New Year’s surprise from nature: Russia’s diamond titan unearths massive 190-carat gem
A huge 190.77-carat diamond was discovered in Russia’s Siberian republic of Yakutia several days before New Year’s, the world's leading diamond producer, ALROSA, announced.
The high-quality precious stone was mined at the ALROSA-operated Botuobinskaya kimberlite pipe in the remote Yakutia (Sakha Republic) in the early hours of December 25. The gem could have lain undisturbed for around 2 billion years, according to preliminary data, but further examination is set to determine the exact age.
The discovery of the diamond just before New Year’s is a “real gift,” the deputy CEO of ALROSA, Evgeny Agureev, said. He added that nature has been very generous this year, with remarkable “surprises” such as a heart-shaped diamond which was also unearthed by the company right before Valentine’s Day.
The massive gem is now set to be sent to the United Selling Organization at ALROSA for further examination and preliminary valuation.
Earlier this year, the Russian diamond major, which is the world’s largest diamond miner by volume, discovered the unusual ‘Matryoshka diamond’, which has one gem moving freely inside a larger crystal, resembling the traditional Russian doll. It is thought to be first of its kind in the history of global diamond mining.
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