The second largest diamond globally was uncovered in Botswana.
People can't help but be captivated by diamonds. A fresh gemstone recently dug up in Botswana has everyone talking. Not only did modern tech assist in its discovery, but it's also one of the largest globally uncovered diamonds.
This diamond is as big as an avocado and ranks among the largest in the world: A colossal rough diamond has been uncovered in a mine in Botswana. Lucara Diamond Corp, a Canadian mining company that operates the northeastern Karowe mine where the gem was discovered, declared its weight to be 2492 karats. The organization explained that the stone was discovered and extracted using X-ray technology.
The company hasn't revealed the diamond's quality and value yet. However, Lucara CEO William Lamb called it "one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed" and boasted of its "high quality".
The discovered diamond was presented, among others, to the country's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi. The Botswanan government labeled this find as the second largest diamond globally.
Tobias Kormind, CEO of the online jeweler 77 Diamonds, found this discovery fascinating, calling it "the most important rough diamond in 120 years". This was all made possible by new technologies utilized in the Botswana mine, which Kormind said allows for larger diamonds to be retrieved from the ground without breaking them. More such finds are expected in the future.
Diamonds fuel Botswana's economy
Botswana is known for its diamond industry, making it one of the world's top diamond exporters. The diamond trade forms a significant portion of the country's GDP (30%) and nearly all of its exports (80%). The landlocked African nation is among the world's top diamond producers. In mid-2021, Lucara had already uncovered an 1174.76 karat rough diamond in Botswana, submitted from the Karowe mine, which was previously listed as the third largest diamond globally.
The largest documented diamond to date was discovered in 1905 in South Africa's Cullinan, near the capital Pretoria. The 3106 karat stone was cut and is now part of the British Crown Jewels.
This discovery of a massive diamond has sparked global interest: The large uncut diamond, weighing 2492 karats, is being hailed as one of the largest globally discovered diamonds, and it's not the only gem of significant size found recently in Botswana.
Botswana's diamond industry is thriving, thanks to discoveries like these: The African nation, renowned for its diamond exports, derives around 30% of its GDP and nearly all of its exports from the diamond trade, making it one of the world's leading diamond producers.
