The second largest diamond ever unearthed has been discovered in the Karowe mine in Botswana operated by the Canadian firm Lucara Diamond Corp. After more than a century, the rough diamond weighing an astonishing 2,492 carats comes after the legendary 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond found in South Africa in 1905. Â
The diamond, which has put Botswana in the record books and global news, comes after Sprinter Lestile Tebogo did the same recently at the Paris Olympics after winning the 200m Men.Â
The diamond was unveiled during a ceremony attended by Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi, who expressed his awe at the discovery. “It is overwhelming,” he remarked, highlighting the significance of the find for Botswana and the diamond industry at large. Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi holds a 2,492-carat diamond discovered in Botswana. (Monirul Bhuiyan/AFP/Getty Images)
The stone, weighing nearly half a kilogram, was found intact, thanks to the Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology implemented by Lucara which also fully owns the Karowe mine.
William Lamb, the president of Lucara, shared his excitement about the recovery, stating, “We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary diamond.” While the company has not yet disclosed the diamond’s estimated value or the specifics of its potential sale, the discovery marks a pivotal moment for Botswana, a nation that has emerged as a leading producer of diamonds, contributing significantly to the global market.
Botswana’s government confirmed that this diamond is the largest ever discovered within its borders, surpassing the previous record held by the 1,758-carat Sewelo diamond, also found at the Karowe mine in 2019.
In 2016, a 1,109-carat diamond was also unearthed at the same mine and it was sold for $53m to London jeweler Laurence Graff, chairman of Graff Diamonds, in 2017.
Botswana, with a population of approximately 2.6 million, stands as the second-largest producer of natural diamonds globally, trailing only Russia. The country’s commitment to the diamond industry has been a cornerstone of its economy, contributing significantly to its GDP.
