The Impact of Mining Clusters on Spatial Development of Territories

Abstract

Mining clusters, which are large industrial formations, specialized in functional characteristics and located in a relatively small area, have a complex effect on the spatial development of the territories of their presence for a long time. The impact of mining clusters of ferrous metallurgy on the spatial development of territories where they are located has been considered in the paper. The authors have revealed several key interrelated aspects of the influence of mining clusters of ferrous metallurgy on the spatial development of territories: production and economic, financial, social, environmental and integration ones. The highlighted aspects of the impact on the spatial development of territories have been considered on the example of the Kursk-Belgorod mining cluster, formed at the richest iron ore deposits of the Kursk-Belgorod magnetic anomaly. The mining cluster is based on a complex of enterprises specializing in the extraction of iron ore. The Kursk-Belgorod mining cluster has been operating for many decades. Practically all aspects of production and infrastructure projects, social development, technological development, budget replenishment, and the environmental situation depend on the activities of cluster enterprises. There are two pretty big monocities on the cluster's territory, the livelihoods of which are completely dependent on the cluster's enterprises.