| Of all the continents, Antarctica is the coldest and | | | | by the U.S.A has already confirmed that |
| inaccessible. With little chance of being able to | | | | hydrocarbon deposits are very likely to exist. Coal |
| support much human activity, it was decided that | | | | and minerals have been confirmed on land with |
| Antarctica could be shared. However the | | | | deposits of gold, lead, tin, uranium, cobalt, |
| realization by many nations that their resources | | | | chromium, nickel, and titanium also present. |
| may eventually run out has led many to look at | | | | The Antarctic's extreme environment has always |
| Antarctica as a future source. | | | | meant that its exploitation has been economically |
| The Antarctica is slowly losing its reputation as | | | | unwise, but this is no longer the situation. As the |
| the land of seals, ice, and penguins; and is gaining a | | | | prices if resources increase and new technology |
| new status as a region of iron, coal and of | | | | becomes available, businesses and governments |
| course, oil. The region may become the subject | | | | have begun to see the benefits and the scientists |
| of international confrontation and resource | | | | and environmentalists are becoming more worried. |
| exploitation and cease to be a region of | | | | Antarctica is now one of the very few areas on |
| international cooperative scientific research as it is | | | | Earth that have managed to stay unpolluted and |
| today. | | | | untouched and this makes the exploitation of |
| So far, places such as the United States Antarctic | | | | minerals there even more of a concern for |
| base the scientists have only experienced a | | | | environment groups worldwide. The environmental |
| tranquil environment of sharing and cooperation | | | | groups the Sierra Club and the International |
| between nations. The cold, hostile environment is | | | | Institute for Environment and Development have |
| said to bring people closer and they cope with the | | | | predicted this conflict between the environment |
| challenges it brings together, and they all share a | | | | and commercial interests. |
| passion for the work they are doing. | | | | They point out that there must be some |
| Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd's vision of Antarctica | | | | exploration and studies to see what resources are |
| and his efforts have lead to a park being | | | | in Antarctica and to assess the environmental |
| dedicated to him near the National Science | | | | impact of exploiting them. However they are |
| Foundation McMurdo Headquarters that are | | | | concerned that the results of the assessments |
| responsible for all of the U.S Antarctica operations. | | | | will encourage the exploitation. Drilling for oil raises |
| He was the first to fly across Antarctica and the | | | | the most concerns due to the possible spills. Most |
| South Pole and led five expeditions. Admiral Byrd | | | | Antarctic life, such as birds and seals, clusters |
| believed that the Antarctic could be a regional of | | | | along the coasts and could be greatly affected. |
| unprecedented cooperation between different | | | | More damage could be caused by an oil spill in the |
| nations for the goal of international research. The | | | | Antarctic than elsewhere because the rate that oil |
| sentiments are noble, but can they survive in a | | | | degrades and breaks up is a lot slower at colder |
| world starved for energy and minerals? | | | | temperatures. |
| There amount of interest in the region as a | | | | Most of what goes on in, and about, Antarctica is |
| source of minerals is growing, but the full potential | | | | tied to a landmark 1959 treaty that set the |
| of the mineral deposits in the Antarctic is not yet | | | | continent aside as a scientific preserve. One of |
| known. The situation in the Antarctic has changed | | | | the things that the twelve nations who signed the |
| to become more revolved around political situation | | | | treaty have managed to achieve is to keep the |
| and less in science. It is believed that below the | | | | Antarctic free from militarization and nuclear |
| thousands of feet of ice and deep below the | | | | weapon testing. Any overlapping claim to |
| hostile seas there are massive deposits of oil and | | | | Antarctica territory has been side stepped by the |
| minerals. | | | | treaty. |
| Areas in and around Antarctica geologically | | | | As a person looking for antarctic cruise you |
| resemble parts of other continents where oil, gas | | | | should visit that site.Learn more on the topic of |
| and minerals exist in abundance. Offshore drilling | | | | antarctic cruise ship. |