ALROSA’s management has approved a project to extend the mine life of the Udachnaya pipe in Yakutia to 2055, with annual production exceeding 4 million tonnes of kimberlite.
Investment in the project is estimated at 20 billion rubles ($240 million). The plan includes mining deep horizons down to a depth of -780 meters (1.13 km from the surface). Construction will be conducted in parallel with deepening mining operations and will last until 2040.
"Implementation of this investment project will allow us to significantly extend the mine life of the deposit, which currently produces more than 10% of Russia's diamonds," noted ALROSA CEO Pavel Marinychev.
"From 2025 to 2055, 4.1 million tonnes of ore will be mined here annually, with profits estimated at almost 6 billion rubles ($72 million) per year," he explained.
In addition to traditional and proven technologies, ALROSA intends to use innovative mining techniques to deepen the deposit, from artificial intelligence to remote control.
Previously, the Udachnaya project was planned to reach the depth of -680 m, and decommissioning was slated for 2039.
Theodor Lisovoy, Managing Editor, Rough&Polished
