Protecting the Mineral Treasures of Antarctica's Larsemann Hills

In 2003, scientists visited the Stornes Peninsula in Antarctica’s Larsemann Hills to study the rocks, especially those containing boron and phosphorus minerals. What they found set them on a decade-long path to protect the geology, culminating in 2014 with the naming of the site as an Antarctic Specially Protected Area. Stornes Peninsula became only the fifth location in Antarctica with geologic features deemed sufficiently precious to the geologic community to receive this high level of protection.

Read more about the adventures that led to the discovery of new minerals and how scientists have worked to preserve this unusual location in the February issue of EARTH magazine: http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/protecting-mineral-treasures-antarcticas-larsemann-hills

For more stories about the science of our planet, check out EARTH magazine online or subscribe at www.earthmagazine.org. The February issue, now available on the digital newsstand, features stories on a new report from the Pentagon suggesting how the U.S. military should respond to climate change, on California’s varied drought restrictions and an exploration of the geology of Tolkien’s “Middle-earth” in modern-day New Zealand, plus much, much more.

Keep up to date with the latest happenings in Earth, energy and environment news with EARTH Magazine online at: http://www.earthmagazine.org. Published by the American Geosciences Institute, EARTH is your source for the science behind the headlines.