[3] The Vilyuy and its tributaries Ulakhan-Botuobuya, Chirkuo, Ulakhan-Vava, Lakharchana, Sen, Chona and Akhtaranda —with the Alymdya and Olguydakh, including the Vakunayka and the Killemtine, are the main rivers in the district.

[citation needed] He described a nest of blue clay in the area between the Vilyuy and Malaya Bituobiya Rivers, but as kimberlites had not yet been discovered there was no official attention.

[citation needed] Around the beginning on the 20th century, a number of scientists and geologists noted similarities between parts of the Central Siberian Plateau and areas in South Africa, where exploitation of primary diamond deposits had already begun.

[citation needed] In 1937, the Soviet government began to greatly increase effort to produce diamonds on its own territory, due in part to some other diamond-producing nations being unwilling to sell to the USSR.

[citation needed] An additional government decree signed by Stalin in 1946 announced further exploration for diamonds, with expeditions mounted from Irkutsk into the region of the Yenisei River.

[citation needed] Mirninsky District was established on January 12, 1965,[2] after large-scale diamond mining was started in the area and associated industries began to grow.