Alrosa Q1 Diamond Output -6% Y-o-Y To 7.5 million carats

Alrosa, the biggest diamond producer, said Q1 2021 diamond production grew to 7.5 million carats (up 6% quarter-on-quarter and down 6% year-on-year), driven by increased ore and gravel processing.

Diamond sales totalled 15.5 million carats (down 9% quarter-on-quarter and up 65% year-on-year), including 9.7 million carats of gem-quality and 5.8 million carats of industrial-quality diamonds.

The diamond grade decreased 9% quarter-on-quarter (down 3% year-on-year) to 1.31 cpt primarily due to a larger share of ore processed from lower grade deposits such as the Jubilee pipe and V. Munskoye deposit.

Alrosa’s diamond inventories at the end of Q1 decreased to 12.8 million carats from 20.7 million carats in Q4 2020.

The average realised prices for gem-quality diamonds grew to $113/carat, up 25% quarter-on-quarter (down 8% year-on-year) on the back of a higher price index and a better sales mix.

“Diamond jewellery demand remains sustainably high at all the key markets. Supply of rough diamonds is (constrained) by production capacities of the mining companies, and global production in the mid-term is expected to remain ~20% below its pre-Covid levels. Mid-stream stocks of rough and polished remain balanced,” the company said.

“India’s cutting and polishing industry increased diamond production in early 2021 in response to stronger demand from the retail sector following robust holiday sales of jewellery on the largest consumption markets. Polished diamond prices recovered and exceeded their pre-Covid-19 levels by early 2021, remaining relatively stable throughout Q1,” it added.

“Demand for rough diamonds remains sustainably strong as cutters and polishers took steps to maintain adequate stocks during the downturn of 2020 and demand from end consumers of diamond jewellery continued growing at a robust rate, especially in the US and China,” Alrosa noted.

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