A screengrab from her winning entry shows future geologist Mia Tullio.
How do you get high school students enthusiastic about mining? One way is to encourage them to create videos on the topic. Then sweeten the enticement with some cash. That was enough to draw 200 entries to the Ontario Mining Association’s So You Think You Know Mining contest. Twelve winners and five honourable mentions brought their casts and crews a total of $48,000 in prizes at a June 1 Toronto event attended by mining professionals, government officials, teachers, parents and students.
Contestants used a number of approaches including research, interviews, poetry and music to express their perspectives on mining’s past and future, its benefits to the economy and to society. That’s not to mention some helpful tips on How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse.
Judged best overall entry, a video called Technology–the Future of Ontario Mining brought Sudbury’s Mia Tullio $7,500 in prizes, along with another grand for her school. The sophisticated three-minute documentary briefly outlines developments in remote operation of mine equipment, game-style simulation for mine rescue training and how flying drones can be used in underground accidents. The video includes a visit to Norcat, the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology, “like the offices of Google, a hotbed of creative, innovative thinking.”
The entries “offer a fresh look at the important role that mining plays in our modern lives,” said OMA president Chris Hodgson. “They also help us imagine what the future might hold—for our industry and our society.”
The contest was the final of eight annual events that drew nearly 1,000 videos and handed out $272,000 in prizes. In April the Mining Association of Nova Scotia announced winners of its Mining ROCKS! video contest.
