Antarctic geology and mineral resources |
| |
| Authors: | JOHN F. SPLETTSTOESSER |
| |
| Affiliation: | John F. Splettstoesser is a geologist for the Minnesota Geological Survey at the University of Minnesota, U.S.A. He has made eight trips to Antarctica beginning in I960, and has lately been involved in an assessment of mineral resources of that continent. |
| |
| Abstract: | The geology of Antarctica is similar in many respects to that of the other southern continents that once formed the larger continent of Gondwana. Because of this former union with other land masses, mineral resources in Antarctica are probable, but none of any significance have been found, perhaps because of the widespread cover (97%) of ice over the continent. Offshore oil and gas are presently unknown, but would seem to hold the best prospect for any development in the near future, but perhaps not until questions of sovereignty and ownership of potential resources are resolved. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
