A Canadian company has discovered a 2,492-carat rough diamond in a mine in Botswana that many believe to be the second-largest gem-quality diamond ever unearthed. Mining company Lucara Diamond Corp. announced the discovery of an “extraordinary” rough diamond at its Karowe diamond mine.
Media reports suggest the diamond may be second only in size to the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, which was mined in 1905 when South Africa was still a British colony. The diamond was subsequently presented to Britain's King Edward VII and is now part of the crown jewels. “We are thrilled by the discovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond,” Lucara president William Lamb said in a statement.
The Botswana government also responded to the unusual find, calling it the largest diamond ever found in the country. In a statement, the government said the diamond would be displayed to the world in the office of Botswana's President Mokgwetsi Masisi.
But it's not clear what a high-quality diamond is worth.
ABC News reported that the diamond is “the largest diamond found in more than 100 years and the second largest ever recovered from a mine.”
Of note, larger black diamonds were discovered in Brazil in the late 1800s, but they were found on land and thought to be part of a meteorite.
The Karowe Diamond Mine is known for producing large quantities of diamonds. In 2019, the mine discovered the Sewero Diamond, which was recognized as the second largest mined diamond in the world at 1,758 carats and was subsequently purchased by French fashion house Louis Vuitton.
Previously, the mine was also home to the 1,111-carat Lesedi la Rona diamond, which was later purchased by a British jeweller for $53 million.
(With input from relevant agencies)
