Russia’s Alrosa, the world’s largest producer of rough diamonds, has recommended a record half-year dividend payment of 70.3 billion roubles ($938 million) representing 80% of its free cash flow (FCF), the state-controlled company said on Wednesday.

The company, which competes with Anglo American unit De Beers, is generous with payments to shareholders after almost zero sales around the same time a year ago when it was considering seeking state help to weather the first outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.