Joy Branlund

Human's Dependence on Earth's Mineral Resources part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
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 ...

Unit 1: People, Products, and Minerals part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
This unit provides an introduction to the module. In addition to learning about minerals and mineral resources, students identify minerals that are employed to make commonly used products, thus tying resource use ...

Unit 2: Boom and Bust: How Econ 101 Relates to Rocks part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
This unit emphasizes that minerals are not mined just to mine them but because there is a consumer demand for the minerals. Use (demand) affects the supply and price of these minerals and also affects the amount ...

Unit 6: Mining, Society, and Decision Making part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
In this unit, students explore a specific mineral resource (either phosphorus or gold) in depth, investigating the costs and benefits of mining, processing, and use. This unit builds on concepts from previous ...

Activity 1.1 - Minerals and Products part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
In the minerals and products activity, students match physical products with actual mineral samples, using observable properties as well as the minerals' chemical formulas and some products' ingredient ...

Activity 1.2 - Review of Minerals and Rocks part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
The discussion presented here is meant to augment, not replace, the pre-class reading, as well as to provide an introduction to concept maps.

Activity Option 6.2 - Gold Mining and Impacts part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
This activity asks students to investigate different aspects of gold mining and think critically about the perceived and real needs for this mineral resource as well as the impacts (both positive and negative) that ...

Activity Option 2.1 - Batteries as an Example of Consumer Demand and Mineral Supply part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
Changes in rechargeable battery technology have dictated the supply and demand of commodities such as lithium, cobalt, cadmium, nickel, and lead. Students will study the changing technologies and other societal ...

Activity 1.3 - Economic Development and Resource Use part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
This short activity (10--15 minutes) for Unit 1 introduces students to the general relationship between economic development and resource use, and, particularly with the follow-up homework, the relationship among ...

Activity Option 6.1 - Phosphorus Mining and Impacts part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
Mined phosphorus is considered essential for agriculture, especially with the need to feed the ever growing population. However, there are consequences of phosphate mining and use, including pollution at mine sites ...

Activity 4.3 - Mining Salt part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
Students will research two types of salt deposits: solar salt (e.g., facilities in Bahamas) and rock salt (e.g., Heber City, Utah). Students will be able to compare and contrast the two types of salt deposits by ...

Activity 4.2 - Mining Sand part of Humans Dependence on Earths Mineral Resources
Students will analyze data and answer questions regarding the weathering, erosion, and deposition responsible for concentrating shoreline titanium placer deposits in Florida.

Presenting science to the public: The ethics of outreach part of GeoEthics:Activities
Joy Branlund, Southwestern Illinois College Summary This case study involves class discussion about (a) the environmental concerns of developing a new industrial project (in this case, a new mine in Minnesota), ...