Antarctic minerals

Press, 3 October 1985, Page 20

Antarctic minerals

Sir,—Exposed continental rock comprises one per cent of the Antarctic land mass. An immensely thick ice sheet moves continuously outwards to the seaward edge, posing a formidable challenge to any sub-ice drilling or mining. Difficulties of extraction, processing and transport demand that to be economically exploitable deposits must be of superior grade and vast size, and of high value and low volume. Such obstacles, and conflicting claims of sovereignty which make arguments for strategic supplies a nonsense, insist that Antarctica be established as a nature reserve, the common heritage of all, dedicated to scientific co-operation — and perhaps controlled tourism. Instead, the seventh session of the Antarctic Treaty special consultative meeting to fix a minerals regime convened last week in Paris. No other issue today so exposes the greed, hypocrisy and arrogance of our technological society as that of Antarctica. Sadly, only the surviving indigenous peoples of the world probably understand. — Yours, etc.,

ERIC BENNETT. Wellington, September 29, 1985.