The second largest diamond in history has been discovered, weighing 2,492 carats

MADRID, (EUROPA PRESS) – Canadian mining company Lucara Diamonds has announced the discovery of an “exceptional” 2,492-carat diamond at its Karowe mine in Botswana, making the stone the largest recovered since the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, found in South Africa in 1905 and cut into separate pieces, several of which are part of the British Crown Jewels.

The recovery of the stone, “one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed,” was made possible by the Canadian company’s use of X-ray transmission technology, which has been used since 2017 by Lucara to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds.

In this regard, Lucara Diamonds highlighted that the find underlines Karowe’s reputation as a world-class asset, recalling that this latest recovery adds to others at the Botswana mine, including the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona.

“The ability to recover such a large, high-quality stone intact demonstrates the effectiveness of our diamond recovery approach and our commitment to maximizing value for our shareholders and stakeholders,” said William Lamb, Lucara’s president and CEO.

Although the Canadian mining company has declined to give an estimate of the stone’s value, sources close to Lucara have told the Financial Times that the diamond could be worth more than $40 million (36 million euros).

Lucara Diamonds shares rose more than 90% at the opening of the Toronto Stock Exchange, but as the session progressed they slowed their gains to around 40%.