The Education GeoSource database has thousands of free resources, from lessons to outreach and teacher professional development, for use in classrooms, scout programs, or at home.
Grade: K-2
Mining is Us: Geotechnical Engineer Video
How do we help society obtain the mineral resources it needs while keeping miners safe? Join Carolina as she introduces the career of geotechnical engineering.
A Winch Lightens the Load
How do well winches help people haul water from deep inside a well? Students design a model well winch that raises and lowers a full bucket without spilling any of it.
All About Coal
Introduce primary and elementary students to the formation of coal, the coal mining process, reclamation of lands, and the uses of coal. Hands-on, multi-disciplinary activities. Free download. 59 pages. Find related curricula at www.need.org.
Saskatchewan Mining Association Resources For Teachers Grades K-5
Conduct activities about potash solution mining and more. Activities are from the Saskatchewan Mining Association.
Grades K-5
Potash mining activities.
Potash, uranium and coal mining activities by resource.
Potash and Uranium Mining and Mill Tours.
From Ore To More Video
This fun 6-minute video from Rio Tinto’s Kennecott Utah Copper tells the story of copper from start to finish, through the mining, processing and end uses of copper, complete with great mathematical analogies for the scale of giant sizes and weights.
Content aimed at grades 4-8, though all ages will enjoy the video. [5:59]
Potash Mining Video
Potash is a common name for salts that contain potassium. Potassium (K) is an important element in human and animal health, and a major nutrient for plant growth and crop yield. This 5-minute video from Nutrients for Life discusses the process of creating usable potash for fertilizer through two different mining techniques for extracting and processing potash ore. [5:16]
Nevada Mining Association Virtual Tour
Take a virtual self-guided tour behind-the-scenes of Newmont Mining’s Twin Creeks Gold Mine and Mill. View the mine from an overlook, visit the underground mine (1000 feet below the surface), the gold refinery, process lab, emergency refuge chamber and other facilities through narration, 360° images, and videos. The upper left area has symbols for options like a list of the stops on the tour, a map of the tour, and more information about some of the sites on the tour.
Note: The virtual tour works best with the latest version of modern browsers Firefox, Explorer and Chrome. The introductory narration can be silenced with a sound button in the lower right corner area. If this does not work, start again and go directly back to where you were. Content is aimed at grades 6-12, though all ages will enjoy the Virtual Tour.
Nevada Mining Association Hands-On Mineral Education Activities
Conduct learning activities all about mining, processing ore, and the properties, chemistry and importance of minerals and their uses. The activities can be filtered by Grade Level.
Mine Safety Primer
This eight-page National Energy Foundation publication contains information about the importance of mining, technological advances in mining, hazards around abandoned mines and quarries, mining careers and abandoned mine safety practices. Activities include “Mine Safety News,” “Abandoned Mines and Unsafe Air” and multiple additional activity suggestions like “Mine Hazard Charades” and “Name a Danger.”
11″ x 17″ two-color newspaper-format
Suggested Grades: K-8
