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12/8 Virtual Mining Lab AP

Last updated 7 months ago
22 questions

Virtual Mining Lab

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.
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Session ID#

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- Read the introduction:
Can you name five things in the room where you are sitting that don’t come from a mine?

- Once you have answered the question above and finished the introduction, click the orange arrow on the right of the screen.

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What is the mission of your role on the team?

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What is the definition of a benefit?

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What is the definition of a trade-off?

- Click the orange arrow and move on to the overview of the mining process.

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- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Exploration

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- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Operations

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- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Distribution

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- In your own words, describe each part of the mining process.
Reclamation

- Click the orange arrow, read about the exploration team. Then click the orange arrow again and learn about the mining experts-drag and drop the tasks to match the appropriate mining experts.

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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

Your exploration mission

- Read about each part of your mission; problem, mission, exploration, plan, and evaluate.

Explore Each Career

- 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.

Perform Tests for Each Career

- For each of the career roles, perform the following tests, and record your answers using the tracking tool below.

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Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

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Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

1

Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

1

Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

1

Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

1

Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

1

Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

1

Capture Your Data

- As you conduct each test, you can record and capture your data using the Mining Expert’s Tracking Tool.

1

Benefits and Trade-offs

- As you conduct each test, record the benefits and trade-offs for each site below.

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Benefits and Trade-offs

- As you conduct each test, record the benefits and trade-offs for each site below.

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Benefits and Trade-offs

- As you conduct each test, record the benefits and trade-offs for each site below.

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Hypothesis: I think the best site for the copper mine would be: