Dig Into Mining – The Story of Copper is an interactive educational program for students grades 6-12 that uncovers the use of metals such as copper in our everyday life, and provides students a deeper understanding of today’s hard rock mining industry.

In this activity, students research the antimicrobial properties of copper.

In this activity, students will participate in a hands-on lab to help them visualize and understand the process of extracting copper from ore.

In this activity, students will analyze proportional relationships and use them to solve real-world problems.

Bring students on a virtual tour of the ins and outs of electronic and hybrid vehicles to compare and contrast the amount of copper with a gas fuel vehicle.

With this interactive activity, you can explore Earth’s natural resources and investigate the many ways you interact with metals every day.

What exactly can we tell about an unknown substance by it’s properties?

Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. While it has some beneficial uses, it can be toxic to humans and animals, causing health effects.

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead (Pb) pollution, specify a maximum amount of lead to be present in outdoor air.

How do we know if an area is not meeting the standards?

EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) agree that there is no known safe level of lead in a child’s blood. Lead is harmful to health, especially for children.  

Geochemists consider uranium one of the incompatible elements, more specifically a member of the large-ion lithophile element or LILE group.