The Mining Industry: Economic Impact

Active learning lets students connect abstract economic concepts to real-world stakes in mining communities. When students model consultations or analyze reclamation plans, they see how economics, environment, and social factors interact in ways that no textbook diagram can show.

• Grade 7
• History & Geography
• 3 activities
• 25 min–60 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze the contribution of mineral and metal extraction to Canada's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) using provided data.
2. Explain the process by which mining operations create employment and stimulate infrastructure development in remote northern communities.
3. Evaluate the economic benefits of mining against potential environmental degradation and social impacts.
4. Identify key minerals and metals extracted in Canada and their primary uses in manufacturing and technology.

Role Play

⏱ 60 min·Small Groups

Role Play: The Community Consultation

Students take on roles as mining company executives, environmentalists, local business owners, and Indigenous leaders. They must debate the opening of a new mine and try to reach an agreement on 'best practices.'

Prepare & details

Analyze the economic contributions of the mining industry to Canada's GDP.

Facilitation Tip: During the Role Play, assign roles that reflect real community stakeholders to ensure diverse perspectives are heard.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 45 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: Mine Reclamation

Pairs research a 'reclaimed' mine site in Canada (e.g., a former quarry turned into a park). They create a 'before and after' presentation showing how the land was restored.

Prepare & details

Explain how mining creates employment and infrastructure in remote regions.

Facilitation Tip: For Mine Reclamation, provide students with before-and-after images of sites to highlight the effectiveness of modern practices.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Cost of Mining

Students discuss the trade-off between the economic benefits of mining (jobs, money) and the environmental risks. They share their thoughts on whether some areas should be 'off-limits' to mining.

Prepare & details

Evaluate the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental concerns in mining.

Facilitation Tip: In Think-Pair-Share, require students to cite specific examples from the mining life cycle when discussing costs.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers approach this topic by grounding abstract economic ideas in lived experiences, using case studies and role plays to make the stakes visible. Avoid framing mining as purely positive or negative; instead, encourage students to weigh evidence and recognize the complexity of economic trade-offs. Research suggests that when students engage with real data and community narratives, their understanding of economic systems becomes more nuanced and grounded.

What to Expect

Students will articulate the economic importance of mining while considering trade-offs in environmental and social impacts. They will use evidence from activities to explain why mining remains vital to Canada’s economy and local communities, especially in remote and Indigenous regions.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Think-Pair-Share activity, watch for students who assume mining is declining as an industry. Redirect them by asking them to list the minerals used in electric vehicles or smartphones, then connect these to Canada’s mining sector.

What to Teach Instead

Use the research task in Think-Pair-Share to have students identify three minerals essential for 'green' technology and map their sources to active Canadian mines.

Common Misconception

During the Collaborative Investigation activity, watch for students who believe closed mines leave permanently damaged land. Redirect them by examining the reclamation plans provided in the activity materials.

What to Teach Instead

Have students analyze a reclamation plan for a specific mine site and identify at least three ways the land was restored or repurposed, using the gallery walk format.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Role Play activity, facilitate a class discussion with the prompt: 'Imagine you are a community leader in a remote northern town. A mining company wants to open a new mine. What are the top three economic benefits you would highlight to your community, and what are the top three environmental or social concerns you would raise?'

Quick Check

During the Collaborative Investigation activity, provide students with a short case study about a fictional mining project in Northern Canada. Ask them to complete a two-column chart: 'Economic Benefits' and 'Potential Challenges'. Students should list at least two points in each column based on the case study and their learning.

Exit Ticket

After the Think-Pair-Share activity, have students write one specific example of how mining contributes to Canada’s GDP and one specific example of how mining creates jobs or infrastructure in a remote region on an index card.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students who finish early to research a current Canadian mining project and present its economic, environmental, and social impacts to the class.
• For students who struggle, provide simplified case studies with key terms highlighted to support their analysis of economic benefits versus challenges.
• Deeper exploration: Invite a guest speaker from a mining company or Indigenous community to discuss how consultation processes work in practice, connecting it to the role-play activity.

Key Vocabulary

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)	The total value of all goods and services produced within a country in a specific period, indicating the overall economic health.
Extraction	The process of removing valuable minerals or metals from the earth through various mining techniques.
Infrastructure	The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, such as roads, power supply, and communication systems.
Reclamation	The process of restoring land that has been mined to a natural or economically usable state after mining operations have ceased.
Commodity	A raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold, such as copper, gold, or nickel.