Eastern Siberia occupies a vast territory from the Yenisei to the Pacific Ocean. It is famous for a lot of natural resources and minerals. The features of the relief and geological structure of this region have made it so valuable in terms of raw materials. Minerals in Eastern Siberia are not only oil, coal and iron ores. A significant part of the gold and diamonds of Russia, as well as precious metals, are 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 all Russia. It extends from the Yenisei River valley to the most mountain ranges on the Pacific coast. In the north, the region borders on the Arctic Ocean, and in the south - with Mongolia and China.
Eastern Siberia does not include as many regions and settlements as in the European part of Russia, because this region is considered sparsely populated. Here are the largest in the country Chita and Irkutsk regions, as well as the Krasnoyarsk and Trans-Baikal Territories. In addition, 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 is rich in Eastern Siberia? This is not only coal, oil and iron ore. In the bowels of the region lie rich reserves of nickel, lead, tin, aluminum and other metals, as well as sedimentary rocks necessary in the industry. In addition, East 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 region’s territory is occupied by the Central Siberian plateau, elevated from 500 to 1700 m above sea level. 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 and led to a wealth of minerals in Eastern Siberia. The table allows you to find out that more resources are being extracted here than in neighboring regions.
Coal reserves
Thanks to geological processes from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, the largest Russian coal deposits of minerals of Western and Eastern Siberia are located in the lowlands of the region. These are the Lensky and Tunguska pools. There are also a lot of less significant deposits. And although they have less coal, they are also promising. These are the Kama-Achinsk and Kolymo-Indigir basins, the Irkutsk, Minusinsk, and South Yakutsk deposits.
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 because of 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, dating back to the Precambrian period. Most in the region are hematites and magnetites. Their deposits are located in the south of the Yakutsk region, in the Podkamennaya Tunguski basin , on the Yenisei Ridge, as well as on the Angara, in Khakassia, Tuva and Transbaikalia.
The largest ore deposits are Korshunovskoye and Abakanskoye. Many of them are also in the Angara-Pit 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, polymetallic ores and precious metals.
The surroundings 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 is also platinum, silver, tellurium, selenium and other elements. In other places, copper, mercury, manganese, and antimony are mined. There are large bauxite deposits.
Non-Metallic Minerals
Our country is the world's largest supplier of natural gas, it produces a lot of oil. And the first supplier of these minerals is deposits in Eastern Siberia. In addition, geological processes have led to the appearance of rich deposits of sedimentary rocks.
- Eastern Siberia supplies a significant portion of Russian oil. It is mined mainly in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Recently, a new field was also discovered in the upper reaches of the Lena River. The possibility of oil production in the Vilyui depression, as well as in the east of the Tunguska lowland, is being investigated.
- The bowels of the region are rich in natural gas deposits. The Taas-Timus field near the mouth of the Vilyui River has long been exploited.
- Due to the presence of shallow seas in antiquity, the common mineral resources of Eastern Siberia is rock salt. Especially a lot of it in the Lena and Vilyui river basins, in the upper Angara. But the most powerful deposits are located in Nordic.
- In the Noginsk region, the country's largest graphite deposits are located. Its large deposit is Kureyskoye.
- The subsoil in the Aldan and Mama rivers is rich in mica.
- Deposits of such minerals of Eastern Siberia as talc, magnesite, asbestos, gypsum, kaolin and many others are also being developed.
Gold and diamonds of Eastern Siberia
The most valuable metal has been mined here for almost the second century. The oldest field is Bodaibo in the Irkutsk region. Rich loose and indigenous deposits of gold are in Aldan, Yansky, Allah-Yunsky districts. Deposits have recently begun to be developed in the Yenisei range, near Minussinsk and in the east of Transbaikalia.
Due to the special geological processes taking place in this region even in the Mesozoic era, many diamonds are now mined here. The largest deposit in Russia is located in Western Yakutia. They are mined from the so-called diatreme filled with kimberlites. Each such "explosion tube" in which diamonds are found has even got its name. The most famous are Udachnaya-Vostochnaya, Mir and Aikhal.
Natural resources
The complex relief of the region, huge 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 appreciated. But due to the fact that people began to intervene more actively in nature, many species of plants and animals are dying. Therefore, in the region recently created many reserves and national parks to preserve natural wealth.
Richest areas
Eastern Siberia occupies almost a quarter of the territory of Russia. But the population lives here not so much. In some places, 1 person has more than 100 square kilometers. 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. Here is Krasnoyarsk, in which more than half of the entire population of Eastern Siberia is concentrated. The richness of this region for 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 was discovered here. And iron ore reserves are huge. It produces the best magnesites in Russia, as well as many antimony, bauxite, nepheline, and shale. Deposits of clay, sand, talc and limestone are being developed.
- Evenkia has the richest resources. Here in the Tunguski basin there are such minerals of Eastern Siberia as coal and lignite. High-quality graphite is mined in the Noginsk deposit. Deposits of Icelandic spar are also being developed.
- Khakassia is another rich region. A quarter of East Siberian coal is mined here, all iron ore. After all, the Abakan 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. It mainly produces metals. For example, the Udokan deposit supplies copper ores, Ononskoye - tungsten, Sherlokogonskoye and Tarbalzheyskoye - tin, and Shakhtaminskoye and Zhrikenskoye - molybdenum. In addition, a lot of gold is mined in Transbaikalia.
- The treasury of minerals of Eastern Siberia is Yakutia. Although only after the revolution began to develop deposits of rock salt, coal and iron ore. There are rich deposits of non-ferrous metals, mica. In addition, it was in Yakutia that the richest reserves of gold and diamonds were discovered.
Mineral development problems
Huge, often unexplored territories of the region lead to the fact that many of its natural resources are not developed. Here, there is a very low population density, therefore, prospective mineral deposits of Eastern Siberia in populated areas are mainly developed. Indeed, the lack of roads on a large territory and the huge distance from the center contribute to the fact that the development of deposits in remote regions is 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.
Northeast Siberia and the Far East
Due to the peculiarities of the relief and climatic conditions, the mineral resources of North-Eastern Siberia are not so rich. There are few forests here, mainly tundra and arctic deserts. In most of the territory, eternal merlot and year-round low temperatures prevail. Therefore, the mineral resources of North-Eastern Siberia are not very developed. It mainly produces coal, as well as metals - wolfram, cobalt, tin, mercury, molybdenum and gold.
The most eastern and northern regions of Siberia are attributed to the Far East. The area is also rich, but also more populated due to its proximity to the ocean and milder climate. The mineral resources of Eastern Siberia and the Far East are in many ways similar. There are also many diamonds, gold, tungsten and other non-ferrous metals; mercury, sulfur, graphite, and mica are mined. This region has the richest deposits of oil, coal and natural gas.