By Alex MacDonald

LONDON--U.K.-listed diamond explorer Karelian Diamond Resources PLC (KDR.LN) said Wednesday that its net loss during the first half of its financial year widened but noted that it will continue to move forward with its diamond interests in Finland after extending a partnership agreement with Rio Tinto PLC (RIO).

The Anglo Australian miner has an option to earn a 51% interest in any project identified by Karelian in Finland by paying the direct cash expenditures incurred in developing the project, subject to certain conditions.

The company reported a net loss of 121 million euros ($137 million) during the six months ended Dec. 31 compared with EUR97 million in the same period a year earlier.

Karelian's shares were down 2.6% at 0.9 pence a share as of 0809 GMT, resulting in a market capitalization of GBP2.7 million ($4.2 million).

Write to Alex MacDonald at alex.macdonald@wsj.com

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