| Abstract: | The locational pattern of primary processing industries in the USSR is analyzed in terms of their relationship to the distribution of resource bases of different magnitude and to level of development of extractive industry. Some industry groups, such as coal-based power generation, iron and steel, coke chemicals, sawmilling, tend to gravitate toward regions with large resource bases. Other groups of primary processing, such as glass, ceramics, woodworking, tend to be localized in areas with small resource bases or no local resource base whatever. However, some industry groups that tend to be pulled toward large resource bases (nonferrous metallurgy, oil refining) are also located in part at some distance from raw-material sources under the impact of various economic factors. Conversely, other industry groups that are generally less dependent on local resource bases (woodworking, basic chemicals) also tend to gravitate toward large resource bases that have achieved a high level of extractive industry. |
