“Features of the location of non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy in the Urals. Ural metallurgical base

The Ural metallurgical base includes only one economic region - the Ural region. It is the largest in Russia and is second only to the southern metallurgical base of Ukraine within the CIS in terms of ferrous metal production volumes. On the scale of Russia, it also ranks first in the production of non-ferrous metals. The share of Ural metallurgy accounts for 52% of cast iron, 56% of steel and more than 52% of rolled ferrous metals from the volumes produced on a large scale former USSR. It is the oldest in Russia. The Urals use imported Kuznetsk coal. Its own iron ore base is depleted; a significant part of the raw materials is imported from Kazakhstan (Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoye deposit), from the Kursk magnetic anomaly and Karelia. The development of its own iron ore base was associated with the development of the Kachkanar titanomagnetite deposit (Sverdlovsk region) and the Bakal siderite deposit, which account for more than half of the region’s iron ore reserves. The largest mining enterprises are the Kachkanar Mining and Processing Plant (GOK) and the Bakal Mining Administration.

The largest centers of ferrous metallurgy have formed in the Urals: Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk, Nizhny Tagil, Novotroitsk, Yekaterinburg, Serov, Zlatoust, etc. Currently, 2/3 of iron and steel smelting occurs in the Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions. With significant development of pigment metallurgy (steel smelting exceeds pig iron production) main role full-cycle enterprises play. They are located along the Eastern slopes Ural mountains. The Western slopes are largely home to pigment metallurgy. The metallurgy of the Urals is characterized by a high level of concentration of production. Special place occupies the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. It is the largest producer of iron and steel not only in Russia, but also in Europe.

The Urals is one of the main regions for the production of steel pipes for oil and gas pipelines. Its largest enterprises are located in Chelyabinsk, Pervouralsk and Kamensk-Uralsk. Currently, the metallurgy of the Urals is being reconstructed.

Since childhood, we have known that the homeland of the mistress of the copper mountain is the Urals. Some of the oldest on earth mountain formations store countless riches and, although in the last few decades non-ferrous metallurgy in the Urals has been going through difficult times, this region remains one of the largest centers not only in Russia, but also in the world, centers for the extraction and processing of non-ferrous metals.

A little history.

Copper, aluminum, zinc, nickel, gold are metals that have been mined and processed in the Ural region for many centuries. At the very beginning of the 18th century, the Gumeshevskoe copper clay deposit was discovered, and the first copper smelters appeared. At the beginning of the 20th century, non-ferrous metallurgy in the Urals developed at a very rapid pace, and in the 30s of the last century, the modern metallurgical complex received its foundations in the form of large non-ferrous metallurgy plants. Mechanical engineering, which developed rapidly in the first Soviet five-year plans, became the main consumer of the metallurgical industry, and nuclear energy gave a new impetus to the development of the industry. Since 1934, bauxite deposits began to be actively developed in the Urals, which served as the basis for the aluminum industry of the region. And around the same time, the development of a large nickel deposit, Lipovsky, began. Gold, silver, platinum are precious metals that have long been mined and processed in the Urals, as well as titanium, magnesium and other valuable metals.

Copper.

The palm in non-ferrous metals in the Urals belongs to copper - the mining, enrichment and smelting of copper in Russia takes the leading place at Ural enterprises. These are the Mednogorsk, Krasnouralsk, Sredneuralsk, and Kirovograd plants. But at the Kashtym and Verkhnepyshtinsky electrolytic plants, the next stage of its processing after smelting blister copper is performed - refining. In total, there are 11 copper industry enterprises operating in the Urals. Since copper ores contain many components of other metals - zinc, gold, selenium, cadmium, copper factories also produce these metals.

Since the development of copper ore deposits has been going on for a long time, this moment they are quite depleted and the region's copper smelters are approximately half supplied with raw materials.

Aluminum.

The aluminum industry of the Urals has its own raw materials. The Ural aluminum smelter was built near a bauxite deposit in the village of Kamensk (now Kamensk-Uralsky). The Bogoslovsky Aluminum Plant is the largest aluminum enterprise in the Urals, producing the first metal on May 9, 1945. The plant uses raw materials from the Severouralsk bauxite mine. These bauxites have high aluminum content and relatively few impurities. But aluminum cannot be obtained directly from ore; first, alumina is produced - a fine powder with a concentrated content of aluminum oxide, and only after that it is smelted from it at very high temperatures. high temperatures metal.

However, the problem is the deep occurrence of bauxite and the energy intensity of aluminum smelting in the Urals. Therefore, enterprises in the industry must simultaneously solve the raw material problem by using raw materials from other regions and developing other deposits, as well as strengthening the energy base.

Nickel.

The first nickel deposits were discovered in the Urals at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, Ufaleysky, Orsky, Serovsky, Rezhsky and other areas in different regions of the Ural Federal District are considered nickel-bearing. The largest deposit in the Middle Urals is the Serovskoye deposit, where nickel reserves amount to hundreds of thousands of tons. Nickel production, or rather its smelting without beneficiation, takes place at the Rezhsky Nickel Plant - Ufaleynickel. Until recently, the largest nickel enterprise in the Urals was the South Ural Nickel Plant, which was stopped in 2012 due to unprofitable production.

Precious metals.

The Berezovskoye gold deposit near Yekaterinburg is considered the oldest and most famous in Russia; once all Russian gold was mined there. Now the Berezovsky mine produces only about 1 percent of the country’s total gold. In the area of ​​the rivers of the Middle and Northern Urals, platinum is mined; alluvial platinum does not require expensive processing, but the mining of nuggets causes environmental problems.

The Yekaterinburg Non-Ferrous Metals Processing Plant is a full range of works for the processing of precious metals and the production of industrial products from gold, silver and platinum.

Read also:

The processes of mergers and acquisitions of exchanges in modern realities are not accidental, and taking into account the globalization of world markets, they are becoming increasingly relevant for their participants. Most often, associations go beyond the borders of individual countries and exchanges become transnational. The same thing happened a year ago with the most reputable platform trading non-ferrous metals - the London Metal Exchange (LME) changed its owners.

The metallurgical complex of Russia is the main synonym for the well-being and prosperity of our entire state, its confidence in the future.

First of all, it serves as the basis for all existing mechanical engineering. Understanding this, let’s find out which enterprises are included in the mining and metallurgical complex.

These are mainly those industries that mine, enrich, smelt, roll and process raw materials. The company has its own clear structure:

1. Ferrous metallurgy - ore and non-metallic raw materials.
2. Non-ferrous metallurgy: light metals (magnesium, titanium, aluminum) and heavy metals (nickel, lead, copper, tin).

Ferrous metallurgy

An industry with its own nuances. It is important to understand that not only metal is important for it, but also mining and subsequent processing.

Its important features are highlighted:

• more than half of the products serve as the basis for the country’s entire mechanical engineering industry;
• a quarter of the products are used in the creation of structures with increased load capacity.

Ferrous metallurgy is production, coking of coal, secondary alloys, production of refractories and much more. Enterprises included in the ferrous metallurgy have highest value and in fact are the basis of the industry of the entire state as a whole.

The main thing is that around them there are production facilities for processing various wastes, especially after cast iron smelting. The most frequent companion ferrous metallurgy

consider metal-intensive mechanical engineering and electric power production. This industry has great prospects for the future.

Ferrous metallurgy centers in Russia

First of all, it should be remembered that Russia has always been and today is the absolute leader in terms of ferrous metal production density. And this primacy is without the right to transfer to other states. Our country confidently holds its position here. The leading factories are, in fact, metallurgical and energy chemical plants.

• Let's name the most important centers of ferrous metallurgy in Russia:
• Urals with iron and ore mining;
• Kuzbass with coal mining;
• Novokuznetsk;
• Location of KMA;

The metallurgical map of the country is structurally divided into three main groups. They are studied at school and are basic knowledge modern cultured person. This:

• Ural;
• Siberia;
• Central part.

Ural metallurgical base

It is this that is the main and, perhaps, the most powerful in terms of European and world indicators. It is characterized by a high concentration of production.

