Solid minerals in the area of the Baykal-Amur Railroad: potential and prospects of their development

The paper retraces the evolution of the idea concerning the integrated development of natural wealth in the area of the Baikal-Amur Railroad, and describes its history of before and after «perestroyka» periods. We show a current role which some of the minerals play for the Russian and world economies, and prove their growing roles. We also characterize a main group of companies which presently are the private investors involved in such natural resource development projects.