A remarkable 2,492-carat rough diamond, unearthed in Botswana, could potentially be the second-largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered. The Canadian mining company, Lucara Diamond Corp, announced the recovery of this "exceptional" stone from its Karowe diamond mine. A photograph released by the company shows the hefty rough diamond nestled in the palm of a hand.
The largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered was the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, mined in South Africa in 1905. This diamond, discovered during the British colonial era, was gifted to King Edward VII and subsequently cut into several gems, some of which now form part of the Crown Jewels.
William Lamb, Lucara's president, expressed immense excitement about the recovery of this "extraordinary" 2,492-carat diamond. However, the company has not disclosed the value of this "high-quality" diamond or whether it can be cut into gems. The Botswana government has declared it the largest diamond ever found in the country.
Lucara's Karowe mine has been consistently yielding progressively larger stones. In 2019, the mine produced the 1,758-carat Sewelo diamond, previously the world's second-largest mined diamond. The Sewelo diamond, despite its black appearance, was purchased by Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed sum, even though the number of gems that could be cut from it was uncertain.
Another notable diamond, the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona, also mined at Karowe, was bought by a British jeweller for $53 million (£40 million) in 2017.
While the largest diamond ever found was the black Sergio stone, discovered above ground in Brazil in 1895, it was used for industrial drills after being cut. This black "carbonado" stone, like the Sergio, is believed to be a fragment of a meteorite.
Though Russia is the world's largest diamond producer, Botswana has seen a surge in large, valuable diamond discoveries in recent years. The Southern African nation has been actively striving to increase its influence in the diamond industry. Last year, in a new ten-year agreement, Botswana negotiated a greater share of stones mined by Anglo American-owned De Beers.
Botswana's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, will be among the first to view this newly discovered, as yet unnamed, diamond before it is unveiled to the world at his office, according to the government.
