Lucara Diamond Corp. has unearthed a diamond weighing 2,492 carats from its Karowe mine in Botswana, billing it as one of the largest stones ever recovered.
The “exceptional” stone was detected during the processing of kimberlite from the EM/PK(S) portion of Karowe’s south lobe, known for yielding large, high-value diamonds. The company used its mega-diamond recovery X-ray transmission technology (XRT), which it installed in 2017 to identify and remove large stones without breakage, it said Wednesday. The company intends to continue mining from that area during the first years of underground operations, it noted.
The new discovery is larger than Lucara’s other significant finds, which include the 1,758-carat Sewelô and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona. The Cullinan Diamond, retrieved from the Cullinan mine in South Africa in 1905, is currently considered to be the largest gem-quality rough ever discovered, weighing 3,106 carats.
“We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond,” said Lucara CEO William Lamb. “This find not only showcases the remarkable potential of our Karowe mine but also upholds our strategic investment in cutting-edge XRT technology. The ability to recover such a massive, high-quality stone intact demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach to diamond recovery.”
BRON: Rapaport 22-8-2024
