A rough 2,492-carat diamond, the second-largest diamond ever discovered, was discovered in Botswana in a mine operated by the Canadian company Lucara Diamond.
Since the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, which was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and split into nine different stones, several of which are housed in the British Crown Jewels, this discovery is the largest.
The diamond was discovered at the Karowe mine, around 300 miles (500 km) north of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
According to the government of Botswana, it is the biggest diamond ever found in the state in southern Africa.
Botswana’s largest diamond discovery, a 2,492 carat diamond, has been discovered using Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology. The diamond, one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed, was detected using the technology since 2017. The gem’s value is estimated to be around $40m.
The previous largest diamond discovery in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone in 2019. The diamond was bought by Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed sum. The previous largest diamond was a 1,109 carat stone in 2016. Lucara has 100% ownership of the Karowe mine.
Botswana’s government has proposed a law requiring companies to sell a 24% stake to local firms if they don’t become shareholders.
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