Alrosa said an increase in stripping operations at its Jubilee pipe and an optimisation underway of the mining fleet at Severalmaz were behind a fall in ore and gravels output of 8% to 8.0 mt compared to the previous quarter.

Diamonds output in the quarter was also down 8%, but this was mainly due to a seasonal increase in the processing of low-grade gravels.

Ore and gravels processing grew by 26% to 7.3 mt driven by a seasonal growth in the processing of gravels from alluvial deposits and an increase in ore processing at Severalmaz.

Q2 diamond grade was seasonally down 27% qoq (+24% yoy) to 0.96 cpt on the back of increased production at alluvials

Alrosa restated its Lomonosov mining and processing division, Severalmaz, on  March 1, a month earlier than previously planned. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Severalmaz had switched to seasonal operations.