Minews - Alrosa unearths 78.02-carat diamond from its Mir mine

(Minews) - Russia-owned diamond miner Alrosa has unveiled a 78.02 ct. diamond from its Mir underground mine, estimated to be worth more than $600,000 if put on auction.

The stone, measuring 28.5 х 28.4 х 24.2 mm, has a regular shape with minor technogenic damages on two tops and small inclusions, experts from the company’s Diamond Sorting Center said in an e-mailed statement.

The world's No.1 diamond company by output described the diamond colour as “transparent with yellowish and greenish hue.”

Mir Mine, also called Mirny, is Alrosa’s oldest mining and processing division. It used to be an open pit mine, but in 2009 operations expanded underground.

Aside from this mine, Alrosa also operates the International and Aikhal underground mines, with the designed capacity of 500 thousand tons of ore per year, and the Mir underground mine, which can reach 1 million tons of ore per year at full-tilt.

Currently the miner’s main processing facilities are in Western Yakutia and the Arkhangelsk region, as well as in Africa —in Angola and Botswana.