A massive 2,492-carat diamond has been discovered at the Karowe mine in Botswana, making it the second-largest diamond in the world. The mine is owned by the Canadian company Lucara Diamond.
This diamond is only smaller than the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, found in South Africa in 1905, which was later cut into stones now part of the British Crown Jewels.
The diamond was found about 500 km north of Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, and is the largest ever discovered in the country. The previous record was a 1,758-carat diamond, also found at the Karowe mine in 2019.
Botswana is a major diamond producer, responsible for about 20% of the world’s supply. William Lamb, head of Lucara Diamond, said, “We are thrilled to have discovered this incredible 2,492-carat diamond.”
The diamond was found using Lucara’s special X-ray technology, which helps detect valuable diamonds during mining. The company hasn’t yet shared details about the diamond’s quality or value.
The Karowe mine has seen other important finds, including a 1,758-carat diamond sold to Louis Vuitton and a 1,109-carat diamond bought for $53 million by a London jeweler in 2017.
According to the BBC, Botswana’s government has proposed a new law that would require mining companies to sell a 24% stake to local firms if the government decides not to take up its option of becoming a shareholder. This was reported last month by the Reuters news agency.
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