Sourcing

Alrosa Recovers a 232-Carat Rough Diamond

SourcingOct 29, 2019

Alrosa Recovers a 232-Carat Rough Diamond

It is the largest gem-quality rough the diamond miner has found in more than three years.

20191029_Alrosa-230.jpg
This 232.4-carat rough diamond recently recovered from a mine processing facility in Udachny, Russia is Alrosa’s largest find since 2016.

Moscow—Alrosa has recovered its largest gem-quality rough diamond in more than three years.

The company announced Friday it had unearthed a rough stone weighing 232.4 carats at the Udachnaya kimberlite pipe on Oct. 19.

The octahedron has a yellowish hue and several chips, Alrosa said. It is 40 х 39 х 23 mm and was extracted at the processing facility N12 in Udachny, Russia.

The stone will go to Alrosa’s United Selling Organization for detailed study and evaluation.

The 200-carat-plus stone is largest find since Alrosa mined two diamonds weighing more than 200 carats in 2016: a 241.21-carater from the Nyurbinsky mine in June of that year, followed by a 214.65-carat rough diamond from the same location a month later.

The Udachnaya pipe also brought another big find earlier this year, a 191.46-carat stone in January.

Discovered in 1955, Udachnaya is one of the largest primary diamond deposits in Yakutia and across the world. Since the beginning of its development more than five decades ago, it has led to the recovery of hundreds of large diamonds, according to Alrosa.

Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.

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