MINING COMMUNITY: ELKFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA

Including

Classroom Activities to Accompany

MINING COMMUNITY: ELKFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA

© 2004-2012 MineralsEd (Mineral Resources Education Program of BC)

Mining Community: Elkford, BC This modern story of a mining community in British Columbia was inspired by Exploring Elkford by Joan Collins (1983), one booklet in the series Explorations - A Canadian Social Studies Program for Elementary Schools. Though now out of print, Exploring Elkford might still be available in your school library or resource centre. Brodie, the central character in that story is now grown up and driving a haul truck at a coal mine in the Elk Valley.

Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2012 MineralsEd (Mineral Resources Education Program of British Columbia), 900-808 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 2X4 www.MineralsEd.ca

My name is Andrew. I live in Elkford. Elkford is a small town high in the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia. Almost 3,000 people live here.

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This is my house.

This is my family. Right next to my house is a park where I play. My school is only a block away.

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There are many places to go and things to do.

These are some things I like to do.

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Elkford is a coal mining community. Many people work at the coal mines. They have many different jobs.

My mom and dad are mining engineers at one mine.

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People in Elkford have other jobs too.

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This is a map of Elkford. It shows some of the places where we go.

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One day I went with my Mom and Dad to the mine.

I asked them if I could go exploring. Mom said we could go after lunch.

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This is what we saw. Big shovels were digging coal and loading it into big trucks. There were other machines that moved the broken rock too.

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I asked Dad if I could have a chunk of coal. He said we had to go to a safer spot where the miners weren’t working. The coal is black and shiny.

It is in layers with a rough brown rock. Dad said the brown rock is sandstone. We went rock collecting. We picked up enough rocks to share with my friends.

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“What is this?” I asked. “It looks like a leaf but it is black.” “It’s a fossil leaf.” said Dad. “There are lots of them in the rocks here. Look around!” So I did. They were on almost every rock I picked up! Some looked like little leaves. Some looked like pine needles.

Dad walked over to a big flat rock. “Look here! What do you think that is?” he said. I saw a funny shape that looked like a fat arrow. “That looks like the dinosaur footprints on the rock at school!” I wondered why the fossil leaves and dinosaur footprints were here at the mine. 12

When I went back to school I told my teacher about my trip to the mine. I said “I want to learn more about the things I saw.” She helped me and my friends research coal on the internet. We learned that coal is made from plants that live in swamps.

As the plants die, they fall into the swamp and are covered with sand and mud.

After millions of years the plant layers turn into coal. We also found out that coal is used to make steel and cement, and it can be burned to make electricity. 13

Then my teacher said “We will go to the library. There are books you can search to learn about dinosaurs and the tracks they made.”

We learned that many dinosaurs left tracks with three toes, like the one I saw at the mine. Some were meat-eaters. Some only ate plants. Maybe the dinosaur that left the footprint ate the plants that grew in the swamp.

Or maybe it ate other dinosaurs! 14

I shared the rock and coal samples with my friends at school.

We thought it would be interesting if dinosaurs still lived in Elkford. 15

MineralsEd is non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging Earth science, mineral resources and mining education in school. Our mission is to support BC teachers and their students with relevant, comprehensive Earth science and mining educational resources and learning opportunities. www.MineralsEd.ca

Classroom Activities to Accompany MINING COMMUNITY: ELKFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA

© 2004-2012 MineralsEd (Mineral Resources Education Program of BC)

Mining Community Elkford, BC Activity Book

Mining Community: Elkford, British Columbia Teacher Information

Mining Community: Elkford, British Columbia is a story by Andrew, a young boy growing up in the mining community of Elkford in the west Kootenays. He tells about his life, his town and then about his visit to a mine and the new scientific questions the visit there creates. The reading level is Grade 2-3. The book can be useful in presenting many aspects of curriculum. Science: · introduction to fossils · introduction to coal · introduction to sandstone and other important rocks · a dinosaur Social Studies · comparison of communities · discussion of job occupations · discussion of hobbies and recreation · introduction to mapping Computers/Technology · introduction to using the internet · investigating mining machinery seen in the book Language Arts · creative writing “What would it be like if dinosaurs were still around today?” Reading · share the book with classmates and friends Library · encourage research opportunities in science topics cited above Art · make fossils · dinosaur projects · rock and fossil displays

