In 2000 Russia remained the world’s 3rd largest producer of diamonds, after
Australia and Botswana. Russia accounts for 21% of global diamonds produced.
Russia's main diamond mining enterprise, Almazy Rossii-Sakha (Alrosa), which
mines over 98% of the country's diamond output in the Sakha/Yakutsk Republic,
is planning to increase production by commissioning the first stage of a mining
and beneficiation complex at the Yubeleyniy openpit and by developing the
Botuobinskaya pipe.
In 1996, Russia and De Beers reached an agreement acknowledging De Beers'
rights to buy Russian uncut diamonds for export again. De Beers had the right
to market 95% of total Russian uncut production under a previous five-year
agreement. Alrosa has signed a three-year diamond marketing deal with the CSO.
Russian production represents a total of 26% of the CSO’s total sales.
Under this new agreement Russia again can keep 5% of its uncut diamonds for its
domestic diamond cutting industry.
Russia is one of the world’s largest producers of gem quality diamonds.
Alrosa has declining production from its Udachny Operation, but production and
grades from the Jubilee mine are improving.
Alrosa Group, one of the biggest producers of diamonds in the world, plans
to mine $1.636 billion worth of the gems this year, including $1.500 billion by
the group's flagship company ZAO Alrosa.
Archangel Diamond Corporation Archangel is involved with feasibility studies
on several kimberlites in Russia.
Although India has a single producing kimberlite mine, the country is experiencing an increase in diamond exploration activities.
