The second largest diamond in history weighing 2492 carats was discovered in the Karowe mine in Botswana, ranking second only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan found in South Africa in 1905. The enormous gem was cut into nine pieces, many of which ended up in the British Crown Jewels.
A phenomenal discovery in Botswana. It's the second largest diamond in history
Owned by Canadian company Lucara Diamond, the mine is located about 500 km north of Botswana's capital, Gaborone. It is one of many, as the country is one of the world's largest diamond producers, accounting for about 20 percent of global production.
Botswana also boasts other exceptional finds. The previous largest discovery in the country was a 1,758-carat stone found in the same mine in 2019.
– We are delighted to have recovered this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond, said Lucara CEO William Lamb, quoted by the BBC.
“This discovery confirms Karowe’s reputation as a world-class deposit and strengthens Lucara’s position as a leading producer of large, exceptional diamonds,” the company wrote in a social media post boasting about the find. It did not provide details about the quality of the stone or its value.
An extraordinary find. This is the technology behind its extraction
Lamb said the stone was extracted using Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, which has been used since 2017 to detect and protect high-value diamonds so they don’t get damaged during the ore crushing process.
Reuters reported last month on a bill proposed by the Botswana government that would require companies to sell 24 percent of their shares to local entrepreneurs after obtaining a mining license, unless the government itself exercises the option to become a shareholder. Lucara owns 100 percent of the Karowe mine.