Environments - MINER   

Mine Diorama

Primary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

1. Make a diorama or another craft visual representation of a mine, using all natural materials. Here are some examples - some difficult, some easier. Which one can you build?

Treasure from trash: how mining waste can be mined a second time

Middle Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Numeracy

Australian Curriculum Cross Curriculum Priorities: Sustainability Priority  

1. Read the following article from The Conversation: Treasure from trash: how mining waste can be mined a second time [30th June 2016].

2. List down all the mines stated in this article and locate them on Google maps.

3. Research and write up the following elements in regard to new extraction technologies and their new uses. Share with a partner:

Lithium	Wikipedia
Indium Wikipedia
Cobalt Wikipedia

4. Investigate the environmental impact by exploring Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) and Bacterial Oxidation from the article in the Conversation.

In pairs, create a Public Service Announcement about the ideas explored.  Include all the maths involved as well.

Beaconsfield Mine Collapse

Primary Middle

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Literacy

1. It has been over 10 years since a terrible disaster occurred in Australia. You are to research the  Beaconsfield Mine Collapse from 2006.

"The Beaconsfield Mine collapse occurred on 25 April 2006 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Australia. Of the seventeen people who were in the mine at the time, fourteen escaped immediately following the collapse, one was killed and the remaining two were found alive using a remote-controlled device. These two miners were rescued on 9 May 2006, two weeks after being trapped nearly a kilometre below the surface." (Source: Wikipedia)

In groups of 4 - 5 students, read the following - share the reading by using the Expert Jigsaw Strategy.

Beaconsfield Mine Collapse: Wikipedia Beaconsfield miners struggling 10 years after disaster	Beaconsfield mine disaster leaves lasting legacy
Beaconsfield - Mine and Heritage Centre	Behind the News: Mine Rescue
Photos today of the Shaft

2. Answer the following questions:

• Where is Beaconsfield? Draw onto a map.
• What caused the collapse?
• How low beneath the surface were the miners trapped?
• How long were they trapped for?
• How were the miners rescued?
• What song did the miners sing to keep their spirits up?
• Why did they choose this song?
• What did the miners get sent down from the PVC pipe?
• If you were trapped in a mine, what essentials would you ask the forces to send down?
• On what date were the miners finally rescued?

3. This disaster is captured in the Beaconsfield Mine and Heritage Centre where thousands of visitors come each year to see the reconstruction of the cage where the two miners were trapped for two weeks.

After reading about the Centre - a great museum - what other exhibition do you think would help students of your age to understand the courage of these two miners and miners everywhere?