Russia Releases Hold on Potentially Diamond-Rich Plot

The federal government of Russia has instructed its agency in charge of subsoil activity to hold a public tender for the rights to explore and mine an area in the Perm Territory, Rough and Polished reports. Alluvial diamond deposits are believed to be located in the area, which includes the Silurijskiy plot and the northern Rassolninskaya depression deposit.

At the start of 2011, it was estimated that the three sections of the first plot contained 152,000 carats, 691,000 carats and 228,000 carats of rough diamonds, for a total of 1,071,000 carats. At the start of 2012, the second plot was estimated to contain 7,800 carats of rough gems, though it is thought to contain an extra 2,100 carats as well. Starting bit for the rights to the concession will start off at the equivalent of $378,100.

The Perm Territory is current being mined for rough stones by Lev Leviev's diamond company CJSC Ulralalmaz, according to Rough and Polished.

http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/News.aspx?boneID=918&objID=13212