World Ecosystems Beyond Borders (WEBB)
An Environmental Curriculum for Wisconsin Students
Mining: Environmental and Societal Impacts in
Wisconsin and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo
Grade Level: 6th-8th
Subject Areas: Science and Social Studies
Length of Unit: Up to three weeks
Summary
The following unit helps students critically examine the issues surrounding mining and mineral
resources. Students will investigate the Crandon Mine controversy in northeastern Wisconsin, and
contrast it with coltan mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Students will learn to
assess the complications inherent in mining, taking into account its environmental, economic, social,
cultural, scientific, and political aspects. The unit begins with information and activities to help students
gain a general understanding of mining. After the introductory activities, students study the Crandon
mine controversy in depth. Students’ understanding of this local environmental issue will help them
connect with a mining controversy in the DRC. Students will explore the connection between the
mining of coltan (found in cell phones, laptops, and video game consoles) and the funding of civil war.
Students conclude the unit by using their knowledge of mining in Wisconsin and the DRC to create a list
of international guidelines for mining that encourage environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
Goals
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Increase students’ awareness of environmental issues on a local and global scale.
Foster understanding of students’ citizenship in local and global communities.
Increase students’ awareness of world geography and global connections.
Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards Correlations
Environmental Education
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Questioning and Analysis: A.8.1, A.8.2, A.8.3, A.8.4, A.8.5, A.8.6
Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems (Energy and Ecosystems): B.8.5, B.8.9,
B.8.10
Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems (Natural Resources and Environmental
Quality): B.8.12, B.8.15, B.8.16, B.8.17, B.8.23
Environmental Issue Investigation Skills: C.8.1, C.8.3, C.8.4
Decision and Action Skills: D.8.1, D.8.2, D.8.4, D.8.8
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I: General Mining
A. Objectives
Students will:
• Locate different types of mined materials present in their classrooms and homes, and
determine where they came from, and the process used to create them;
• Discuss U.S. and international resource consumption;
• Develop an understanding of the mining process and present information on one type of mine
in a jigsaw activity;
• Discuss and analyze a video about mining;
• Observe the typical pattern of natural resource depletion;
• Graph and analyze data and results.
B. Activities
1. Conduct a class brainstorm to assess what the students already know about mining. Make a list
of the ideas generated by the class.
2. Have the students guess what the building, furniture, and materials in their classroom are made
of. Divide the students into small groups and assign each group one section of the classroom.
Each group should guess the type of material each item is made of (wood, metal, plastic, glass,
etc.), where it comes from, and the process used to create it. Students should note this
information on a worksheet. Have the small groups present their guesses to the whole class.
While the students present, clarify any misconceptions they have. Go over the correct answers in
more detail focusing on the materials that are mined. For homework, have the students find five
items in their home that consist of mined materials and note the material, location, and process.
Use the following handout, produced by the Mineral Information Institute (MII) to supplement
the lesson: http://www.mii.org/pdfs/classroom.pdf.
3. Use the handout “Every American Born Will Need . . .” produced by MII:
http://www.mii.org/images/baby.pdf. Have the students guess what the minerals are used for and
where they come from. Then hand out “Baby Gains Nearly Half A Ton Last Year”
(http://www.mii.org/pdfs/miiMineralsBaby2004.pdf) and discuss how the minerals are used and
why consumption in the U.S. is increasing. Then, compare U.S. consumption rates with those of
other countries and discuss.
4. Once the students have a general understanding of which materials are mined, have the students
learn more about the mining processes through a “jigsaw” activity. Divide the students into
small groups. Assign each group a different type of mine, such as shaft mine, slope mine, and
open pit mine. Have each group become “experts” on a different type of mine through reading
and discussing. Then have the students create new groups with at least one member representing
each type of mine. Have the students teach their new group about their mine and take notes
while other students present.
5. Show the video, Mining: Discoveries for Progress, produced by the National Mining Association
as a brief introduction to mining. Follow the video with a class discussion. Use the following
questions to guide the students as they view and discuss the video: Who produced the video?
Why do you think they produced this video? What facts did you learn? What message does the
video send? Do you think this is a fair depiction of mining? Why or why not?
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6. Introduce students to the effects that mining has on people and the environment. The United
Nations Environment Program and the Environmental Literacy Council have overviews (see
resources).
7. Have the students do a science lab on resource depletion. See Student Handout #1.
C. Resources
1. Websites
Environmental Literacy Council
General information about mining and its impact on the environment and links to other sites
http://www.enviroliteracy.org/subcategory.php/27.html
Geological Society of America
http://www.geosociety.org/educate/
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Introductory slideshow about mining and additional information
http://www.msha.gov/KIDS/KIDSHP.HTM
Mineral Information Institute
Lesson plans and information for teachers
http://www.mii.org/
United Nations Environment Program
Information about the effect of mining on people and the environment
http://www.uneptie.org/scp/metals/mining.htm
Women in Mining
Lesson plans and general information
http://www.womeninmining.org/
2. Videos
Mining: Discoveries for Progress, 10 min.
An overview of mining produced by the National Mining Association. Video may be borrowed
from the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE)
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/index.htm
A list of general mining videos compiled by P&H MinePro Services
http://www.minepro.com/minerals/video_list.pdf
II: Crandon Mine, Forest County, Wisconsin
A. Background Information
The Crandon mine controversy has spanned more than two decades. It began in 1976 when Exxon
announced the discovery of zinc and copper near Crandon, a city in northeastern Wisconsin. In the early
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1980s, Exxon submitted applications to begin mining. The proposed mine would be near the headwaters
of the Wolf River in Forest County. In 1986, Exxon withdrew their permit application, citing depressed
mineral prices. In 1994, interest was renewed in mining at the site through Crandon Mining, a
partnership between Exxon and Rio Algom of Toronto. In 1998, the mining moratorium law was
passed. This law requires an applicant to provide an example of a mining operation in the U.S. or
Canada that has not resulted in significant environmental pollution. Soon after, Rio Algom bought
Exxon’s interest in the mine and renamed it Nicolet Minerals Company (NMC). From 1998-2002 NMC
was bought and sold by various corporations. In April 2003, Northern Wisconsin Resource Group
bought NMC. Then, in October 2003, the Mole Lake Sokaogon (so-COG-in) Chippewa and the Forest
County Potawatomi (PAH-tah-WAH-to-mee) purchased NMC and lands associated with the proposed
project site, and formally withdrew its permit applications. Opposed to the mine from its beginning,
these two Native American groups stopped the mining project by buying it.
The Crandon Mine Project was controversial from its inception. Some people feared that sulfuric acid
and heavy metals from the mine could reach the Wolf River, polluting the water and threatening
tourism, an industry that plays a vital role in the region’s economy. Other people hoped the mine would
bring hundreds of jobs to a region that desperately needed them. The Sokaogon Chippewa feared that
the mine could pollute lakes where they gather rice, threatening their way of life. The mining
corporations claimed that they could point to examples of successfully reclaimed mines, therefore
pollution of the surface and ground water was not a concern. Additionally they said they would use a
number of controls to prevent pollution, including landfill liners and mixing of waste rock with lime, a
buffering compound, so it would not become acidic. Yet opponents claim that there has never been a
successfully reclaimed sulfide mine and that the pollution controls have not been proven effective.
Opponents also point to the over fifty sulfide mines listed as U.S. Superfund Hazardous Waste Sites. A
diverse coalition of over 50 interest groups came together to stop the Crandon Mine and call for strict
regulation of mining in Wisconsin. Among the groups were the Sokaogon Chippewa, the Menominee,
angling and hunting organizations, conservation groups, unionists, and rural and urban community
members. When the Sokaogon Chippewa and the Potawatomi bought NMC, Wisconsin State
Representative Spencer Black called it “not just a victory for the environment – it was a victory for the
power of the people over the power of money” (Capital Times, 11/10/03). However, Peter Connor, a
member of the family that last sold NMC, stated “By regulating this project out of existence, our local
governments will remain poor and high-paying mine jobs will never be created. Officials in Madison
can sleep well, but Forest County has lost millions of dollars” (Wisconsin State Journal, 11/10/03).
(Sources: www.dnr.state.wi.us , Gedicks 1996, Connor 2003, Black 2003)
B. Objectives
Students will:
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Locate and label political and physical features of Crandon Mine area;
Make a timeline of Wisconsin mining history;
Gain a general understanding of the plant/animal life and geological history of the Crandon
region;
Write a short paragraph about how they use copper and zinc;
Conduct experiments to illustrate the effects of acid mine drainage;
Discuss and analyze videos and newspaper articles;
Write their own songs, raps, or poems about mining in Wisconsin;
Evaluate the solution to the Crandon Mine controversy;
Draft a letter to the editor stating their point of view about the Crandon Mine controversy.
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C. Activities
1. Begin by asking the students if they have heard about the Crandon mine controversy and what
they already know.
2. On a blank map of Wisconsin, have students locate the Crandon Mine, labeling nearby political
and physical features. Here are two maps of the region:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/science/crandon/maps/location.pdf
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/science/crandon/maps/project.pdf
3. Have the students make a timeline of the history of mining in Wisconsin with a focus on the area
around the Crandon mine. It is interesting to note that people have been mining in Northern
Wisconsin for thousands of years. Native Americans mined copper and early European settlers
mined copper, lead, iron, and zinc.
4. Provide a brief overview of current mining in Wisconsin. Useful information:
http://www.nma.org/pdf/states_03/wi2003.pdf http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/wm/mining/
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/state/2003/wistmyb03.pdf.
5. Introduce students to the plant and animal life and geological history of the Crandon region. The
DNR website has information and photographs.
6. The Crandon mine would have been a source of copper and zinc. Give the students information
about the common uses of copper and zinc. For example, copper is commonly used in electric
cables and wires, plumbing, heating, roofing and zinc is used in paint, rubber, and auto parts.
Students should write a short paragraph about how they use copper and zinc in their everyday
lives. Useful information: Copper, http://www.mii.org/Minerals/photocopper.html and Zinc,
http://www.mii.org/Minerals/photozinc.html
7. Illustrate the effects of acid mine drainage by having the students conduct a series of experiments
using the following lesson plans: http://www.netl.doe.gov/education/teacher/lessonplans/lesson9.html, http://www.netl.doe.gov/education/teacher/lesson-plans/lesson10.html,
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of00-369/
8. Show videos that illustrate different perspectives on the mine debate. To help them keep track of
the players, use Student Handout #2. Some possible videos to use for this activity are: Keepers
of the Water by Al Gedicks, Mining: Discoveries for Progress produced by the National Mining
Association, and Exxon’s citizenship video (available on their website). Some players include:
Exxon, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the Sokaogon Chippewa, the Menominee, the
DNR, government officials, angling and hunting organizations, conservation groups, tourists,
and rural and urban community members. For each video, conduct a class discussion based on
the following questions: Who produced the video? Why do you think they produced this video?
What facts did you learn? What message does the video send? Do you think this is a fair
depiction of mining? Why or why not?
9. Have the students read and discuss newspaper articles about the Crandon Mine Project. The
Wisconsin State Journal and the Capital Times have numerous archived articles online.
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10. Once the students have a general understanding of the controversy, bring in speakers
representing different perspectives. Have the students compile a list of questions for each
speaker.
11. Have the students listen to songs from The River Rocks, a collection of music stories about
Wisconsin’s environment. Additionally, provide examples of socially conscious rap and poetry.
Then, have the students write their own songs, raps, or poems about mining in Wisconsin and
perform them for the class.
12. The environmental issue was solved when the Native American groups bought the Crandon
Mine Project and associated lands in order to protect them. Have the students discuss the
following questions in small groups: What motivated the individual or group in this story to take
action? What types of action did they undertake? What barriers and challenges did they face?
How did they overcome these barriers? Do you know stories where people faced a similar
challenge? (From Pennock, M. & L. Bardwell. 1994. Approaching Environmental Issues in the
Classroom. University of Michigan. p. 53). Have the students use Student Handout #3 to
evaluate the solution. Bring the students attention to the fact that though the region around the
proposed Crandon Mine is protected we have not decreased our consumption of copper and zinc.
Ask the students where they think this copper and zinc is mined.
13. Have the students read newspaper editorials about the Crandon Mine. Some examples include:
Spencer Black’s “Power of the People Prevails to Protect the Wolf River,” and Peter O’Connor’s
“Mine’s Demise Impoverishes County.” Then have the students draft a letter to the editor
expressing their support or opposition to the solution to the Crandon Mine controversy.
D. Resources
1. Articles/Guides
Black, S. “Power of the People Prevails to Protect the Wolf River,” Capital Times. November
10, 2003.
McNutt, D. and Z. Grossman. “Crandon Mine Victory in Wisconsin Won By A Historic
Alliance.”
http://www.treatycouncil.org/new_page_5244111121111.htm
“Mining in Wisconsin.” National Mining Association. 2003.
http://www.nma.org/pdf/states_03/wi2003.pdf
O’Connor, P. “Mine’s Demise Impoverishes County.” Wisconsin State Journal. November 10,
2003.
2. Websites
Clean Water Action Council
http://www.cwac.net/mining/
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Exxon Mobil Corporation
Of interest are “Corporate Citizenship” and the citizenship video
http://www.exxonmobil.com/corporate/
Forest County Potawatomi
http://www.fcpotawatomi.com/
Mineral Information Institute
Describes minerals and their uses
Copper - http://www.mii.org/Minerals/photocopper.html
Zinc - http://www.mii.org/Minerals/photozinc.html
Mining Moratorium Law
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/science/crandon/review/moratorium.htm
Sokaogon Chippewa
Has historical and cultural information
http://www.sokaogonchippewa.com/
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Has general information about mines in Wisconsin as well as information about the Crandon
mine
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/wm/mining/
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/es/science/crandon/
Wisconsin Historical Society
Information about the history of mining in Wisconsin
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce
http://www.wmc.org/
Wisconsin Resources Protection Council
http://www.wrpc.net/home.html
Wisconsin Stewardship Network
http://www.wsn.org/mining.html
3. Newspapers
The Capital Times and Wisconsin State Journal Archives
http://www.madison.com/archives/
4. Video/Audio
From the Ground Up, 40 minutes, 1992 by Rob Danielson, Professor of Film at UW-Milwaukee.
This video focuses on the economic and environmental impacts of mining in Northern
Wisconsin. It discusses perspectives of business-owners, sportsmen, tourists, biologists,
geologists, and economists. Video may be borrowed from the Wisconsin Center for
Environmental Education (WCEE)
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/index.htm
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Keepers of the Water, 38 min., 1996, by Al Gedicks, Professor of Sociology at UW-La Crosse.
Film chronicles the Crandon Mine controversy. Video may be borrowed from the Wisconsin
Center for Environmental Education (WCEE)
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/index.htm
Mining: Discoveries for Progress, 10 min., an overview of mining produced by the National
Mining Association. Video may be borrowed from the Wisconsin Center for Environmental
Education (WCEE)
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/index.htm
The River Rocks produced by the Wolf/Fox Rivers Environmental History Project. CD contains
40 minutes of music stories about Wisconsin’s environment. The songs may also be listened to
online.
http://www.wisconsinwaterhistory.org/riverocks/index.htm
5. Maps
Proposed Crandon mine site
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/science/crandon/maps/location.pdf
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/science/crandon/maps/project.pdf
III: Democratic Republic of the Congo
A. Background Information
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a large country located in central Africa. The DRC
has a wealth of natural resources, including valuable minerals, yet it remains one of the world’s poorest
countries. Exploitation of the region’s mineral wealth dates back to colonial times. The DRC has been
involved in armed conflict for many years. The most recent conflict has been called Africa’s world war
-- involving seven countries and costing more than 5 million lives to date (2009). Most of the victims
have been civilians who have died of violence, starvation, and disease. Many experts claim that this has
primarily been a fight over natural resources. A report by Global Witness (2005) stated, “This conflict
has been fuelled by the (mainly) illicit trade in natural resources. During the war, numerous rebel
groups funded their occupation of eastern DRC through the exploitation of minerals, such as diamonds,
coltan, and cassiterite (tin ore)” (p. 4). The conflict officially ended in 2003 with peace accords in Sun
City, South Africa, and the setting up of a transitional government led by President Joseph Kabila .
However, militia groups in the east continue to fight for control of region’s gold, coltan, tin, and
diamond mines.
Coltan
One valuable mineral mined in the region is coltan (short for columbo-tantalite). Large quantities of
coltan are found in the eastern DRC. The DRC holds 64% of the world’s coltan reserves though it is not
the largest producer. Coltan is refined to produce tantalum -- a heat resistant powder that can hold a
high electrical charge. Tantalum is used in capacitors in small electronic devices such as cell phones,
laptops, and video game consoles.
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In the DRC, coltan is mined using artisanal methods -- labor-intensive mining done by individuals
instead of machines. To mine coltan, workers dig large holes in streambeds, gather a combination of
water, mud, and minerals in washtubs, and stir the mixture around so the coltan settles at the bottom. In
Congolese terms, coltan mining may pay quite well. The average Congolese worker makes $10/month
and a coltan miner can make anywhere from $10-$50 a week
(http://www.un.int/drcongo/war/coltan.htm). However, some mines are controlled by military groups,
and soldiers sometimes illegally tax miners to supplement their low and erratic incomes.
Coltan follows a convoluted global path from ore to electronic product, making it impossible for
consumers to know if their products are helping to fuel the conflict. After it is mined, large amounts of
coltan are smuggled to Rwanda, meaning a loss for the DRC’s economy (Global Witness, 2005, p. 8).
From Rwanda or the DRC, the coltan travels to various countries to be processed into tantalum powder.
The tantalum powder is bought by companies that make tantalum capacitors, and then sold to electronics
companies to produce cell phones, laptops, and video game consoles. (For a detailed explanation of the
path of tantalum and companies involved see: Hayes, K. and R. Burge. Coltan Mining in the
Democratic Republic of Congo: How Tantalum-suing Industries Can Commit to the Reconstruction of
the DRC. http://tierra.rediris.es/coltan/coltanreport.pdf) It may be difficult for many companies to be
certain of the origin of this coltan. Kemet, an American company and the world’s largest maker of
tantalum capacitors, has asked suppliers to certify that their coltan doesn’t come from the DRC or
bordering countries.
In 2000 demand and prices for coltan increased, driven by growth in the electronics sector. Military
groups in the DRC took advantage of this to fund their occupation of the eastern provinces and continue
the civil war. In addition to numerous human rights abuses, environmental damage occurred, including
deforestation, pollution of waterways, and the killing of endangered species. Large areas of forests were
cleared in the DRC’s national parks for mining and gorillas were killed for food for the miners. People
left their farms for more lucrative mining jobs, so there have been food shortages. People resorted to
eating ‘bush meat.’ In Kahuzi Biega National Park, the gorilla population decreased by about half. In
2001, the price of coltan fell and demand for the mineral decreased. Since then, the price of coltan has
remained low.
Tin/Cassiterite
In 2004, Japan and Western Europe implemented environmental regulations that forced manufacturers
to use tin instead of lead in circuit boards since lead has been found to be dangerous for human health
and the environment. This new regulation caused the price of tin to triple, leading tin to replace coltan
as the ‘mineral of choice’ in the eastern DRC (Global Witness, 2005, p. 8). Tin ore is often found with
coltan and they can both be mined using artisanal methods. Much like coltan, large quantities of tin are
reportedly being smuggled into Rwanda. Tin from the DRC is being bought by foreign companies and
then ends up on the international market. Like coltan, tin is found in common electronics, but
consumers cannot trace its origin.
(Sources: http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/69/Congo.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coltan,
http://www.globalwitness.org/reports/show.php/en.00076.html,
http://www.un.int/drcongo/war/coltan.htm, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/CG.html)
B. Objectives
Students will:
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Research how and where electronic items are produced;
Gain a basic understanding of coltan;
Label the political and physical features of the DRC;
Research a topic about the DRC and do a short presentation;
Make a timeline of the history of mining in the DRC;
Trace the journey of coltan/tantalum from a mine in the DRC to a store in their town;
Discuss and analyze news stories and a photo essay;
Present a viewpoint in a role-playing format.
C. Activities
1. Ask the students the following questions: How many of you have a video game console, cell
phone, or laptop computer in your home? Where do you think the item came from? Where do
you think its various parts came from? Have the students choose a video game console, cell
phone, or laptop computer and do some research as to where the item is produced, where its
various components are produced, and where the materials to make its components are produced.
Next, on a large map of the world, have the students mark where their item came from. Finally,
have them summarize the results in a chart or graph.
2. Provide the students with basic information about coltan and an overview of coltan mining in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Be sure to explain its connection with cell phones,
laptops, and video game console. Useful resources:
Tantalum: http://www.mii.org/Minerals/phototant.html
Tin: http://www.mii.org/Minerals/phototin.html
3. On a blank map of the DRC, have students label the political and physical features. Students
could also use websites, an atlas, or social studies textbook to find these features. Free blank
map: http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxdrcongo.htm
4. Divide students into groups, have each group research a topic about the DRC: geography,
people, government, and economy. Then, have each group do a short presentation with a visual
aid while the other students take notes.
5. Have the students make a timeline of the history of mining in the DRC and compare it with the
timeline they made for the history of mining in Wisconsin. What are the similarities and
differences? Why?
6. On a map, have the students trace the journey of coltan/tantalum from a mine in the DRC to a
store in your town. For more information, see http://tierra.rediris.es/coltan/coltanreport.pdf.
Have the students list the numerous players involved in this environmental issue. Use Student
Handout #2.
7. Have the students listen to NPR News Story, “Radio Expeditions: Coltan Mining and Eastern
Congo’s Gorillas,” May 2, 2001:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1122310. Before beginning the story
have the students locate Kahuzi Biega National Park on a map. Use the story to introduce the
environmental impacts of coltan mining and civil war, including deforestation, pollution of
waterways, and killing of endangered species such as gorillas. After the news story, ask the
students the following questions: Do you agree with the Swiss biologist’s suggestion that if you
buy a cell phone you are supporting actions that lead to killing gorillas? Why or why not? Do
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you agree with the argument that local people need to earn money? What responsibility do
consumers, mining companies, processing companies, and cell phone companies have for the
situation in the DRC? What power does the reporter suggest that consumers have to affect
change? Why do you think the reporter chose to focus on gorillas and elephants instead of the
Congolese people killed in the civil war?
8. Have the students watch “Congo’s Tin Soldiers,” Video News Report, Channel 4, filmed at Bisie
Cassiterite Mine in eastern DRC in June 2005: http://www.channel4.com/news/specialreports/news_from_africa.html. After viewing the news report, lead a class discussion about it.
Some suggestions for questions are: How did the clip make you feel? What do you think can be
done about the situation in the DRC? What responsibility do corporations and consumers have
in the conflict? What are some things that might improve the situation? Add to Student Handout
#2 if any new players arise.
9. Canadian photojournalist Roger Lemoyne has created a photo story of gold mining in the DRC.
Have the students view the images and note their observations. Lead a class discussion about the
photos.
http://www.nppa.org/competitions/best_of_still_photojournalism/2005/photography/winners/egr
ess.cfm?cat=MFS&place=HM3&img=129442
10. Each week have a group of students present the latest news from the DRC to the class. Helpful
website: http://allafrica.com/congo_kinshasa/
11. Simulation: Have students participate in a class simulation about what should be done about the
situation in the DRC.
a. Have the students brainstorm solutions to the mining issue in the DRC.
b. Hand out Global Witness’ Report “Under-Mining Peace” p. 5-7 (or summarize these
points in a form more easily readable by the kids). Have the students compare Global
Witness’ solutions with their own.
c. Divide the students into small groups each representing the key players in the debate.
Some key players include: Congolese mine workers, FARDC (national army) soldiers,
Congolese government officials, leaders from the United Nation’s mission to the DRC
(MONUC), executives from mining companies, tantalum processing companies, and
electronics companies, representatives from human rights or environmental groups or
other non-governmental organizations, and American consumers.
d. Have the students research their position and develop their arguments.
e. Have the students present and discuss “in character” in an international summit style
debate. During the debate have students fill in Student Handout #2.
f. After the simulation have students step out of character and discuss which arguments
they find most compelling. As a class make a list of possible solutions. Some
suggestions that might improve the situation in the DRC are: reduce consumption,
recycle, have consumers put pressure on corporations to stop buying conflict ore, increase
international pressure on Rwandan governments, ensure that miners and soldiers get a
fair wage, increase international support to develop mining techniques that do less
damage to the environment, increase international support of new Congolese government,
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etc.
g. Have the students deliberate and decide which solutions would work best. Have the
students rank the solutions and discuss criteria that are guiding their choices. Have
students come to a consensus for what they see as the best solutions and make a class list.
h. Have the students brainstorm ways they can take action to enact their solutions. (For
more information on general environmental action strategies see Hungerford, H. et al.
2003. Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Action: Skill Development
Program. Stipes Publishing.) Some ways of taking action might include: educating the
school and community about the issue, writing letters to government officials or
electronics companies, or boycotting specific products.
12. Have students write a persuasive essay about their solution.
D. Resources
1. Articles/Reports/Documents
“Cell Phones Fuel Congo Conflict.” Teacher’s E-Zine to the Digital Revolution. 2002.
http://www.seeingisbelieving.ca/cell/kinshasa/
“Coltan, Gorillas, and Cell Phones.” Cellular News.
http://www.cellular-news.com/coltan/
“Congo, Democratic Republic: Cell Phones, Forest Destruction, and Death.” World Rainforest
Movement. 2003.
http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/69/Congo.html
Cuvelier, J. and T. Raeymaekers. Eds. M. Herman, B. Delen, and P. Vermaerke. “Supporting
the War Economy in the DRC: European Companies and the Coltan Trade.” International Peace
Information Service.
http://www.grandslacs.net/doc/2343.pdf
“Economic Exploitation, the Arms Trade and Human Rights Abuses.”
Amnesty International. 2005.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/dr_congo/economic_exploitation.html
Hayes, K. and R. Burge. 2003. “Coltan Mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo: How
Tantalum-suing Industries Can Commit to the Reconstruction of the DRC.” Fauna & Flora
International.
http://tierra.rediris.es/coltan/coltanreport.pdf
“Motorola Position on Illegally Mined Coltan”
http://www.motorola.com/mot/doc/1/1444_MotDoc.pdf
“Rush and Ruin: The devastating Mineral Trade in Southern Katanga, DRC.” Global Witness.
2004.
http://www.globalwitness.org/media_library_detail.php/125/en/rush_and_ruin
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“Under-Mining Peace: The Explosive Trade in Cassiterite in Eastern DRC.” Global Witness.
2005.
http://www.globalwitness.org/media_library_detail.php/138/en/under_mining_peace_tin_the_ex
plosive_trade_in_cass
Background for coltan mining in the DRC from MONUC
http://www.un.int/drcongo/war/coltan
2. Websites
All Africa
Current news stories from Africa
http://allafrica.com/congo_kinshasa/
Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/
CIA: The World Factbook
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
http://www.gorillafund.org/
Fauna & Flora International
http://www.fauna-flora.org/
Global Witness
http://www.globalwitness.org/
Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/
Mineral Information Institute
Describes minerals and their uses
Tantalum - http://www.mii.org/Minerals/phototant.html
Tin - http://www.mii.org/Minerals/phototin.html
MONUC (United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mission de l’ONU
au Congo)
Site has numerous maps, background information, and current events
http://monuc.unmissions.org/
Stanford
http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/zaire.html
Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center
http://www.tanb.org/
United Nations
http://www.un.org/
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World Rainforest Movement
http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/69/Congo.html
3. Curriculum
Exploring Africa
Curriculum from Michigan State University aimed at middle and high school
http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/
4. Audio/Video
Congo’s Tin Soldiers, Video News Report, Channel 4, filmed at Bisie Cassiterite Mine in eastern
DRC in June 2005
http://www.channel4.com/news/special-reports/news_from_africa.html
NPR News Story, Radio Expeditions: Coltan Mining and Eastern Congo’s Gorillas, May 2,
2001, about 8 minutes
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1122310
Photographs, Canadian photojournalist, Roger Lemoyne, photo story of gold mining in the DRC.
http://www.nppa.org/competitions/best_of_still_photojournalism/2005/photography/winners/egr
ess.cfm?cat=MFS&place=HM3&img=129442
VI. Closing Activities
A. Objectives
Students will:
•
•
•
Synthesize information learned throughout the unit using a Venn Diagram;
Create and present a list of guidelines for nations to follow for mining;
Make a list of solutions to the mining debate and take action to enact one solution.
B. Activities
1. Using Student Handout #4, have the students compare and contrast the Crandon Mine
controversy with the current mining situation in the DRC.
2. Help students combine what they have learned about mining in Wisconsin and the DRC by
creating a list of guidelines for nations to follow when mining. Review the solution for the
Crandon Mine controversy and the solutions proposed by the students for the DRC mining
controversy. How would the students use these solutions and apply them on a global scale?
a. Have the students read the relevant parts of the following documents as examples of
appeals and declarations about general environmental issues:
•
United Nations Millennium Declaration, Part IV: Protecting Our Common
Environment, http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.htm
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•
United Nations Millennium Development Goals,
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
•
Children’s Appeal to World Leaders, Rio 1992,
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/peace/ChildrensAppeal.htm.
This document was produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment
and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It came out of the
Children’s Hearing conducted by the Voice of Children International Campaign,
a Norwegian youth organization.
b. In small groups, have students discuss the following questions: What similarities and
differences do you notice among the documents? Who is the audience and what is the
purpose of each document? In your opinion, what are the most important demands in
each document? What would you add or remove from each document?
c. Using the Children’s Appeal to World Leaders as a guide, have students create their own
appeal to world leaders for international mining guidelines. These guidelines should
ensure environmental sustainability (Goal 7 of the UN Millennium Development Goals),
as well as social and economic sustainability. Have the students deliberate in small
groups and reach an agreement. Have the students evaluate their solutions using Student
Handout #3. Have students write these guidelines in rough draft form.
d. For their final draft, have students create colorful posters listing their guidelines.
e. Each group should present to the class imagining that they are presenting to the United
Nations.
V. Assessment
•
Have the students create presentations for other classes or for a school assembly. The
students should design a rubric for what would make a good presentation. Then, have them
evaluate themselves and each other. The teacher should assess them as well.
•
Have the students write a persuasive essay.
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World Ecosystems Beyond Borders
Global Studies Outreach, UW-Madison
[email protected]
Last updated by: Mark L Lilleleht, July 2009
Created by: Bianca Sonnenberg, December 2005
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Student Handout #1
Name: _________________
Please note: This handout was given to Global Studies by a science teacher in California. He did not know the source. If
you or someone you know wrote this, please let us know.
How is a Resource Depleted?
Introduction:
One of the most important aspects of using natural resources is that the total amount of any resource
may be finite. A nonrenewable resource can be steadily harvested for only a limited amount of time
before it is depleted.
Resources, however, are rarely used up steadily over time, as you might use up a tube of toothpaste.
The demand for products made from natural resources may vary greatly through time. This demand is
closely linked to how much users must pay for products. And, the price of products depends on how
much raw material is left and how costly it is to obtain. For instance when the supply of petroleum
products was believed to be dwindling in the 1970s, the price of petroleum products, especially gasoline,
rose sharply.
Natural resource mangers follow patterns of resource production and consumption. Using this
information, they predict if and when a natural resource will be depleted. In this lab you will apply one
of the chief tools of resources managers, a type of graph known as the resource depletion curve.
During the mining of metals, for example, ores are extracted from the desired metal. For instance,
copper ore is mined and then refined to obtain the copper. The leftover, or gangue (“gang”), is usually
disposed of or returned to the earth.
Mining of copper ore begins in a rich vein of copper. As more and more copper ore is extracted from
the vein, the concentration of copper in the remaining ore decreases. As the cooper concentration
decreases, the mining effort must increase to produce the same quantity of usable copper.
Purpose:
In this lab, you will observe the typical pattern of natural-resource depletion. You will also graph and
analyze your data and results.
Materials and Equipment:
Plastic shoebox
Birdseed
Various colors of beans – black, white, and brown
Paper cups
Clock with a second hand
Graph paper
Plastic spoons
Film can
400 ml beaker
Calculator
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Procedure:
Obtain a “mine” from your teacher. A mine consists of a plastic box that has been filled with the
combination of birdseed and various types of bean to represent the earth and the natural resources
respectively. Please do not remove the lid until you are asked to do so.
As a mining company, you and your group will use your beginning capital of $20,000 to purchase a
mine and mining equipment, and pay for the miner’s salaries. You must develop a data table to keep
track of your expenses and monies earned for the four years that your mine will be in business.
Here is a list of the expenses you may incur:
Cost of the mine
$17,000
Miner’s salary
$18,000/year/miner
Refining cost
$42/bean
Equipment
Shovel (spoon)
$100 each
Loader (film can)
$500 each
Hoppers (paper cap) $1,000 each
Use these prices to determine profit:
*ONE BEAN = ONE TON OF ORE
Black beans
$600 each
White beans
$500 each
Mixed color beans
$420 each
Beware of the fines your company may be charged:
Unfair labor practices
$1,500/offense
(Miners who are working without pay)
Damaging the environment -- fine imposed by the EPA
(Seeds or beans soiled on the lab table)
$2,250/spill
To Perform the Mining Operation:
Your group will need to account for all expenses necessary to prepare for mining. Be sure to record all
expenses on your data table. Decide on how many miners you will pay and the type of equipment you
will use. Wait for your teacher to signal start at which time the miner(s) will begin to mine by scooping
seed and beans into the lid of the plastic box. Mine as rapidly (and neatly) as possible for 20 seconds
until you are told to stop. You have mined for year one, and now it is time to refine. Count the beans of
each color and record the amounts. Each bean mine represents a ton. Remember, there is a charge for
each bean refined and this must be subtracted from the profit. Place the refined beans into the 400 ml
beaker and return the gangue to the mine. Once all the counting for year one is completed, you are
ready to mine for year two. Wait for the teacher’s signal. Repeat the above procedure for years two,
three, and four. Compute the profit (if there is one) for the mining operation. Record this amount.
Data:
Team designed data table. Don’t forget your title.
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Data Analysis:
Create a resource depletion line graph. Plot production rate of resource in tones per year (y – axis) vs.
years in operation. Don’t forget your title.
Analysis Questions:
1. In which year did production of the natural resource increase the most? What factors contributed
to this increase?
2. In which year did production fall most sharply? What factors accounted for this decrease?
3. Based on your curve, how many tons of natural resource remains in the mine after your final year
of mining?
4. If the fall-off in production continues at the current rate, in what year will the natural resource in
your mine be totally depleted? Using a dotted line, extend your curve downward from the last
year of actual mining to show this total depletion.
Conclusion:
To write your concluding summary, consider how your model mine represents what may happen to a
real limited resource. What types of mining are the most detrimental to the environment? What
information did you gain by graphing your results? Is this activity a good representation of what may
occur in the real world?
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Student Handout #2
Players
How are they
affected?
Name: _________________
How do they
perceive the
issue?
What are their
values?
What are their
needs & desires?
Based on a handout by Pennock, M. & L. Bardwell. 1994. Approaching Environmental Issues in the Classroom. University
of Michigan. p. 35. For more information on defining the issue and environmental beliefs and values see: Hungerford, H. et
al. 2003. Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions. Illinois: Stipes Publishing.
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Student Handout #3
Name: _________________
(from Pennock, M. & L. Bardwell. 1994. Approaching Environmental Issues in the Classroom. University of Michigan.
p. 36)
1. What is the solution?
2. What values are served? (fairness, efficiency, productivity, etc.)
3. Whose needs are met? (Are there trade-offs? Can one solution work for all?)
4. What are the positive effects? (for the interested parties; for the environment)
5. What are the negative effects?
6. What groups are needed for implementation?
7. What are barriers to the solution? (political/economic/cultural/practical)
8. What other solutions can you think of?
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Student Handout #4
Crandon Mine Controversy and Mining Issues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Compare and Contrast
Directions: In the first circle list ideas that are true for the Crandon Mine controversy only. In the second circle list ideas that are true for about
mining issues in the DRC only. In the space where the circles overlap, list ideas that are true of both the Crandon Mine and the DRC.
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