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.
Resource: Supplemental Materials
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.
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
The Mining Industry and Minerals Primer
This eight-page publication has information about the common mineral groups, how a mine is made, mineral exploration, concentrating, smelting and refining, and related simple activities.
11″ x 17″ two-color newspaper-format
Suggested Grades: K – 8
Mining Reclamation Primer
This eight-page National Energy Foundation publication includes an explanation of mining reclamation including regulations, phases of reclamation, native species, technology examples and several related hands on activities—“Public Notices,” “Orebody Battleship” and “Decision Making.”
11″ x 17″ two-color newspaper-format
Suggested Grades: 3 – 8
Electricity Primer
This eight-page National Energy Foundation publication provides background information on electricity, a glossary and related hands-on activities.
This is a good companion piece to the Iron In Our Electrical World Video and Coal Poster.
11″ x 17″ two-color newspaper-format
Suggested Grades: 3 – 8
Coal Primer
Information, a glossary and activities about the formation, mining and uses of coal, and new coal technologies and the environment.
Coal Poster
Illustrations, information and activities about the formation, mining and use of coal and related careers, reclamation and clean coal technologies.
SME Exploring Mining Careers Booklet
Download a guide for students, parents and teachers to learn more about mining-related careers.
Exploration/Exploration Geologist Bookmark
Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM subjects) are used by mining professionals throughout the industry. These bookmarks were created to introduce students to mining and possible careers in the mining and minerals industries.
In the mining industry, exploration is a term that describes the process of searching for viable deposits of valuable mineral resources. Exploration Geologists combine the knowledge of how mineral deposits were formed with the physical processes that have affected them since they formed to determine the location and distribution of valuable minerals in the Earth.
