Earth Science Week Classroom Activities
Birdseed Mining
Activity Source:
“Birdseed Mining,” Women in Mining Education Foundation, 2005. Adapted with permission.
Background
Mining is a complex process in which valuable or useful materials are removed from large masses of rock.
Materials
- Wild bird food - any birdseed mix that contains sunflower seeds and at least two other seed varieties
- Shallow pans
- Small beads (approximately 2mm) in blue, gold, and silver
- Medium beads (approximately 4-6 mm) in white
Procedure
- Organize groups of four to six students.
- Pour approximately one pound of birdseed into each pan
- Mix two gold beads, four silver beads, eight blue beads, and three white beads into each pan of birdseed.
- Search through the seed mixtures and separate out or “mine” beads, sunflower seeds, and other grain products, making piles of each. Allow your group five to 10 minutes to finish mining.
- Assign a value for each type of bead or seed.
Bead/Seed Value Chart
| Type | Destination | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Gold beads | Gold | $5.00 each |
| Silver beads | Silver | $4.00 each |
| Blue beads | Copper | $3.00 each |
| Sunflower seeds | Iron | $2.00 each |
| Other seeds | Waste | $0.00 each |
| White beads | Reclamation | -$100.00 each |
(Reclamation must be done at all mining operations)
- Count the sunflower seeds and blue, silver, and gold beads from your piles and calculate your earnings based on the values given above. Note your earnings in a spreadsheet similar to the one found below. Also, pay special attention to any environmental damage that was done because of the mining. You can be fined for a messy table.
Earnings Spreadsheet Sample
Gold Bead = Gold
Number of beads x $ = $ Price value
Each group should total up the dollar value of its mining operation, subtracting the environmental damage fines and reclamation costs. Each group will present its success with the other grou