A colossal 2,492-carat diamond, ranking as the second largest globally, has been unearthed in Botswana, according to a Thursday announcement by the Canadian mining firm Lucara Diamond Corp. The gem was discovered at the Karowe Diamond Mine in northeastern Botswana through the use of x-ray detection technology, as detailed in a company statement. Lucara did not disclose the value or quality of the diamond, but in terms of size, it stands second only to the 3,016-carat Cullinan Diamond found in South Africa in 1905.
"We are thrilled about the retrieval of this exceptional 2,492-carat diamond," stated Lucara president William Lamb. Images provided by the company depict the diamond to be palm-sized. This discovery is hailed as "one of the largest rough diamonds ever excavated" and was made possible by the company's Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, implemented in 2017 to detect and safeguard large, high-value diamonds.
Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi was scheduled to inspect the massive stone later on Thursday. The government confirmed it as the second largest diamond in the world. Tobias Kormind, managing director of Europe's largest online diamond jeweler, 77 Diamonds, affirmed it as the largest rough diamond discovered since the Cullinan Diamond, fragments of which are part of Britain's crown jewels.
"This find is largely attributable to advanced technology that enables the extraction of larger diamonds intact. Hence, we may anticipate more such discoveries," Kormind noted. Botswana is among the world's top diamond producers, with the gemstone constituting its primary revenue source, contributing to 30% of its GDP and 80% of its exports. Prior to this announcement, the largest diamond found in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone mined by Lucara at the Karowe mine in 2019, named Sewelo. In 2021, Lucara also discovered a 1,174-carat diamond in Botswana using the same x-ray technology.
