Within the East Urals region, a number of districts and areas have been identified according to the conditions of distribution of karsted carbonate rocks of the Lower and Middle Carboniferous. Technogenic activation of karst process along the railroad routes, in the areas of mining, in the areas of large water intakes is noted. The great urgency of studying karst territories during their development is emphasized.
Theoretical and applied issues of the study of metasomatites in engineering geology are considered. A detailed analysis of the mineral composition of rocks associated with the development of certain associations of secondary minerals, structural and textural features and physical and mechanical properties of rocks. The results of engineering and geological studies of metasomatites of various endogenous deposits of the Urals and Central Siberia are presented. Established a natural change in the physical and mechanical properties of these rocks depending on the nature and type of metasomatic processes. Engineering petrology of metasomatites is considered as a new scientific direction of engineering geology.
In the USMA the training of specialists in the field of hydrogeology and engineering geology is carried out at the department of hydrogeology, engineering geology and geoecology according to a three-stage variant on the curriculum close to the standard one. In the process of training much attention is paid to educational and industrial practices. Geological practice after the 1st year is carried out in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg in the Pervouralsk and Kamenny districts of the Sverdlovsk region. The second academic practice takes place at the Academy of Sciences in Sukhoy Log. After completion of the 3rd year students have educational practice on the basis of USTGA in Verkhnyaya Sysert village. Work practice takes place in the 4th year, and the production in the 10th semester. Students - masters have the opportunity to take two field practices and in the 11th semester pedagogical practice.
