World’s Second Largest Diamond, Estimated at Over $40 Million, Discovered in Botswana
World's Second Largest Diamond, Estimated at Over $40 Million, Discovered in Botswana
A colossal 2,492-carat rough diamond has been discovered at the Karowe mine in Botswana, making it the second-largest diamond ever found. This remarkable find is only surpassed by the legendary 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, which was unearthed in South Africa in 1905. The Karowe mine, where this discovery was made, is located approximately 500 km north of Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, and is operated by the Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond.
This diamond surpasses all other discoveries in Botswana and is considered a significant find due to its size. The Cullinan diamond, which holds the record for the largest diamond ever found, was famously cut into nine separate stones, many of which are central pieces of the British Crown Jewels, including the Great Star of Africa, the largest clear-cut diamond in the world.
According to Lucara Diamond, the newly discovered diamond is described as “one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed.” It was detected using the company’s advanced Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, which was implemented in 2017. This technology is designed to preserve high-value diamonds by preventing them from breaking during the ore-crushing process.
Botswana is one of the world’s leading producers of diamonds, which play a crucial role in its economy, accounting for about 30% of the GDP and 80% of its exports. The previous largest diamond found in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone, also discovered at the Karowe mine in 2019. This diamond was later purchased by French luxury brand Louis Vuitton, although the purchase price was not disclosed.
The quality and value of the newly discovered diamond are still being evaluated, but sources close to Lucara, as reported by the UK-based Financial Times, estimate that the stone could be worth over $40 million. For comparison, a 1,109-carat diamond found at Karowe in 2016 was sold for $53 million to Laurence Graff, a renowned London jeweler and chairman of Graff Diamonds.
