A huge 2,492-carat diamond, one of the largest ever discovered, has been unearthed from a mine in Botswana. The diamond, discovered at the Karowe mine operated by Canada's Lucara Diamond Corp., has yet to undergo a thorough evaluation, leaving the quality of the gem uncertain, reported.
However, its size ranks it the second-largest rough diamond found to date, following the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905 and later incorporated into the British crown jewels after being cut and polished. ranks among the top diamond producers globally. In 2023, its mines generated an impressive $3.
28 billion worth of diamonds. Lucara Diamond Corp. revealed that the discovery was made using advanced X-ray technology at the Karowe mine, designed to detect high-value stones within the primary ore body.
This major find follows two other significant diamonds unearthed at the same mine: the 1,758-carat Sewelo and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona. “The ability to recover such a massive, high-quality stone intact demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach to diamond recovery,” Lucara Chief Executive Officer William Lamb said. The discovery coincides with a challenging period for the diamond industry, as prices have dropped to a four-year low.
has been particularly hard-hit, facing a 49% drop in sales. While the market experienced a boom during the pandemic, with consumers directing their spending toward luxury goods instead of travel and entertainment, demand has .