Mining Industry in the Russian Far East: Balancing the Interests of Subsoil Use and the State

The authors discuss the mineral resources and mineral reserves of the Russian Far East in terms of their volume and production of certain minerals. The key challenges of subsoil use, which complicate advancement in the mining sector at the present time, are identified. The growth prospects of the mining sector can build on the processing industry and on the transition from mineral extraction to mineral production at high degree of conversion. The economic efficiency of subsoil use depends on the professional corporate management, transportation and power generation infrastructure, sound scientific grounding and on the development of the processing industry which uses products of the mining industry. The main trends of the spatial development in subsoil use are proposed. The large infrastructural projects are described, which can promote social and economic progress in the Far East Federal District of Russia. Emphasis is laid on improvement of personnel potential and on introduction of scientific supervision in the mining and processing industry in the region.