MOSCOW, February 27 (RIA Novosti) - Auctions on Russia's large strategic deposits, such as the Sukhoi Log gold ore deposit, will be held following the passage of a new mineral resources law, the head of mineral resource agency said Monday.

Anatoly Ledovskikh, the head of Federal Agency for the Management of Mineral Resources, said at a briefing: "We are awaiting the new law. We would like these deposits to operate as effectively as possible."

Ledovskikh said the big deposits, including the Udokan copper deposit and the Trebs and Titov oil deposits, comprised the country's strategic reserves and that their sale should not be rushed.

According to the current law on mineral resources, the agency cannot hold auctions on shelves on Russian territory, he said.

Ledovskikh said some 53 auctions for oil and gas deposits in East Siberia would be held in 2006 but noted they would be designated for licenses for geological prospecting with further development.

Sergei Mironov, the speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament, earlier said that the new law was likely to be adopted in spring 2006.