Alrosa has recovered its largest gem quality diamond in a decade, a 390.70 carat irregularly shaped stone with a yellow-brown halo.
The Russian miner says the gem was found during night washing of diamondiferous sands at the alluvial Mayat mine, on the Anabar River, in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
“Experts have yet to study in detail and evaluate the potential of the mined diamond and its characteristics, said Alrosa’s general director Pavel Marinychev.
“But without a doubt, this is a record holder both for our company and for the country’s diamond industry.”
Alrosa describes the stone in a post on its Telegram channel on Sunday (9 September) as “a light crystal of a non-standard shape, bordered by a yellow-brown halo – a combination of mass, shape and color that is unique today.”
It was recovered by Almazy Anabara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alrosa, which specializes in alluvial diamond mining in the Anabar ulus (far north-west of Yakutia).
A large, colorless, classic octahedron-shaped diamond weighing 37.70 carats was found at the same time. Both stones are currently being assessed by experts.
“The discovery of one of the largest diamonds in the history of Russia is undoubtedly an unprecedented event and a great finale to the 2023 flushing season,” said Marinychev.
“Specialists have yet to study and assess in detail the potential of the mined diamond and its characteristics, but without a doubt, this is a record holder both for our company and for the country’s diamond industry.”
The diamond is the largest gem-quality recovery since a stone weighing 401 carats was found in 2013.
In 2016 Alrosa recovered a 241.21-carat rough diamond at its Nyurbinsky open-pit mine, in Nakyn.
The Type IIa stone was cut into the 100.94-carat Alrosa Spectacle (D / IF) which sold at Christie’s Geneva in May 2021 for $14.1m.
Below are some diamonds originating from the Anabar mine, from to a sawables/ round-makeables parcel. Colors are ranging from light-brown, brown, cape and up to collection white. Models are rounded, and in general reminding the Bangui and Brazilian goods.
