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In the near future the human race will have consumed the mineral resources and fossil fuels within the earth’s crust. The closer we get to this economic disaster the more frantic countries will become to find alternate places to mine for these much-needed elements and will most likely not worry about the damage that is caused in the process. Today, I will be discussing the effects and proposal of mining in Antarctica, which has previously been discussed, although was saved in 1998 when the Antarctic Treaty was introduced. This Treaty, also known as the Madrid Protocol protects Antarctica’s pristine environment by devoting this natural reserve to peace and science, also prohibiting mining and drilling for oil for a minimum of 50 years. The call for an environmental protocol came after scientists discovered large deposits of natural resources such as coal, natural gas and offshore oil reserves in the early 1980s. Although Antarctica is protected at this present time, the concerning question is ‘Will Antarctica be mined in the future when the Treaty expires and desperation for mineral resources and fossil fuels escalates?’ By mining in Antarctica businesses will provide the much-needed minerals and fossil fuels for ou