Protection For Antarctica

By Sophia Flores

Uranium is being searched for in ´the Antarctic by ´two scientists܂ Present in ´this kind of project is ´the controversy ´that can affect ´the cooperation among nations܂ In 1961‚ international scientific research was what ´the continent of Antarctica was set aside for܂ It is inevitable for some straining ´to happen in ´the model of international cooperation when interest is continuously pursued for resources ´that are protected by icy weather not ´to mention sinister snow situations܂

In Antarctica ´the summers are short and ´the scientists have decided ´to ´take helicopter rides with ´their West German colleagues going over valleys free of snow allowing ´them ´to see ´the grandest sights from ´the continent܂ Not much pleasure was attained by the gentlemen from ´the helicopter rides܂ The distance of ´the radioactivity detector ´to ´the cliffs should be a few hundred feet܂

Other ´than uranium‚ ´there were a multitude of valuable resources available ´there܂ Resources like ´these are immensely difficult ´to locate and exploit but ´there is much belief ´that ´the decades ´to come will prove ´to make these increasingly practical܂

There is a Polish fleet ´that is currently studying about harvesting krill‚ it is similar ´to a shrimp and is found in ´the Weddell Sea and is a cheap protein source܂ From a mountain came ´the Soviet discovery of high grade iron ore܂ In 1973‚ ´traces of ethane and methane were found by an American research vessel in ´the floor of ´the Ross Sea܂ Other ´than being possible sources of natural gas‚ ´these could also be signs for oil deposits܂

From ´the US Geological Survey came findings ´that ´the continental shelf of Antarctica has ´the capacity for 45 billion barrels of oil and 115 ´trillion cubic feet of natural gas܂ Respectively‚ ´this is eight ´times ´the US consumption of oil and six ´times for natural gas annually܂ This year‚ ´the National Science Foundation is supporting ´two teams of geologists who are surveying a region called ´the Dufec Intrusive܂ This area is similar ´to one of South Africa´s mineral rich areas‚ ´the bush veld‚ and may contain deposits of chromium and platinum܂

An Antarctic treaty was agreed upon by most of ´the participants from different nations during ´the celebration for ´the International Geophysical Year܂ Other ´than conducting open scientific research and not pursuing any ´territorial claims‚ part of ´the agreement included using ´the continent for peaceful purposes and preserving its environment and wildlife܂ And so ´the National Science Foundation established several American bases܂

The meeting of ´treaty nations in Oslo was where ´the problem of resource exploitation was ´thoroughly discussed܂ For a change ´to be possible‚ everyone should agree܂ Sensitive is ´the issue ´that pertains ´to ´the interest in valuable resources of other countries܂ From ´the continent´s resources‚ a multitude of information should be obtained according ´to ´the scientists܂ When it comes ´to international cooperation everyone agrees with how serious of an issue resource development in ´the Antarctic could be܂

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