Botswana Unearths World’s Second-Largest Diamond: A
2,492-Carat Marvel
A 2,492-carat diamond, the second-largest ever discovered,
has been unearthed in Botswana, as reported by the Canadian mining company
Lucara Diamond Corp. The massive stone was found at the Karowe Diamond Mine in
northeastern Botswana, utilizing advanced X-ray technology.
While Lucara has not yet assigned a value or assessed the
quality of the diamond, its size is second only to the legendary 3,016-carat
Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905. Lucara President William
Lamb expressed the company's excitement over this extraordinary find, which is
as large as the palm of a hand, according to released images.
This remarkable diamond was identified using the Mega
Diamond Recovery X-ray system, installed in 2017 specifically to locate and
preserve large, high-value stones. The discovery was so significant that
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi was personally shown the diamond, with the
government confirming its status as the world's second-largest.
Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77 Diamonds, Europe’s
largest online diamond jeweler, emphasized that such discoveries are becoming
more common thanks to advancements in technology, which allow larger diamonds
to be recovered intact. He anticipates more large finds in the future.
Botswana, one of the world’s top diamond producers, heavily
relies on diamond mining, which constitutes 30% of its gross domestic product
and 80% of its exports. This discovery underscores the nation's ongoing importance
in the global diamond industry.
