The Britannia Mine Museum offers fun, family-friendly “Live in the Lab” earth science programming inside their Terra Lab STEAM learning space during Spring Break and Easter weekend.
For Spring Break from Monday, March 18 to Friday, March 29 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., the museum has “Live in the Lab: Mini Mud Monsters” interactive educational sessions where visitors can learn about the important environmental impact lessons of the Britannia Mine due to acid rock drainage, which occurs naturally when rainwater reacts with oxygen and exposed minerals. Participants will interact with live microorganisms from nearby Britannia Creek and learn how they help us understand the impacts of mining on local ecosystems.
Located up the mountain from the Museum, Britannia Creek is a freshwater body that empties into Howe Sound/Átl’ka7tsem, Canada’s 19th UNESCO Biosphere Region. Dissolved metals from the mine due to acid rock drainage were once a significant source of pollution and Britannia Creek was heavily impacted. Skimming the creek for insect life and looking for pollution-intolerant species can help demonstrate the positive impacts of the Epcor Britannia Mine Water Treatment Plant, which has significantly improved water quality since 2005.
During the Easter long weekend from Friday, March 29 to Monday, April 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Museum is offering “Live in the Lab: The Colours of Copper” sessions that examine unique properties of copper and why copper oxidizes and turns ‘blue’ in wet environments. Other Easter activities, including an on-site mineral scavenger hunt and special Easter-themed underground tours, will also be available.
The Museum’s Terra Lab is an exhibit and STEAM educational programming space that allows for public and student engagement on the innovative exploration of sustainable mining, environmental remediation and our move toward sustainable resource exploration.
“The Britannia Mine Museum is a place where visitors of all ages come to explore, experience fun and immersive adventures as well as learn about important issues such as environmental impact stories due to mineral exploration,” says Derek Jang, Manager of Interpretive Delivery at the Britannia Mine Museum. “Our Terra Lab is a great educational venue where we engage inquisitive minds with hands-on science experiments and connect with our natural environment.”
The Museum gratefully acknowledges the following financial supporters and educational partners in the development of the Terra Lab: Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia, Finning International, Teck Resources Inc., CIM Underground Mining Society, Canadian Mineral Processors (National), Jerome Renwick III Endowment Fund (Canadian Geological Foundation), EPCOR Utilities Inc., Prof. Neil Banerjee and Dr Lisa Van Loon /Western University.
General admission tickets and annual memberships are available online at www.britanniaminemuseum.ca.
