Interfax reports that Russia will declassify the data about diamonds, platinum and platinoids resources, mining and consumption volumes. This will happen in the middle of February 2004. The appropriate law was signed by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin on November 17, 2003 and published on November 18.

As it has already been informed, this federal law does not provide declassification of data about platinum, platinoids and natural diamonds kept at the State Fund and theCentral Bank. The principal initiator of the amendments is MMC Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest platinoids producer. According to the company and market experts, removing the data about platinoids from the list of the State Secret objects will allow Norilsk Nickel to become more transparent an вещ increase the company’s capitalisation.

The representatives of ALROSA Company have announced as well that excessive secrecy influence negatively the development of the diamond mining company and spoils its relations with foreign partners.