Coal: China, Energy and Kyoto - I. Evaluating Coal Leases for Possible Mining

James D. Myers

Geology & Geophysics, University of Wyoming

This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Peer Reviewed Teaching Activities collection. (view details)

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are

Scientific Accuracy
Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
Pedagogic Effectiveness
Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page

For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.

Initial Publication Date: April 12, 2010 | Reviewed: August 4, 2022 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

Students evaluate coal leases to determine their potential for coal mining. Each company, student group, creates subsurface geologic models for each lease. Using these models, they recommend to the company board of directors which lease should be pursed further.

Mineral Resources | College Introductory, College Upper (15-16)

Expand for more detail and links to related resources

Share your modifications and improvements to this activity through the Community Contribution Tool »

Context

Audience

Two courses: 1)upper division geology course for majors and non-majors; 2) introductory level course on global sustainability

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Visualization in 3-D; map construction and interpretation (topo, geologic and structural contour maps); construction of cross-sections; knowledge of coal formation, characteristics and occurrence; basics of geologic mineral exploration, e.g. drilling, coring, sampling, interpreting logs

How the activity is situated in the course

Part one of a 3-part case study (geology, economics, social impact)

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Coal formation; exploratory drilling; coal rank and quality; coal logging; mining classes and methods

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Construction of mental models, i.e. subsurface geology; designing data collection schemes; interpreting incomplete data sets; evaluating sources of model error; balancing need for information and completeness versus acquisition cost; selecting appropriate mine type and mining methods based on deduced geologic model

Other skills goals for this activity

Writing reports, preparing and delivering oral presentations; working in groups; understanding the professional tasks associated with mineral exploration and exploitation; identifying environmental/social trade-offs; identifying externalities of coal mining

Description of the activity/assignment

Students evaluate coal leases to determine their potential for coal mining. Each company, student group, has three leases and an exploration budget. Students design and implement an exploratory drilling program on each lease and collect partial borehole cores. Using the resultant data, each company creates geologic cross-sections for each lease as well as structural contour maps. Based on their geologic models, they recommend, in oral and written reports, on which, if any, of these leases the company should pursue and how the extractable coal seams might be recovered.