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A massive diamond, the largest discovered in over a century, has been unearthed in Botswana, drawing global attention during a viewing ceremony hosted by the country’s president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, on Thursday.
Botswana President Masisi marveled at the fist-sized gem, expressing the nation’s deep connection to diamonds. “They mean everything to us in good times and bad times,” he said, visibly impressed by the stone’s size and significance. After holding the diamond, he invited senior government officials to take a closer look, sharing the momentous occasion.
The newly discovered diamond, yet to be named, weighs approximately half a kilogram and was showcased at President Masisi’s office. According to the Botswana government, the 2,492-carat stone is the second-largest diamond ever unearthed from a mine, and the largest found since 1905.
Officials have stated that it’s too early to determine the diamond’s value or how it will be sold. For comparison, a smaller diamond from the same mine fetched $63 million in 2016, setting a record for a rough gem.
Naseem Lahri, the Botswana managing director for Lucara Diamond Corp., the Canadian company that uncovered the diamond, highlighted the advanced technology used to recover the stone. “It’s the largest stone discovered in the world through a processing plant,” Lahri said, attributing the find to the use of X-ray transmission (XRT) technology.
Lucara announced the discovery of the “exceptional” diamond from its Karowe Mine in central Botswana, with company President and CEO William Lamb expressing elation over the historic find.
This diamond is now the largest found in 119 years, second only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905. The Cullinan Diamond was later cut into gems, some of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels.
Botswana, with a population of 2.6 million, is the world’s second-largest producer of natural diamonds, behind Russia. The Karowe Mine alone has produced four diamonds over 1,000 carats in the last decade, including the 1,758-carat Sewelo diamond in 2019 and the 1,111-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, sold for $53 million in 2017.
This discovery reinforces Botswana’s reputation as a leading source of some of the world’s most extraordinary diamonds, with its mines consistently yielding remarkable finds.