Additional information and classroom activities include: Mining in the Kootenays Elkford Story Scramble - p. 10-12 (Teacher information) p. 4 Haul Truck - p. 13 Mining Occupations (Key) - p. 5 Shovel - p.14 Mining Equipment (Key) - p. 6 Dinosaur that Roamed the Fossil Hunt Maze - p. 7 Elk Valley - p.15 Elkford Community How Coal Forms - p. 16 Word Search - p. 8-9

Credits: Teacher Advisors: April Nelson, Ann Therese Brace, Elizabeth Greenway Illustrations: Jackie Chau, Sheila R. Stenzel Figure 2 courtesy of Fording River Operations; Figure 3 courtesy of Coal Mountain. Copyright © 2002-2012 MineralsEd (Mineral Resources Education Program of BC) 2

Mining Community Elkford, BC

Activity Book

Teacher Information Figure 1

Mining in the west Kootenays of BC Southeast BC and southwest Alberta have been active coal mining areas since the early 1800s. Today in the Elk Valley alone there are five operating mines: Coal Mountain, Elkview, Line Creek, Greenhills and Fording River (Figure 1). All of these are operated by Teck Resources Ltd., a Canadian company headquartered in Vancouver. Together they employ around 3000 people and are the main economic force in all towns in the region. Elkford is small community (~3000 people) at the end of a long paved rode that runs north of Sparwood. The town was carved out of the wilderness in the mid-1970s and built solely for the purpose of housing miners at Greenhills and Fording River Operations. It is one of the highest elevation communities in the province and boasts the tile “Wilderness Capitol of BC”. This is a mountainous region of BC and all the mines are developed in mountainous terrain. The coal at all the mines occurs in basically the same sedimentary rock unit which underlies the peaks of the mountains (Figure 2). The rocks, and the coal, are folded and faulted. Coal mining in this area is surface mining. It is typically described as open pit. However, mining here does not create a conventional circular hole. Rather surface mining here involves removing the tops or sides of the mountains where the coal is Figure 2 exposed (Figure 3). Detailed drilling into the sedimentary rocks provides engineers with the best information of how much can be economically mined. Coal produced from these mines is loaded directly onto rail cars and transported to Vancouver. From there it is loaded onto large ships, either from a terminal along Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, or from Roberts Bank coal loading facility Tsawassen. Most of the coal is valuable bituminous coal, which is used in the production of steel. Coal loaded onto ships is destined for Asian steel manufactures.

Figure 3

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Mining Community Elkford, BC Activity Book

Teacher Information Mining occupations of people in photos on Page 6 in Mining Community: Elkford, BC.

Haul Truck Driver

Receptionist

Welder

Mine Engineer

Geologists

Mine Engineer

Electrician

Public Relations Administrator

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Truck and Shovel Dispatcher

Mining Community Elkford, BC

Activity Book

Teacher Information Mining equipment in photos on Page 10 in Mining Community: Elkford, BC.

Haul truck

Shovel

Haul truck

Bulldozer

Excavator

Haul truck

Haul truck

Dragline Frontend Loader

Bulldozer

Haul truck

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Mining Community Elkford, BC Activity Book

Name ______________________

Finish

Start

Fossil Hunt Maze

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Mining Community Elkford, BC

Activity Book

Name ______________________

Elkford Community Word Search B E F N P X B U F R I E N D S C O G A N

I P T M I N E C M Y E E I S T A V Y B E

K J B H I C N K A A L U G O R W E R A I

I N K G H Y T I N U M M O C Y N O H N G

BIKING FISHING HIKING SOCCER GOLFING

N V O T D I I S C G L L A C H F R R J H

G O L F I N G H U I O M H E I T W M K B

H H J D G I S I S A P T T R N S I D E O

R I Y A T K G B S I W I E T G R T E C U

PLAYGROUND SCHOOL HOUSE ADDRESS COMMUNITY

D K D D U O O S N N J S E O H C H M I R

N H J D J J A G G T T M R D I E M O L S

U P K R L O Y M O A A A S T O R E N O X

POLICE STORE MINE LIBRARY POOL

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O O P E I I A A T G M T N O N Y A L P O