The city of Magnitogorsk is of paramount importance in its history. There is a famous metallurgical plant there. This is the oldest and hottest “heart” of ferrous metallurgy.

It produces:

• 53% of all cast iron;
• 57% of all steel;
• 53% of ferrous metals of all indicators that were produced in the former USSR.

Such production facilities are located near raw materials (Ural, Norilsk) and energy (Kuzbass, Eastern Siberia). Now the Ural metallurgy is in the process of modernization and further development.

Central metallurgical base

It includes cyclical production plants. Presented in the cities: Cherepovets, Lipetsk, Tula and Stary Oskol. This base is formed by iron ore reserves. They are located at a depth of up to 800 meters, which is shallow depth.

The Oskol Electrometallurgical Plant has been launched and is successfully operating. It introduced an avant-garde method without a blast furnace metallurgical process.

Siberian metallurgical base

Perhaps it has one peculiarity: it is the “youngest” of the existing bases today. Its formation began during the USSR period. Approximately one fifth of the total volume of raw materials for cast iron is produced in Siberia.

The Siberian base is a plant in Kuznetsk and a plant in Novokuznetsk. Novokuznetsk is considered the capital of Siberian metallurgy and a leader in production quality.

Metallurgical plants and largest factories in Russia

The most powerful full-cycle centers are: Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk, Nizhny Tagil, Beloretsky, Ashinsky, Chusovskoy, Oskolsky and a number of others. All of them have great development prospects. Their geography, without exaggeration, is enormous.

Non-ferrous metallurgy

This area is occupied with the development and enrichment of ores, participating in their high-quality smelting. According to its characteristics and intended purpose, it is divided into categories: heavy, light and valuable. Its copper smelting centers are almost closed cities, with its own infrastructure and life.

Main areas of non-ferrous metallurgy in Russia

The opening of such areas entirely depends on: the economy, the environment, and raw materials. This is the Urals, which includes factories in Krasnouralsk, Kirovgrad and Mednogorsk, which are always built near production. This improves the quality of production and the turnover of raw materials.

Development of metallurgy in Russia

Development is characterized by high rates and volumes. Therefore, huge Russia is in the lead and is constantly increasing its exports. Our country produces: 6% iron, 12% aluminum, 22% nickel and 28% titanium. Read more about thisIt is reasonable to look at the information in the production tables presented below.

Map of metallurgy in Russia

For convenience and clarity, a release has been launched special cards and atlases. They can be viewed and ordered on the Internet. They are very colorful and comfortable. The main centers with all divisions are indicated in detail there: copper smelters, places for the extraction of ore and non-ferrous metals, and much more.

Below are maps of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy in Russia.

Factors for locating metallurgical plants in Russia

The fundamental factors influencing the location of plants across the country are literally the following:

• raw materials;
• fuel;
• consumption (this is a detailed table of raw materials, fuel, small and large roads).

Conclusion

Now we know: there is a clear division into ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. This distribution of mining, enrichment and smelting depends directly on the main components: raw materials, fuel and consumption. Our country is a European leader in this area. The three main geographical pillars on which it stands are: the Center, the Urals and Siberia.

In the photo: “In the Urals” (1888), painting by V. G. Kazantsev.

In the pre-Petrine era, the Urals in Rus' were called “Stone”. Even during the deep Middle Ages, Novgorodians came here from time to time; later, those who could no longer sit in their habitable places located closer to the center fled from the hardships of life. The real development and settlement of the Urals by Russians began after Ermak’s campaign, at the end of the 16th century. From that time on and for many decades, the main city of this region became the city of Verkhoturye, founded in 1598.

Foundation of the metallurgical industry in the Urals

In January 1697, an extremely important report from the Verkhoturye governor Dmitry Protasyev was submitted to Moscow: iron ore had been discovered on the Neiva River, within the Kamenny Belt (Ural Mountains). The governor attached ore samples to the report. This message was of a strategic nature.

At the time, the Russian state experienced an urgent need for all kinds of resources. The reserves of precious and non-ferrous metals needed for coinage and military affairs, explored by that time, were not enough. The available iron remained largely imported, with Sweden being the main supplier. Actually Russian ore reserves in the center of Russia, and even more forest resources, so necessary for iron production, have been greatly depleted. On the eve of Peter I’s decisive battles with the Swedes, it was impossible not to pay attention to the good news from the Urals, especially since samples showed that the ore found was “extremely good.”

Foundation of the Nevyansk Metallurgical Plant

In 1697-1699, a series of personal decrees followed, the meaning of which was as follows:

“In Verkhoturye district, on the Tagil and Nevye rivers, where iron ore has been found, iron factories will be reopened.”

In the first half of 1700, the creation of metallurgical production began in the Urals. A workers' settlement grew nearby. Both the young enterprise and the settlement near it began to be called the Nevyansk plant. This is how the later famous and mighty Ural industry was born. The first cast iron from a blast furnace was produced by the Nevyansk plant on December 15, 1701.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 14.08.2017 14:24

On March 4, 1702, Peter I signed a decree transferring the Nevyansk production of “iron weapons to the master” Nikita Demidov, the owner of an ironworks in Tula. The Tsar greatly appreciated this gunsmith, whom he had met several years earlier. There are a number of legends about the first meeting of Peter I and Nikita Demidov.

Regardless of how true the surviving legends are, it is reliably known that the autocrat made him a supplier of weapons for the Russian army during Northern War. The quality of the product produced was high, the need for it was growing, and the sovereign, who saw cooperation with Demidov as the guarantee of a future final victory, expanded his privileges. The transfer of the state-owned Nevyansk plant with the condition of supplying iron to the state for five years was one of many examples of mutually beneficial cooperation between an entrepreneur and the tsar.

Demidov factories in the Urals

Nikita Demidov launched vigorous activity in the Urals to create new enterprises. By the late 1710s and early 1720s, he built several ironworks there. Among them was the Byngovsky plant, founded seven miles from Nevyansk in 1718. According to some sources, since 1731, the first factory in Russia for the production of braids operated in Byngi.

His father's work was continued by his eldest son Akinfiy. On one of the maps of the 1730s, the vast territory of Demidov’s possessions with its center at the Nevyansk plant is designated as “the department of Akinfiy Demidov.” Father and son did their best. The authors of the book “Nevyansk,” which was published in 1982, wrote about the legacy they left and what happened to it subsequently:

“After the death of Akinfiy Demidov in August 1745, an industrial “power” remained, consisting of 22 iron and copper factories (not counting the three Altai ones selected for the treasury), 96 mines, 36 villages with numerous villages, 3 marinas, more than 36 thousand workers and employees. Not wanting to divide his “department” into parts, Akinfiy Demidov bequeathed all the factories youngest son Nikita. But the other sons considered themselves offended. The litigation between the heirs of Akinfiy Demidov lasted for more than ten years. And only on May 1, 1758, the sons took possession of their factories. The Nevyansk part with the Nevyansky, Byngovsky, Shuralinsky, Verkhnetagilsky, Shaitansky and others factories went to the eldest - Prokofy... When, soon after P. A. Demidov took possession of his part of the inheritance, the Berg Collegium asked him about the state of the Nevyansky factories, Prokofy responded to this answered: “I never happened to be in those factories, and then, what kind of hardships these factories have and what kind of assistance is needed, now I cannot show.”

Demidov Akinfiy Nikitich

The initial history of the Byngovsky plant is connected with the names of the first Demidovs. The son of the founder of the industrial dynasty, Nikita Demidov, Akinfiy Nikitich, played a major role in the development of local production. Akinfiev’s sons became famous mainly for their actions in the field of commerce and charity, as well as for their characteristic XVIII century"eccentricities".

Akinfiy Demidov was born in 1678 in Tula, where his father Nikita’s enterprises were located. Having studied mining at home, he went abroad for an internship at foundries in Saxony. During this trip, in the city of Freiburg, Akinfiy Nikitich acquired a rich mineralogical collection. Subsequently, this collection, supplemented by Ural and Siberian specimens, was donated by his children through I. I. Shuvalov to Moscow University.

Whip and compass

Akinfiy Demidov from a young age was right hand my father. During his lifetime, he managed the Nevyansk plant and actively took up the construction of a plant in Byngi. Having inherited the family business after the death of Nikita Demidov, the future famous Ural industrialist continued to devote all his time and energy to it. In one of his letters to A.D. Menshikov, he wrote that factories, like small children, require constant attention. Without sparing himself, the owner of the factories demanded the same from others. Biographers testify primarily to the cruelty of Akinfiy.

Along with cruelty and deceit, Nikita and Akinfiy Demidov are characterized by a deep knowledge of mining, the ability to understand and apply latest forms organization of metallurgical production, the desire to equip enterprises with last word technology.

Akinfiy Demidov Library

A very striking feature that characterizes Akinfiy Demidov is his book collection. The industrialist's library contained 441 titles of “Russian and German books.” Some of the foreign publications were acquired during Demidov’s European trip; individual books were apparently subscribed to later.

A significant portion of the library consisted of religious literature; it contained almost a full “circle” of liturgical books. Of course, the collection of publications on metallurgical production was also significant. Among other literature, Akinfiy Nikitich gave preference to historical works and descriptions of travel. His library contained pedagogical and edifying works (for the education of heirs worthy of the title of nobility), samples of “entertaining” literature (opera librettos, descriptions of fireworks, materials on coronation celebrations, etc.).

In terms of quantity and composition, Akinfiy Demidov’s library differs from the well-known merchant book collections of the first half of the 18th century and can be compared with some libraries of representatives of the secular nobility of the post-Petrine era. This library gives a direct insight into the book interests of the emerging Russian industrial bourgeoisie.

Having received the nobility from Peter I back in 1720, the Demidovs were able to buy serf workers for their factories, since in Russia at that time only nobles could own serfs. However, for quite a long time some of the Demidov people were formally considered free. In 1737, Akinfiy appealed to the government with a request to consider all its workers as serfs. The servitude of workers gave the industrialist much more opportunities for better organization of production.

In 1740, Akinfiy Demidov received the rank of state councilor, and in 1744, full state councilor. According to the Table of Ranks, it was very high rank, corresponding to the rank of major general in the army and the court rank of chamberlain. In the same year, by decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, it was announced that Akinfiy was under the special protection of the empress. The empress's will placed him in an exceptional position among industrialists and magnates. However, Demidov did not have time to take full advantage of the privileges. He died on August 5, 1745 on the way from St. Petersburg to Siberia - near the village of Yatskoye Ustye, on the Kama River.

Heirs of Akinfiy Demidov

Akinfiy Demidov was married twice: the first time to the daughter of merchant Tarasy Korobkov Avdotya, and the second time, from 1723, to Efimiya Ivanovna Paltseva. From his first wife he had sons Prokofy and Gregory, from his second wife Nikita.

The result of long family litigation that took place after the death of Akinfiy Demidov was the transfer of the bulk of the inheritance to the eldest son Prokofy. He, like the other sons of Akinfiy, is often classified as one of the representatives of the industrial family, who turned out to be a kind of transitional “link” from the first Demidovs, the founders of the Ural factories, to those generations of the dynasty who did not live in the factories, did not understand mining and were according to the remark of S. G. Strumilin, an expert on the history of ferrous metallurgy, only “foam skimmers”. At the same time, Prokofy Demidov, a “reluctant breeder,” as Nevyansk local historian A. Karfidov aptly dubbed him, cannot be called an empty “waster of life.” He was successfully engaged in commerce, while donating huge sums to charity, studied botany, and was a skilled practitioner in this field.

“Eccentricities” by P. A. Demidov

However, P. A. Demidov’s “eccentricities” brought him much greater fame. Contemporaries described the famous trips of the “curiosist”, which attracted crowds of onlookers. Usually, a bright orange cart pulled by six horses drove out of the gates of the Demidov estate: two pairs were ordinary peasant nags, and one was a thoroughbred horse. There were riders on the horses - a dwarf and a giant. The procession was accompanied by numerous hounds with a pack of dogs of various breeds: from pocket lapdogs to huge Great Danes. Both the riders and the hounds were dressed in the most ridiculous dresses: one half of the clothes was silk, embroidered with gold, the other was made of matting; on one foot there is a shoe, on the other there is a bast shoe. The pinnacle of “eccentricity” were glasses that could be seen not only on people, but also on dogs and horses.

