Russian diamond producer Alrosa has revealed that in the first six months of 2021, 474 units of new machinery and equipment were delivered to its main industrial sites as part of a technical upgrade programme.

The aim of the technical upgrade programme is to maintain and develop production at Alrosa's industrial sites. The sites that received the equipment are open-pit mines, underground mines and processing plants, including the company's Mirny, Udachny, Nyurba, and Aikhal mining and processing divisions, along with Severalmaz and Almazy Anabara.

The machinery and equipment include X-ray luminescence separators, magnetic and foam separators, skips, drill rigs, mining equipment, excavators and bulldozers. The company's Udachny division in eastern Russia received the largest delivery, receiving 129 units including four X-ray luminescent separators.

Alrosa stated that the procurement of new equipment will help it to replace worn out equipment and boost mining operations at the Jubilee and Zarnitsa open pits and the Verkhne-Munskoye deposit. It will also help to modernise processes at its refining facilities and deliver automation and digitalisation projects.

Alrosa Group's projected capital expenditure in 2021 is 21 billion rubles (US$293.6 million), which is a year-on-year increase of 4 billion rubles.