The article is dedicated to the theoretical-methodological questions of the influence of mineral resources on social and economic development of regions in view of positions of supporters of the economic growth theory on the base of natural resource abundance and critics of the resource curse. The differentiated approach to an estimation of influence depending on some factors is proved. The role of a mineral-raw complex in various state spheres is analyzed. The correlation between state policy in sphere of development of mineral resources and other kinds of state policy is illustrated in the article.