Yakovlevs

In 1769, the plant in Byngi, like other Nevyansk factories, was sold for eight hundred thousand rubles by its owner Prokofiy Demidov to collegiate assessor Savva Yakovlevich Sobakin, who later changed his last name to Yakovlev.

S. Yakovlev brought the former Demidov production to a new level. From the observations of Nevyansk local historian A. Karfidov:

“By the early 1780s, Savva Yakovlev owned a huge mining “empire” in the Urals, which in size and production capacity was not inferior to the famous “department of Akinfiy Demidov.” His factory dachas included 2 million hectares; cast iron output in 1783 amounted to 1,275,000 pounds. The entire factory economy was valued at a huge amount - almost 7,000,000 rubles. In terms of the number of factories - 22 in total - Yakovlev is equal to Akinfiy Demidov.”

After the death of Savva Yakovlev best part his inheritance, which included the Byngovsky plant, went to his eldest son Peter.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 14.08.2017 14:32

3. Ferrous metallurgy of the Urals.

The metallurgical complex is the basis of the industry. It is the foundation of mechanical engineering, which, together with the electric power and chemical industries, ensures the development of scientific and technological progress at all levels National economy countries. Metallurgy is one of the basic sectors of the national economy and is characterized by high material and capital intensity of production. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals account for more than 90% of the total volume of structural materials used in Russian mechanical engineering. In the total volume of transport traffic Russian Federation Metallurgical cargo accounts for over 35% of total cargo turnover. The needs of metallurgy consume 14% of fuel and 16% of electricity, i.e. 25% of these resources are spent in industry.

The state and development of the metallurgical industry ultimately determine the level of scientific and technological progress in all sectors of the national economy. The metallurgical complex is characterized by the concentration and combination of production.

The complex geological history of the Urals has determined the exceptional wealth and diversity of its subsoil resources, and the long-term processes of destruction of the Ural mountain system have identified these riches and made them more accessible for exploitation.

The Urals are a treasure trove of metals and chemical raw materials. In terms of its wealth and diversity of natural resources, it has no equal in the world. In total, about 1000 minerals and more than 12 thousand mineral deposits have been discovered here. The Urals rank first in Russia in terms of reserves of bauxite, chromite, platinum, potassium, asbestos, magnesite and magnesium salts. There are large reserves of iron, copper and nickel ores, oil and natural gases. There are manganese ores, coal, peat, various Construction Materials.

The iron ore base of the Urals is characterized by two features. Firstly, despite the fact that iron ore deposits have a wide range of thicknesses, the bulk of proven reserves are concentrated in the Kachkanar titanium-machistite deposits. Secondly, ores are characterized, as a rule, by a relatively low content of the main component and the environmental efficiency of their development is determined by the comprehensive use of the extracted raw materials.

Iron ore deposits, the total recorded reserves of which exceed 20 billion tons. located on the territory of the Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions, Bashkortostan. The UER includes 1.2 billion tons of balance sheet iron ore, which includes reserves of individual ore bodies and small deposits, the development of which is recognized in modern conditions as inappropriate for techno-economic reasons. Accounting socially and economic factors when assessing the feasibility of developing pulpwood ores, it can, in a number of cases, change previously established ideas about the inefficiency of their exploitation.

The main deposits: Bakalskoye, Vorontsovka, Kachkanarskoye, Magnitogorskoye, Novorudny, Orsko-Khalilovskoye, Pokrovsk-Uralsky, Severny, Sibay, Tagilo-Kuvshinovskaya group.

Chromites. Deposits and ore occurrences of chromium ores are found throughout the Ural mineral resource base. The main explored reserves are concentrated in the Saranovsk group of fields. In recent years, a new chromite-bearing area has been explored in the Polar Urals. The most studied mineralization of the Rai-Iz massif.

