The second-largest diamond in the world has been discovered in Botswana: It is a 2,492-carat gemstone found in a mine owned by the Canadian company Lucara Diamond, which shared the news.
The title of the largest diamond is still held by a 3,106-carat stone that was discovered in South Africa in 1905. It was later cut into nine different pieces, many of which are now part of the British Crown Jewels.
Botswana is the second-largest producer of diamonds, accounting for about 20% of global production. According to Lucara Diamond: “We are ecstatic about the discovery of this diamond, one of the largest rough diamonds ever to surface on Earth.”
It should be noted that the discovery was aided by the technology of the Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray company, which has been used since 2017 to identify high-value diamonds and preserve them during processing. The company did not disclose the monetary value of the diamond, but the Financial Times cited anonymous sources close to Lucara, suggesting it could exceed $40 million.
It is likely that the diamond will end up in the possession of a luxury house, given that another large diamond, weighing 1,758 carats, discovered in 2019, was purchased by Louis Vuitton, while another, weighing 1,107 carats, was bought by Graff Diamonds.
Moreover, the government of Botswana plans to introduce a law requiring companies to sell 24% of their mining rights to local companies, ensuring that at least some of their profits remain within the country.