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Rocky Cake Mines

Purpose: To study the environmental impact of mining through experimental activities.

Task: To simulate the open cut pit mining of Cadia Hill

Organisation: Small groups

DAY ONE

Introduction:

  • Discuss the concept of conglomerate rocks – formed when pebbles are cemented together.
  • One artificial form is concrete
  • Another is the form they are about to make – the Cadia Hill Cake – See recipe below
  • Do not inform the students they will be mining the cakes

You will need:

  • Oven / microwave
  • Mixing bowls, wooden spoons, measuring cups
  • Baking trays
  • Copies of Ingredients and Methods for each group

The Cadia Hill Cake

Ingredients: Per Group

1½ cups of self raising flour
¼ cup of margarine
¼ cup of sugar
1 cup of Ore [mixture of sultanas (gold) and chopped nuts (copper)]
1 egg
¼ cup milk
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:

  1. Rub margarine into flour with clean fingers
  2. Add cinnamon and sugar
  3. Add ore
  4. Beat egg and add to milk
  5. Stir into dry mix to make a stiff dough
  6. Grease baking tray
  7. Spoon roughly shaped heaps onto baking tray (ensure at least two (2) cakes per student)
  8. Bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes
  9. Allow to cool
  10. Store overnight

Observe the metamorphosis of the raw materials into a conglomerate rock!

DAY TWO

You will need:

  • Cadia Hill Cakes – two for each student
  • Mining equipment shared among groups (Scissors, sharpened paddle pop sticks, drawing compasses etc)
  • Cover work area with plastic or paper
  • Class list of names to record minerals mined
  • Scales for weighing ore

Activity: Part 1: Cadia Hill I

  • Give one Cadia Hill cake to each student

Give the following instructions one at a time:

  1. Open cut mine your Cadia Hill cakes
  2. Sort the mined ore into separate piles - sultanas (gold), nuts (copper)
  3. Weigh the ore and record results on class list
  4. Put the mine back the way it was! (Note students’ reactions!)
  5. Discuss:
  • Why was it a problem to restore Cadia Hill?
  • Should they have thought about this at the beginning?
  • Possible solutions

    Record: Using different coloured paper and shapes, students record the activity and add to display.

    Activity: Part 2: Cadia Hill II

    1. With the new Cadia Hill cake, students draw on the previous experience to mine Cadia Hill using selective mining techniques.
    2. Weigh and record the results.
    3. Discuss:
  • Differences in yield
  • Which mining technique produced more ore?
  • Which method was more profitable?
  • What are the environmental issues involved?
  • Which cake represents more environmentally sustainable mining? Cadia Hill I or Cadia Hill II?
  • How could these issues be addressed?

    Record: Using different coloured paper and shapes, students record the activity and add to display.

    Share out any remaining cakes – Eat and Enjoy

     

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