Molten metal magnifies mineral message

A team of metallurgists delighted Year 10 students at Ocean Forest Lutheran College with an array of explosive experiments designed to generate interest in a profession crying out for graduates.

Graeme Thompson, Stewart Kelly and Ken Seymour, from Murdoch University’s School of Engineering and Information Technology, were in Bunbury to encourage students to think about careers in mineral extraction.

Students watched intently as Mr Thompson and his team demonstrated the metal reactions in flames that produced coloured sparks like those used in fireworks before building to the grand finale – an iron oxide and aluminium reaction that creates molten iron ore at 2500C.

Ocean Forest Lutheran College coordinator of science Paul Terry said the workshop was well received by students.

“The Murdoch team brought down some specialist gear that we don’t have and put on a pretty spectacular show,” he said.

“The students seemed interest in what they were seeing and have been asking a lot of questions about mining and metallurgy and possible career paths, so I would say it was a definite success.”