Mining Matters

Looking for a fun and educational challenge for a young explorer this month?

The June Junior Explorers Challenge gives youth ages 9 to 17 the chance to:

✔ Learn about mining and exploration
✔ Build creative problem solving skills
✔ Explore real world STEM concepts
✔ Enter to win amazing tech prizes worth over $1,000

This month’s challenge takes participants to Toronto, the heart of the mining world, where they’ll invent their own fictional junior exploration company after reading a short story.

Best of all, it’s completely free to enter.

📅 Challenge closes June 30, 2026

Start here:

Toronto: The Heart of the Mining World - Junior Explorers Challenge Junior Explorers Challenge Join the Junior Explorers Challenge. Learn about Canada’s rich mining history, Discover & Win! Join The Great Canadian Treasure Hunt and take part in the Junior Explorers Challenge for Canadian youths aged 9–17. This is a fun way to learn about mining, science, and Can...

May Junior Explorer Challenge: Newfoundland

Did you know that a small town on “the Rock” once sparked a silver rush? In Argentia, Newfoundland, prospectors discovered galena, a lead ore that can host silver, and believed they had found something big. But mining isn’t always easy. The silver was trapped in hard rock, and the shining dream of striking it rich didn’t last long.
Even so, Argentia didn’t fade away. Today, it’s a busy industrial port connecting Newfoundland to the global trade network, proof that one place can reinvent itself again and again.

Your challenge:
Read the story Argentia: The Land of Silver and Second Chances. Use the story and the given clues to complete a crossword puzzle.

Deadline: May 31, 2026

One lucky explorer will win an amazing tech prize!

Start the challenge here:
https://miningmatters.northernminer.com/

Good luck, Junior Explorers!

April Junior Explorers Challenge: The Golden Triangle

Did you know that one of Canada’s richest mineral regions lies deep in the mountains of northwestern British Columbia? More than 150 years ago, prospectors travelled into this rugged landscape searching for gold. Today, the Golden Triangle is famous for its rich deposits of gold, silver, and copper.

Your challenge:
Read the story The Golden Triangle: A Land of Hidden Treasure and use clues to place key events in the correct order on a timeline. Then reflect on how early discoveries helped reveal one of Canada’s most important mineral regions.

Deadline: April 30, 2026

One lucky explorer will win an amazing tech prize!

Start the challenge here:
https://miningmatters.northernminer.com/

Good luck, Junior Explorers!

Are you up for an electrifying challenge? Mining Matters has a limited number of FREE wind turbine kits available for young innovators across Canada! Wind is a renewable energy source because it naturally replenishes itself over time. Humans have been harnessing wind power for over 1,000 years, from sailing ships to windmills and modern turbines!

The Challenge:
Design and build a wind turbine using the materials provided
Experiment with different blade shapes and sizes to optimize performance
Watch as your wind turbine generates power using a high-torque motor

Did you know? Wind turbines are built using critical minerals like copper, lithium, nickel, rare earth elements, and zinc —all sourced from the Earth!

Visit our website to request your kit and explore video instructions to spark your creativity!
English: http://miningmatters.ca/.../wind-turbine-engineering...
French: miningmatters.ca/fr/resource/defi-dingenierie-eolienne

Special thanks to G Mining Services for making this initiative possible.