THE WORLD ’ S LARGEST DIAMOND MINE
construction at Udachny to transition it underground . The first start-up complex of the mine was commissioned in 2012 and the commercial production commenced in June 2014 .
“ The commissioned start-up complex includes a nine meter diameter skip shaft to remove ore and rock and an eight meter diameter ventilation shaft , the largest in Russia today ,” says Kozenko .
“ Above-zero temperatures are permanently maintained in all the workings by heater installations to ensure comfortable working conditions and prevent possible freezing of the systems .”
The underground portion of the Udachny mine is expected to become Russia ’ s biggest underground diamond mine when it reaches full capacity in 2019 .
“ An ambitious program for the
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