India’s first and only mechanised diamond mine near Panna in Madhya Pradesh has resumed production after a prolonged period of inactivity.
The mining company NMDC has obtained all the requisite approvals necessary to resume the mine's operations which commenced on March 11, The Hindu Business Line reports with a reference to its sources. Losses from the diamond mining project for the first nine months of the financial year stood at 500 million rupees ($6 million).
The first line of operation at the mine includes the overburden removal and producing small amount of diamonds from its stockpiles. In FY21, diamond production at the mine amounted to 13,681 carats. In FY22, the mine did not produce any stones but the sales from stocks amounted to 25,219 carats.
“The project will gradually reach a production of 40,000 carats per annum over the next 2-3 years, once the mine pit is sufficiently expanded, and after overburden removal,” an official cited by The Hindu said.
The Panna diamond mining project commenced production in 1971-72. It includes an ore processing plant with a heavy media separation unit, X-ray sorter for separation, and a tailings disposal system.
Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished
