ALROSA will name a large gem-quality rough diamond after Russia's "Sputnik V" COVID-19 vaccine, the world's first registered vaccine based on the well-studied human adenoviral vector-based platform.
A 100.53-carat rough diamond has dimensions 27.15 x 28.81 x 29.56 mm and flattened octahedron shape. A light yellow diamond was mined fr om Yakutia's alluvial deposits.
"Rough diamonds of this size and color are true natural wonders. Therefore, we decided to name this outstanding crystal after the first Russian coronavirus vaccine, which is also a miracle created by our scientists. The vaccine itself and the fact that it was developed so fast are both exceptional. This gives us hope getting back to life as usual in the foreseeable future," Sergey Ivanov, CEO of ALROSA, commented.
The Gam-COVID-Vac combined vector vaccine developed by the N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology with support from the Russian Direct Investment Fund was registered by the Russian Ministry of Health in August 2020. The vaccine was named "Sputnik V" after the first Soviet space satellite, which gave a new impetus to the global space research
The alluvial deposits in northwest Yakutia, wh ere ALROSA's subsidiary Almazy Anabara operates, are traditionally the leaders in mining of natural colored diamonds, including those with exceptionally rare hues.
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