In a remarkable discovery that has captured global attention, Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp. has unearthed a massive 2,492-carat diamond from the Karowe mine in Botswana. This find is being hailed as one of the largest rough diamonds ever recovered, second only to the legendary 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond discovered in South Africa in 1905.The extraction of this extraordinary gem was made possible by Lucara’s state-of-the-art Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, installed in 2017 to identify and preserve valuable large diamonds. William Lamb, CEO and President of Lucara, expressed the company’s excitement, stating, ‘We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond’.This discovery is not an isolated incident for the Karowe mine, which has a history of producing exceptional diamonds. In 2019, Lucara found the 1,758-carat ‘Sewelo’ diamond, and in 2015, they unearthed the 1,109-carat ‘Lesedi La Rona’, which sold for $53 million. These finds have solidified Karowe’s reputation as a source of some of the world’s largest and most valuable diamonds.The discovery comes at a crucial time for Botswana and the global diamond industry. Botswana, the world’s second-largest diamond producer after Russia, relies heavily on diamond mining as its main source of income. However, the industry faces challenges, including a decline in diamond prices and an oversupply of synthetic diamonds.As the diamond undergoes evaluation to determine its quality and potential value, it is scheduled to be presented to Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, highlighting the national significance of this find. The discovery not only showcases the continued potential of natural diamond mining but also underscores the importance of technological innovation in the industry.
Key points
- A 2,492-carat diamond, the second-largest ever found, has been discovered in Botswana’s Karowe mine.
- The diamond was extracted using advanced Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology.
- This discovery follows other significant finds at the same mine, including the 1,758-carat ‘Sewelo’ and 1,109-carat ‘Lesedi La Rona’ diamonds.
- The find comes amid challenges in the global diamond industry, including price declines and competition from synthetic diamonds.
