Huge Antarctic Diamond Deposits Spotted
BUT MINING IS BANNED UNTIL 2041
By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff
newser.com
Posted Dec 19, 2013 12:26 AM CST
(NEWSER) – As a scramble for Arctic resources looms, scientists have spotted evidence of mineral riches at the other end of the planet. An Australian-led team discovered rocks signalling large diamond deposits on the icy slopes of Mount Meredith in the northern Prince Charles Mountains, the BBC reports. Demand for diamonds is expected to outstrip supply in the coming years, and other researchers have found signs of gold, copper, iron, and platinum in the frozen continent.
But would-be prospectors can put away their parkas for now: The 1991 Antarctic Treaty bans mining in Antarctica until at least 2041, preserving the continent for wildlife and scientific research. Only 50 countries, however, have signed the treaty, and it's not clear what will happen when the ban comes up for review. "We do not know what the Treaty parties' views will be on mining after 2041 or what technologies might exist that could make extraction of Antarctic minerals economically viable ," a spokesman for the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research tells Reuters. |
