Altay Mountains or Altai Mountains, mountain range of Asia, extending from the headwaters of the Ob’ and Irtysh rivers in southern Siberia in Russia, into Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China and into Mongolia. The highest peak of the Altay range is Mount Belukha (4,620 m/15,157 ft). Below about 1,830 m (about 6,000 ft) the mountain slopes are thickly covered with trees, including cedar, pine, larch, fir, and birch. Between the forests and the snow line, which lies between about 2,400 and 3,000 m (about 8,000 and 10,000 ft), are alpine pastures. The mountains are rich in minerals, especially coal, zinc, and lead, with some gold, iron ore, copper, silver, and tin.
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