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The second largest diamond in history weighing up to 2,492 carats was found in Botswana’s famous Karowe mine using X-ray technology.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi holds the newly found diamond (Photo: AFP).
“We are extremely pleased to announce the discovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond,” said William Lamb, chairman of Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp., in a statement on August 22.
According to sources, the diamond was discovered at the Karowe mine thanks to X-ray technology installed at the mine to identify valuable stones in the main ore bed.
Lucara did not disclose the value of the find or mention the quality of the diamond. But in carat terms, the stone is second only to the world’s largest diamond, the 3,016-carat Cullinan, discovered in South Africa in 1905.
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi personally inspected and assessed the giant diamond and in a statement later the government said it was the second largest diamond ever found in the world and the largest ever unearthed in the African country.
Photos released by the company show the diamond is as big as the palm of your hand. The diamond has not yet been evaluated in detail and it is unclear whether it can be cut into the highest quality gemstones.
Botswana is one of the world’s largest diamond producers, and diamonds are a major source of income for the country, accounting for 30% of its gross domestic product and 80% of its exports. This is not the first time Lucara’s Karowe mine has found a giant diamond. In 2015, the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona was found there. At the time, it was the second-largest diamond ever discovered and was valued at $53 million.
Meanwhile, the world’s largest diamond ever discovered is called Cullinan, found in South Africa in 1905. Weighing in at 3,106 carats, the diamond was later cut into nine large stones, numbered I-IX, and nearly 100 smaller stones, worth millions of dollars.