Alrosa starts deep-level drilling at mine that flooded in 2017
Russian diamond major Alrosa has announced that it has started test drilling at the Mir kimberlite pipe, which was partly flooded in 2017, leading to the death of eight workers.
The test drilling forms part of its strategic investment plan to study the feasibility of resuming production at the mine. The earliest that the Mir underground mine could reopen will be in 2030, the company has pointed out.
Experts from Alrosa’s Vilyui Exploration Expedition will start studies at 1 200 m to 1 600 m below the surface. This, the company explains, will help to define more precisely the pipe’s dimensions, its position, diamond quality and grades, as well as geological conditions and hydrogeology of the deposit.
Total exploration costs are estimated at 2-billion ruble.