Name ______Period # _____

Mineral Investigation: Where is the Copper?

Research Question: Why is copper only found in certain parts of the world?

Part 1: “If it can’t be grown, it has to be mined.”

  1. Brainstorm a list of 10 objects you used today.
  1. In your list above circle the objects that grow naturally and underline the objects that have been mined.
  2. In your group discuss a definition for mining and write your definition below. Do the same for the term natural resources.

MINING=

NATURAL RESOURCES=

  1. We will be looking specifically at the natural resource of copper. Where do you think copper comes from?

Part 2: Evidence Card Analysis

Work together in your table group to examine the evidence cards and use them to answer the following questions.

  1. Describe evidence card A.
  2. What is the title of the map?
  1. What place or places does the map show?
  1. What features are labeled on the map?
  1. Describe what you see on the map. What do you notice first? Second?
  1. Describe evidence card B.
  2. What is the title of the map?
  1. What place or places does the map show?
  1. What features are labeled on the map?
  1. Describe what you see on the map. What do you notice first? Second?
  1. Identify patterns between the two evidence cards.
  2. Do you notice mining sites and volcanic activity on the edges of continents or the middle?
  1. Are any mining sites and volcanic activity in the water? If so, where?
  1. Compare the two maps. What do you notice about the location of the active volcanoes and copper mining sites? In your answer give specific examples of places on Earth to explain what you notice.
  1. Think back to our last unit on plate tectonics. How is the formation of copper connected to the movement of earth’s tectonic plates?
  1. Are all copper deposits formed at plate boundaries? What does your answer tell you about how copper is formed?

Part 3: Global Copper Distribution

Examine Evidence Card A and answer the following questions.

  1. Describe the global supply of copper
  2. Do you notice if it is limited to a single country or region? Explain.
  1. What region(s) in the United States has a concentration of copper, and why might this be?
  1. Would you describe copper as a plentiful or rare resource? Explain your choice.

Part 4: Final Conclusions

  1. What does the word concentrate mean when we say “concentration of copper”?
  1. Why is it important to have minerals concentrated in one place rather than scattered all around?
  1. What might your analysis of the location of copper deposits tell you about other natural mineral resources (silver, gold)?
  1. Does the earth continue to form copper deposits? Why or why not?
  1. Do you think we will use up the world’s supply of copper? Why or why not?