In this activity, students will be analyzing a soil sample taken from a mining site and testing if for its acidity and dissolved metal contaminants. They will design a filtration system to remove the Fe3+ ion and acid contaminants, as well as any solid debris, out of the soil sample. The filtered soil sample will also be tested for its purity.
Throughout the lab, students will be videotaping or taking pictures of their journey, in place of a written procedure. Following the lab, students will be required to analyze their observations and make conclusions.