- Explorers Unearth the Second-Largest Gemstone of Diamonds Globally
In Botswana, a mining company uncovered what experts think is the second biggest diamond globally. The 2,492-karat gemstone was dug up at the Karowe diamond mine in the northeastern part of Botswana, according to Canadian company Lucara Diamond, which made the announcement on Thursday. They labeled it as "one of the largest rough diamonds ever found."
Industry Experts Hail Botswana Diamond Discovery as "Remarkable"
Lucara didn't reveal the diamond's estimated value. Lucara CEO William Lamb touted it as "one of the largest rough diamonds ever found" and praised its quality. The Botswanan government also acknowledged the find as the second biggest diamond in the world. The immense find was set to be showcased to the public and President Mokgweetsi Masisi during the announcement.
"The remarkable discovery of this rough diamond, the most significant in a century, is truly captivating," expressed Tobias Kormind, CEO of online jeweler 77 Diamonds. He emphasized that technological advancements in the Botswana mine made such a large diamond recovery possible. "This technology enables larger diamonds to be extracted from the ground without shattering them," Kormind elaborated. He expected further discoveries.
Botswana is renowned for its diamond industry, accounting for around 30% of its overall GDP and 80% of its total exports.
The largest gem-quality diamond ever unearthed was the 3,106-karat "Cullinan," found in South Africa in 1905 near the capital, Pretoria. After cutting, parts of the gemstone became part of the British Crown Jewels.
The largest diamond discovered in Botswana prior to this was the 1,758-karat "Sewelo," which was retrieved from the Karowe mine in 2019 by Lucara Diamond. In 2021, the Canadian company unearthed another 1,174-karat diamond at the same site using X-ray technology.
Diamonds are formed from pure carbon under extreme pressure and heat deep beneath the Earth's surface. The process may take millions of years. Lava then brings the stones to the Earth's surface.
The raw diamond, labeled as one of the largest ever found, was estimated to be 2,492 karats and was discovered at Botswana's Karowe diamond mine. The discovery was hailed by industry experts as remarkable, with the CEO of online jeweler 77 Diamonds stating that technological advancements made such a large diamond recovery possible.
