‘Mineropoly’ wins Junior Miner contest

Ten-year-old Trevor Smith of Toronto has won this year’s Junior Miner of Ontario award for creating a board game that stresses the use of mined materials in everyday items.

Smith took home the $150 top prize for his creation, which he calls Mineropoly. It is based on Monopoly, except that Simth’s version uses polished stones as markers, and the object of the game is to travel around the board without losing mineral-based possessions. For instance, landing on a square labeled with an everyday item made from earth materials, such as an engagement ring, would result in the player’s losing that item. Some of the other important items on the board include stoves, toilets, paintings, computers and cell phones.

“I really enjoyed the challenge of making the game,” says Smith.

The Junior Miner of Ontario Competition is part of the Mining Matters program, sponsored by the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada. The annual contest engages students in grades four and seven, and teachers are rewarded for implementing earth sciences into the curriculum.