Alrosa to mine associated gold at Mirny-Nyurba MPD

YAKUTSK. Aug 15 (Interfax) - Alrosa plans to mine associated gold at its Mirny-Nyurba Mining and Processing Division, the Russian diamond miner reported.

"The Mirny-Nyurba MPD plans to mine gold along with diamonds. They will extract it from diamond-bearing alluvial deposits in the Irelyakh River," the company said.

Vilyuiskaya Expedition geologists are doing exploration work and they have already booked 43 kg of precious metal. The first gold find at Mirny was made three years ago.

The company is waiting for a protocol from the Federal Mineral Resources Agency (Rosnedra) to confirm the existence of reserves and make license changes for associated gold mining by the Mirny-Nyurba MPD. Diamond mining will remain its main activity, Alrosa added.

"By decision of Alrosa management, inclined sluices were launched at sections KSA-1 and KSA-2. The setup looks like a big box with several sections. Inside are mats with coating through which they run tailings, which contain gold. The obtained products of geological exploration work will be analysed," the press release said.

The Nyurba and Mirny mining and processing divisions were officially merged as of August 1, 2021.

The Nyurba MPD was put into operation in 2000 to develop the Nakynskoye field and the Nyurba and Botoubinskaya diamond pipes. In 2020, it was Alrosa's largest mining division, producing 8.3 million carats or 27.6% of the group's total output.

Mirny MPD, established in 1957, mines diamonds at the Mir (mothballed) and International kimberlite pipes and the Irelyakh and Vodorazdelnye Galechniki placers.