Diamond mining at the new Zarya Pipe deposit in in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) are likely to begin next year, ALROSA said in a statement released last week, reporting that the open pit mine has already reached a depth of 100 metres with over 10 million cubic metres of overburden having been removed.

The open pit mine is expected to reach its design capacity of 1,250 million tons of ore annually in 2021.

Work on the Zarya deposit, which is estimated to have a diamond resource of 3.5 million carats worth over US$ 1 billion, is being carried out by the Aikhal Mining and Processing Division, the statement noted. Development of this new pipe will replace the diminishing reserves of the Komsomolskaya pipe, where mining operations are nearing completion.

Timofey Baishev, Deputy Head of production of Komsomolsky open pit mine said, “The kimberlite ore lies beneath 20 meters of overburden. The field infrastructure is developed at the same time. This year, drainage ditch construction, installation and adjustment of the pumping unit will be completed. The open pit mine construction is planned to be completed in 2019.”

As per the present plan, the field will be developed to a depth of 300 meters with the extraction of 12 million tons of ore, with open pit mining of reserves expected to be completed by 2030. The average diamond content is estimated at 0.28 carats per ton of ore.

Total investment in the mine will be about RUB 12 billion, while about 130 people will be involved in the open pit mine operations.