R M I S U C A I N M N E O M K W S O H R

G B A S T I O I T A I I N A T Y O S O L

Y U F L F N K M H R E S H N H L K H E I

A J A P D I R M I S I T E S U O H O M B

L K M I H L O A T H S I Y Y I K I T A R

P O I Y J C N H C R U H C O A F L M N A

CLINIC JOBS FRIENDS CAMPING FAMILY FIRE STATION CHURCH NEIGHBOURS WORK PLAY

W G L H I Y S A B M T K R U T O Z U R R

D F Y F S C H O O L H F U T I U B H O Y

Mining Community Elkford, BC Activity Book

Elkford Community Word Search B # # # # # # # F R I E N D S # # # # N

I # # M I N E # # # # # # S # # # # # E

K # # # # # # # # # # # # O # W # # # I

BIKING FISHING HIKING SOCCER GOLFING

I # # # # Y T I N U M M O C # # O # # G

N # # # # # # # # # # # A C # F # R # H

G O L F I N G # # # # M # E I # # # K B

# # # # # # # # S # P # # R # # # # E O

PLAYGROUND SCHOOL HOUSE ADDRESS COMMUNITY

# # # A # # # B # I # # E # # # # # C U

D # # D # # O # N # # S # # # # # # I R

N # # D # J # G # # T # # # # # # # L S

POLICE STORE MINE LIBRARY POOL

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U # # R # # # # # A # # S T O R E # O #

O # # E # # # # T G # # # # # Y A L P #

R # # S # C # I N # N # # # # # # O # #

G # # S # I O I # # # I # # # # O # # L

Y # F # # N K # # # # # H # # L # # # I

A # A # # I # # # # # # E S U O H # # B

Answer Key

L # M # H L # # # # # # # # I # # # # R

P # I # # C # H C R U H C # # F # # # A

CLINIC JOBS FRIENDS CAMPING FAMILY FIRE STATION CHURCH NEIGHBOURS WORK PLAY

# # L # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # R

# # Y # S C H O O L # # # # # # # # # Y

Mining Community Elkford, BC

Activity Book

Name _________________

Elkford Story Scramble

Unscramble the letters in the left column to make a word in the blanks on the right.

1. nemi 2. nimucomty 3. amp 4. drusonai 5. gleend 6. hosloc 7. danesnotes 8. gierneen 9. holevs 10. droflek 11. tointfrop 12. stoinmaun 13. elest 14. loac 15. sloifs 16. oplexre 17. tlanp 18. rifend 19. mailan 20. tytricleeci 21. menect 22. lafe 23. kroc 24. spawm 25. rayles 26. gikbin

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

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Mining Community Elkford, BC Activity Book

Name _________________

Elkford Story Scramble

Unscramble the letters in the left column to make a word in the blanks on the right.

1. nemi 2. nimucomty 3. amp 4. drusonai 5. gleend 6. hosloc 7. danesnotes 8. gierneen 9. holevs 10. droflek 11. tointfrop 12. stoinmaun 13. elest 14. loac 15. sloifs 16. oplexre 17. tlanp 18. rifend 19. mailan 20. tytricleeci 21. menect 22. lafe 23. kroc 24. spawm 25. rayles 26. gikbin

m __ __ __ c __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ m __ __ d __ __ __ __ __ __ __ l __ __ __ __ __ s __ __ __ __ __ s __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ e __ __ __ __ __ __ __ s __ __ __ __ __ E __ __ __ __ __ __ f __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ m __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ s __ __ __ __ c __ __ __ f __ __ __ __ __ e __ __ __ __ __ __ p __ __ __ __ f __ __ __ __ __ a __ __ __ __ __ e __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ c __ __ __ __ __ l __ __ __ r __ __ __ s __ __ __ __ l __ __ __ __ __ b __ __ __ __ __

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Mining Community Elkford, BC

Activity Book

Elkford Story Scramble

Answer Key

Unscramble the letters in the left column to make a proper word in the blanks on the right.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

mine community map dinosaur legend school sandstone engineer shovel Elkford footprint mountains steel coal fossil explore plant friend animal electricity cement leaf rock swamp layers biking 11

Name ______________________ HAUL TRUCK Mining Community: Elkford, BC Activities

Name ______________________ SHOVEL Mining Community: Elkford, BC Activities

Mining Community Elkford, BC Activity Book

Name ______________________

A Dinosaur That Roamed the Elk Valley

Dinosaur’s Name: ___________________ 14

Mining Community Elkford, BC

Activity Book

Name: ________________

How Coal Forms

Plants that grow in swamps die and fall into the swampy water. There they become covered with mud and sand.

Over time the swampy plant layers become buried by more sand and mud.

The deeper the plant layers are buried, the more they compact and the plant layers turn into coal.

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MineralsEd is non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to encouraging geoscience, mining and mineral resources education in school. Our mission is to support BC teachers and their students with relevant, comprehensive earth science and mining educational resources and learning opportunities. www.MineralsEd.ca