Almost 120 years ago, the largest diamond in the world was dug out of the ground in a Southern African mine. The Cullinan Diamond measures at 3,106 carats, and now a new second-place contender for biggest diamond in the world is believed to have been found in Botswana, according to a press release from the Lucara Diamond Corp.
The 2,492-carat diamond was discovered at the Karowe Diamond Mine by way of Lucara's Mega Diamond Recovery X-Tay Transmission technology, which certainly seems to have succeeded in recovering a mega-diamond for the ages. Lucara CEO William Lamb is quoted on the discovery:
"We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond. This find not only showcases the remarkable potential of our Karowe Mine, but also upholds our strategic investment in cutting-edge XRT technology. The ability to recover such a massive, high-quality stone intact demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach to diamond recovery and our commitment to maximizing value for our shareholders and stakeholders…This discovery reinforces Karowe's position as a truly world-class diamond mine and highlights the continued success of our operational and underground development strategy."
MONIRUL BHUIYAN/AFP via Getty Images
Diamonds in the four-figure carat range are very rare, even in the realm of diamonds, which are themselves defined by their rarity. The last gem to hold the title of second largest diamond was the 1,109-carat rock known as the Lesedi La Rona, which was mined in 2015, also by the Lucara Diamond Corp. CNN reports that it was eventually sold in 2017 to luxury jewelry outfit Graff, which paid some $53 million for it.
Botswana is the largest producer of diamonds in the world when measured by value rather than physical size, but Lucara's newest find is an unbelievable recovery on both counts. The diamond's ultimate fate (and exact, though sure to be astronomical, value) will be determined at some point in the future.
