Instructor Materials: Overview of the Earth's Mineral Resources Module

Module Summary

Despite humans' heavy reliance on Earth's mineral resources, few think about where the products they use come from and what it took to produce them. This module addresses that disconnect by combining learning about rocks and minerals (and how these become the products students use), methods of mineral resource discovery and extraction, and the impact of mineral resource use. This module allows important geoscience concepts to be taught in the context of important and immediate societal issues while also asking students to confront human issues such as environmental justice, economics, personal choice, and politics that may arise due to obtaining, beneficiating, transporting, trading, using, and disposing of natural resources.

Pre-Unit 1 Pre-Module Mineral Concept Map Exercise Assessment

Unit 1 People, Products, and Minerals

Unit 1 introduces students to properties of minerals and the rock cycle within the context of their use as resources. The last section of this unit ties in the use of natural resources to population and development.

• Activity 1.1 - Minerals and Products (~20 minutes)
• Activity 1.2 - Unit 1 Reading Reinforcement (~10 minutes)
• Activity 1.3 - Economic Development and Resource Use (10--15 minutes)

Unit 2 Boom and Bust: How Econ 101 Relates to Rocks

Unit 2 addresses economic and social factors influencing what and how many minerals are mined. Instructors can choose from two activities: working with rechargeable battery technologies or with global supply and demand topics surrounding rare earth elements (REEs).

• Activity Option 2.1 - How All Those New Portable Electronic Gadgets (specifically, their rechargeable batteries) Affect Mineral Use (~40 minutes; 20 minutes on each of two parts)
• Activity Option 2.2 - Clean Energy Technologies, Rare Earth Elements, and China's Export Policies (~50 minutes)

Unit 3 Mining and Mining Impacts

Unit 3 introduces students to basic mining methods and processes as well as some of the impacts that mining has and can have, particularly when mining for metals.

• Unit 3 Pre-Class Homework - Abandoned Mine Lands and Superfund
• Activity 3.1 - Muffin Mining (~25 minutes)
• Activity 3.2 - Ore Grades, Waste, and Remediation (~25 minutes)
• Unit 3 Post-Class Homework - The Case of Soda

Unit 4 Mineral Resources Created by Sedimentary Processes

Addresses sedimentary processes, and the sediments and sedimentary rocks used as mineral resources. Activities deal with clastic sedimentary processes and resources and chemical sedimentary rocks that are mineral resources.

• Activity 4.1 - Review/Practice of Sedimentary Concepts (~15 minutes)
• Activity 4.2 - Mining Sand (~50 minutes)
• Activity 4.3 - Mining Salt (~25 minutes)

Unit 5 Resources Created by Igneous and Metamorphic Processes

Unit 5 introduces students to the processes that result in the formation of igneous and metamorphic rocks, particularly those that create metallic resources through igneous processes.

Unit 6 Mining, Society, and Decision Making

Unit 6 contains case studies of particular mineral resources (phosphorus and gold) that each use data to present real situations with various societal and personal concerns and decisions. Both of these activities are jigsaws with different pre-class and in-class assignments for different groups. See the activity sheets for complete lists of materials.

• Activity Option 6.1 - Phosphorus Mining and Impacts (~50 minutes)
• Activity Option 6.2 - Gold Mining and Impacts (~50 minutes)

Making the Module Work

The module was written so that each unit could be done in one 50-minute class period, or split and combined so that three units could be done in two 75-minute classes. The instructor can also adapt these to use within 2- or 3-hour lab periods, spending more time on activities or incorporating more of the optional activities. The module assumes that the classroom will be an active learning environment; there is little time for lecture, so students should use the available materials to prepare prior to class for the in-class, mostly group activities. Several of the units contain multiple activities and options and not all can be done within the confines of class. Instructors should either plan to have students complete some activities outside of class (as homework) or pick and choose the activities that best address their desired learning outcomes and time available in their own courses. Almost all of the module content could be adapted for an online learning environment as well.

To adapt all or part of the Humans' Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources module for your classroom, you will also want to read through:

• Instructor Stories, which detail how the Humans' Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources module was adapted for use at three different institutions.
• Adapting InTeGrate Modules and Courses for Your Classroom, which outlines how to use InTeGrate modules effectively in courses.