Mining Lab

Don’t open the red boxes

yet!!!

First things first

• I need to sign pre-labs• Clean your lab tables thoroughly• Wash your hands (in the room or go to the

restroom)• Lab tables should be free of backpacks, books,

purses, etc.

Energy

• Unit 4 - Ch’s 12- 14: Energy. Of HUGE economic, environmental, political importance!

• What are fossil fuels?

• How are they made?

• Types?

Red containers

• Desert ecosystem (use your imagination)

• Deserts often contain fossil fuel deposits

What you will be mining

1. Oil – filling of hostess cupcakes• What happens if you remove the whole

rock?• EPA (me) won’t buy back your land if it’s

riddled with sinkholes.

2. Coal Deposits – the chocolate chips in the chocolate chip cookies (cookie part is sedimentary rock)

3. Loose Ore Deposits – M&M’s

Big Question

• How do you go about mining these resources without degrading the ecosystem?

Methods

• Wind erosion – OK

• Drilling – OK

• Scraping the surface/ digging - OK

• Extreme weather events (earthquakes, tsunamis, turning the planet upside down) – NOT OK.

Economics

• You will start off in debt.– Must pay for land, supplies, labor…

• You will make a profit (hopefully).– Ore, coal, oil, land sale back to the EPA

Details

• Plates/ baggies are free

• Place your oil in the corner of a ziplock and I will estimate # of mLs

• Can use phone or clock as stopwatch

• Remember… the EPA is watching! Any major biota degradation will result in a loss of resale of land.

How to proceed

1. Spend a few minutes planning (this time is free!)

2. Buy equipment

3. Start mining (MUST run a timer!!!)

4. Calculate net gain

5. Eat ecosystem

6. Clean up!!!

Effect of Mining SpreadsheetExpenses:

Cost of land: $20.00

Cost of tools:

Paper clip: _____ @ $6.00 each = $_______

Plastic spoon: _____ @ $5.00 each = $_______

Plastic fork: _____ @ $3.00 each = $_______

Plastic knife: _____ @ $4.00 each = $_______

Toothpick: _____ @ $2.00 each = $_______

Straw: _____ @ $8.00 each = $_______

Start Time: ______

End Time: ______

Total Time Spent: _______ @ $0.50 per minute = $ _______

 

TOTAL EXPENSE: $____________

Effect of Mining Spreadsheet

Sales:

Ore Deposits (Chocolate Chips): _______ @ $2.00 per chip = $________

Coal Deposits (M&Ms): _______ @ $1.00 per M&M = $________

Oil Deposits (cupcake filling): _______ @ $2.00 per mL = $________

Land Sale from environmental preservation: = $________

 

TOTAL SALES: $ ______________

 

 

TOTAL SALES – TOTAL EXPENSE: $______________ = PROFIT

Post Lab Questions

1. What excavation methods did you use?

2. Were you able to sell your land back to environmental preservation groups? Why or why not?

3. Write a reflection (several paragraphs) on your perception of environmental ethics pertaining to economic decisions based on this lab