Post-visit learning: student activities, project ideas and questions
The post-visit activities draw upon students’ experiences
during their visit to Mount Morgan. The focus is the emphasis on
the fact that the mine had huge benefits for Queensland but also
some environmental costs. The students conduct water quality testing
of the collected water samples and prepare of a report on the impact
of the mine on the environment. They then make a poster presentation/oral
presentation/web page highlighting the challenges facing ensuring
sustainable mining in Queensland in the future.
- How much gold has been mined at Mount Morgan?
- At today’s prices how much is that gold worth?
TASK 1: Water Quality Testing
Australia’s water quality is usually rated mainly in terms
of three key variables:
- Salinity (or salt concentration)
- Turbidity (or concentration of suspended solids)
- Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous)
Other key water quality measures include pH (acidity / alkalinity),
faecal coliforms (bacteria from human and animal waste), toxic chemicals,
algal blooms and heavy metals.
In an area where contamination is suspected the recommended tests
may be more specific. The extent of the tests carried out on the
quality of the water in this investigation depends upon the age
of the students and the resources you have at hand.
Testing can be as simple as monitoring pH values with indicator
papers and temperature with thermometers. Remote data loggers can
be used instead and collect a range of measurements. An alternative
would be to use a specialist water testing kit.
Useful tests for the quality of the water in this system could
include:
| pH |
Oxygen content |
| Turbidity |
Temperature |
| Copper |
Sulphate |
Refer to resource
4, resource
5 and resource
6.
These tests should be performed at the Dam and the Swinging Bridge
sites
Now: Research levels fit for human consumption and health of fish.
Look up the information on water quality that can be accessed via
Queensland
Water Quality Guidelines. Can the damage be repaired? What would
it cost?
Students prepare a scientific report of their experiments –
see Resource
7: Guide to writing reports.
TASK 2: The challenge of the future
Research modern mining practices
- Do they have to be sustainable?
- How do they allow for the local environment?
- Are there legal requirements for sustainable development?
Contact the Wowan Dululu Landcare Group, PO Box 7, Mount Morgan
4714 for information on the Development Program.
Produce an oral presentation or a web page.
Web page opportunities:
The ability to produce web pages can be achieved by many different
software programs. Students can publish their findings, include
interactive material and stimulate debate with other schools.
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