ALROSA to Launch Udachny Underground Mine in July

AK ALROSA mulls commissioning of underground mine at Udachny diamond pipe in Republic Yakutia which will become the fourth underground operation of the diamond miner and the largest mine in Russia, according to a statement by Alexander Makhrachev, CEO of Udachny mining and concentration complex, cited by PRIME.
Udachny diamond pipe has been successfully developed as an open-pit mine since 1971. However in 2016 open-pit mining will be stopped and the field will be operated as an underground mine. By 2019 the mine is expected to reach its full production capacity of 4 million tonnes of kimberlite ore per year.
"In the second half of 2014 we will proceed with concurrent mining with the primary focus to be put on preparing the ore body for mining. Production volumes will gradually increase since 2015, and by 2016 we will reach a volume of 2.4-3 million tones, to gain projected capacity of 4 million tonnes by 2019,"- said Makhrachev.
Udachny mine also includes a second pipe – Zarnitsa – located 22 km from the plant. Zarnitsa was opened in 1954, but its development only started in 1999. "We are developing the pipe at a slow pace, as the diamond grade there is 10 times lower than at Udachny pipe. Now we are engaged in cost reduction, finding cheaper methods of ore shipping to the beneficiation plant at Udachny complex,"- said Mahrachev.