The government of Botswana announced on Wednesday (August 21) the discovery of a massive 2,492-carat diamond, one of the largest ever unearthed. The diamond was found at the Karowe Mine, which is operated by the Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond Corp. The mine is known for producing four diamonds over 1,000 carats in the past.
The diamond is believed to be the second-largest ever discovered from a mine, following the Cullinan Diamond, which was found in South Africa in 1905 and weighed 3,106 carats. Some of the gems cut from the Cullinan Diamond are now part of the British Crown Jewels.
Lucara Diamond Corp. used X-ray technology to recover the "exceptional" rough diamond, which was found intact.
"We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond," said Lucara president and CEO William Lamb.
The newly discovered diamond will be presented to the world at the office of Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, who will be one of the first to view it. Botswana is the second-biggest producer of diamonds and has unearthed all the world's biggest stones in recent years.