SIMULATED MINING & TOPOGRAPHIC MAP READING
BACKGROUND: Many mineral resources are unevenly distributed and have limits to their usefulness. On its way to a
waterway, water runoff picks up sediment and other solids that either become suspended or dissolved in the water. Many
minerals and elements bind to soil particles in sediment. That sediment enters waterways when eroded soil is picked up by
runoff, suspended in it, and washed into streams and rivers. As water curves or meanders its way through the stream
channel, it slows down considerably on the inside of curves. At this reduced velocity, deposition, or settling out of
suspended solid material, often occurs. Solids that dissolve in water do so because of ionization, the process of adding or
subtracting electrons from atoms, giving the atoms an electric charge. This electric charge allows the atoms to become
attracted to and stick to water molecules. Some minerals will ionize and travel along with the water, chemically reacting with
the surfaces of river sediments that have been deposited in the stream. The closer an area of the watershed is to a mineral
deposit, the greater the detectable amount of the mineral in the water and surrounding sediments. On its way to a waterway,
water runoff picks up sediment and other solids that either become suspended or dissolved in the water. Many minerals and
elements bind to soil particles in sediment. That sediment enters waterways when eroded soil is picked up by runoff,
suspended in it, and washed into streams and rivers.
In this lab, you will demonstrate mining of the earth’s surface and underground. The area to be mined is a mountainous area
with a river system that feeds a reservoir used as a water supply. As water moves along the surface and through the ground,
small amounts of minerals found in rocks and sediments dissolve or travel along in the moving water. The closer the section
of river is to a mineral deposit, the greater the amount of it will be detectable on the river sediments.
Ruby Ridge Quadrangle
Topographic Map
chemplates
spatulas
Ruler
$5,000
test solution
sediment samples
sample site number cards
wet erase marker
1.
2.
3.
4.
Study the topographic map and key.
Record the elevation difference between to index contours and contour intervals
What is the change in elevation from the top of Glacier Mountain to the river junction near Sample Site No. 9?
When contour lines cross rivers, they often form a “V” shape. Do these “V’s” point upstream (where the river starts) or
downstream. Justify
5. Using the scale 1:37,500, determine the distance in miles between Sample Sites 1 and 22 following the main river.
ANSWERS
2. __________________
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3. __________________
4. __________________
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5. _________________
Your team goal is to locate the rock layer containing a molybdenum deposit using the least amount of money. Trace amounts
have been found in rivers. You must purchase mineral rights and mine the deposits and make a profit. Additionally, you
must follow the laws established by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). Government
inspectors have the authority to inspect mining operations and levy fines or order mining cease for violations of SMCRA
1. Apply for a permit for each site you intend to test. Include your company name, members of the company and the
location you intend to mine. Your application must describe what the environmental conditions, current land use,
Modified from Lab-Aids, Inc
SIMULATED MINING & TOPOGRAPHIC MAP READING
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
topography and what the proposed reclamation will be. The company may decide to turn in individual paper work at the
end of this activity or turn in one form for the entire company.
Each sample site you select to test cost $500. Additionally, in accordance with SMCRA, you must post a $100 bond to
ensure proper reclamation procedures for each site. The bond is returnable when your test area is clean. Your company
has $5,000 start-up funds.
Discuss with you partners where a molybdenum deposit will most likely be. Send a company representative with
applications for permits, a chemplate, money and the sample site card(s) to the sample site(s). If a representative from
another company is already there, form a line. Keep the sample site cards a secret from other teams. You may purchase
sample sites one at a time, or several at once.
If the company partners can not agree on test site(s) or to turn in individual work or company work, you may “buy out” a
team member with part of the initial $5000.00 start up money.
You will receive a one spatula sample(s) of the selected site(s) to test. If testing more than one at a time, place each
sample in a separate well of the chemplate. Be sure to document which site is in each well.
Place one drop of the test solution on each sample. Wait 10 to 15 seconds. Compare color to the chart below.
color
Molybdenum Concentration
(ppb)
Yellow
less than 0.1
Blue
0.1 - 1.0
Blue-Green
1.1 - 10.0
Red
greater than 10.0
6. Record the results of each test site.
7. Continue testing until you either run out of money or have a site with greater than 10.0 ppb molybdenum
8. Dump contents of chemplates into a trash can. Rinse the chemplates and dry. Return all supplies to reclaim the bond(s).
To get the bond money back, you must show your data for each tested site.
MINIMUM CONCLUSION: Describe how to use topographic maps to determine testing sites. Describe how sites 1 and 2
would be affected if site 3 were the molybdenum deposit. Describe how sites 5, 8 and 9 would be affected. You should
include the following in your descriptions: deposition, water movement relative to contour lines, trace minerals, watershed,
runoff, ionization.
APPLICATION TO TEST & DATA
Company Name:_____________________________________________________
Company Partners: __________________________________________________
Application Fee Paid ($500.00 per site) _________________________________
Bond Paid ($100.00 per site) _________________________________________
Bond Reclaimed ___________________________________________________
Modified from Lab-Aids, Inc
SIMULATED MINING & TOPOGRAPHIC MAP READING
TEST SITE #
Test Site #
Modified from Lab-Aids, Inc
DESCRIPTION & RECLAMATION PLAN
Color
Concentration (ppb)
SIMULATED MINING & TOPOGRAPHIC MAP READING
Test Site #
Color
Concentration (ppb)
CONCLUSION: ____________________________________________________
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Staple the paper with the topography answers to the back of this page
Modified from Lab-Aids, Inc