ERTH 1212
Mining and Society
Students will examine our exploitation of the Earth for its mineral wealth. Topics include (i) the archaeology and history of mining as an essential human activity, (ii) the environmental impacts of mining, and sustainable practices in the industry, (iii) conflict minerals and geopolitics, (iv) minerals utilized in advanced technology, energy and food production, and (v) our place in the global minerals supply-demand chain. Students will develop technical writing and oral presentation competency through exploration of these topics, and examine ore specimens and related end-products from world-class examples of critical metal deposits for a sustainable future including battery metals (cobalt, lithium), the rare-earth elements, and uranium.