Iron in Antarctica

By: Harshang

Sheth,

Camelia

Hammad

Background Of IronIron is steel gray-black, malleable, strongly attracted to the magnets, and its luster is metallic. It is used in manufacturing of steel, magnets, medicines, & biomedical research.

Emporia.edu. Web. <http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go336/johnson/index.htm>.

Where is it found???? It is usually found in Antarctica, Arizona, Russia,

Greenland, New-Zealand. But mainly it is mined in Antarctica. Antarctica has many other mineral deposits such as

coal, copper, gold, and uranium, for there specific uses.

Coolantarctica.com. Web. <http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/threats_mining_oil.htm>.

Mining in Antarctica……• As Journalists, we found out that commercial

mining in Antarctica causes environmental damages and is difficult in a remote area. Most rocks are buried under the melting ice, which can make them hard to access. Antarctica’s isolation means high transportation costs, and the icy climates make the work more difficult.

How is it mined??

Ehow.com. Web. <http://www.ehow.com/video_4977211_how-iron-mined.html>.

• To convert an oxide of iron to metallic iron

it must be smelted or sent through a direct

reduction process. Ore has been brought to

the surface, crushed and processed to

produce a finely ground concentrate.

Environmental Problems

The environmental problems of Antarctica include dumping 20 tons of iron sulfate into the water of Northern Antarctica. This is to test to see if rapid plankton growth in iron-deficient water will help absorb carbon from the atmosphere into their bodies, and then die afterwards and sink to the bottom of the ocean and take the carbon with them.

Tgdaily.com. Web. <http://www.tgdaily.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=40950>.

• The main problem in mining iron lies in the cold, the ice covering land and sea, drifting icebergs that collides with platforms, remoteness from inhabited places. These caused many aquatic animals and diminished many rural areas in Antarctica.

Impact on Aquatic and Inhabitants

Madrid Protocol

• In 1991, the Antarctic Treaty nations signed the

Madrid Protocol to protect Antarctica from mining.

• The Protocol came in to force in 1998 and banned

mining in Antarctica for 50 years.

Source Citations• Reid, Greg. “Antarctica Human Impacts.”1995. Vanasse Lanave. 2005 . Web.

<http://books.google.com/books?id=wEP0F9dOjPIC&lpg=PA21&ots=2BWAj8xWcc&dq=impact%20of%20iron%20mining%20in%20Antarctica&pg=PA21#v=onepage&q=&f=tr ue>

• Ditullio, G. R. Garcia, N. “Effects of Iron concentration on pigment composition in Phaeocystis.” 1984. Springer, Heidelberg, ALLEMAGNE. 2007 . Web.<http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=18821489>

• “Climate Hackers dump iron into ocean.” Democratic Underground. Web.<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x182532>

• Doherty, Paul. “Iron Science Teacher.” Dec. 15, 2001. Web.<http://www.exploratorium.edu/origins/antarctica/fieldnotes/ironscienceantarctic.ht ml>

• “The Madrid Protocol.” The Protocol on Environmental Protection. Web. <http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/madrid_protocol.htm>.

• Ehow.com. Web. <http://www.ehow.com/video_4977211_how-iron-mined.html>.• Coolantarctica.com. Web.

<http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/science/threats_mining_oil.htm>.• Emporia.edu. Web. <http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go336/johnson/index.htm>.

Thank You