The Pasminco Mining Company, an Australian mining company, donated a mile-long rock sample (5,346-foot core drill sample) to the UT Department of Earth and Planetary Science in June 2003. The core, boxed in 120 containers, came from a site near Pasminco’s Gordonsville zinc mine. Dr. Robert Hatcher, who arranged the donation, indicated that studying the core would have benefit for both university researchers and mining and petroleum geologists, especially with regard to understanding the possibilities of finding deep oil and gas in Middle Tennessee.