Mirny Integrated Mining and Processing Complex (Mirny GOK)

The Mir diamond pipe is located on the left-hand bank of the Irelyakh River (right-hand tributary of the Vilyui River) in the direct vicinity of the city of Mirny. During the initial phase of the Mir pipe exploration it was explored down to a depth of 600m. Later it was explored to a depth of 1,235m and the diamond reserves were appraised to the same depth. Since 1958 the Mir diamond deposit had been exploited by open pit mining. According to the original mine design the final depth of the pit should be 240m, but then the design depth of the mine was increased first up to 300m and later in 1972 to 455m.

The International kimberlite pipe is a subvertical oval orebody. The depth of the proven reserves is 1,220m. The upper part of the kimberlite pipe has been already extracted to a depth of 284m. The pipe cross-section area does not vary to any significant extent with the depth. The deposit is located in a massive permafrost zone about 300m to 400m thick.

Udachny Integrated Mining and Processing Complex (Udachny GOK)

The Udachnaya kimberlite pipe was discovered in 1955 as a result of prospecting of the Daldyn River valley. Its preliminary exploration down to a depth of 400m was completed in 1960. In the course of second-stage exploration (conducted up to 1972) the deposit was explored in detail down to a depth of 800m. At present, the exploration of the western and eastern orebodies has been carried out to a depth of 1,400m and mining is in progress at a depth of 430m. The Udachny ore deposit is located in the northwest of Yakutia about 12km from the Polar Circle in the permafrost zone.

The climate is harsh, extreme continental: winter lasts for up to 8 months, the lowest winter temperature is -65C; summer is short with air temperatures as high as +35C. The average annual temperature is -14C.

The diamond ore deposit consists of two vertically dipping conjugated orebodies of oval shape diverging from each other at a depth of 300m. The geological setting of the Udachny pipe and the severe climatic conditions create uniquely complex conditions for open-pit mining operations.

Aikhal Integrated Mining and Processing Complex (Aikhal GOK)

The Aikhal Mining and Processing Complex was established in 1986 originally with the purpose to operate the Sytykan open-pit mine and with a plan to increase the ore production in the future by commissioning the Jubilee open-pit mine. Currently, the Aikhal GOK operates three open-pit mines: Sytykan, Aikhal and Jubilee, No.8 Ore Treatment Plant, transportation department and auxiliary facilities to support the mining operations, as well as a number of social facilities.

The Aikhal diamond deposit was discovered on January 22, 1960. The Aikhal pipe is located in the northwestern part of Yakutia, about 450km to the north of the city of Mirny, within a permafrost zone. The deposit is located within the left-hand valley slope of the Sokhsolookh-Markhinsky Creek and is an explosion-type pipe extending in the northeastern direction.The Aikhal open-pit mine is located at a steep left-hand slope of the Sakhsolookh River and constitutes a typical mountain-slope pit.

The Sytykan kimberlite pipe was discovered in August 1955. It is located at the head of the Sytykan creek, about 27km to the northeast of the town of Aikhal. The deposit consists of two independent kimberlite bodies, but only the northeastern orebody has commercial significance. The diamond reserves in the Sytykan diamond pipe have been proven down to a depth of 350.0m.

The Jubilee diamond deposit was discovered in 1975. It is located at a distance of 15km northwest of the town of Aikhal. Commercial ores are represented by kimberlite with a density of 2.31 t/m3. The Jubilee kimberlite pipe comprises three orebodies - western, central and eastern - composed of different types of ore with specific texture and structural properties, mineral composition and diamond contents. The eastern and western orebodies have a dyke shape. The Jubilee pipe is also located within a permafrost zone. Since there is thawed ground under the lakes, a mine water removal system has been installed in the mine. The diamond reserves in the Jubilee pipe were explored in two stages: down to a depth of 500.0m and 1,100.0m, respectively.

Anabar Integrated Mining and Processing Complex (Anabar GOK)

The Anabar GOK is ALROSA's northernmost production facility. The construction started here in the early 1980s and lasted for almost a decade due to severe climatic conditions: finally the village of Ebelyakh was built and temporary mining and processing installations were put together. The foundation of the future processing plant was laid 20 kilometers from Ebelyakh in the late 1980s. The new diamond production facility started its operations on July 16, 1997. Factory No13 used processes adapted to placer development and operated only during the short northern summer. Development of northern placers is quite profitable despite all the difficulties. The second phase of the factory was launched in 1998 and the placer was re-organized into the Anabar GOK in 1999.

Nyurba Integrated Mining and Processing Complex (Nyurba GOK)

No.16 Processing Factory

a diamonds of Nyurba GOK