The Canadian company Lucara Diamond owns the Karowe mine in Botswana, where it found the second-largest rough diamond ever discovered, weighing 2,492 carats. This is the largest diamond discovered since the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond in South Africa in 1905. Botswana’s government claimed that this is the largest diamond ever discovered in the country, surpassing a 1,758-carat diamond discovered at the same mine in 2019.
Lucara Diamond, Botswana’s leading diamond producer, revealed that the stone is one of the largest raw diamonds ever discovered. “We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond,” said William Lamb, Lucara’s CEO. The diamond was discovered using Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, designed to protect high-value gems during ore-crushing processes.
The stone’s gem quality and value have not been released, although insiders close to Lucara estimate it to be worth more than $40 million. In recent years, the Karowe mine has produced other large finds, including a 1,109-carat diamond sold for $53 million in 2017 and a diamond purchased by Louis Vuitton in 2019.
Botswana, a key worldwide diamond producer, is looking into laws to promote indigenous ownership in the mining sector.
