Botswana finds 2,492-carat diamond, the world’s second-largest gem

( NewsNation ) — One of the largest diamonds ever found has been unearthed in a Botswana mine, according to the South African country’s government.

Officials believe the 2,492-carat stone is the second biggest ever brought out of a mine.

Lucara Diamond Corp., a Canadian mining company, said in a statement Wednesday that it recovered the “exceptional” rough diamond from its Karowe Mine in Botswana.

“The ability to recover such a massive, high-quality stone intact demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach to diamond recovery and our commitment to maximizing value for our shareholders and stakeholders,” said William Lamb, the president and CEO of Lucara, adding that the stone was located using X-ray technology.

The weight of the stone would make it the largest diamond found in more than 100 years and the second largest mined after the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond was discovered in South Africa in 1905, the Associated Press reported. It was cut into gems, some of which are part of the British Crown Jewels.

Before this discovery, the 1,758-carat Sewelo Diamond, also found at the Karowe Mine in 2019, held the title of the world’s second-largest diamond, per the Associated Press. It was purchased by French fashion house Louis Vuitton for an undisclosed amount.

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