Lucara Discovers 2,492 Carat Diamond in Botswana

Canada's Lucara Diamond has unearthed a 2,492 carat diamond at Botswana's Karowe mine, making it one of the largest stones ever excavated.

In a press release, Lucara called the find "remarkable" and "one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed." The stone was recovered using the company's "Mega Diamond Recovery ('MDR') X-ray Transmission ('XRT') technology," installed in 2017.

While Lucara did not disclose the stone's gem quality, Reuters reported that it is the second-largest diamond ever found, after the 3,106 carat Cullinan Diamond discovered in 1905.

"This latest recovery joins an impressive roster of other significant finds from the mine, including the 1,758 carat Sewelô and the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona," Lucara said.

Previously, the 1,758-carat Sewelô was Botswana's largest diamond, according to Al-Jazeera. It was also mined at Karowe in 2019.

Botswana's government confirmed the diamond is the largest found in the country, according to BBC News.

'Extraordinary diamond'

Lucara President and CEO William Lamb stated, "We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492 carat diamond," adding that it "reinforces Karowe's position as a truly world-class diamond mine."

Lucara owns the Karowe mine, operational since 2012. The company is expected to present the diamond to Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Botswana is a major diamond producer, accounting for about 20% of global production, according to GlobalData. The country recently proposed a law requiring mining companies to sell a 24% stake to local investors or have the government acquire the shareholding.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.