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World’s Second-Largest 2,492-Carat Diamond Discovered in Botswana
The second-largest diamond ever discovered, a rough 2,492-carat stone, was discovered in Botswana at a mine operated by Canadian company Lucara Diamond.
It is the largest find since the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905 and cut into nine distinct stones, several of which are housed in the British Crown Jewels.
The diamond was discovered at the Karowe mine, approximately 500 kilometres (300 miles) north of Botswana’s capital, Gaborone.
Botswana’s authorities claimed it was the biggest diamond ever discovered in the southern African country.
The previous largest discovery in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone found at the same mine in 2019.
Botswana is the world’s largest diamond producer, accounting for around 20% of global production.
Lucara described the stone as “one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed” in a statement.
“We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492 carat diamond,” Lucara CEO William Lamb stated.
The corporation did not specify the stone’s gem quality or worth.
According to Mr Lamb, the diamond was identified using Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology.
According to Miningmx, it has been utilised since 2017 to locate and protect high-value diamonds, preventing them from breaking during ore-crushing procedures.
The Karowe mine is 100% owned by Lucara.
Botswana’s government has proposed legislation that would require corporations awarded mining licenses to sell a 24% stake to local firms if the government does not exercise its option to become a shareholder, according to Reuters news agency last month.
Source: BBC