A massive diamond, the second-largest ever found, was discovered in Botswana, according to BBC. The 2,492-carat rough stone was found at the Karowe mine, owned by Canadian company Lucara Diamond.
BBC notes that this is the largest diamond ever uncovered in Botswana, a country known for being one of the world’s top diamond producers, responsible for about 20% of global production.
This discovery is the biggest since the famous 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, found in South Africa in 1905, which was cut into stones now part of the British Crown Jewels.
BBC explains that the new diamond was detected using Lucara’s special X-ray technology, which helps protect valuable diamonds during the mining process.
Although Lucara hasn’t revealed the diamond’s quality or exact value, BBC reports that experts believe it could be worth over $40 million.
This isn’t the first major find at the Karowe mine; in 2019, a 1,758-carat diamond was found there, which was later bought by Louis Vuitton. Another huge diamond, a 1,109-carat stone, was sold for $53 million in 2017.
Botswana’s government is also considering a law that would require mining companies to sell a 24% stake to local businesses if the government chooses not to become a shareholder, as mentioned by BBC.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1w78rwlqvxo