Your exploration mission
- Read about each part of your mission; problem, mission, exploration, plan, and evaluate.
Objective:
- The virtual lab is used to understand the operations behind mining.
Introduction:
- Welcome to the “Dig a Little Deeper,” a virtual lab that takes you inside the world of copper mining, as you join a team of scientists who must choose which of three potential sites to build a copper mine. In order to make this decision, you must conduct the same tests that an exploration geologist, environmental scientist, and mining engineer do during the exploration phase of mining. Once your tests are complete, you will make a recommendation to a mining company about which site has the greatest number of benefits and the fewest trade-offs.
Go to: https://www.digintomining.com/sites/default/files/virtual-lab/index.html#/
Procedure:
- Click Start
- Choose New User and Click Enter
- Record your session ID # below so that you can come back if you did not finish in one sitting.
- Read the introduction:
Can you name five things in the room where you are sitting that don’t come from a mine?
What is the mission of your role on the team?
What is the definition of a benefit?
What is the definition of a trade-off?
- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Exploration
- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Operations
- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Distribution
- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Reclamation
Learn about the mining experts-drag and drop the tasks to match the appropriate mining experts.
Studies the characteristics of the Earth to identify the type, quality, and quantity of mineral found at the site
Studies the impact of mining operations on the environment
Collects soil, rock chips, and water samples to check for levels of copper found
Studies factors such as roads, railways, and water supply, that could impact the efficiency of mining operations
Checks whether there are endangered plants or animal species on the site
Determines how deep the deposits are and wheter copper can be extracted from the surface without digging to deep
Exploration Geologist
Environmental Scientist
Mining Engineer
- Read about each part of your mission; problem, mission, exploration, plan, and evaluate.
- You can explore this site and conduct tests in the role of an exploration geologist, an environmental scientist, and a mining engineer. A description of each career is below.
- For each of the career roles, perform the following tests, and record your answers using the tracking tool below.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.
- As you conduct each test, record the benefits and trade-offs for each site below.
- As you conduct each test, record the benefits and trade-offs for each site below.
- As you conduct each test, record the benefits and trade-offs for each site below.
Hypothesis: I think the best site for the copper mine would be:
