Cookie Mining Lab (UPDATED 4/25/16)
Introduction:
Cookie Mining: The purpose of the activity is to provide an introduction to the economics of mining.
This is accomplished through purchasing land areas and mining equipment, as well as paying for
mining operations and reclamation. In return the “miners” receive money for the ore mined. One of
the goals is to make as much money as possible.
The general definition of “ore” is a naturally occurring material from which minerals of economic
value can be extracted at a profit. In this exercise, the chocolate chip is the ore. The worthless rock
that is associated with the ore and must be separated from the ore is the gangue. The rest of the
cookie is the gangue.
While the goal of this simulation is entirely economic, that is, to make as much money as possible.
There are many goals other than economic goals that must be considered in a real mining
operation. Although it is not possible to include all of the social and environmental implications of
mining in this simple simulation, they must not be forgotten, and you should be prepared to discuss
them in class.
Materials
Graph paper, chocolate chip cookies, pencils, electronic balances, toothpicks, paper clips, tweezers,
stop watch
Instructions:
Each mining company is responsible for keeping track of all mining costs, which includes cost of
cookies, mining equipment rental, mining and reclamation time, and reclamation costs
1. Each miner must obtain a sheet of graph paper and purchase 1 land area (cookie), on credit,
from the bank.
a. Chips Deluxe $1000
b. Chips Ahoy $800
c. Peanut butter/chip $500
2. Each miner may purchase any combination of the following mining equipment, on credit, from
the bank (at least two items must be purchased).
a. Tweezers $300 each
b. Paperclip $200 each
c. Flat toothpick $150 each
3. Following the purchase of the cookie and mining equipment, place the cookie on the graph
paper, trace the outline of the cookie, determine the area of the cookie by counting the
number of squares that fall inside the line (count partial squares as full squares), and record
the area of the cookie. (Break up the outline into larger rectangles for easier counting)
4. Place the cookie on the balance and weigh and record the initial weight of the cookie.
(grams)
5. Place the cookie back inside the circle, and wait for the instruction to commence mining.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN!
Costs to consider; potential “mining techniques”, mining speed; size of the ore you want to remove.
Describe your technique below.
6. Start the timing once mining begins, the cookie is only to be touched by the mining tools. The
cookie may not be touched with fingers or hands. You may not blow crumbs off the paper at any time.
Any part of the cookie that falls off the graph paper is considered to be “lost,” and should not be
retrieved until the simulation is complete.
7. Attempt to dig out as many chocolate chips as possible. The chocolate chips simulate ore, and will be
sold back to the bank to offset the start-up costs of the mining operation. Whole, clean, intact
chocolate chips will be purchased by the bank for $500/gram, “dirty” chocolate chips (> 25% of
chip is covered with cookie) will be purchased for $200/gram, and partial chocolate chips (chip
pieces) will be purchased for $100/gram. The cost of an ongoing mining operation is $100 per
minute.
8. After the cookie has been mined, reclamation (land restoration) must be attempted. Try to place all
that remains of the cookie back into the circled area on the graph paper using the mining tools
(remember, no fingers or hands allowed). Draw additional circles around each crumb that is not
placed back in the circle, and count the number of squares that fall inside all circles.
9. The fine for unsuccessful reclamation is $50 per square (in excess of the original number of
squares).
10. Stop the stopwatch and record time.
11. Weigh and record final cookie weight (gangue)
12. When all mining and reclamation is complete and you are ready to sell your chocolate chips to the
bank, arrange them by quality, “Clean chips”, “dirty chips”, and “partial chips”. Weigh and record each
group of chips separately.
Mining Information Trial 1
Land Area
Type of cookie: __________________/ Initial cookie weight (g) ______________
Cost of Cookie = ___________
Initial Size of Cookie (in squares) = ___________
Final Size of Cookie (in squares) = ___________
Final Weights of cookie (gangue) = ___________
Mining Equipment Costs
# of Tweezers x $300 = ___________
# of Paperclips x $200 = ___________
# of Flat Toothpicks x $150 = ___________
Total Mining Equipment Costs = ___________
Time Cost
Minutes Spent Mining/Reclamation______ x $100 = ___________
Cost of Mining Operations
Cost of Cookie + Mining Equipment Costs + Time Cost = ___________
Reclamation Cost
Final Size of Cookie – Initial Size of Cookie x $50 = ___________
Mining Revenue
Weight of Whole Chips Removed _____x $500 = ___________
Weight of “Dirty” Chips Removed _____ x $200 = ___________
Weight of Partial Chips Removed _____ x $100 = ___________
Total Mining revenue = $___________
Bottom Line (Profit/Loss)
Mining Revenue – Cost of Mining Operations – Reclamation Cost =
Thinking Before Trial 2
What was your mines biggest expense?
What changes in your mining technique would have resulted in more profit?
Mining Information Trial 2
Land Area
Type of cookie: _________________/ Initial cookie weight (g) _____________
Cost of Cookie = ___________
Initial Size of Cookie (in squares) = ___________
Final Size of Cookie (in squares) = ___________
Final Weights of cookie (gangue) = ___________
Mining Equipment Costs
# of Tweezers x $300 = ___________
# of Paperclips x $200 = ___________
# of Flat Toothpicks x $150 = ___________
Total Mining Equipment Costs = ___________
Time Cost
Minutes Spent Mining/Reclamation______ x $100 = ___________
Cost of Mining Operations
Cost of Cookie + Mining Equipment Costs + Time Cost = ___________
Reclamation Cost
Final Size of Cookie – Initial Size of Cookie x $150 = ___________
Mining Revenue
Weight of Whole Chips Removed _____x $500 = ___________
Weight of “Dirty” Chips Removed _____ x $200 = ___________
Weight of Partial Chips Removed _____ x $100 = ___________
Total Mining revenue = $___________
Bottom Line (Profit/Loss)
Mining Revenue – Cost of Mining Operations – Reclamation Cost =
1. Calculate the % ore in your mine. (in grams) Show all work. Weight of the ore/total original weight of
the cookie) X 100=
NAME:
Analysis Questions: Answer the following questions below.
1. What are some of the problems (at least 4) associated with obtaining and using coal as an energy
source? Use your notes, info from all the videos, and today’s experience.
2. Based on this lab, can the landscape be restored to its original topography(3D shape)? Explain why
this is or is not possible.
3. Did you leave any chips behind in the cookie? Why or why not?
4. Do you think the mining process is faster when you know in advance that the land must be restored?
Explain.
5. Explain why legislation that requires land to be restored after mining makes mining more expensive.
6. Use the internet to outline the 5 parts of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.