LP+Mining+Today


 * Standard 4. ** Students will understand the diverse ways people make a living in Utah.
 * Objective 3.** Examine aspects that have broadened Utah’s economy.
 * Indicator a.** Investigate the role of mining in Utah.


 * Lesson: Mining Today **


 * Vocabulary:**
 * Commodity
 * Base metals
 * Precious metals
 * Radioactive metals
 * Fossil Fuels


 * Essential Questions:**
 * In our high-tech and service oriented world, why is mining still critical to the Utah economy today?
 * What is a commodity? What are the main base metals, precious metals, radioactive metals, and fuels that are mined in Utah and traded on the commodities market?
 * How has technology affected the profession of mining in Utah?


 * Instructional Activities:**
 * Give an overview of the importance of mining, focusing on the impact to the individual student and to the economy of Utah. This link will provide a simple overview, if needed: []
 * In small groups, have students brainstorm, and then make a list of all of the products they will come into contact with in school that day that are based on metals, minerals, or mined fuels.
 * Have a class discussion based upon group lists. The same link provides a list of products that are often overlooked: []
 * Explain the difference between base metals, precious metals, and radioactive metals then show this map of Utah to students and have them try to guess which of those three types of metals is represented by each color. The pink represents base and precious metals, yellow is just iron, green is radioactive metals, and blue are other trace metals found in Utah.
 * Hand out copies of, or have the student bring up online, the //2009 Summary of Mineral Activity in Utah// completed by the Utah Geological Survey. Here is the link: []
 * Using this summary, explore with students the main commodities (base metals, precious metals, and fuels) that are mined in Utah today. Examples are copper, molybdenum, magnesium, beryllium, gold, silver, gilsonite, coal, uranium, etc. Help students understand the economic impact of mining on the current economy of Utah.
 * Using the summary as a starting point, have students research one of the commodities mined in Utah or one of the mining companies tied to Utah. As a class, develop a project where students will chart or graph the value of their assigned commodity (or the stock value of the mining company) over a set period of time. (Or, you could have them chart what has happened to the value of those commodities since 2007 over the course of the Great Recession.) Several websites (Wall Street Journal, CNN Money, Bloomberg, Commodity Online, etc.) are available to students. Results could be compiled on a large chart/graph on the classroom wall as an extension activity.


 * Assessment:**
 * Student projects
 * Test Question: What sorts of things are mined in Utah today and how does mining continue to be an important profession to Utah's economy?


 * Materials / Resources for Teachers:**
 * The Utah Journey pages 8, 34-35, 262, 283, 292
 * []
 * []


 * Materials / Resources for Students:**
 * The Utah Journey pages 8, 34-35, 262, 283, 292
 * []
 * []