BHP Billiton announced a 13 percent increase in diamond production amounting to 1.54 million carats in the first fiscal half ending December 31, 2009. The increase is attributable to a 28 percent hike in rough diamond production at the company’s Ekati mine in Canada in the second fiscal quarter, producing 760,000 carats reports say. %% The company also attributes increase in production to the rise in ore processed and the full ramp-up of the Koala underground mine (at Ekati), containing higher value carats. Production was also increased by the variety of ore sources from the open pit and underground mining. %% In the second quarter, the company noted a price recovery across its commodity suite, influenced by the global stock replenishment and a favourable increase in demand from China.