World’s second-largest diamond discovered in Botswana

The world’s second-largest diamond has been unearthed in Botswana. Lucara Diamond Corp’s President and CEO, William Lamb confirmed the report and said the discovery was made at the Karowe Diamond Mine.

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The 2,492-carat diamond is now the second-largest ever discovered, trailing only the 3,016-carat Cullinan Diamond found in South Africa in 1905. The diamond was detected using Lucara’s advanced Mega Diamond Recovery (MDR) X-ray Transmission (XRT) technology, which has been in operation since 2017. This technology has proven crucial in identifying and recovering large, high-value diamonds without damaging them, allowing such extraordinary stones to be preserved in their natural state.

Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, was presented with the diamond, which further enhances Botswana’s reputation as a leading diamond producer. The diamond industry is a critical pillar of Botswana’s economy, contributing 30% of its GDP and 80% of its exports. The discovery also comes at a time when Botswana is looking to enhance local ownership in its mining sector, proposing a law that mandates mining companies to offer a 24% stake in their operations to local investors.

CEO William Lamb, expressed immense pride in this discovery, emphasizing that it highlights the significant potential of the Karowe Mine. This find also underscores the importance of the company’s investment in cutting-edge technology, which has continuously led to the recovery of some of the world’s most remarkable diamonds. Previous notable finds from the same mine include the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond in 2019 and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona in 2015.