Manganese. Manganese ore reserves in the North Ural basin are estimated at 125 million tons, including balance reserves of 41 million tons. The ores are predominantly carbonate, content harmful impurities not much. Research has shown practical possibility and the economic feasibility of using local manganese raw materials in open-hearth and converter production, as well as in ferroalloy production at Ural metallurgical plants. Considering that more than 140 thousand tons of manganese raw materials are imported annually into the Sverdlovsk region alone, the development of local manganese ores seems quite justified.

Copper ore resources. The Urals have very significant resources of copper ore raw materials. The Urals ranks first in the country in copper mining. However, the depletion of the bulk of reserves at a number of mines led to Lately to a sharp reduction in ore production. Now about 70% of reserves copper ores concentrated in Orenburg region and Bashkortostan.

In the Urals (about 90%) copper pyrite ores predominate. Deposits of other types (skarn, copper-iron-vanadium, copper sandstones) are of subordinate importance. Copper pyrite ores are complex, they contain up to 25 valuable components. Copper is accompanied by zinc, lead, sulfur, cobalt, selenium, tellurium, etc. The main deposits are: Gai, Krasnouralsk, Levikha, Mednogorsk.

Bauxite. The need of the aluminum industry of the Urals for mineral raw materials is fully satisfied by local reserves - the Severouralsk bauxite mine and the Yuzhnouralsk bauxite mine. The raw material base in general in the Urals seems to be quite reliable. The areas where the reserves of exploited deposits can be increased or new industrial deposits identified include: Severouralsky, Ivdelsky, Yuzhnouralsky districts. The main deposit is Suleya.

Nickel ores. The raw material base for nickel production in the Urals is unfavorable. The Lipovskoye deposit will be developed in the coming years. To change the situation, the task has been set to further explore small local deposits. The base of both the Regievsky and Ufaleysky plants will also be the Serovskoye field. The Yuzhuralnickel plant is provided with balance local reserves of nickel ores for no more than 10-12 years. It is necessary to search for new and re-evaluate known deposits.

Main deposits: Upper Ufaley, Regi.

Main deposits: Berezniki, Verkhnekamsk basin, Solikamsk.

The Urals largely determine the pace and proportions of development of a single national economic complex, which is facilitated by the accumulated production and scientific potential, highly qualified and socially active specialists, and a variety of Natural resources, significant areas of fertile land in the southern part of the region, favorable economic-geographical and transport position. Actively participating in the internal Russian territorial division of labor, UER occupies an important place among the 11 economic regions of the Russian Federation in foreign trade. Its distinctive feature is high level concentration of production and development of territories. With only 4.83% of the country's territory and 13.88% of the country's population, this region produces about 15% of the gross domestic product (1996), incl. industrial production is 17.95% of the all-Russian total, and the share Agriculture The economic efficiency of the country's agricultural production is 13.75% (1996).

In the all-Russian territorial division of labor, the Urals specializes in the production of heavy industry products and the production of commercial grain. The leading position here is occupied by the engineering and metallurgical complexes, as well as fuel and energy, chemical forestry, construction, agro-industrial, and communications. Currently, the Urals are distinguished by the production of heavy, transport, mining, metallurgical, chemical, construction and road, energy and electrical equipment, powerful drilling rigs, excavators, and earth-moving machines.

UER is an area of ​​developed metallurgical production. His share in sectoral structure industry of the Urals is 25%. The complex includes 10 sub-sectors of ferrous and 11 sub-sectors of non-ferrous metallurgy. Favorable physical and chemical characteristics of Ural ore, either pure without any other impurities (Bakal ores), or with impurities useful substances– manganese, chromium, nickel, vanadium, etc. (Alapaevsky, Khalilovsky ores), make it possible to obtain high-quality cast iron and steel, including alloyed metal, directly in blast furnaces and open-hearth furnaces. The Ural ferrous metallurgy remains highly dependent on iron ore supplies from other regions (KMA, Karelia, Murmansk region, Kazakhstan). Main centers: Ural, Magnitogorsk, Nizhny Tagil, Chelyabinsk, Chusovoy, etc. (28 in total).

