In Madrid , Spain , 39 nations reached a tentative compromise on updating the Antarctic Treaty by calling for a 50-year moratorium on mining and mineral exploration . While other nations pushed for a permanent ban on commercial exploitation , U.S. and British governments held out for a short moratorium . When the moratorium expires it may be lifted only with approval of two - thirds of the signatories . With a climate harsher than the Arctic's, it has less capacity for absorbing intervention and abuse. This agreement continues the 30-year Antarctic Treaty tradition of preserving Antarctica for scientific research and making it off - limits to military operations , commercial exploitation and mining , which may be more beneficial than digging up and selling off its resources .
In Madrid , Spain , 39 nations reached a tentative compromise on updating the Antarctic Treaty by calling for a 50-year moratorium on mining and mineral exploration . While other nations pushed for a permanent ban on commercial exploitation , U.S. and British governments held out for a short moratorium . When the moratorium expires it may be lifted only with approval of two - thirds of the signatories . This agreement continues the 30-year Antarctic Treaty tradition of preserving Antarctica for scientific research and making it off - limits to military operations , commercial exploitation and mining , which may be more beneficial than digging up and selling off its resources .