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Educator Resource: Field Trip

From Au to Xe (Gold to Xenon): The Homestake Story

Explore the unfolding of significant events that paved the way for the Sanford Underground Research Facility, and discover how the transition from mining to research continues to shape the future.
Level
Upper Elementary
Time required
~1 hour

Very few mines in the world produced gold continuously for more than one hundred years. The Homestake Mine produced about 41 million ounces of gold (and 9 million ounces of silver) from 1876 through 2001- when the quest for the yellow treasure ended.

The legacy of dedication, loyalty, and perseverance continues at this site with the transformation of the mine into the Sanford Underground Research Facility seeking the treasure of new scientific understandings.

Embark on a captivating journey through time where you’ll witness the unfolding of events that paved the way for the Sanford Underground Research Facility, and discover how its impact continues to shape the future.

Where might you see yourself in this story?