The region's non-ferrous metallurgy produces a significant portion of the country's commercial output. Most types of rolled non-ferrous metals are produced only in UER. The leading industries are copper (Gaisky GOK, Karabash, Mednogorsk, Krasnouralsk, Revda, etc.), nickel (Verkhny Ufaley, Orsk), zinc (Chelyabinsk), aluminum (Kamensk-Uralsky, Krasnoturinsk). The development of the industry in the region is determined by the regional specifics of the raw material base, which differs complex composition ore Associated components are extracted from all types of non-ferrous metal raw materials, but the predominant part of them is used in the copper sub-industry. In addition to copper, another 18 valuable components of raw materials are extracted and processed into 22 types of by-products. The raw material base of the industry in the Urals has been actively exploited since the Great Patriotic War without proper compensation for retired capacities, so enterprises in the copper, aluminum, and nickel sub-sectors operate in conditions of a shortage of their own raw materials.

The products of the Ural ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy go to all regions of the country, but mainly to its western part (about 70%). In exchange with the European part of the country, there are still large counter flows of rolled products, pipes, billets and other types of metal products.

Modern stage The development of the country, including UER, is characterized by a whole set of problems, the solution of which requires urgent measures. First of all, it is necessary to overcome the structural crisis in the economy, the decline in production volumes, reduce the unemployment rate, and restore lost economic ties with the former Soviet republics, i.e. participating countries CIS, enterprises need to find new markets for raw materials and sales of their products both within the country and abroad. Urgent measures, with permission, require a whole “tangle” social problems. The problems of improving the demographic situation, especially increasing the birth rate, reducing mortality, the aging of the population, and its employment are important.

Along with the general ones, there are also some problems specific to the Urals. They are associated, for example, with improving the production structure, which is especially important for coal cities in connection with the development of coal deposits. Many cities experience acute water shortages, and some have limited territorial reserves for growth.

All problems are closely intertwined. The problems of the population are closely intertwined with production, social, resource, and environmental problems. Projecting a set of these problems onto the territory, we can talk about a hierarchy of territorial zones. At its “upper” level, it is proposed to identify the largest territorial formations of the Urals - “belts” with a predominance different types problems:

reconstruction of industrial, urban areas (“technobelt”).

improvement of agricultural production and rural settlement (“agro-belt”).

preservation of ecologically clean, untouched territories of the Urals, their use for conservation, scientific, and recreational purposes (“eco-belt”).

It is also of interest to specify these problems and analyze them at the lower levels of the territorial hierarchy. These problems include:

formation of the TPK at the interregional, interdistrict level;

implementation on an interactive basis of rational territorial cooperation and specialization of the regions and republics of the Urals;

development of unified comprehensive plans, concepts, and forecasts for the development of large territorial zones of the region with similar development problems;

development and respecialization of fuel production complexes on the western slope of the Urals;

a unified strategy and tactics for the use of forest resources in the northern part of the region;

reconstruction of the UER mining strip;

development of agriculture in the Non-Chernozem Strip;

comprehensive development of the Ural Black Earth Region.

Solving a large number of different problems will help create the most favorable conditions life of the population, improving living standards. Development prospects are determined by the intensification of industrial and agricultural production, further development of peripheral territories, acceleration of the solution of housing and other socio-economic problems, development of the scientific base, and implementation of scientific and technical progress.

Thus, it should be noted that the general direction of development of economic development for the coming period should be a qualitative transformation of all aspects of the life of the population based on social, economic, and environmental transformations in the course of structural and technological renewal of the economy. Already, reforming the economy and other spheres of life is bringing certain positive results, but so far against the backdrop of many negative consequences and still unresolved problems.

Bibliography

A.I. Alekseev, V.V. Nikolina. “Population and economy of Russia”, 1995

V.P. Maksakovsky. “Geographical picture of the world”, 1996

I.A. Rodionova. "Economic Geography of Russia", 1998 ( tutorial).

4. Regional economy. Ed. prof. T.G. Morozova: M., 1995