the right side of the box at your marks.
4. Your drift has two sides (back side and front side). Create
both sides of your drift by either folding cardboard as shown in the
completed model illustration or by cutting a stiff cardboard tube in
half lengthwise. To get a straight edge when folding cardboard, it
helps to use a strong straight edge, like the edge of a tabletop.
5. Using your drift location marks as guides, glue the front side of the
drift to the “door.” Attach the back side of the drift by gluing the
folded tabs at both ends to the sides of the box. Ensure that the
back side of the drift lines up with the “peep hole.”
6. Make a shaft out of cardboard by folding four sides into a tube
or by using a round cardboard tube. Make a hole in the top of the
box slightly larger than the shaft, directly above the left end of
the drift.
7. Cut a corresponding hole in the top of the drift. Lower the shaft
through the surface to the top of the drift at the hole. In a real
mine, the shaft is dug down through solid rock to the drift level
and then the drifts are dug horizontally.
8. Make a smaller ventilation shaft in your mine by repeating Steps 6
and 7 on the right end of the drift.
9. Make a headframe (building at the top of the shaft) and place
it over the shaft hole. A small building for fans should be made
for the top of the ventilation shaft. Make a cage/skip out of string
and construction paper. Be sure that it is small enough to fit
through the shaft.
10. It’s time to make the orebody! Take a sheet of aluminum foil
(ore host rock) long enough to extend from the top of the box to
the bottom of the box with at least 15 cm extra. Fold the foil to a
width approximately 10 to 15 cm. Tape the foil to the inside of
the box top and to the top of the drift. Press the foil into the drift
along the top, back and bottom allowing the remaining foil to
extend to the bottom of the box. Secure with tape at the bottom of
the drift and box.
11. Have your teacher prepare the flour, water, and iron filing mixture
(mineralizaton) as indicated in the Materials table. Spread the
mixture on the foil before it gets too dry! Be sure to spread the
mixture on the foil in the drift also. Allow this mixture to dry. The
dish and mixing equipment used to prepare the mixture should
be cleaned while the mixture is still wet. NEVER dispose of iron
filings down the sink.
12. While the orebody is drying, carefully fill the remaining open
spaces in the box with shredded newspaper or painted fibrefill.
This will give the impression that the drift is actually passing
through solid rock. Complete your model by painting the surface
and placing trees and trucks to represent a real mine.
13. When the “door” of the model is closed, peek into the mine by
shining a flashlight into the “peep hole.” This really gives you the
feeling of being underground.

Activity 2: Mining Operations
1. Extract the mineralization (dried flour paste mixture) from your
mine by chipping the ore from the host rock. Transport the ore to
the skip and raise it to the surface.
2. Devise a method to recover the iron filings from the other mined
material, remembering that iron filings are made from magnetite, a
very heavy and magnetic mineral.
3. Think of ways to safely manage the leftover material (tailings) after
you separate the iron filings from the flour paste mixture (e.g.
water filtration, disposal methods). NEVER dispose of iron filings
down the sink.
4. Use your model to deliver a presentation to your classmates about
the processes of mining and milling. Describe how ore is taken
from the ground (mined) and processed (milled).
Extensions
1. Discuss: Talk about the various challenges associated with
underground mining. Research and deliver a presentation
explaining how technology is being used to mitigate some of these
challenges. Identify real life examples of these solutions in place.
2. Compare: How would your mine model change if you were
asked to build a surface mine? Would the challenges be the same
or different?
3. Consider: What happens if the valuable mineral was not
magnetite (iron filings) but diamonds?
4. Problem Solve: Can you find a way to move the ore from the
shafts underground to the surface? Are there any components of
the model that can be mechanized?
Diagram of completed model

Mining Matters Mine Game Activity
Answer on page 16

Production of this publication was made possible by:
Gem and Mineral Shows across Canada
Bancroft 51st Rockhound Gemboree
July 31 – Aug 3, 2014 North Hastings Community Centre, 103 Newkirk Blvd., Bancroft, ON
http://rockhoundgemboree.ca/
Nova Scotia Gem and Mineral Show and Sale
August 15 – 17, 2014 Lion’s Recreation Centre, Western Ave., Parrsboro, NS
http://fundygeological.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/gem-mineral-show
Gem and Mineral Club of Scarborough Annual Wonders of the Earth Show
September 13 – 14, 2014 Don Montgomery Community Centre, 2467 Eglinton Ave. E.,
Scarborough ON www.scarbgemclub.ca/
Ottawa Lapsmith & Mineral Club Annual Gem & Mineral Show
September 20 – 21, 2014 Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Ave., Ottawa, ON
http://olmc.ca/gemshow.htm
Fraser Valley Rock & Gem Club Annual Rock & Gem Show
September 20 – 21, 2014 Old Age Pensioners Hall, 3015 273 St., Aldergrove, BC
Ancaster Gem, Mineral, Bead and Jewellery Show
September 26 – 28, 2014 Marritt Hall Complex, 630 Trinity Rd., Ancaster, ON
www.ancastergemshow.com
Kingston Lapidary and Mineral Club Annual Gem Storm
October 18 – 19, 2014 Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, 53 Yonge St., Kingston, ON
www.mineralclub.ca/
5th Annual Calgary Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewellery show
October 31 – November 1, 2014 Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, 197 First St. SW,
Calgary, AB www.calgarygemshow.com/
University of Waterloo Gem and Mineral Show
October 24 – 25, 2014 Earth Sciences Museum, 200 University Ave. W, Waterloo, ON
https://uwaterloo.ca/earth-sciences-museum/about-earthsciences-museum/gem-and-
mineral-show
Montreal Gem and Mineral Club 54th Annual Show
November 7 – 9, 2014 Place Bonaventure, 800 De La Gauchetière, Montréal, QC
www.montrealgemmineralclub.ca/pages/AnnualShow-Set.html
25Years
IBK Capital Corp.
Mining Matters Mine Game Activity Answer:
Mining matters to everyone
Contact Information
904–1200 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, ON M3C 1H9
Tel: 416-863-6463 • Fax: 416-863-9900
Email: schoolprograms@miningmatters.ca
Website: www.miningmatters.ca
Mining Matters prides itself on building long-term
partnerships with teachers by providing relevant,
accurate and authentic Earth science resources for
the classroom, designed by teachers for teachers.
Since 1994, this charitable organization has reached
more than 550,000 teachers and students, as well as
the public with education about geology and mineral
and energy resources. It has promoted an awareness
of the importance of rocks, metals, minerals and
mining through the dissemination of information
and the development and distribution of educational
programs and materials.
General Director
Heather Douglas
Manager,Aboriginal Education and Outreach Programs
Barbara Green Parker, OCT
Manager, Teacher Training and School Programs
Janice Williams, OCT
Assistant, Teacher Training and School Programs
Kelly McBride, OCT
Coordinator, French Programs
Julie Lépine
Operations and Events Coordinator
Laura Anonen
Publications Editor
Victoria Stratton
groundWORK Contributors
Robert Barter
Kristin Innes-Taylor
Robert Millard
Susan Nicholl
Aimee Partlow
Victoria Stratton
Janice Williams

2014 groundWORK Newsletter

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2014 groundWORK Newsletter