Lucara Diamond Corp, a Canadian mining company, announced the discovery of a colossal 2,492 carat diamond at its Karowe mine in Botswana, marking one of the largest diamonds ever unearthed. The company did not specify the gem quality of the stone but confirmed that its size places it as the second-largest rough diamond ever discovered. The largest remains the 3,106 carat Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905, which was later cut and became part of the British crown jewels.
The Karowe mine, already renowned for yielding large diamonds, has previously produced other significant stones, including the 1,758 carat Sewelô and the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona diamonds.
Lucara is scheduled to present the newly discovered diamond to Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, on Thursday. Botswana, recognised as the world’s leading diamond producer by value, is increasingly asserting its stake in the lucrative industry. Just last month, the country proposed new legislation requiring mining companies to offer a 24 percent stake in their operations to local investors once granted a licence, unless the government opts to acquire the shareholding itself.