Alrosa announced recovering a 207.29-carat rough diamond from the Zarnitsa pipe at Udachny Mining and Processing Division. This is the largest diamond in the history of Zarnitsa. The gem-quality extracted rough diamond measures 38.0 х 37.0 х 18.0 mm and represents a transparent transitional crystal form with a slightly grooved surface.

“The modern mining and processing technologies ensure high degree of diamond preservation,” – noted Gleb Shmarov, Chief Geologist of Udachny Mining and Processing Division.

Udachny Mining and Processing Division is one of ALROSA’s major subdivisions engaged in the development of the Udachny underground mine named after Fedor Andreev, Zarnitsa pipe, and Piropovy Ruchey alluvial deposit. The Division started the development of Verkhne-Munskoe deposit. In Q1 2016, Udachny Mining and Processing Division mined 1.09 million carats.

Open-pit mining at Zarnitsa started in 1999. Identified reserves of the deposit under JORC as of 01.01.2015 amounted to 7.49 million carats. In Q1 this year, as part of increase in the open-pit mine capacity, diamond output exceeded 2.3 times the volume of diamonds extracted during the same period in 2015.

The 207.29-carat rough diamond has not been named so far.