This Mining Fact Sheet summarizes major mining and mineral processing tools and techniques and highlights critical metals.
Topic: Health/Biology
Mineral Resources Fact Sheet
This Mineral Resources Fact Sheet discusses some of today’s important mineral and mining topics such as minerals in your diet, industrial and construction minerals, minerals in green technology, artisanal mining and conflicts and efforts to address these.
Industrial Minerals Poster
Industrial Minerals are non-metallic, non-fuel minerals that are used in everything from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals. The front of the poster depicts 12 common industrial minerals and some of the important ways in which they are used. The back of the poster contains a map of industrial mineral producing areas of the United States, mine examples and three simple hands-on activities for testing mineral properties in the classroom. 36” x 24” 2-sided poster created in collaboration with the Industrial Minerals Association of North America.
The Clay Minerals Society Educational Activities—Clays
Conduct activities about the properties and uses of clay minerals—clays.
The Clay Minerals Society Educational Activities—Talc
Conduct activities about the properties and uses of clay minerals—talc.
The Clay Minerals Society Educational Activities—Smectite
Conduct activities about the properties and uses of clay minerals—smectite.
The Clay Minerals Society Educational Activities–Kaolin
Conduct activities about the properties and uses of clay minerals—kaolin.
The Life Cycle of a Mineral Deposit – A Teacher’s Guide for Hands-on Mineral Education Activities
Information, a glossary, and activities on finding, identifying, and extracting mineral resources used in our everyday lives.
Phosphate Mining Middle School and High School Video
Phosphate is an important mineral because it contains phosphorus, a key nutrient for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in plants, in addition to humans and animals. This 6 1/2-minute video by Nutrients for Life shows the process of mining phosphate rock and processing it for use in fertilizer for crops.
The largest phosphate deposits in North America lie in the Bone Valley Region of central Florida. Georgia, Idaho, North Carolina, Montana, Tennessee, Wyoming, South Carolina and Utah also have significant phosphate deposits.
Grades 6-12
Phosphate Activities
Accompanying Activities
These simple activities reinforce concepts learned in the phosphate mining video.
Paper Manipulative Activity
Multiple Choice Questions and Writing Prompt
