Natural resource potential of the region: state and assessment

The purpose of the study is to analyze the state and assess the natural resource potential of the raw material regions of Russia. Relevance. The natural resource potential remains the basis for the industrial development of not only raw materials territories, but also the country as a whole, which is due to huge reserves, high efficiency in the development of non-renewable natural resources, and the needs of the Russian and world markets. The article analyzes their condition, notes their role in the country’s economy and substantiates methodological approaches to the valuation of mining operations. The research methodology consists in summarizing and analyzing information related to the valuation of mining in resource areas. Particular attention is paid to the oil and gas potential of the Ural North. In preparing the article, the following methods were used: statistical, retrospective, comparative and cluster analysis, comparison, grouping, analogy. The information base of this study is the data of federal, regional and municipal statistics. Results. In the course of the study, a characteristic of the natural resource potential was given, and the grouping and ranking of raw material regions in terms of the volume of mining was carried out. The dependence of estimated indicators on the raw specialization of the region is revealed. The special role of oil and gas resources in the country’s economy was emphasized. Methodological approaches to the assessment of the natural resource potential from the point of view of its actual use in the economic activity of the raw material subjects of the federation and municipalities are proposed. Conclusions. Methodological approaches to assessing the natural resource potential of the country’s raw material regions are proposed. Forms of open regional and municipal statistics concerning the production of the gross regional product, the production account by type of economic activity and the volume of mineral extraction were used as indicators of the assessment toolkit.