A diamond, the largest discovered in over a century, has been found at a mine in Botswana.
On August 22, Botswana’s president showcased the 2,492-carat diamond during a viewing ceremony.
This gem is the second-largest ever unearthed and the largest since the Cullinan Diamond in 1905. Weighing about half a kilogram, it was first held by President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Officials are not yet able to value or determine the selling strategy for the diamond.
In 2016, a smaller diamond from the same mine fetched $63 million, setting a record for a rough gem.
Naseem Lahri from Lucara Diamond Corp., the Canadian company that found the diamond, called it a historical find and a testament to Botswana’s mining success.
Lucara recovered the diamond from the Karowe Mine using advanced X-ray technology.
Lucara President and CEO William Lamb expressed enthusiasm over the discovery, noting its significance as the largest diamond found in 119 years and the second-largest ever discovered, after the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond from South Africa, which was later cut into gems for the British Crown Jewels.
