Summer 2006: Week 1, Round 2
Science: Mining
1. Canada is a major producer of uranium. Name Canada's first uranium mine, located on Great Bear Lake, NWT.
A: Eldorado. (1935.)
2. Where was Canada's first successful oil well drilled?
A: Petrolia, Ontario. (1858.)
3. On reaching Baffin Island in 1576, Martin Frobisher shifted his attention away from his search for a northwest passage to China. What did he look for instead?
A: Gold. (He had found a rock sparkling with pyrite and thought was gold on a small island in what is now Frobisher Bay.)
4. What incident prompted the great California gold rush of 1848?
A: The discovery of gold nuggets at Sutter's Mill by James Marshall, an employee of John Sutter. (answer must include "Sutter's Mill".)
5. Within 50 lbs., what is the weight of a cubic foot of gold? In contrast, a cubic foot of water weighs 62.43 lbs.
A: 1,205 lbs. accept 1,155 - 1,255. (Gold has a density of 19.3, X 62.43 (weight of 1 cubic foot of water) =1204.89 [1205]))
6. What do emery boards and necklaces of rubies and sapphires have in common?
7. Platinum is commonly associated with the mining of what metal?
A: Nickel.
8. What is the main commercial use for nickel?
A: Stainless steel. (nickel added to iron.
9. In which country is the world's largest producing diamond mine, in terms of most carats of diamonds produced?
A: Australia. (the Argyle Mine.)
10. What is Ontario's official gemstone?
A: Amethyst. (most abundant source is the Duzba occurrence near Thunder Bay.)