The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum has launched a new exhibition titled ‘Unearthed – Critical Minerals in The Energy Transition’ which explores the uses of critical minerals and aims to help visitors understand how vital they are to our modern world.
Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic objects from which we can extract metals and other elements to produce steel, copper, glass, and silicon chips to create and power our technologies.
Bathurst Mayor, Cr Robert Taylor, remarked that this new exhibition provides fascinating insight into the hidden role that minerals play in our everyday lives.
“This exhibition is one of a kind in Australia at the moment. It focuses on the role of critical minerals in a transition to renewable energy as well as their everyday use in industry and throughout our households.
“The exhibition content was prepared in consultation with the Australian Museum and Dr Malte Ebach, Honorary Associate Professor at UNSW, and although the subject matter sounds heavy, the museum has done an incredible job at making it accessible, using Lego models and other techniques to help translate difficult concepts.
“A highlight is definitely the periodic table; Museum Coordinator, Penny Packham, has done an incredible job at showing the uses of each of the elements. Some of them are certainly outside the square!” said Mayor Taylor.
Exhibition entry is included in general admission to the museum.
The Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is open 9am-4.30pm 6 days a week, closed on Wednesdays, and is located at 224 Howick Street, Bathurst (next to the Post Office).
