(Supplied/Lucara Diamond)
Lucara Diamond has recovered another mammoth diamond from a mine in Botswana, its second major find in a month.
The latest gem weighed 1 094 carats and was found at the Karowe mine, the company said it a statement. While it’s smaller than the 2 942 carat stone discovered at the same site in August, it is still roughly a third the size of the biggest ever found, the famous Cullinan Diamond of South Africa.
Lucara’s Karowe project is famous for giant stones, and the company’s shares surged by more than a third last month when the initial mammoth finding was announced. CEO William Lamb said that the latest discovery further validated an expansion of the site’s underground capacity, which will extend the life of the project to at least 2040.
(Supplied/Lucara Diamond)
“As we progress with our underground development, we’re increasingly confident in Karowe’s capacity to produce these legendary diamonds well into the future, cementing our position in the high-end diamond market,” Lamb said.
The latest discovery bears similarities to a smaller gem found last year, which yielded polished diamonds that sold for more than $13 million, the company said. It will be polished by HB Antwerp.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
