Botswana has unveiled one of the largest diamonds ever discovered, a 2,492-carat gem taken out from Karowe Mine. According to the Associated Press, this discovery is set to be showcased on Thursday, marking it as the biggest diamond ever found in the country and the second-largest ever extracted globally.
Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp reported on Wednesday that the “exceptional” rough diamond, found intact using advanced X-ray technology, hails from the Karowe Mine in western Botswana.The company described the diamond as “high-quality,” and its weight surpasses any diamond discovered in over a century.
The newly discovered diamond is second only to the Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905. At 3,106 carats, the Cullinan was later cut into gems, some of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels. Although a larger black diamond was found in Brazil in the late 1800s, it was not mined but rather discovered on the surface.
Botswana is the second-largest producer of diamonds globally and has been at the forefront of major diamond discoveries in recent years. The Sewelo diamond, also from the Karowe Mine and weighing 1,758 carats, was recognised as the second-largest mined diamond in the world before this new find. It was acquired by French fashion house Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed amount.
Additionally, the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, from the same mine, was sold to a British jeweller for $53 million in 2017.
Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp reported on Wednesday that the “exceptional” rough diamond, found intact using advanced X-ray technology, hails from the Karowe Mine in western Botswana.The company described the diamond as “high-quality,” and its weight surpasses any diamond discovered in over a century.
The newly discovered diamond is second only to the Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905. At 3,106 carats, the Cullinan was later cut into gems, some of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels. Although a larger black diamond was found in Brazil in the late 1800s, it was not mined but rather discovered on the surface.
Botswana is the second-largest producer of diamonds globally and has been at the forefront of major diamond discoveries in recent years. The Sewelo diamond, also from the Karowe Mine and weighing 1,758 carats, was recognised as the second-largest mined diamond in the world before this new find. It was acquired by French fashion house Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed amount.
Additionally, the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, from the same mine, was sold to a British jeweller for $53 million in 2017.