Reading River Sediments - A Simulated Mineral Exploration Activity

Grades 7-12.

This kit provides a series of hands-on activities that allows students to use key earth science concepts by conducting a mineral exploration which simulates real-life economic, social, and issue-oriented problems. The activities are designed to introduce and use topographic maps, learn about rock types, erosion, and river dynamics. The kit is based on the understanding that as water works along the earth’s surface and through the ground, it picks up small amounts of the minerals found in the rocks and sediments. Certain minerals will ionize and then travel along in the moving water and later react chemically with the surface of river sediments. The closer the section of river is to a deposit of a mineral, the greater the amount of it will be detectable on the river sediments. Since it is impractical to take a class out to the field to obtain samples, simulated sample river sediments are provided in the kit, along with detailed topographic maps of a river system in a mountainous region. The necessary testing solutions and apparatus are also provided. Each sample site can be tested at a minimum of 50 individual times.