The uncertainty of the concept of the BAM zone and of its territorial composition and boundaries is illustrated. The composition of the zone has been clarified and its following structural elements have been identified: (1) a subzone of direct influence in the form of a latitudinal chain of municipalities directly crossed by the railway and consisting of three sections: the head, Taishet–Ust-Kut; the middle, Ust-Kut–Komsomolsk-on-Amur; and the tail, Komsomolsk-on-Amur–Sovetskaya Gavan, and (2) the subzone of indirect influence in the form of municipalities adjacent to the first subzone. As a result, the BAM zone includes 31 municipalities (taking into account the addition of urban districts to the districts of the same name) and occupies 29.1

Presented are the results from investigating the environmental impact of the mining industry in the Baikal region and Mongolia where in accordance with the tripartite international agreements it is planned to create the China−Mongolia−Russia transport economic corridors. The investigation was made for the areas traversed by the sections of the transport and economic corridors: the Trans-Siberian Railroad, Ulan-Ude−Ulaanbaatar railroad to the border with China, and the Karymskoe−Zabaikalsk railroad. The algorithm of the study implies a model in which the mining complex is considered as an intricately shaped natural-technogenic system. Elements of this system are production sites for the extraction of mineral raw materials and the environment in the field of technological impact, including natural and socio-economic components. The cartographic method is used as a key technique. Maps serve as a systematic methodology for research and are the result of a component-wise and integral assessment of the technogenic impact of mining on the environment and population. A system of indicators is suggested, which was used in assessing and mapping the technogenic impact at the local (areas of development of deposits) and areal (administrative districts) levels. Methods for compiling maps and their contents are outlined. The problems and prospects of research are identified.

In the Baikal-Mongolian region the assessment of the environmental impact of mining is carried out for mining enterprises that search, explore, and extract various types of mineral raw materials, as well as carry out their primary processing, waste disposal and recultivation of wastelands. We proposed a research model, summarizing the investigation content and stages. Leading importance is attached to the cartographic method based on remote materials and geo-information technologies, which increases the reliability, visibility and efficiency of the results obtained. We developed a system of indicators, taking into account the peculiarities of mining industry and environment. The negative impact of mining production on specially protected natural territories is assessed, the role of the latter as nature reserves and barriers to the technogenic expansion is determined. The enterprises that have the strongest environmental impact were comprehensively evaluated, while integrating various aspects of interaction of natural complexes and mining. The evaluation is carried out in relation to landscapes and their components that are most responsible for the environmental state. The maps obtained make it possible to determine the acuteness of ecological situations and plan and implement environmental protection measures in a timely manner. Prospects for further research were identified, a special place in which is given to methods of geoinformation modeling and mapping.

The article presents materials on the assessment and mapping of the state of lands disturbed in the process of mining and processing of minerals in the areas of creating transport economic corridors between China, Mongolia and Russia, provided by the trilateral agreement of the leaders of these countries. The content of the research reveals the structural-logical scheme, in accordance with which the presentation of the material is given. The leading research method is cartographic modeling. A system of conventional signs, reflecting the processes and phenomena in the field of ecology of mining in the territory under consideration, has been developed. A system of indicators has been proposed, with the help of which the assessment and mapping of the environmental impact of mining in the mining areas has been carried out. The areas of economic corridors on the maps show the density and structure of disturbed land. The article presents materials and maps showing the effects of mining production on the social sphere.

The anthropogenic impact of mining industry on the environment and population is considered. Considerable attention is paid to the environmental safety of human life in terms of the toxicity of mineral raw materials mined in the areas of the “ChinaMongolia-Russia” economic corridors. The objects of study are municipal districts and aimaks, through which the Trans-Siberian Railway, the Ulan-Ude-Ulan-Bator railways to the border with China and Karymskoe-Zabaikalsk pass. The study was conducted in accordance with the model presented in the previous article in this publication. A feature of our approach to solving the tasks is the use of the cartographic method as a tool and the result of the study. According to the developed system of indicators, an assessment of the technogenic load on a person is given, an integral map of the anthropogenic impact of mining production on the environment and population is compiled. Keywordsresearch model; economic corridors; mining industry; environment; technogenic load; transboundary territories; ecological maps

We examine the enterprises of the fuel and energy complex of the Tyva Republic in which the in which the coal industry and the heat power industry play a leading role. This complex is a crucial economic sector whereas it has a serious negative impact on the environment. Coal mined on the territory of the republic is currently being used primarily for the production of thermal energy. Tyva experiences a shortage of electricity that is offset by energy from the Unified Power Grid of Siberia. A characteristic of the coal–mining enterprises and heat power generation facilities is provided. For the environmental assessment of the coal–mining enterprises we used the most significant indicators, such as the method of mining and the area of disturbed lands whereas for the heat power generation facilities we took into account the amounts of atmospheric pollutant emissions. Data on pollution of soils and earth materials, groundwater, snow and atmospheric air are given. The most significant environmental problems were revealed for the Kaa–Khem coal mine and in the zone of influence of the Kyzyl thermal power plant located in the urban area of Kyzyl. Some measures for a minimization of environmental stress are considered. The findings are displayed on the environmental map. An original cartographic language was developed for this map compilation, which is represented by the system of graphical point signs for displaying coal deposits, the impact of mining enterprises on the environment, mapping of enterprises in the heat power industry and their environmental indicators. The area map symbols show the density of violations for municipalities. The findings expand the methods of thematic mapping and can be used in governance of environmental management.

The paper considers ecological consequences of the technogenic impact of the development of mineral deposits located in the economic corridors "China - Mongolia -Russia" within Mongolia and the Baikal region including the Irkutsk region, the Republic of Buryatia and the Transbaikal region. Administrative districts along the Transsiberian railway from Ulan-Ude to Ulaanbaatar to the border with China and Karymskoe-Zabaikalsk are being examined. A model that reveals an approach and main directions of the research has been developed. The structure of the model includes blocks containing information on objects and subjects of impact, environmental transformation and its assessment. A mapping method of the ecological situation was adopted as the main one. We created an original mapping language, consisting of a system of mapping signs that reflect the various environmental aspects of mining enterprises. We proposed criteria to assess technogenic impact within the fields and administrative regions. For the local assessment of the technogenic transformation of mining areas, we have taken the type of raw materials, its toxicity, the method of extraction, and the area of disturbed lands as environmental indicators. For spatial assessment, indicators of the environmental state in municipal areas have been adopted. The results of the studies are presented on six environmental maps that provide a visual representation of the mining impact on the environment, including its integrated assessment. A detailed description of the environmental consequences of mining enterprises activity, waste products that have the strongest impact on natural complexes, living conditions, economic activity and public health is given. The problems and prospects of further research are determined.