Русский
Russia’s AGD Diamonds has recovered a rare, high-quality diamond weighing 228.62 carats at the Grib deposit in the Arkhangelsk Region. AGD Diamonds said that its specialists have classified the crystal as a type II diamond with minimal nitrogen content. This type of stone is extremely rare and accounts for a small percentage of natural diamonds at less than 1%. Nitrogen is the most common impurity in diamond and affects color, typically causing yellow or brown tints. A low-nitrogen diamond will be especially bright.
The Grib diamond is the first large crystal over 50 carats to have been recovered this year.
AGD’s CEO Mikhail Bakov has said that “After conducting a preliminary classification, AGD Diamonds has been searching for primary diamond deposits in the Arkhangelsk Region in order to replenish the region’s mineral resource base.”
AGD mines diamonds at the Grib deposit in the Mezensky District of the Arkhangelsk Region. The Arkhangelsk Region’s Natural Resources and Forestry Ministry said that diamond production in the Arkhangelsk Region was estimated at 8.2 million carats in 2024. Data have not been published to date for 2025. The average price for diamonds in Russia last year was about US$86 per carat; however, a gem of this size and clarity will be worth considerably more.
Russia is the world’s top diamond-producing country by volume, producing over 37 million carats in 2024, followed closely by Botswana, Angola, Canada, and the DR Congo. These nations dominate global production, with Botswana leading in high-value, gem-quality diamond production.
