Lucara Diamond Corp. has announced the discovery of a remarkable 2,492-carat diamond from its Karowe mine in Botswana. This diamond is being hailed as one of the largest ever found.
The diamond was uncovered during the processing of kimberlite from the EM/PK(S) section of Karowe’s south lobe, an area known for producing large, valuable diamonds. Lucara employed its mega-diamond recovery X-ray transmission (XRT) technology, which was introduced in 2017 to identify and handle large stones without causing damage. The company plans to continue mining in this area as it begins underground operations.
This new diamond surpasses Lucara’s previous notable discoveries, including the 1,758-carat Sewelô and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona. The largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found remains the Cullinan Diamond, which weighed 3,106 carats when it was discovered in South Africa in 1905.
Lucara CEO William Lamb expressed excitement about the find, stating, “We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond. This discovery highlights the incredible potential of our Karowe mine and validates our investment in advanced XRT technology. Recovering such a massive, high-quality diamond intact shows the effectiveness of our recovery methods.”
Lucara is expected to sell the diamond to HB Antwerp as part of their offtake agreement, which includes all rough diamonds over 10.8 carats.
