This paper is the result of geological survey engineering.

Objective Russia is rich in mineral resources and occupies an important position in the global mining market. Under the new situation, understanding the geological background, genetic types and geological characteristics of mineral deposits in Russia is of great significance for improving the level of regional basic geological research and promoting the international mining cooperation between China and Russia.

Methods This paper summarized the geological background of Russia, and sorted out the spatial distribution, resource endowments, genetic types, and geological characteristics of principal metal mineral resources.

Results The study area has experienced multi-stage activation due to the cracking and splicing of the ancient continental lithosphere, which has laid a material foundation for the formation of ore deposits. The principal minerals include platinum group, rare metals, titanium, gold, iron, tungsten, zinc, silver, lead, copper, nickel, tin, zirconium, molybdenum, etc. Platinum group reserves account for 37% of the world.

Conclusions The formation of Russian minerals is unique in time and space. During the Archean–PaleoProterozoic period, BIFs deposit, sulfide−type Cu−Ni−PGE deposit and sandstone type copper deposit were formed. In the Middle Proterozoic, magmatic chromite and ilmenite were formed, and a large number of skarn−type deposits, pegmatite deposits, hydrothermal deposits and Sedex deposits were formed. From the Paleozoic to the Early Mesozoic, magmatic type Fe−Ti−V deposit, sedex Cu−Zn−Au deposit, skarn type Fe, Cu, W polymetallic deposit, hydrothermal vein type Au deposit, sulfide type Cu−Ni−PGE deposit were formed. During the Mesozoic metallogenic period, gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, tungsten and tin mineralization of hydrothermal vein and porphyry/skarn types were mainly formed.