By: Joseph Riney

Since starting with the NvMA, I have been heavily involved with our Education Committee. Members of the committee include teachers and other education focused professionals. Another group we work closely with, the Nevada Division of Minerals, also does a fantastic job of not only supporting the Education Committee’s and NvMA’s efforts, but also spends a great deal of time in classrooms themselves, educating Nevada’s students.

One topic the committee spends a fair amount of time discussing is what is the appropriate age to really start engaging children on rocks, minerals, and how mining impacts their everyday lives. Personally, I have advocated that third grade is the right time. Students start to become more interested in science at that age, and it gives them a good base as they move into fourth grade, where mining is tied into their education through Nevada history. As they continue to age, I have also noticed students becoming interested in the large equipment mines use, the explosions (of course), and the science that goes into it all.

However, my line of thought was completely thrown on its head last week sitting down with my family for dinner. We went through the usual routine of me asking my kids how their day went, and what they learned at school that day. As most parents know, this usually takes a little coaxing to find out what they’ve really been up to at school.

But to my surprise, my kindergarten aged daughter started eagerly discussing the visitor she’d had at school that day… a “jolla-gis”. Then she pulled out a bag of rocks she had been given by the Division of Minerals, with samples of obsidian, pumice, magnetite, and sulfur.

She could tell me all about the sticky rock, the one that floats, the glass rock (complete with knowing the name, obsidian), and the magnetic rock. Keep in mind, this is the same child whose highlight on a recent field trip to the planetarium was sitting next to her friend on the bus. Since learning about geology from NDOM’s wonderful Lucia Patterson, my daughter has asked me to go out rock collecting nearly every day.

To say I learned a thing or two from this experience would be an understatement. I’m completely rethinking my opinions of when to introduce young children to rocks and minerals. Thankfully, our friends at the Division of Minerals have already figured this out and are out there every day educating our sons and daughters about the unique geology in their state. I personally cannot wait to get out there and join them in a classroom as soon as possible.

Joseph is the NvMA’s Director of Workforce Development. He can be reached at joseph@nevadamining.org