Main Mineral Resources of Antarctica
李四光地质科学奖第四次颁奖会在京隆重举行——中国地质科学院三位地质学家获奖

Antarctica is rich in mineral resources though they are less studied. It is known that in East Antarctica Precambrian handed iron ores occur. They are mainly found in the southern Prince Charles Mountains and Enderby mud. In Queen Maud Land iron ore veins of venous ages, from Archaean to Triassic, are developed. Nonmetal minerals in Queen Maud Land include mica,graphite, beryl, crystal and gem. In the Transanforctic Mountains the uranium mineralizations are noteworthy. T'hese mineralizations are mainly related to granites and pegnatites of early Paleozoic,and the Kukri erosion surface of Ordovician-Silurian. T'he Dufek Complex of the Pensacola Mountains in the Transantarctic Mountains is the second largest to the Bushveld Complex of south Africa on the earth. It is a layered basic complex and Fe, Ti, Cr, Platinum Group metals, Cu, and Ni mineralizations are rather POtential in the complex. Coal is widespred in the Transanturctic Mountains. The coal measures mainly occur in Permian rocks. Besides, Phosphorite and gem are also found in the area. West Antarctica, especially the Antarctic Peninsula areas, are characterized by Mesozoic-Cenozoic magmatism and related mineralizations. T'he Cu mineralization is the most potential, while others such as An, Ag, Ph, Zn, Mo, Fe, even Cr etC. are also imPOrtant. Sediments favorable to the formation of oil and gas are depotted in Wilkes hod, Amery area, Queen Maud hand, Wedded Sea, Ross Sea, the Antarctic Peninsula and Bransfield Basin. Among them,the Wedded Sea and Ross Sea are the mest potential.