Gaborone, Botswana â Botswana has announced the discovery of a massive 2,492-carat diamond, one of the largest ever found, at one of its mines. The gem will be unveiled to the public on Thursday.
The Botswana government believes this remarkable stone is the second-largest diamond ever unearthed from a mine. Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp. revealed in a statement on Wednesday that the "exceptional" rough diamond was recovered from its Karowe Mine in Botswana. Lucara described the diamond as "high-quality" and confirmed it was found intact, thanks to the use of X-ray technology.
âWe are absolutely thrilled about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond,â declared William Lamb, Lucara's president and CEO, in a statement.
The sheer size of the diamond would make it the largest discovered in over a century, surpassing all but the Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905. The Cullinan, weighing 3,106 carats, was cut into numerous gemstones, some of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels.
A larger black diamond was found in Brazil in the late 19th century, but it was discovered above ground and is thought to have been part of a meteorite.
The newly discovered diamond will be presented at the office of Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi, the Botswana government announced. President Masisi will be among the first to view this remarkable find.
The government highlighted that this is the largest diamond ever unearthed in Botswana, a country renowned as the second-largest producer of diamonds globally. Botswana has a history of producing the world's biggest diamonds in recent years. The Karowe Mine itself has yielded four diamonds exceeding 1,000 carats in the past.
Prior to this discovery, the Sewelo diamond, found at the Karowe Mine in 2019, held the title of the second-largest mined diamond at 1,758 carats. This diamond was acquired by the French fashion house Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed sum.
Another significant diamond, the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona, also hailing from Botswana's Karowe Mine, was purchased by a British jeweller for $53 million in 2017.
Scientists explain that natural diamonds are at least a billion years old, with some exceeding three billion years in age.
The discovery of this extraordinary diamond is a testament to Botswana's rich mineral resources and its role as a major player in the global diamond industry. The unveiling of this exceptional gem is sure to generate widespread interest and excitement among diamond enthusiasts and the global community.