The paper considers economy of raw materials as a specific type of operation and development of national economy. The author provides definitions of basic concepts: mineral complex, mineral resource wealth, national mineral wealth, mineral resource potential, mining rent. Basic peculiarities of the primary sector of economy are stated based on the analysis of the role of subsoil use in the economy of Russia and other countries. The authors offer a structure and a multisectoral scheme of functioning of the Russian economy, and prove territorial aspects of balanced development of the primary sector of economy.