Ecological Systems and Devices Annotation << Back ESTIMATION OF POLLUTION BY HEAVY METALS OF SURFACE WATERS OF THE MINING ZONE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN G.R. Ilbulova, R.F. Khasanova, I.N. Semenova, M.B. Suyundukova, Yu.S. Rafikova, G.G. Buskunova, G.Sh. Kuzhina The surface waters of some lakes and rivers of the Bashkir Trans-Urals were studied for their content of heavy metals (copper, zinc, iron, manganese). The maximum permissible concentrations of harmful substances in fishery water were found to be exceeded for all the studied metals, and the sanitary standards were exceeded only for zinc, iron and manganese. The water of the Karagaily river was characterized by the highest concentrations of copper, zinc and manganese, and the lake Malye Uchaly – for iron. The water quality assessment based on the water pollution index showed that the water of the Karagaila river was classifi ed as dirty, the lakes Big Uchaly, Small Uchaly, Kultuban – polluted, the Big dogwood river – moderately polluted, and the Tanalyk, Kamysh-Uzyak and Small dogwood rivers-relatively clean. Keywords: Heavy metals; mining industry; surface waters; Bashkir Trans-Urals. DOI: 10.25791/esip.04.2021.1221 Pp. 24-31.