The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has unearthed a precious 37.68 carat diamond, the biggest so far, from its Madhya Pradesh-based Panna mines.
"So far this 37.68 carat is the biggest ever diamond we have recovered from the Panna's Majjhgavan mines," NMDC Assistant General Manager (AGM) Rajeev Wadhwa told PTI.
NMDC'S Mumbai-based valuers who are expected to arrive in Panna sometime next month will assess the precious gem, he said.
However, experts have valued this latest gem somewhere between Rs 2.5-5 crore (Rs 25-50 million). Earlier, in June 2010, a 34.37 carat diamond was unearthed from Panna mines.
NMDC began its mining operations in Panna diamond mines in 1968 and since then it has unearthed large number of diamonds from its belly.
The mining operations were stopped from 2005-2009 for want of forest clearance as the mine is situated close to the Panna National Park which is also a tiger habitat.
