Massive diamond deposits found in Bashkiria

Diamond-bearing rock with a potential of 1.5 to three billion carats (one carat equals 0.2 grammes) has been found in Bashkiria in the east of European Russia. Geologists say the deposit is very much like the well-known diamond pipe Argail in western Australia. Reserves of diamonds in diamond-rich Australia come up to 0.5 billion carats.

Gennadi Kuznetsov, chief geologist at the Bashkir mining and geological survey company Minas-Iraklion, has told RIA Novosti that diamond-bearing rock lies here on a vast area in the Beloretsk district in the east of Bashkiria. Prospecting work has been under way since 2000. As a result, a multitude of pipe-type bodies formed by potential diamond-bearing rock has been revealed. In the end of last year, evaluation work on one of the pipes proved the rock's diamond-bearing character.

Survey is planned to begin very soon.

Is the estimate of scientists from the Geology Institute of the Bashkir Academy of Sciences, the revealed diamond-bearing bodies are geologically similar to the diamond deposit in the adjacent Perm region, where commercial production of diamonds has been under way for over half a century.

The new deposit lies close to a highway, power transmission lines, other industrial service lines. Bashkir specialists believe that its development will cost much less than in the north of the Perm region, more so in Yakutia, Russia's largest trove of diamonds today.