Alrosa turns diamond mining waste into a titanium goldmine in Yakutia

Alrosa is exploring ways to extract titanium as a byproduct from diamond mining waste in Western Yakutia. The company’s Vilyui Geological Exploration Expedition (VGEE) has developed a project to recover titanium from old tailings at the Udachny pipe. If successful, the process could turn decades of mining leftovers into a valuable resource. Titanium was first identified in the region’s kimberlite pipes during the 1960s, mostly in the form of picroilmenite. The Udachny ore contains an average of 0.8 kilograms of titanium per ton of rock. Over years of diamond extraction, large volumes of titanium-bearing material have accumulated as waste at the Udachny processing plant.

VGEE has now designed a geological exploration plan for the Udachny pipe, which recently received approval from Rosgeoexpertiza. Specialists are currently refining samples to produce a titanium concentrate with over 50% titanium content, suitable for industrial smelting. Alrosa’s Plant No. 12 at the Udachny Mining and Processing Division could process up to 6,000 tons of titanium concentrate annually using existing equipment. If the trials prove successful, the plant will add new stages to its operations to extract titanium concentrate as a secondary product. The company is also assessing the potential to supply this material to Russia’s non-ferrous metallurgy industry, provided the process remains cost-effective.

The project aims to transform mining waste into a marketable titanium product. With approved exploration plans and ongoing sample refinement, Alrosa could soon introduce a new revenue stream from its diamond operations. The initiative may also reduce waste while supporting domestic metal production.