Miners unearth second biggest diamond ever with 2,492-carat stone worth tens of millions found using X-ray technology in Botswana
The second largest diamond ever found, a 2,492-carat rough stone, has been unearthed in Botswana using special X-ray technology.
The gemstone, discovered by Canadian mining company Lucara, is the largest diamond found in the past 120 years, since the discovery of the world-famous Cullinan Diamond.
The 3,106-carat stone was found in neighbouring South Africa in 1905 and cut into nine separate stones, many of which now form part of the British Crown Jewels.
It is not known whether the latest diamond to be discovered will yield gems of the highest quality. However, given the size of the stone, it is likely to be worth tens of millions.
“The ability to recover such a huge, high-quality stone intact is a testament to the effectiveness of our approach to diamond recovery,” Lucara CEO William Lamb said in a statement after the discovery.
The gemstone, discovered by Canadian mining company Lucara, is the largest diamond found in the past 120 years
Photos show the size of the huge stone next to a golf ball
According to Mr Lamb, the company is “excited” about the gemstone, which was first found in 2017 using X-ray transmission technology.
It is designed to identify and preserve large, valuable diamonds by extracting them from the ground without breaking them.
Photos show the enormous stone resting in the palm of a man’s hand, its sheer size further emphasized by an image showing the stone as larger than a golf ball.
The stone was found in the Karowe mine, about 480 kilometers north of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
In recent years, two other huge diamonds have been found in the mine: the 1,758-carat Sewelo and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona.
In 2017, British diamond magnate Laurence Graff paid $53 million (more than £40 million) for the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona.
Two years later, in 2019, Louis Vuitton paid for the 1,758-carat Sewelo diamond for an undisclosed amount.
Botswana is one of the largest producers of diamonds in the world and the diamond industry is its main source of income.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi was due to view the huge stone later on Thursday.
The stone appears to be not far behind the largest gem-quality diamond ever mined, the 3,016.75-carat Cullinan
The Cullinan III and IV Broach are on display in The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
The stone appears not to be far behind the largest gem-quality diamond ever mined: the 3,016.75-carat Cullinan.
Its scale, striking blue-white color and exceptional clarity make it the most prized diamond in the world.
The diamond, which was discovered near Pretoria, is named after the mining company’s chairman, Thomas Cullinan.
It is not known what name Lucara’s newest diamond will receive.
The discovery comes at a time when diamond sales are slowing, with prices falling to their lowest level in four years, according to the Diamond Standard Index.
The sector performed well during the pandemic, as affluent customers unable to spend on travel and entertainment turned to luxury goods instead.
However, since then demand has declined and the market has become oversaturated, partly due to the rise of synthetic stones.