Krasnoyarsk Territory, Irkutsk Region, Chita Region, Taimyr, Evenk, Aginsky Buryat and Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrugs, Republics of Buryatia, Tyva and Khakassia.

Economic and geographical position

Eastern Siberia is located far from the most developed regions of the country, between the Western Siberian and Far Eastern economic regions. Only in the south are the railways (Trans-Siberian and Baikal-Amur) and along the Yenisei in a short navigation a connection with the Northern Sea Route is provided.

Natural conditions and resources

Thousand-kilometer high-water rivers, endless taiga, mountains and plateaus, low-lying tundra plains - such is the nature of Eastern Siberia. Territory - 5.9 million km 2.

The most significant plain is the East Siberian Plateau. The upper tier of the Siberian platform located here is represented by sedimentary rocks. The formation of the largest coal basin in Siberia, the Tunguska, is connected with them. The deposits of brown coal of the Kansk-Achinsk and Lena basins are confined to the sedimentary rocks of the troughs on the outskirts of the platform. And the formation of the Angaro-Ilimsky and other large deposits of iron ore and gold is associated with the Precambrian rocks of the lower tier of the Siberian Platform. The plains of Eastern Siberia in the south and east are bordered by mountains (the Yenisei Ridge, the Sayans, the Baikal mountain country).

The climate is sharply continental, with large amplitudes of temperature fluctuations (very cold winters and hot summers). Almost a quarter of the territory lies beyond the Arctic Circle. Natural zones change in the latitudinal direction: arctic deserts, tundra, forest tundra, taiga (most of the territory), in the south - there are areas of forest-steppes and steppes. In terms of forest reserves, the region ranks first in the country.

Eastern Siberia has huge reserves of various minerals (coal, copper-nickel, polymetallic ores, gold, mica, graphite). The conditions for their development are extremely difficult due to the harsh climate and permafrost, the thickness of which in places exceeds 1000 m, and which is spread over almost the entire region. Lake Baikal - a unique natural object - contains about 1/5 of the world's fresh water reserves.

The hydropower resources of Eastern Siberia are enormous. The most full-flowing river is the Yenisei. The largest hydroelectric power stations in Russia are built on this river and its tributary, the Angara.

Population

Eastern Siberia is one of the most sparsely populated regions of Russia (9.3 million people, average density - 2 people per 1 km 2, in the Evenk and Taimyr Autonomous Okrugs - 0.003-0.006 people). The population lives in the south, mainly in the strip adjacent to the Siberian railway, BAM and near Lake Baikal. The population of Cisbaikalia is higher than that of Transbaikalia. In the vast expanses of the tundra and taiga, the population is rare, it lives in "foci" along the river valleys and intermountain basins.

The majority of the population is Russian. In addition to Russians, there are Buryats, Tuvans, Khakasses, in the north - Nenets and Evenks. The urban population prevails (72%).

economy

Branches of specialization of Eastern Siberia- electric power industry, metallurgy, chemical and timber industry.

The core of the modern economy is the electric power industry. The most powerful thermal power plants in the region are Nazarovskaya, Chitinskaya, Gusinoozerskaya GRES, Norilsk and Irkutsk thermal power plants. A number of the largest state district power stations are planned to be built on the coals of the Kansk-Achinsk basin (Berezovsky and others), which stretches for 800 km along the Trans-Siberian Mainline, starting west of Achinsk. A hundred-meter layer of brown coal lies close to the surface here; mining is carried out in large quarries in an open way. These are energy coals, which are more profitable to burn in the furnaces of large power plants than to transport them over long distances (KA-TEK - Kansk-Achinsk Fuel and Energy Complex).

Eastern Siberia is distinguished by the largest hydroelectric power plants in the country: on the Yenisei (Krasnoyarsk and Sayano-Shushensk with a capacity of over 6 million kW); on the Angara (Bratskaya, Ust-Ilimskaya, Boguchanskaya, Irkutsk hydroelectric power stations). The power plants of the region are connected by power lines and connected to the energy system of Western Siberia.

Generating cheap electricity and having a variety of raw materials, the region develops energy-intensive industries. This is, firstly, aluminum smelting (Shelekhovo, Bratsk, Krasnoyarsk). The raw material is local nepheline. Their complex processing with the associated production of cement and soda makes aluminum production in Eastern Siberia the cheapest.

Further, the extraction of gold, silver, molybdenum, tungsten, nickel, lead-zinc ore was developed. In some areas, factories are being created at the place of extraction - for example, the Norilsk Copper-Nickel Plant, where chemical products and building materials are produced along with the smelting of metals. (The city has a very difficult ecological situation).

The oil refining and chemical industries are represented by enterprises in the cities of Angarsk, Usolye-Sibirskoye and Zima. Oil refining (an oil pipeline from Western Siberia), the production of synthetic ammonia, nitric acid, saltpeter, alcohols, resins, soda, plastics, etc. have been developed there. The Krasnoyarsk complex specializes in the chemical processing of wood, the production of synthetic rubber and fibers, tires, polymers and mineral fertilizers. Thus, chemical plants operate on the waste of the pulp and paper industry, on the basis of oil refining, on local coal resources, on cheap electricity, and water is provided by the rivers of Eastern Siberia.

Large forest reserves contribute to the development of the timber and pulp and paper industries. Logging is carried out in the Yenisei and Angara basins. The timber is transported along the Yenisei to the ocean and further along the Northern Sea Route, and to the Trans-Siberian and Baikal-Amur Mainlines for shipment to other regions. The port of Igarka with a sawmill was built beyond the Arctic Circle. The main timber industry enterprises are located in Krasnoyarsk, Lesosibirsk, Bratsk, Ust-Ilimsk. A large Selenginsky pulp and paper plant was built (on the Selenga River, which flows into Baikal). It should be noted that these enterprises cause damage to the ecological state of the Baikal region, polluting the environment with production waste.

The major enterprises in mechanical engineering are the factories in Krasnoyarsk (Sibtyazhmash, a combine harvester and a plant for heavy excavators); in Irkutsk (heavy engineering plant), car assembly in Chita, etc.

Agro-industrial complex. Agriculture is developed mainly in the south of the region and specializes in the production of meat and wool, since two-thirds of the agricultural land is hayfields and pastures. Beef cattle breeding and meat and wool sheep breeding are developed in the Chita region, Buryatia and Tuva. The leading place in agriculture belongs to grain crops. Spring wheat, oats, and barley are cultivated, fodder crops are sizable, and potato and vegetable growing are being developed.

Deer are bred in the tundra. In the taiga - hunting.

Fuel and energy complex. The electric power industry is the region's area of ​​specialization. The region has the country's largest hydroelectric power plants, state district power plants and thermal power plants using local resources. The Norilsk CHPP used to run on coal, but now it runs on natural gas from Western Siberia (via a gas pipeline from a field 150 km from Dudinka).

Transport. The development of natural resources, the development of industry is constrained by an underdeveloped transport network. The provision of transport is the lowest in the country. In the south of the East Siberian region passes the Trans-Siberian Railway, laid at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. (Krasnoyarsk - Irkutsk - Ulan-Ude - Chita). The construction of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (total length over 3,000 km) somewhat softened the situation. The highway originates from Ust-Kut (in the upper reaches of the Lena), approaches the northern tip of Lake Baikal (Severobaikalsk), overcomes the mountain ranges of Transbaikalia through tunnels cut into the rocks and ends in Komsomolsk-on-Amur (Far East). The highway, together with the previously constructed western (Taishet-Bratsk-Ust-Kut) and eastern sections (Komsomolsk-on-Amur-Vanino), forms a second, shorter than the Trans-Siberian, route to the Pacific Ocean.

Norilsk is connected by an electrified railway with Dudinka. The largest transport artery is the Yenisei. To the west of the mouth of the Yenisei, navigation along the Northern Sea Route is carried out even in winter. In summer, with the help of icebreakers, ships are also guided east of the Yenisei. Igarka and Dudinka are loess export ports.

The area is dominated by mountainous terrain with heights of over 500 m. The mountain ranges here descend like an amphitheater to the Siberian Platform, occupied by the Central Siberian Plateau, which accounts for about 40% of the entire territory of the region.

Somewhat younger mountain systems - the Western and Eastern Sayans - occupy the southern and southwestern outskirts of the region. Finally, even younger mountains are located in the southeastern part.

In large areas of Eastern Siberia, sedimentary rocks are also widespread, to which deposits of such minerals as coal, rock salt, etc. are confined.

The main wealth of the bowels of Eastern Siberia is non-ferrous metals, as well as coal. Of the ores of non-ferrous metals, the copper-nickel, polymetallic and copper deposits of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Chita Region, molybdenum deposits in Buryatia, the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Chita Region, and the resources of aluminum raw materials in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Buryatia are of the greatest importance. In addition, Eastern Siberia is a gold, tin and tungsten mining area. The importance of non-ferrous metal ores in Eastern Siberia is further enhanced by the fact that there are also large deposits of thermal coals that provide energy-intensive processes for smelting ores with cheap fuel.

In Eastern Siberia, the total geological reserves of coal exceed 3 trillion tons, but 2/3 of them are in the Tunguska and Taimyr basins and the Ust-Yenisei coal-bearing region. Due to their remoteness from the economic centers of the country, they practically cannot be used in the short term.

In the southern part of Eastern Siberia, the coal deposits of the Kansko-Achinsk basin, whose geological reserves are estimated at 600 billion tons, are of particular importance. The coal here is brown, relatively low-calorie, and is capable of spontaneous combustion during long-term storage. However, these shortcomings are compensated by extremely favorable mining and geological conditions - the large thickness of the layers (up to 80 m), which lie close to the earth's surface. This allows you to create powerful open pits (cuts) with low costs for construction and coal mining (per 1 ton of standard fuel).

A number of relatively large coal deposits are located in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Irkutsk and Chita regions, Buryatia and Tuva. The development of many of these deposits is possible by the cheapest open-pit method. The wealth of Eastern Siberia in coal is determined not only by its total reserves, but by the fact that more than 80% of the all-Russian coal reserves suitable for open-pit mining are concentrated in this region. It is thanks to these resources that Eastern Siberia has the cheapest fuel in the country. eastern siberia production potential

To assess the fuel base of the region, the availability of oil and natural gas is important. Currently, oil and natural gas deposits have been found in Eastern Siberia (Irkutsk region), but their industrial production is not yet underway.

For a general assessment of the mineral resource base of the region, its provision with raw materials and fuel for the development of ferrous metallurgy is of great importance. The total reserves of iron ore in the region are quite large. There are large basins here - the Angara-Ilim and Angara-Pitsky.

The provision of Eastern Siberia with coking coal is not favorable enough. Their deposits are located in the undeveloped Tunguska and Ulugkhemsky basins. True, the possibility of obtaining coke from the coals of the Irkutsk basin has been proven.

In Eastern Siberia there are no deposits of manganese and chromium - the most widespread types of additives to steel.

Of the entire complex of metallurgical raw materials, Eastern Siberia is very well supplied with limestone and especially magnesite, which is used in the production of refractory materials. The main magnesite deposits are located in the Irkutsk Region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Of other types of mineral raw materials, it should be noted large deposits of graphite, which, except for Eastern Siberia, are almost never found in our country, fluorspar (fluorite) in the Chita region, mica in the Irkutsk region, asbestos in Buryatia and Tuva, rock salt in the Irkutsk region, Krasnoyarsk Territory and Tuva.

Important features of the physical and geographical position of Eastern Siberia are its remoteness from the Atlantic Ocean and isolation from the influence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans by numerous mountain ranges. Only in the southeastern part of the region is the influence of the Pacific Ocean felt. Therefore, Eastern Siberia is characterized by an exceptional continental climate, which is manifested in a significant difference in the average temperatures of the summer and winter periods, as well as during the day. The continentality of the climate is exacerbated by the proximity of the Arctic Ocean, whose cooling effect is especially pronounced during the transitional periods from spring to summer and from summer to autumn (late spring and early autumn frosts). The combination of general continental climate with mountainous relief and the wide development of basins in the conditions of a vast continent contributes to intense cooling of the air in winter, when a high-pressure area (Siberian anticyclone) forms here, a reduction in winter precipitation in the central zone of the anticyclone and the development of temperature inversion - with an increase to of a certain height along the slopes of the basins, the air temperature in winter does not decrease, but rises. The southeastern parts of the region receive especially low rainfall. Here the height of the snow cover averages 5-10 cm, and often winters are generally snowless.

These climate features determine the general increased severity of natural conditions for the life of the population and leave their mark on agriculture - the absence of winter crops, a shorter growing season and the need for sowing and harvesting crops in a short time.

A feature of the physical and geographical position of Eastern Siberia is its location in the zone of permafrost. Continuous permafrost is distributed only in the extreme north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, but its islands are found almost everywhere, with the exception of a relatively small area on the left bank of the Yenisei. The presence of frozen soils (even in the region of Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude their thickness reaches 5-10 m) significantly affects agriculture in the central and southern parts of the region. In the spring, they delay the sowing time due to the slow heating of the soil, but in the summer, thawing, they replenish moisture reserves. In combination with the summer maximum precipitation, this circumstance is the reason why some agricultural regions of Eastern Siberia, despite the small annual and summer precipitation, practically do not know what a drought is.

The features of the relief and climate of Eastern Siberia affected the nature of the natural zones. The vast majority of the region south of the 70th parallel is occupied by taiga. With the exception of the southeastern part of the West Siberian Plain (on the left bank of the Yenisei), the forest-steppe in Eastern Siberia does not form a continuous strip, but is presented in the form of "islands", which are confined to numerous, sometimes quite extensive, basins. In the most arid of them, instead of the forest-steppe, there are steppe areas (in Khakassia, Tuva, Buryatia and the Chita region).

Eastern Siberia stands out among the economic regions of the country with huge forest resources. The forests of Eastern Siberia are characterized by the dominance of coniferous species, the share of deciduous species - birch and aspen - accounts for less than 15% of the total timber reserves. In turn, among conifers, the proportion of spruce and fir is small (they are confined to more humid areas in the western part of the Central Siberian Plateau and Khakassia). In permafrost regions, Dahurian larch is essentially the only forest-forming species. In the central and eastern parts of the Central Siberian Plateau, as well as in a number of regions of Transbaikalia (where there is no permafrost), the dominant species is pine.

A significant territory, the predominance of mountainous terrain and the presence of powerful mountain systems that are accumulators of moisture, as well as high forest cover - all this contributes to the widespread development of the river network. Eastern Siberia accounts for more than 30% of the total river flow in Russia, which determines the huge reserves of hydropower resources. In terms of the wealth of hydropower resources, Eastern Siberia ranks first in Russia. The great importance of the hydropower resources of Eastern Siberia in the national economy is explained by their high concentration - nowhere in other regions of the country, except for the Far East (Sakha), it is impossible to build such large hydroelectric power stations as in Eastern Siberia - up to 6 million kW or more. Thanks to this concentration, it is possible to obtain very cheap electricity. The construction of East Siberian hydroelectric power stations was cheaper for two more reasons: the relatively small volumes of land flooding (since most rivers flow in deep valleys) and because the dams were built on rocky pounds.

Particularly favorable conditions for hydro construction are in the Angara-Yenisei basin, the potential resources of which are estimated at 480 billion kWh (more than half of the potential resources of Eastern Siberia), including 250 billion kWh of cost-effective resources in the Yenisei and Angara.

In the conditions of the vast territory of Eastern Siberia and the weak development of the railway network, rivers are an important means of communication, and settlements gravitate towards them, especially in the hinterland. However, due to the mountainous nature of the relief, there are many rapids on the rivers that make navigation difficult.

Eastern Siberia has a rich and extensive hydrographic network and large lakes. Rivers are distinguished by an abundance of water, a wealth of hydropower and are used as transport routes. The role of the Yenisei is especially great. The largest lake Baikal is the deepest freshwater lake in the world. Its maximum depth reaches 1620 m, and the area is 31.5 thousand km 2. The lake lies in a deep depression, bordered by mountain ranges - Primorsky, Baikal, Khamar-Daban, Ulan-Burgasy, Barguzinsky. The water of the lake is very clear and clean.

Great commercial value of rivers and lakes. Baikal. More than 40 species of fish live in Baikal, of which whitefish, grayling, omul, ide, salmon, sturgeon, etc. are especially valuable. The Baikal seal, the seal, is also found in its waters. The exceptional beauty of nature, the presence of healing springs near the shores of the lake make it possible to create a large sanatorium-resort and tourist base here. In order to protect the nature and waters of Lake Baikal from pollution, a number of measures are being taken. Measures have been outlined to protect the waters of the lake, the natural resources of its basin, as well as the implementation of agroforestry, agrotechnical and hydrotechnical work in the basin, including measures to protect soil from water and wind erosion. The commissioning of industrial, municipal and other enterprises is also prohibited until the construction of treatment facilities is completed.

The northern part of Eastern Siberia is occupied by tundra with its characteristic vegetation - mosses, lichens, low shrubs, marsh and meadow vegetation. The tundra of Taimyr and the North Siberian lowland is replete with lakes and swamps.

The main part of the territory of the region is occupied by taiga. Industrial exploitation of forests on a large scale is so far only in the valleys of the Yenisei and Angara and along their tributaries, as well as in areas gravitating towards railways. Taiga is characterized by podzolic soils. There are many fur-bearing animals in the taiga. Fur trade, especially for squirrel, sable, ermine, arctic fox, muskrat, fox, is an important branch of national economic specialization.

Forest-steppes and steppes do not have a continuous latitudinal distribution. They are located in the south in separate areas in intermountain basins and on high uplands. There are especially many steppe and forest-steppe areas in Transbaikalia, in the Minusinsk and Tuva basins.

Eastern Siberia occupies a vast territory from the Yenisei to the Pacific Ocean. It is famous for its large number of natural resources and minerals. The features of the relief and this region made it so valuable in terms of raw materials. Mineral resources of Eastern Siberia are not only oil, coal and iron ores. A significant part of Russia's gold and diamonds, as well as valuable metals, is mined here. In addition, almost half of the country's forest resources are located in this region.

Eastern Siberia

Minerals are not the only feature of this region. Eastern Siberia covers an area of ​​more than 7 million square kilometers, which is about a quarter of the whole of Russia. It stretches from the valley of the Yenisei River to the most mountain ranges on the Pacific coast. The region borders the Arctic Ocean to the north and Mongolia and China to the south.

Eastern Siberia does not include as many regions and settlements as in the European part of Russia, because this area is considered sparsely populated. Here are the country's largest Chita and Irkutsk regions, as well as the Krasnoyarsk and Trans-Baikal regions. In addition, the autonomous republics of Yakutia, Tuva and Buryatia belong to Eastern Siberia.

Eastern Siberia: relief and minerals

The diversity of the geological structure of this region explains such a wealth of its raw materials. Due to their huge number, many deposits have not even been explored. What minerals are Eastern Siberia rich in? It is not only coal, oil and iron ores. The subsoil of the region contains rich reserves of nickel, lead, tin, aluminum and other metals, as well as sedimentary rocks necessary for industry. In addition, Eastern Siberia is the main supplier of gold and diamonds.

This can be explained by the features of the relief and geological structure of this region. Eastern Siberia is located on the ancient Siberian platform. And most of the territory of the region is occupied by the Central Siberian Plateau, elevated above sea level from 500 to 1700 m. The foundation of this platform is the oldest crystalline rocks, whose age reaches 4 million years. The next layer is sedimentary. It alternates with igneous rocks formed as a result of volcanic eruptions. Therefore, the relief of Eastern Siberia is folded, stepped. It contains many mountain ranges, plateaus, terraces, deep river valleys.

Such a variety of geological processes, tectonic shifts, deposits of sedimentary and igneous rocks led to the wealth of minerals in Eastern Siberia. The table allows you to find out that more resources are mined here than in neighboring regions.

Coal reserves

Due to geological processes since the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, the largest in Russia coal deposits of minerals in Western and Eastern Siberia are located in the lowlands of the region. These are the Lena and Tunguska basins. There are also a lot of smaller deposits. And although there is less coal in them, they are also promising. These are the Kama-Achinsk and Kolyma-Indigirsk basins, the Irkutsk, Minusinsk, South Yakut deposits.

Hard coal reserves in Eastern Siberia account for 80% of all coal mined in Russia. But many places of its occurrence are very difficult to develop due to the harsh climatic conditions of the region and the features of the relief.

Iron and copper ores

The main minerals of Eastern Siberia are metals. Their deposits are found in the most ancient rocks, even the Precambrian period. Most of all in the region are hematites and magnetites. Their deposits are located in the south of the Yakutsk region, in the basin on and also on the Angara, in Khakassia, Tuva and Transbaikalia.

The largest ore deposits are Korshunovskoye and Abakanskoye. There are also many of them in the Angara-Pitsky district. 10% of all Russian iron ore reserves are concentrated here. In Transbaikalia and in the north of the region there are also large deposits of tin and valuable metals.

The environs of Norilsk are famous for large deposits of copper-nickel ores. Almost 40% of Russian copper and about 80% of nickel are mined here. In addition, there is a lot of cobalt, there are also platinum, silver, tellurium, selenium and other elements. In other places, copper, mercury, manganese, antimony are mined. There are large deposits of bauxite.

Non-metallic minerals

Our country is the world's largest supplier of natural gas, and a lot of oil is produced here. And the first supplier of these minerals is the deposits of Eastern Siberia. In addition, geological processes have led to the emergence of rich deposits of sedimentary rocks.

Gold and diamonds of Eastern Siberia

The most valuable metal has been mined here for almost the second century. The oldest deposit is Bodaibo in the Irkutsk region. There are rich placer and bedrock deposits of gold in the Aldan, Yan, Allah-Yun regions. Deposits have recently begun to be developed in the region of the Yenisei Ridge, near Minussinsk and in the east of Transbaikalia.

Thanks to the special geological processes that have been going on in this region since the Mesozoic era, many diamonds are now being mined here. The largest deposit in Russia is located in Western Yakutia. They are mined from the so-called diatremes filled with kimberlites. Each such "explosion tube" in which diamonds are found even got its own name. The most famous are "Udachnaya-Vostochnaya", "Mir" and "Aikhal".

Natural resources

The complex topography of the region, vast undeveloped territories covered with taiga forests provide a wealth of natural resources. Due to the fact that the most full-flowing rivers of Russia flow here, the region is provided with cheap and environmentally friendly hydroelectric power. The rivers are rich in fish, the surrounding forests are rich in fur-bearing animals, of which sable is especially valued. But due to the fact that man has become more and more actively interfering with nature, many species of plants and animals are dying out. Therefore, many reserves and national parks have recently been created in the region to preserve natural wealth.

The richest areas

Eastern Siberia occupies almost a quarter of the territory of Russia. But there are not many people living here. In some places, there are more than 100 square kilometers per person. But Eastern Siberia is very rich in minerals and natural resources. Although they are unevenly distributed throughout the region.

• The richest in economic terms is the Yenisei basin. Krasnoyarsk is located here, in which more than half of the entire population of Eastern Siberia is concentrated. The richness of this area in minerals, natural and hydro resources led to the active development of industry.
• The wealth located in the upper reaches of the Angara River began to be used only in the 20th century. A very large polymetallic deposit has been discovered here. And the reserves of iron ore are simply huge. The best magnesites in Russia are mined here, as well as a lot of antimony, bauxites, nephelines, and slates. Deposits of clay, sand, talc and limestone are being developed.
• Evenkia has the richest resources. Here in the Tunguska basin there are such minerals of Eastern Siberia as stone and high-quality graphite is mined in the Noginsk deposit. Icelandic spar deposits are also being developed.
• Khakassia is another richest region. A quarter of East Siberian coal and all iron ore are mined here. After all, the Abakansky mine, located in Khakassia, is the largest and oldest in the region. There is gold, copper, a lot of building materials.
• One of the richest places in the country is Transbaikalia. Mostly metals are mined here. For example, it supplies copper ores, Ononskoye - tungsten, Sherlokogonskoye and Tarbaldzheyskoye - tin, and Shakhtaminskoye and Zhrikenskoye - molybdenum. In addition, a lot of gold is mined in Transbaikalia.
• Yakutia is a treasure trove of minerals in Eastern Siberia. Although only after the revolution, deposits of rock salt, coal and iron ore began to be developed. There are rich deposits of non-ferrous metals, mica. In addition, it is in Yakutia that the richest reserves of gold and diamonds have been discovered.

Problems of development of minerals

Huge, often unexplored territories of the region lead to the fact that many of its natural resources are not developed. There is a very low population density here, therefore, promising mineral deposits of Eastern Siberia are mainly developed in populated areas. After all, the lack of roads over a large area and the huge distance from the center make the development of deposits in remote regions unprofitable. In addition, most of Eastern Siberia is located in the permafrost zone. A sharply continental climate hinders the development of natural resources in the rest of the territory.

Northeastern Siberia and the Far East

Due to the peculiarities of the relief and climatic conditions, the minerals of North-Eastern Siberia are not so rich. There are few forests here, mainly tundra and arctic deserts. Most of the territory is dominated by permafrost and year-round low temperatures. Therefore, the minerals of North-Eastern Siberia are not very developed. Basically, coal is mined here, as well as metals - tungsten, cobalt, tin, mercury, molybdenum and gold.

The easternmost and northern regions of Siberia belong to the Far East. This area is also rich, but also more populated due to its proximity to the ocean and milder climate. Mineral resources of Eastern Siberia and the Far East are similar in many respects. There are also many diamonds, gold, tungsten and other non-ferrous metals, mercury, sulfur, graphite, mica are mined. The region has rich deposits of oil, coal and natural gas.

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Natural conditions and resources of Eastern Siberia

Bibliography

1. Natural resource potential of Eastern Siberia

East Siberian economic region.

The East Siberian region includes the Krasnoyarsk Territory with the Taimyr (Dolgano-Nenetsky) and Evenk Autonomous Okrugs, the Irkutsk Region with the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug, the Chita Region with the Aginsky Buryat Autonomous Okrug, the Republics of Khakassia, Tuva, and Buryatia. Area 4.1 million sq. km., population 9 million people. The economic and geographical position of the region is unfavorable:

It is remote from the developed economic regions of the country and the centers for the implementation of export-import operations;

Most of its territory belongs to the regions of the Far North, as a result of which it is poorly populated and infrastructurally developed, transport routes pass in the extreme south of the region;

A significant part of the region is mountainous, limiting the economic use of the territory.

Natural conditions and resources.

Thousand-kilometer high-water rivers, endless taiga, mountains and plateaus, low-lying tundra plains - such is the diverse nature of Eastern Siberia. The territory of the district is 4.1 million km. sq.

The climate is sharply continental, with large amplitudes of temperature fluctuations (very cold winters and hot summers).

A feature of Eastern Siberia is the exceptionally wide distribution of permafrost throughout the territory. Almost a quarter of the territory lies beyond the Arctic Circle. Natural zones are replaced in a latitudinal direction sequentially: arctic deserts, tundra, forest tundra, taiga (most of the territory), in the south - there are areas of forest-steppes and steppes. In terms of forest reserves, the district ranks first in the country (forest surplus). Most of the territory is occupied by the East Siberian Plateau. The plain regions of Eastern Siberia in the south and east are bordered by mountains (the Yenisei Ridge, the Sayans, the Baikal mountain country). Features of the geological structure (a combination of ancient and younger rocks) determine the diversity of minerals. The upper tier of the Siberian platform located here is represented by sedimentary rocks. The formation of the largest coal basin in Siberia, the Tunguska, is associated with them.

The deposits of brown coal of the Kansk-Achinsk and Lena basins are confined to the sedimentary rocks of the troughs on the outskirts of the Siberian Platform. And the formation of the Angaro-Ilimsky and other large deposits of iron ore and gold is associated with the Precambrian rocks of the lower tier of the Siberian Platform. A large oil field was discovered in the middle reaches of the Podkamennaya Tungusska (Evenkia) river.

The natural resource potential of Eastern Siberia is inferior only to the neighboring West Siberian region in its scope.

The complex geological structure of the region determined the presence of rich and diverse minerals, but it should be noted that the level of geological exploration of Eastern Siberia remains rather low.

Combustible minerals.

Western Siberia belongs to areas with a high supply of natural resources. The leading place in the mineral resource base of Siberia is occupied by fuel and energy resources. In terms of oil and natural gas reserves, Western Siberia is in first place in the country, providing the bulk of the production of these types of resources. The oil reserves of Western Siberia amount to 13.8 billion tons, which is comparable to the reserves of Iraq (13.2), Kuwait (13.1), the United Arab Emirates (12.6) and Iran (12.1 billion tons) . The region produces 3/4 of Russian oil and 9/10 of gas. On the territory of Western Siberia there are the largest oil fields: Samotlor, Mamontovskoye, Fedorovskoye, Priobskoye. In total, about 400 oil fields, more than 30 oil and gas and oil and gas fields, and about 80 oil and gas condensate fields have been discovered in Western Siberia. Among the combustible minerals, hard and brown coals stand out with their grandiose reserves.

One of the largest coal basins in the world is the Tunguska, but difficult natural conditions and poor economic development of the territory do not currently allow the development of most of the deposits.

The main gas resource region of Western Siberia (and the whole of Russia) is located in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

According to RAO "Gazprom", the region has almost 21 trillion. m? gas, including the largest Urengoy field - 6.7 trillion. m?. Most of the fields in the Nadym-Pur-Tazovsky region have entered the stage of declining production (excl. Yamburgskoye field). An increase in gas production in Western Siberia is possible due to the commissioning of new fields on the Yamal Peninsula and those located on the shelf of the Kara Sea. Eastern Siberia ranks second in Russia after Western Siberia in terms of predicted resources of oil, natural gas and condensate. Half of the hydrocarbon resources of the eastern part of the country are located on its territory. The largest oil reserves were discovered by geologists within the south of the Evenk Autonomous Okrug (Yurubcheno-Tokhomsky district). Potential production here can reach 60 million tons per year (1/5 of the current all-Russian oil production).

The largest explored gas fields in the region are Sobinskoye (Evenki Autonomous Okrug) and Kovykta (Irkutsk region). The proven gas reserves of the southern and central parts of Eastern Siberia make it possible to ensure its production in the amount of 60 billion m? per year, sufficient for the gasification of the entire south of Eastern Siberia and the planned gas export in the amount of about 30 billion m? per year to China and other East Asian countries. There are natural gas reserves in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory (the Messoyakha field on the border with the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug).

In the south of Western Siberia, mainly in the Kemerovo region, there is the country's largest coal-mining basin - the Kuznetsk (Kuzbass). The total geological reserves of Kuzbass coals are 725 billion tons (up to a depth of 1800 m). Approximately one third of Kuznetsk coals are coking coals, the rest are energy coals. At present, Western Siberia provides over 70% of the total Russian oil production, 91% of gas, and about 30% of coal production. Within Eastern Siberia, 26% of the country's explored coal reserves are concentrated (large coal-bearing basins: Kansko-Achinsk, Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo, Minusinsk). Coal reserves of the giant basins (Tunguska, Taimyr, Severo-Taimyr, the western part of Lensky) are reserved for the long term.

Huge reserves of peat are concentrated on the territory of Western Siberia, reaching 100 billion tons (50-60% of the total Russian reserves), but they are little used. In Transbaikalia, the Krasnokamensky mine is being developed, where uranium is mined. On the other hand, the open mining of brown coals of the Kansk-Achinsk basin is extremely effective (the main deposits are Berezovskoye, Nazarovskoye, Bogotolskoye, Irsha-Borodino, Abanskoye, in the territory of the West Siberian region - Itatskoye). The basin is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, and also partially in the Irkutsk and Kemerovo regions. The explored reserves of brown coal are more than 80 billion tons. Coal deposits were discovered at the end of the 18th century, and industrial mining has been carried out since 1905.

Among other basins, the Irkutsk (Cheremkhovskoye), Minusinsk (open and underground mining) and Tuva coal mines stand out, as well as the Azeiskoye lignite deposit near Tulun. The extraction of brown coal in the Ust-Yenisei basin is of great importance for the Norilsk industrial hub.

In contrast to Western Siberia, the East Siberian region is not rich in oil and natural gas reserves; deposits of the Yenisei-Anabar oil and gas province are exploited (gas of low quality). The Lena-Tunguska oil and gas province covers the Central Siberian Plateau (north and center of the Kranoyarsk Territory and north and west of the Irkutsk Region). As a result of a long search, the first deposit was discovered in 1962 - Markovskoye, by 1995 about 20 deposits were known. Currently, the development of the largest in Eastern Siberia and the Far East, the Kovykta gas condensate field (Irkutsk region, southeast of Ust-Kut), is beginning. Oil has also been discovered in the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug. There are deposits of uranium ores in the Krasnoyarsk Territory (the village of Karatuzskoye, the village of Kuragino), the Irkutsk and Chita regions (the village of Chunsky and the village of Ulyoty, respectively).

Metal minerals.

Eastern Siberia is exceptionally rich in metallic minerals, among them ferrous ores (iron, manganese, tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt), non-ferrous (copper, nickel, lead-zinc, tin, mercury, aluminum, titanium), noble. The largest iron ore basin of the region is the Angaro-Pitsky (50% iron content, quarrying is possible), the Angaro-Ilimsky ore region has half the reserves (the largest exploited deposits are Korshunovskoye (open-pit mining, iron content 28%, annual production 9 million tons, the center - Zheleznogorsk-Ilimsky) and Rudnogorskoye, Tagarskoye and Neryundinskoye) and Berezovskoye (in the Priargunsky district) are explored, Abagasskoye, Teyskoye and Abakanskoye deposits are being developed in Khakassia, and in the south-west of the Krasnoyarsk Territory - Irbinskoye and Krasnokamenskoye.

In the north-west of the Yenisei Ridge, a deposit of manganese ores was discovered relatively recently. There are a large number of deposits of tungsten and molybdenum ores in Transbaikalia, among them - Dzhidinskoye, Zhirekenskoye, Shakhtominskoye and Davendinskoye, a large Sorskoye deposit is located in Khakassia. In Tyva, the Khovu-Aksinskoye cobalt ore deposit is being exploited. In the region of Norilsk there is the largest group of deposits in Russia (Norilskoye, Talnakhskoye, Oktyabrskoye) of copper-nickel ores, which also contain nickel, cobalt, platinum, and rare metals. The development of one of the world's largest copper ore deposits in the north of the Chita region, which is being developed, has great prospects. In the 1960s, the Gorevskoye deposit of polymetallic ores was discovered in the lower reaches of the Angara (a significant part of the deposit is located under the waters of the Angara River). The tin-ore Etykinskoe deposit is located in Eastern Transbaikalia, there are deposits of mercury ores in Tyva (Terligkhaiskoe and Chazadyrskoe).

High-quality bauxites have been found in the Irkutsk Region (near Tulun) and in the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Titanium ores have been discovered in the Chita region (Kruchinskoye deposit) and Buryatia (Arsentievskoye deposit). Eastern Siberia is an old gold mining area in Russia, the largest deposits are being developed in the Chita (Baleevskoye, Taseevskoye, Darasunskoye and Klyuchevskoye) and Irkutsk (Bodaibo, Sukhoi Log) regions.

In addition, 76.5% of Russian nickel is mined in Siberia on the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. More than 90% of Russian production is provided by the vertically integrated company OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, which owns the developed deposits of the Norilsk district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Murmansk region.

Non-metallic minerals.

Non-metallic minerals also represent another wealth of the area. Powerful reserves of potassium salts were discovered in 1977 in the north of the Irkutsk region - the Nepa-Gazhensky potassium-bearing basin (and the forecast for the presence of potassium salts was given as early as 1938). The basin includes the world's largest Nepa field.

Transparent micas (muscovite) are mined in the Mamsko-Chuysky district in the northeast of the Irkutsk region (10 deposits, open and underground mining). In the north-west of the Krasnoyarsk Territory there are Noginskoye and Kureyskoye graphite deposits, in the west of Buryatia - Bogotolskoye (developed since 1847).

There are deposits of non-metallic raw materials in the Eastern Sayan - Ilchirskoye (asbestos), Onotskoye (talc), Savinskoye (magnesite), asbestos is mined at the Ak-Dovurakskoye deposit in Tyva. Icelandic spar deposits are located in the Lower Tunguska basin.

In Transbaikalia, deposits of fluorite (fluorspar) are common - a valuable raw material for various industries (Kalanguiskoye, the Abagatuy mine and Solnechnoye).

In the north-east of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, chrysolite is mined at the Kugdinskoye deposit. The Sherlovogorsk field of sky-blue aquamarine is located in the Chita region.

The Malobystrinskoye deposit (reference bright blue lapis lazuli), Tuldunskoye (agate), Ospinskoye (jade), Usubayskoye and Bolshegremyachinskoye (rhodonite), Lilac Stone (charoite) are famous for jewelry and ornamental stones. Mammoth bone is mined on the coast of the East Siberian Sea and the Laptev Sea.

In the south of the region, in the mountains, there are huge reserves of mineral construction raw materials (buta, crushed stone, sand, gravel). In Khakassia, the Kibik-Kordon deposit of highly decorative marble is being developed - the largest in Russia.

It should also be noted that significant reserves of various minerals (oil, natural gas, coal, ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores, Icelandic spar, gems, diamonds) have been discovered on the territory of the Evenk Autonomous Okrug, but their extraction is currently not being carried out.

Hydrography.

The region is exceptionally rich in water resources. Eastern Siberia ranks first in the country in terms of hydropower resources. Lake Baikal is located here - a unique natural object that contains about 1/5 of the world's fresh water reserves. This is the deepest lake in the world. The most full-flowing river is the Yenisei. The country's largest hydroelectric power plants (Krasnoyarskaya, Sayano-Shushenskaya, Bratskaya and others) were built on this river and on one of its tributaries, the Angara.

Vegetation.

Also, Eastern Siberia is rich in forest resources (234,464 thousand hectares), in its forests, which occupy about half of the region, the largest timber reserves in Russia are concentrated.

Forest resources are characterized by an exceptional predominance of conifers (more than 90% of forests are larch, pine, spruce, cedar, fir), compactness of massifs, and high economic efficiency of logging.

2. The role of thermal power plants in the development of the electric power industry in Russia

The total electricity production in Russia in 2002 amounted to 886 billion kW/h. A significant role in its generation is played by thermal power plants, which use coal, gas and fuel oil as fuel - they accounted for 67.8% of all electricity generated, i.e., 583 billion kWh.

Thermal power plants are the main type of power plants in Russia. Among them, the main role is played by powerful (more than 2 million kW) GRES - state district power plants that meet the needs of the economic region, operating in energy systems. Most Russian cities are supplied with thermal power plants.

Often in cities, CHPs are used - combined heat and power plants that produce not only electricity, but also heat in the form of hot water. Such a system is rather impractical because, unlike the electric cable, the reliability of heating mains is extremely low over long distances, the efficiency of district heating is also greatly reduced during transmission. It is estimated that with a length of heating mains of more than 20 km. (a typical situation for most cities) installing an electric boiler in a detached house becomes economically viable.

The placement of thermal power plants is mainly influenced by fuel and consumer factors.

The most powerful thermal power plants are located in the places of fuel extraction. Thermal power plants that use local fuels (peat, shale, low-calorie and high-ash coals) are consumer-oriented and at the same time are located at sources of fuel resources.

Large thermal power plants are the coal fired power plant of the Kansko-Achinsk basin, Berezovskaya GRES-1 and GRES-2. Surgutskaya GRES-2, Urengoyskaya GRES (runs on gas).

Thermal power plants will remain the backbone of the electric power industry in the long term.

According to experts, their output will increase by 2020 to 850 billion kWh.

3. Large economic regions of Russia

east siberian vegetation geographic

Bibliography

1. Gladky Yu.N. etc. Economic and social geography of Russia. - M.: Gardarika, Lit. Publishing agency "Department-M", 1999. - 752 p.

2. Placement of production forces / Edited by Kistanov V.V., Kopylov N.V. - M.: Enlightenment, 2002.

3. Regional economy: textbook for universities / T.G. Morozova, M.P. Pobedina, G.B. Polyak and others, ed. prof. T.G. Morozova. - M.: Banks and stock exchanges, UNITI, - 1995. - 304 p.

4. Regional Economics: Textbook / Ed. M.V. Stepanova. - M.: INFRA-M, Publishing House of Ros. economy acad., 2002. - 463 p. - (Series "Higher education").

5. Economic and social geography of Russia: Textbook for universities / Ed. A.T. Khrushchev. - M.: KRON-PRESS, 1997. - 352 p.

6. Economic geography / V.P. Zheltikov, N.G. Kuznetsov, S.G. Tyaglov. Series "Textbooks and teaching aids". Rostov n/a: Phoenix, 2001. pp. 46-48.

7. Economic geography of Russia. Yu.N. Gladky, V.A. Dobroskok, S.P. Semenov (textbook) // Moscow, 2001.

8. Atlas of Economic and social geography of Russia grade 8-9, with a set of contour maps - M., 2005.

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