A monumental 2,492-carat raw diamond, unearthed in Botswana, is now recognised as the worlds second-largest gem-quality diamond, only surpassed by the iconic Cullinan diamond. The extraordinary find was discovered at the Karowe diamond mine, which is fully owned by the Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp.“We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond,” declared William Lamb, Lucara&#39s president, in an official statement. While the company has not disclosed specifics regarding the diamond&#39s quality or its potential market value, the Financial Times cited unnamed sources close to Lucara, suggesting that the diamond could be worth upwards of $40 million.Advanced Technology Uncovers Hidden TreasuresThe discovery was made possible by Lucara&#39s advanced Mega Diamond Recovery (MDR) X-ray Transmission (XRT) technology, which was installed in 2017. This state-of-the-art technology is designed to identify and preserve large, high-value diamonds. Lamb emphasised that this significant find reaffirms Lucara&#39s investment in XRT technology and highlights the potential of the Karowe mine, which has already produced several massive diamonds in recent years.🇧🇼💎 The second-largest diamond in the world has been found in Botswana.pic.twitter.com/9TXeErSb9M— Censored Men (@CensoredMen) August 23, 2024Previous High-Profile Sales from Karowe MineIn a series of high-profile sales, a 1,758-carat diamond from the Karowe mine was acquired by luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton in 2019, and in 2016, Graff Diamonds purchased a 1,109-carat diamond from the same mine for an astonishing $53 million.The Cullinan Diamond Still Reigns Supreme“This discovery reinforces Karowe&#39s position as a truly world-class diamond mine and highlights the continued success of our operational and underground development strategy,” added Lamb. The Cullinan diamond, mined in South Africa in 1905, remains the largest gem-quality diamond ever found, weighing in at 3,106 carats before being cut into several smaller stones.
