Overview
- NMDC-CMDC confirmed on Tuesday that bulk-sample processing recovered five diamonds totaling 1.22 carats from the Baloda-Belmundi block in Saraipali, Mahasamund district.
- Two of the stones were classified as small gem-quality whitish diamonds of 0.19 carats and 0.06 carats while the other three are lower-grade stones weighing 0.32, 0.59 and 0.06 carats.
- The 200 tonnes of bulk sample were processed at NMDC’s Diamond Processing Plant in Panna and the recovered stones are held in NMDC’s secure strong room because the joint venture lacks its own custody facility.
- Officials and mining experts say the early recovery of gem-quality stones is encouraging but not proof of a mineable deposit, so expanded sampling, more drilling and resource estimation are needed before any mining decision.
- If further exploration confirms a commercial deposit, the find could reduce dependence on imported rough diamonds and attract investment and jobs to Chhattisgarh, building on nearby diamond occurrences such as Mainpur in Gariaband.