National Mining Development Corporation (NMDC) has re-opened its Panna diamond mine in Madhya Pradesh, after being shut due to environmental reasons. The company plans to produce close to 1 lakh carats of diamond in 2010-11, of which, production of 35,000 carats is planned for the current financial year and around 5,000 carats by October 2009.

It has arranged for investment of Rs 20 crore for purchase of equipment and upgrading the screening plant. The Panna mines are Asia's largest mechanised diamond mines, and the only operational mines in India so far. The mine has a capacity of mining 84,000 carats of diamonds per year.