A colossal 2,492-carat diamond has been discovered at the Karowe Mine in Botswana, marking the second-largest diamond ever unearthed. The Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp., which owns the mine, announced the find on Wednesday.
The diamond, found in late August, is the largest to be discovered since the famous 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond was found in South Africa in 1905. Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi showcased the diamond during a viewing ceremony at his office in Gaborone. Holding the fist-sized stone, President Masisi exclaimed, “It is overwhelming. I am lucky to have seen it in my time,” and marveled at its size, saying, “Wow.”
Lucara’s President and CEO, William Lamb, expressed the company’s excitement, stating, “We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond. This is history in the making.” The stone was detected using Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, which has been in use since 2017 to identify and preserve high-value diamonds during the mining process.
Lucara did not provide specific details about the diamond’s gem quality or its estimated value, but insiders speculate it could be worth over $40 million. The Karowe Mine has been a prolific source of large diamonds, including the 1,758-carat Sewelo diamond found in 2019, which was sold to French fashion house Louis Vuitton, and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond sold to British jeweler Laurence Graff for $53 million in 2017.
Botswana is one of the world’s leading producers of diamonds and has continued to dominate the industry with its significant finds. Lucara’s discovery reaffirms the country’s position, contributing around 20% of global diamond production.
Naseem Lahri, Managing Director for Lucara Diamond Corp. in Botswana, emphasized the importance of this discovery: “I am very proud. It is a product of Botswana, and it highlights the wealth of our natural resources.”
