Lucara Diamond Corp. recently unearthed one of the largest rough diamonds in recorded history, weighing 2,492 carats. The remarkable find occurred at the Karowe mine in Botswana, aided by TOMRA X-Ray Transmission (XRT) technology.
This diamond is the second-largest ever discovered, following the famous 3,106.75-carat Cullinan diamond found in 1905. It is, however, the largest diamond ever recovered directly from run-of-mine ore. Shortly after this significant discovery, a 1,094-carat diamond was also recovered, making it the sixth rough diamond over 1,000 carats found at the Karowe mine.
Since installing TOMRA’s COM XRT 1200/D 2.0 sorters in 2017, the Mega Diamond Recovery Plant at Karowe has achieved many record-breaking recoveries. The integration of XRT technology allows for the early recovery of large diamonds right after primary crushing. This process helps generate revenue more quickly and protects the diamonds from potential damage later in the recovery process.
Albert du Preez, Head of TOMRA Mining, expressed pride in the partnership with Lucara. He noted that TOMRA’s XRT technology has been crucial in recovering historic diamonds like the 1,758-carat Sewelô and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona. “These milestones highlight the power of innovation and collaboration in mining,” he stated.
Corné de Jager, Diamond Segment Manager at TOMRA Mining, emphasized the effectiveness of their technology, stating that 15 of the top 23 largest diamonds over 400 carats, recovered since TOMRA’s XRT installations began in 2014, were found using their equipment. Thirteen of those were at the Karowe mine, known for its record-breaking finds.
In addition to the diamond recovered at Karowe, TOMRA’s XRT technology was also used to find a 391.45-carat diamond at the Meya mine in Sierra Leone. This follows the historic recovery of the 476.7-carat Meya Prosperity diamond in 2017 using the same technology.
TOMRA’s XRT technology offers high-capacity, precise detection and ejection of both large and smaller diamond particles. The company’s proprietary image processing ensures 100% detection within specified size ranges, regardless of surface coating, and guarantees a diamond recovery rate above 98%. The innovative TOMRA COM XRT 300/FR final recovery sorter enhances this process by efficiently delivering a highly concentrated diamond yield while minimizing hand sorting.
Today, TOMRA is the only manufacturer providing a comprehensive recovery service ranging from 2mm to 100mm. Their approach includes a detailed analysis of customer needs and the collaborative development of an XRT-based recovery plan. With this holistic strategy, TOMRA aims to help diamond operations across Africa, Canada, Brazil, and beyond maximize recovery and reduce costs, all while minimizing environmental impact.
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