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The profit and cost of gold mining at Mount Morgan aims to develop students’ understandings about the reasons why the Mount Morgan mine was, and mining continues to be, so important to the prosperity of Australia. Students will investigate the processes of getting the gold from the mountain, and in particular need to be involved in gaining an overview of the way these processes changed over time. They will also look at the environmental impact of the mine and the lessons of the need for sustainable development learnt.

Activities in this unit are developed around three themes:

• Finding and mining gold at Mount Morgan
• The impact on the Dee River
• The challenges of the future

Before their visit to Mount Morgan, the classroom teacher should have helped the students to develop an understanding of how gold was discovered at Mount Morgan and some of the simple separation techniques used. Students should have researched how gold collected over the ages and can be found in different types.

Activities during the visit to Mount Morgan should allow students to appreciate some of the problems of mining and separating the gold. Students should be able to view the mine workings and see the scale of works carried out. They should be encouraged to participate in activities that allow them to form an appreciation of the process of gold collection. All students should be given the opportunity to pan for gold.

In addition the students should consider the need for water in the separation processes used and the role, and need, of a reliable water supply. They should see how the water was supplied and be able to take samples at the dam before the mine and from the river below the mine. The effect of the mining processes on the water will be discussed after the visit.

The guided mine tour should focus on the history of the mine; the processes used and include sighting the dinosaur footprints to emphasise the age that the gold deposits were formed. Students should be able to appreciate each step of the gold’s journey and what happens to the gold from the moment of collection to it is transported from Mount Morgan. How did the state of the gold leaving Mount Morgan change with time as the economics of the mine changed.