Historic Diamond Discovery: World’s 2nd Largest in Botswana

The world was stunned when a massive, 2,492-carat diamond was discovered at the Karowe diamond mine in northeastern Botswana by Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond. X-ray detection technology, installed in 2017, helped identify and preserve such large, high-value stones.

Lucara’s statement revealed the extraordinary recovery, with president William Lamb calling the find one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed, part of the Mega Diamond Recovery project. The stone is translucent and fits in the palm of a hand, showcasing quality unlike many others.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi received pictures of the diamond at his office, later congratulating precious producers for supporting income, which contributes 30 percent to GDP and 80 percent of exports, according to International Monetary Fund figures.

With a population of 2.5 million, this arid, sparsely populated country gained independence from Britain in 1966, and today remains a top producer of high-value rough diamonds, with a royalty of 10 percent on gross sales benefitting the government.

Financial Times newspaper estimated the diamond’s value at upwards of $40 million, making it the second biggest in Southern Africa, after the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond of South Africa in 1905. Lucara’s managing director, Naseem Lahri, highlighted the stone’s size and potential, following Sewelo, a 1,758-carat diamond in 2019, and a 1,174-carat diamond in 2021.

Tobias Kormind, managing director of Europe’s largest online diamond jeweler, 77 Diamonds, confirmed this as the largest rough diamond unearthed since Cullinan. Thanks to newer technology, larger diamonds can now be extracted from the ground without breaking into smaller pieces, suggesting we are likely to see more massive discoveries in the future.