Mining giant Alrosa announced that the Russia-based Mir underground mine has achieved its full projected capacity, and is expected to produce diamonds worth $400 million annually, Rough & Polished reports.
In late December, Mir produced 1 million tons of diamond ore, which means that its mine life can now be extended by almost 50 years.
Mir is located in Eastern Siberia, Russia and is the second largest excavated hole in the world, surpassed only by the Bingham Copper Mine in Utah. The first diamonds from the underground mine were produced in 2009. Today, the Mir mine has five underground aquifers and employs 800 people.
