A new cold war is breaking out in the race for Arctic oil, natural gas and minerals, and it involves front-line icebreakers. Russia has seven and the United States has three, if you count one that’s laid up in Seattle and won’t be seaworthy for a year.

The competition is heating up because of global warming and high energy prices. They’ve made the Arctic coastline and seafloor, despite their harsh climate, one of the most appealing places in the world for energy exploration. Much the same goes for the gold, platinum, copper and other metals found along the Arctic coast and likely in its continental shelves. (more…)

Original post by admin and software by Elliott Back