Mitchell Dzoro
A massive 2,492-carat rough diamond, the second-largest ever discovered.
The stone was unearthed at a mine in Botswana which operates by the Canadian company Lucara Diamond.
The diamond was discovered at the Karowe mine, which is located about 500 kilometers (300 miles) north of Gaborone, the capital city of Botswana.
The Botswana government has since confirmed that it is the largest diamond to be discovered in Southern Africa.
In a statement, Lucara said the stone was “one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed.
“We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492 carat diamond,” said Lucara head William Lamb.
The gem was discovered through the use of Lucara’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology.
Botswana’s biggest diamond to date was a 1,758-carat stone discovered at the Karowe mine in 2019.
The country is one of the world’s largest diamond producers, accounting for around 20% of global output.