ANTARCTIC MINERAL RESOURCES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010033-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 16, 2006
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: November 30, 1973
• Content Type: MF

 Approved (FOrl7elease 2006/09/26 : CIA-RD~85T00875A6019OfYb10033-1
30 November 1973
l I ?fORA?JDUM I'OR:
ATTS:NTION
SUI)JECT : Antarctic Mineral Resources
acsais3ttnco, plaaie contact
erial in nupport
our conversation of 16 November.
If we can be of further
C e ,
Latin America Branch, OER
Attachment:
As stat d
Distribution: (S-5695)
Orig. & 1 - Addressee
1 - D/OER
1 - D/D
1 - SA/ER
1 - St/P
2 - D/LA
OER/D/LAI
(30 Nov 73)
Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010033-1
 Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010033-1
Antarctic "Zineral Resources
There presently are no mineral deposits that can be
economically extracted in Antarctica. The few deposits
of minerals that have been found are described as occurences
rather than deposits since insufficient information is
available to determine the magnitudes and profiles of
minerals.
Known mineral o~curances are confined to limited
exposures of rock in the Transantarctic Mountains and these
that border the continent. Many are isolated blocks brought
to the coast in ice streams and their bedrock sources are
only inferred. Occurances of non-metallic resources include
small quantities of sand and gravel, mica, beryl, quartz
crystals, graphite, phosphate rock, and marble. Among the
metallic minerals, magnetite has been reported at 'numerous
locations in East Antarctica and in the Dufek intrusion of
the Transantarctic and Pensacola Mountains; siliceous iron
formations in East Antarctica and as drift along the Wilhelm
II coast; copper in the Antarctic Peninsula and in the Dufek
intrusion; gold and silver in the Antarctic Peninsula; and
molybdenite in the Precambrian rocks of East Antarctica.
Fossil fuels have been indentifled in the coal deposits
of low quality exposed in the Transantarctic Mountains and
on the east side of the ice sheet in East Antarctica. Coal
may be hidden throughout much of East Antarctica. The
Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010033-1
 Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010033-1
petroleum and gas potential is greatest offshore in the
Weddell, Ross, and IIellinghausen Seas. By extrapolation
for expected favorable rock volumes and analogy with similar
rocks elsewhere, it is estimated that the Antarctic continent
and surrounding waters may have 45 billion barrels of
petroleum and more than 100 trillion cubic feet of gas.
Although exploitation of these fuel depcsits is technically
feasible, the high costs of such development makes it
uneconomic.
Extensive exploration of the Antarctic continues, but
no exploitation of minerils or fuels has taken place. Nor
is-'any exploitation expected in the foreseeable future due
to the uneconomic nature of such ventures. However, there
is continuing controversy over such activities since several
countries, including New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and
Australia, are under varying degrees of domestic pressure to
provide Antarctic exploration permits to private enterptises.
Such pressure has caused a dilemma for these countries since
the present Antarctic Treaty does not discuss conservation
or resource exploitation. Thus, the question of territorial
claims, suspended by Article 4, comes into conflict with
any e2forts which would lead to a claim on mineral development
rights. Consequently, any commer..ial exploration would
undermine present Antarctic agreements and open the area to
irrepaiz~4p ecological damage.
Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010033-1
 Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010033-1
Geological research has been an integral part of
Soviet Antartic Expeditions for many years and the 1971-75
?Soviet five year plan calls for geological, gravimetric, and
magnetic surveys of the entire continental area in order to
determine mineral resource potentials. The Soviets reportedly
have discovered a large bed of high quality iron ore but
generally concede ..aat practical exploitation is at least
15 to 20 years off. Despite these intensive exploration
efforts, the Soviets remain adamant in denying the validity
of national territorial claims and would object to any
unilateral attempts at resource exploitation.
CIA/OER
30 Novem}~e X973
Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010.033-1
 Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R0Q1g,000100335QUfli
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Approved For Release 2006/09/26 : CIA-RDP85T00875R0019000100,3,3-1
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