BHP Billiton announced a 13 percent increase in diamond production amounting to 1.54 million carats in the first fiscal half ending December 31, 2009. The increase is attributable to a 28 percent hike in rough diamond production at the company’s Ekati mine in Canada in the second fiscal quarter, producing 760,000 carats reports say.

The company also attributes increase in production to the rise in ore processed and the full ramp-up of the Koala underground mine (at Ekati), containing higher value carats. Production was also increased by the variety of ore sources from the open pit and underground mining.

In the second quarter, the company noted a price recovery across its commodity suite, influenced by the global stock replenishment and a favourable increase in demand from China.