IA Teleinform reports that in 2004 JSC ALROSA plans to search diamonds in Katanga area. The company has got the licence for geological works fulfilling in Irkutsk region. According to Vladimir Sklarov, the deputy head of regional resources department, states that searching works have been conducted in the region but in 2002- 2003 they nearly stopped.

As for ALROSA, it has been mining diamonds in Yakutia since 1950 and since that time Yakut resources have been exhausted.