The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum announces the opening of its newest gallery “Mining Minerals.” Many of the minerals in Michigan Tech’s collection are by-products of mining. The Mining Minerals gallery complements the adjacent “Minerals and You” gallery which demonstrates how minerals are important in our everyday lives through four exhibit cases showing many examples of uses of minerals, an exhibit case focused on minerals used in your car, and one focused on the uses of copper. Since minerals come from mines and they are a critical component of modern life, the new gallery is designed to help visitors better understand the entire mining cycle from beginning to end.
“A gallery focused on mining fits well with Michigan Tech’s origin in 1885 as the Michigan Mining School and with the museum’s mission to educate people about minerals” says Ted Bornhorst, the musuem’s executive director.
The new gallery consists of five exhibit showcases beginning with an outline of the types of Earth resources and an overview of the mining process.
The second exhibit case presents the activities necessary before a mine is created from exploring to discovery of a potential mineable resource which is followed by intense studies including design of the mining facility, environmental considerations, economics, mine closure and application for a mining permit.
Once the permit is approved, then the mining industrial complex can be constructed for an open-pit or underground mine as described in the third exhibit case. Mineral resources require simple to complex processing to make them ready for industrial applications as illustrated in the fourth exhibit case.
The last phase of the life of a mine is closure, the fifth exhibit case. The mine closure exhibit touches upon removal and repurposing of the surface mining infrastructure, reuse of non-hazardous mining waste and minimizing the impact of hazardous waste. The all-encompassing concept of sustainable or green mining is introduced.
The new Mining Minerals gallery is innovative as compared to mineral museums elsewhere because it covers the entire mining cycle in a holistic way, directly connects to the uses of minerals and augments the other mineral exhibits in the museum.
The museum welcomes the University and broader community to visit the museum to learn more about minerals and mining. Admission is waived for current Michigan Tech students as well as faculty and staff and their professional guests. Until November, the museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
By the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum.