Underground Uranium Mining

Topic

Mining

Year Level

Years 7-10

Sector

Energy & Renewables

Resources for

Teachers

Australian Curriculum Content Statements

Introduction

South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy is acknowledged as the provider of this resource.

This resource contains a diagram representing an underground uranium mine and an animation of mine equipment being used to drill holes. The diagram is a cross-sectional view of the mine showing drill holes and stope. Students can click the lever on a device to create an explosion in the mine causing blasted rock to fall into the mine’s stope.

Educational value statement

  • Provides a graphical illustration of an underground uranium mine including perspective on its size and structure.
  • Includes information about the steps involved in the creation of an underground mine such as the drilling of holes, stope creation, rock blasting, and the removal of the ore.
  • Mining underground may involve the creation of stopes, or large open spaces, as represented in this resource. Underground mining is the method of mining used when the ore being sought is well below the Earth’s surface. An alternative to underground mining is open-cut mining, which is possible when the ore is close to the surface.
  • All mines require ventilation and uranium mines are particularly well-ventilated to ensure exposure to radiation is minimised.

Key learning objectives

  • Students evaluate the physical structure and components that make up an underground mine.
  • Students identify some important steps involved in creating an underground mine.
  • Students identify terms used to describe some important mining structures and processes such as ‘stope’, ‘raisebore hole’, and ‘draw points’.

Strands
Science Understanding: Earth and Space Sciences

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