Lucara Diamond, a Canada-based mining company, has made a historic discovery at its Karowe mine in Botswana. The company has unearthed a colossal 2,492-carat diamond, marking it as the second-largest diamond ever mined globally. This remarkable find underscores the potential of the Karowe mine and the advanced technology employed by Lucara.
A Milestone in Diamond Mining
The diamond, which is larger than a tennis ball, was detected and recovered using Lucara’s state-of-the-art Mega Diamond Recovery (MDR) X-ray Transmission (XRT) technology. This cutting-edge system, installed in 2017, is specifically designed to identify and preserve large, high-value stones during the mining process. The newly discovered diamond is second in size only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, which was found in South Africa in 1905 and later became part of the British Crown Jewels.
Lucara’s President and CEO, William Lamb, expressed the company’s excitement over this unprecedented discovery. “We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary diamond,” Lamb said in a statement. “This find not only showcases the remarkable potential of our Karowe mine but also upholds our strategic investment in cutting-edge XRT technology.”
Botswana: A Diamond Powerhouse
The Karowe mine, located in Botswana, has become famous for yielding some of the largest diamonds in recent history. In addition to this latest find, the mine is responsible for unearthing the 1,758-carat Sewelô in 2019 and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona in 2015. The mine also produced the 813-carat Constellation diamond, further establishing Karowe as one of the world’s most prolific diamond mines.
Botswana, known as the world’s largest producer of diamonds, has seen its economy transformed by the diamond trade, elevating it to a middle-income nation. The discovery of this massive diamond was presented to Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, who hailed it as the largest diamond found in more than a century.
Karowe mine continues to operate as one of the highest-margin diamond mines globally, with an average annual production of 300,000 high-value carats. Lucara’s consistent success in discovering large diamonds highlights the effectiveness of its investment in advanced technology and its commitment to exploring the full potential of the Karowe mine.
As Lucara prepares to evaluate the gem quality of this latest find, the diamond industry eagerly anticipates its potential value and impact. The company’s ability to unearth such significant stones cements Karowe’s reputation as a leading source of the world’s most extraordinary diamonds.
This discovery not only underscores Botswana’s status as a diamond powerhouse but also reinforces Lucara’s position at the forefront of the global diamond mining industry.
Source: Mining.com
