Alrosa Evaluates Gold Extraction Opportunities at Its Mirny Diamond Operations

Alrosa is assessing the potential to extract associated gold from its diamond mining activities at the Myrinsko-Nyurbinsky Mining and Processing Plant (MNGOK) in Mirny. The company’s Vilyui geological exploration team has received a positive review from Rosgeoexpertiza for its proposed gold exploration project in the area.

The initiative focuses on studying the feasibility and efficiency of recovering gold from diamond-bearing ores processed at Enrichment Plant No. 3. Previously, confirmed reserves of around 433 kilograms of gold were identified at the Gornoye and Irelyakh alluvial deposits, both part of MNGOK. Currently, some gold recovery already occurs in parallel with diamond washing at sorting plants across the Mirny district.

Geologists and mining engineers are collaborating to determine whether integrating gold recovery into existing diamond processing operations would be economically beneficial.

“If proven efficient, gold extraction could become a regular part of our enrichment plant’s production process,” said Roman Zhelonkin, Chief Geologist at Alrosa.