The area of the district is 1,751.76 square kilometers (676.36 sq mi).

[3] Plastovsky District is located in the center of Chelyabinsk Oblast, in the transition zone between the forest-steppe of the Ural Mountains, 50 km to the west, and the steppe to the east.

There is a large pine forest reserve (Sanarsky Zakaznick) in the south of the district.

Gold-bearing sands and veins of the area were first worked in 1845, with the opening of the Kochkarskoye gold fields.

Gold has been the main industry of Plast throughout the history of the district, with other mineral businesses based on silver, kyanite, kaolin, and granite building stone.