Exploring the Concept. 1  Provide the materials to the students. 2  Instruct students to cover their desktops with paper. 3  Have students examine the sugar cubes with the magnifying glasses. Students should record their observations on the observation sheet provided. They can either draw or describe the sugar cubes.
Gold is a precious metal used around the world in jewelry, electronics and even dentistry. Extraction of gold requires mining for it beneath the Earth's surface. Mining for gold has some negative effects, including erosion, the use of cyanide, loss of biodiversity and disruption of indigenous communities. Erosion Erosion can strip away much needed soil.
Modern industrial gold mining destroys landscapes and creates huge amounts of toxic waste. Due to the use of dirty practices such as open pit mining and cyanide heap leaching, mining companies generate about 20 tons of toxic waste for every 0.333-ounce gold ring. The waste, usually a gray liquid sludge, is laden with deadly cyanide and toxic heavy metals.