Educators
Everything We Have Comes From Natural Resources
It has been said that if a substance cannot be grown, such as wood, then it must be extracted from the earth. Ironically, many things that are grown would not grow without the aid of mineral resources used in fertilizers or agricultural tools.
Every day, minerals are at work in products we all use. Minerals are in paper and pencils, in toothpaste and baby powder, in televisions and airplanes.
The purpose of this section is to provide you with easy-to-use information and activities to teach students about the importance of the mining industry.
What do we mean when we say mining industry?
The mining industry is concerned with profitably extracting mineral resources from the earth. It involves exploration, discovery, evaluation, development, extraction, beneficiation, production, and marketing of mineral resources.
Why is the need for mineral resources so little understood?
The role of mineral in modern society is little understood or appreciated by most people because the identity of minerals is commonly hidden in the finished product. No one questions the identity or importance of air and water. The purchaser of gasoline for an automobile is clearly aware of the need for a petroleum product. However, the purchaser of an automobile does not think that he is buying a composite of iron, manganese, chromium, lead, zinc, platinum, copper, aluminum, and many other materials, each essential to some part of the automobile.
The calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, and other essential elements are not seen in the food we eat; nor are the minerals used in the implements, machinery, and fertilizers of modern agriculture visible in the product. The energy industries require 29 different nonfuel mineral commodities in order to harness and deliver the energy on which society depends. Telephone handsets contain 42 different elements. Of about 100 mineral commodities used by society today, essentially all of them are used directly or indirectly by the electronics industries and in the production of computers.
Welcome to Kennecott in the Classroom!
The Kennecott mine is a place where several subjects can come alive, from history to geology to environmental issues and more. Use these resources to compliment your lesson plan. And we’re always happy to have you and your students visit the
From Ore to More: Watch a 6 minute video about how we start with a bunch of rocks, and end up with the copper we use every day.
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