They didn’t dig up the playground, but local students now have a pretty good idea about how to operate a mine.

About 30 students from Centenary and Glenala state high schools took part, for the first time, in a Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) STEM for Schoolkids event (Thursday 6th June).

“The students aimed to find as much coal as possible in an exercise that really brought the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills learnt in the classroom to life in a practical set,” said Anglo American’s Executive Head of Open Cut Operations in Australia, Hans Hayes.

“Anglo American is proud to be part of this industry and school partnership, which enables students to see the many and varied careers available in the resources sector and provides them with pathways to be part of it,” he said.

Centenary State School Principal John Brew said the QMEA events stimulate critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are vital for the new work of work.

“Putting these skills in a real-world context and being mentored by industry people are valuable aspects of these programs,” he said.

The students also compared two methods of extracting copper from ore to determine the method that provided the greatest yield.

To top off the day, they used engineering skills to design the ‘perfect drink’.