Mineral Resource Discovery
About
The Mineral Resource Discovery is sponsored by the School of Mining & Mineral Resources and the Department of Geosciences. This outreach program is designed to teach grade 6-12 students about the science and engineering behind copper mining, one of Arizona’s most important industries. This program integrates geology, engineering, chemistry, physics and environmental science to show the real-world application of science, engineering and math. Advances in these fields allow humans to extract mineral resources in increasingly cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways and future advances lie with the generations of innovators to come! The workshop is facilitated by undergraduate students at the University of Arizona.
Program goals:
- Show students how science, technology and engineering concepts are used in a real world setting and in applications that affect our lives.
- Illustrate how our world depends on mineral resources (earth materials mined from the ground).
- Introduce students to some of the stages in the life cycle of a mine and create awareness of the variety of technical/scientific jobs needed in the mineral industry.
Workshop Stations:
- Formation of porphyry copper: Students learn about magmatic-hydrothermal systems that form copper deposits in the earth. Simple experiments show how changes in pressure and temperature create the perfect storm of conditions for a copper deposit.
- Mineral Exploration: A layered sandbox provides students with the opportunity to undertake a geophysical survey and drill (with a straw) beneath the surface to find a mineral deposit. Students record their findings by logging core and marking a map.
- Mine Planning: Students are given the opportunity to tinker with the big data software that provides mining engineers with all the details needed to design the mine before permits are obtained. Simple math problems are given to demonstrate the cost and savings of seemingly small changes on the mine.
- Mineral Processing: Turning rock into copper metal takes a few steps and a lot of chemistry. Students undertake hands-on experiments in leaching, electroplating and froth flotation.
- Environmental Effects of Mining: Students are introduced to environmental hazards around a mine including acid mine drainage, dust and heavy metals. A sandbox/water table is used to show how rain and erosion can increase risks and solutions for monitoring and mitigating hazards are discussed.
Program Details
Audience:
6th - 12th grade
Group Size:
10 - 35 students
Timeline:
Spring Semester
Wednesdays and Fridays
Arrival Time:
9:15 a.m.
Program Time:
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Duration:
2 hours
Pricing
Standard K-12 School/Youth Organization
Base Rate: $120 for up to 10 participants
+ $12 for each additional participant
- Optional Exhibits and Show Add-on
- Separate registration required (click Science Center Exhibit or Planetarium Show Visit)
- +$6 per participant to add on exhibits (adds one hour)
- +$6 per participant to add on a planetarium show (adds one hour)
Total participant count should include chaperones (limited to 5). Teachers/staff are free.
Title I K-12 Schools
Base Rate: $100 for up to 10 participants
+ $10 for each additional participant
- Optional Exhibits and Show Add-on
- Separate registration required (click Science Center Exhibit or Planetarium Show Visit)
- +$5 per participant to add on exhibits (adds one hour)
- +$5 per participant to add on a planetarium show (adds one hour)
Total participant count should include chaperones (limited to 5). Teachers/staff are free.
*Limited Title I Grant Funding
Some Title I funding may be available to cover students and teachers from K-12 Title I schools. Just let us know you're a Title I school under the "Group Type" tab during the booking process. Parent chaperones are not covered under the funding.
Select "Mineral Resource Discovery" on the next page
Contact
For information about scheduling programs, please contact:
Heather Parra
heatherparra@arizona.edu
520-626-1032