Botswana has unveiled the second-largest diamond ever discovered—a rough 2,492-carat stone found at the Karowe mine, operated by Canadian firm Lucara Diamond. This find surpasses the previous record in Botswana, which was a 1,758-carat diamond discovered at the same mine in 2019.
The newly found diamond is second only to the historic 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond from South Africa, which was unearthed in 1905 and cut into nine stones, some of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels. The discovery at Karowe mine, located about 500 kilometers (300 miles) north of Gaborone, is being hailed as the largest ever found in Botswana.
William Lamb, head of Lucara, expressed excitement about the discovery: “We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492 carat diamond.” However, details regarding the diamond’s gem quality or its potential value have not yet been disclosed.
The diamond was detected using Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, which has been in use since 2017 to prevent high-value diamonds from breaking during ore-crushing processes. Lucara owns 100% of the Karowe mine.
In related news, Botswana’s government has proposed new legislation that would require mining companies, upon being granted licenses, to sell a 24% stake to local firms if the government opts not to become a shareholder.
Botswana remains one of the world’s leading diamond producers, contributing approximately 20% of global diamond output.
