The ‘second largest’ diamond in history was discovered in Botswana

A colossal 2,492-carat rough diamond has been discovered in Botswana, making it possibly the second largest gem-quality diamond ever found.

Canadian miner Lucara Diamond Corp, which operates the Karowe diamond mine, announced the recovery of the “extraordinary” stone, sharing an image of the massive rough diamond in hand.

The largest gem-quality diamond on record remains the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905, when the country was under British rule.

The Cullinan diamond was later presented to King Edward VII and was subsequently cut into several gems, some of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels.

Lucara president William Lamb expressed his excitement at the discovery, stating: “We are thrilled to recover this stunning 2,492 carat diamond.”

While Lucara has not disclosed the value of the high-quality diamond or whether it could be cut into gems, the Botswana government has confirmed that it is the largest diamond ever found in the country.

The Karowe mine has consistently produced large stones, including the 1,758 carat Sewelo diamond in 2019, which was, at the time, the second largest diamond in the world.

French luxury brand Louis Vuitton acquired the Sewelo diamond for an undisclosed sum, despite its black appearance and uncertainty surrounding the number of gems it could produce.

In 2017, the 1,111 carat Lesedi La Rona diamond, also from the Karowe mine, was sold to a British jeweler for $53m (£40m).

The largest diamond ever found in the world is the black Sergio stone, discovered in Brazil in 1895. The Sergio stone, a black “carbonado” diamond believed to be a meteorite fragment, was cut into pieces for industrial use.

Although Russia is currently the world’s largest producer of diamonds, Botswana has become a leading source of significant finds in recent years.

The southern African nation has been working to strengthen its position in the diamond industry by negotiating a larger share of the stones mined by Anglo-American-owned De Beers in a new 10-year deal last year.

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi is expected to be among the first to see the newly discovered Lucara diamond, which remains unnamed, before it is officially unveiled to the public, according to government sources.