In this activity, we will simulate mining--from explortion to extraction to processing. First we will look for chocolate chip cookies hidden in the classroom. Once the cookies are found and each student is given one, s/he will extract the chocolate chips from the cookie. We must be careful as we extract the ore because we will have to pay stiff land damage fines for breaking the cookie (damaging the land) and refining charges for the amount of time it takes us to separate the crumbs from the chocolate chips (remove the ore from the earth). Both land damage fines and refining charges affect our profit, just like in real-life mining.
Whose mine made the most profit?
How would not having to worry about land damage affect your profit?
What measures would you suggest governments take to protect land that is being mined?
What problems did you experience 1) collecting your mines, 2) mining the mine, 3) collecting the mined materials, and 4)cleaning up your mine area after the mining?
Students will simulate the mining process by using exploration, extraction, and processessing techniques.
Materials Needed Per Student
1 chocolate chip cookie in a ziplock bag
1 toothpick
1 drinking straw cut into 2-cm pieces
1 paper towel
Materials Needed Per Group
Watch or clock with second hand
Calculator
Coal Education Web Site
Additional information about mining can be found here. This web site is provided by the Kentucky Coal Council & Kentucky Coal Association.
Electronic Field Trip to a Coal Mine
This video is offered for purchase by the Kentucky Educational Television organization.
The teacher will divide the class into small groups which will represent the different mining crews. Each crew should select a "foreperson" as the leader.
Your teacher has hidden chocolate chip cookies throughout the room. Choose one person from your group to explore the room and find as many cookies as possible.
After finding the cookies, your group leader will place them in a central location within the room where they will be divided equally among each group. Each leader will bring enough cookies to his/her group so that each member will have one.
Use a watch or clock with a second hand to time the number of minutes it takes each student to refine the chocolate chips. It is important to refine the "ore" quickly since there will be a charge for each minute of work completed. Use a toothpick to carefully "extract" all the crumbs from each chip.
Multiply the number of minutes involved in the refining process by $500.00 to determine your refining charges.
Once the chocolate chips have been extracted and refined, measure how many you collected by packing the chocolate chips into 2 cm lengths of drinking straws. You will receive a predetermined amount of money for each 2 cm piece of straw you fill with chocolate chips.
Multiply the number of 2 cm lengths of straw you filled by $5,000 to determine the amount of money you made by mining the chocolate chips (ore).
After the chocolate chips (ore) have been extracted from your mine (the cookie), place your cookie on a paper towel. Sketch the cookie (mine) to determine the amount of land damage.
How many pieces of cookie did you break off? Multiply this number by $500.00 to calculate the fine you must pay for land damage.
Subtract your fines and charges (mining expenses) from the amount of money you collected to determine your net profit.
To share the data you have collected with others, upload your information to the "Mine all Mine" data form on the GeogWeb site.
Place each cookie in a separate bag and hide the bags around the room before class. To simulate the uneven spacing of natural resources on Earth, place lots of cookies in some areas and none in others.
The availablity of natural resources often determines how land is used. Areas rich in natural resources, such as coal, are mined. Sometimes the procedures used to extract natural resources from land can harm it. The effects of mining may even make land unfit for habitaion by plants and animals. Since land is such a precious commodity (and a limiting factor for population growth), it is important that we protect it. In an attempt ot lessen the harm, governments have rules that companies must follow to reclaim land, once it has been mined.
Mining is a basic industry; without it, we could be unable to maintain our present lifestyles. As populations increase in size, societies will demand more and more natural resources. Since natural resources are nonrewable, we must work to conserve and recycle them, as well as to substitute other resources for them whenever possible. In spite of their valuable significance, we still must mine natural resources from the earth.
There are two problems associated with mining: mineral resources are unevenly spaced, and are hard to extract from the earth. Mining is an expensive venture requiring many steps. Natural resources must first be found, then extracted from the earth in a way that is least harmful to the environment. In addition, natural resources must be carefully processed and delivered to the manufacturing plants which will use them.
Divide the class into small groups which will represent the different mining crews. Have each crew select a "foreperson" as the leader.
Have students choose one person from their group to explore the room and find as many cookies as possible.
Have the group leader place the cookies in a central location within the room where they will be divided equally among each group. Each leader should bring enough cookies to his/her group so that each member will have one.
Have students use a watch or clock with a second hand to time the number of minutes it takes them to refine the chocolate chips. Remind them that it is important to refine the "ore" quickly since there will be a charge for each minute of work completed. Use a toothpick to carefully "extract" all the crumbs from each chip. Remind them that if their mining tool breaks, they must pay $500 for a new one or continue to work with the broken tool.
Have students multiply the number of minutes involved in the refining process by $500.00 to determine their refining charges.
Next have students multiply the number of 2 cm lengths of straw they filled by $5,000 to determine the amount of money they made by mining the chocolate chips (ore).
After the chocolate chips (ore) have been extracted from their mines (the cookie), students should place the cookie on a paper towel and sketch the cookie (mine) to determine the amount of land damage.
Once the students have extracted and refined the chocolate chips, Have them measure how many they collected by packing the chocolate chips into 2 cm lengths of drinking straws. They will receive $5000 for each 2 cm piece of straw they fill with chocolate chips. However, they will quickly figure out how much of their profit is wasted by sloppy mining (land damages) and refining charges.
Have students calculate their land damage by determining how many pieces of cookie they broke off. Have them multiply this number by $500.00 to calculate the fine they must pay for land damage.
Have students subtract their fines and charges (mining expenses) from the amount of money they collected to determine their net profit. You may need to help less advanced classes or students with this process.
To share the data you have collected with others, upload your information to the "Mine all Mine" data form on the GeogWeb site.
Duration: One Class period
The availablity of natural resources often determines how land is used. Areas rich in natural resources, such as coal, are mined. Sometimes the procedures used to extract natural resources from land can harm it. The effects of mining may even make land unfit for habitaion by plants and animals. Since land is such a precious commodity (and a limiting factor for population growth), it is important that we protect it. In an attempt ot lessen the harm, governments have rules that companies must follow to reclaim land, once it has been mined.
Mining is a basic industry; without it, we could be unable to maintain our present lifestyles. As populations increase in size, societies will demand more and more natural resources. Since natural resources are nonrewable, we must work to conserve and recycle them, as well as to substitute other resources for them whenever possible. In spite of their valuable significance, we still must mine natural resources from the earth.
There are two problems associated with mining: mineral resources are unevenly spaced, and are hard to extract from the earth. Mining is an expensive venture requiring many steps. Natural resources must first be found, then extracted from the earth in a way that is least harmful to the environment. In addition, natural resources must be carefully processed and delivered to the manufacturing plants which will use them.
The web sites listed under "Optional Resources" would be good to access for additional information about mining.
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