Researchers found a type of rock in Antarctica that tends to contain diamonds.
Mining is banned in Antarctica, but this new discovery suggests the icy Earth may be full of precious minerals, Reuters reported.
"It would be very surprising if there weren't diamonds in these kimberlites," Greg Yaxley of the Australian National University in Canberra, who led the research, told Reuters.
Diamonds form under extreme pressure below the Earth's surface where carbon is present, the BBC reported. The crystals are usually brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions. They are often preserved in the blue-colored rock, called kimberlite.
While the rock is a strong indication of the presence of crystals, they may not be the type one would find in an engagement ring.
"The fact they are reporting Group One kimberlites is an important one as diamonds are more likely to be found in this style of kimberlite eruption," Doctor Teal Riley, a survey geologist with the British Antarctic Survey, told the BBC. "Even amongst the Group One kimberlites, only 10 [percent] or so are economically viable, so it's still a big step to extrapolate this latest finding to any diamond mining activity in Antarctica."
There are other roadblocks standing in the way of Antarctic mining. Despite the fact that Antarctica's conditions are most likely treacherous for mining, the 1991 environmental accord banned mining in the region for 50 years in an effort to protect scientific research and local wildlife, Reuters reported.
"I don't think it's terribly practical that anyone could actually explore successfully and, personally, I hope that mining does not take place," Yaxley said.
"Major powers," including the U.S. and China strongly support The Antarctic Treaty; many have predicted the treaty will be extended to the year 2041.
"There is likely to be little opposition to an extension of this prohibition, despite the potential discovery of a new type of Antarctic 'ice'," Nature Communications, the journal that published the study, reported.
