Aust.-N.Z. links on Antarctica ‘vital’

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 10

Aust.-N.Z. links on Antarctica ‘vital’

PA Queenstown It is vital that New Zealand and Australia work together on the future development of the Antarctic’s mineral resources, says the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch). “With agreement between us, the rest of the world is much more likely to listen.” he said in a speech to the annual conference of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. There were obvious advantages in acting as a region in the export of resources and in the establishment of resource-based industries, Mr Birch said. Both Australia and New Zealand were heavily committed to programmes in Antarctica.

“As Minister of Science and Technology, as well as of energy, I am conscious of the . increasing world interest in the natural resources of this southern continent,” _ Mr Birch said. “It is evident that we are on the verge of a new era as far as man’s involvement is concerned. “The energy crisis, in particular, has made it much more likely that commercial development

of Antarctica’s mineral resources, especially those of the Ross Sea area, will take place in the not-too distant future.” Mr Birch said the 1959 Antarctic treaty had served the valuable purpose of facilitating international co-operation in scientific research, but did not provide . the . answers for the next phase in Antarctica.

“The risk is that, failing agreement internationally on Antarctic development, unilateral action becomes much more probable,” he said.

“It is vital, I suggest, to Australia’s and New Zealand’s interests as nations with long association with Antarctica, that we reach understandings on the region’s mineral potential. “With agreement between us, the rest of the world is much more likely to listen.” Australia last year accounted for 37 per cent of the Western world’s bauxite production and 29 per cent of alumina production, Mr Birch noted. It was about to embark on an expansion programme within Australia estimated to cost more than $5OOO million during the 1980 s. -

New Zealand now needed to decide whether it wanted to share that expansion by devoting energy resources to aluminium smelters and further processing.

“I believe we should, in the interests of our own economy and of providing expanded work opportunities,” Mr Birch said. “The Government is now negotiating with Comalco and expects to get early agreement on the building of a third potline at Invercargill. “It is also negotiating with three aluminium companies, including Comalco, over the possible building of a ‘green field’ smelter for the manufacture of up to 200,000 tonnes per annum of aluminium in either Otago or Southland.”

All proposals would involve the further processing of aluminium. “However, these developments will only be attractive if they involve a reasonable economic return to New Zealand, provide additional career prospects, and are able to comply with the normal environmental procedures that the law imposes,” Mr Birch said.