Sayan Mountains

Mountain chain in eastern Siberian Russia, on the Mongolian border, comprising two ranges, the West Sayan and East Sayan. The eastern range contains the highest peak, Munku Sardik (3,489 m/11,451 ft). The mountains have coal, gold, silver, graphite, and lead resources. The Yenisey River rises here.

The Sayan Mountains lie in the territory of the Buryatskaya and Tuvinskaya republics of the Russian federation. Geologically, the West Sayan is the result of Caledonian folding, while the East Sayan arose from Caledonian and pre-Cambrian folding. Both ranges run northwest to southeast, and are separated by the Minusinsk Basin. The present relief results from late Tertiary and early Quaternary uplifting, strong dissection, and glaciation. The climate is harshly continental, and the vegetation mostly coniferous forest (up to 1,700-1,800 m) or mountain tundra.