Lucara Diamond Corp, a leading independent diamond producer, has achieved an extraordinary feat at its Karowe mine in Botswana. The company announced the recovery of Botswana’s largest diamond, weighing 2,492 carats, considered one of the largest ever mined. This find, of staggering magnitude, was made possible by the advanced Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray transmission technology (XRT) implemented by Lucara since 2017.
This was the reaction of the President of Botswana upon holding the diamond in his hands.
Mokgweetsi Masisi showing the 2,492-carat diamond. Source: Inside Edition
The discovery of the largest diamond in Botswana
The gemstone was discovered during the processing of EM/PK(S) kimberlite, a dominant ore type in the subway operations at Karowe Karowe’s underground operations. This remarkable diamond underscores Lucara’s ability to identify and preserve high-value stones, cementing the Karowe mine’s position as a world-class resource.
William Lamb, Lucara’s President and CEO, expressed his excitement at this discovery, noting how it reinforces the reputation of the mine and the effectiveness of XRT technology in recovering large, high quality gemstones. This achievement highlights the potential of the Karowe mine.
In recent years, the Karowe mine has been the source of numerous large diamonds, such as the 1,758-carat Sewelô found in 2019, the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Ronasuch as the 1,758-carat Sewelô found in 2019, the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona discovered in 2015, and the 813-carat Constellation, also found in 2015. In addition, the mine is recognized for having produced the largest fancy pink diamond ever recorded in Botswana, known as Boitumelo.
The world’s largest diamonds
Throughout history, several extraordinary diamonds have been discovered in various parts of the world, capturing the imagination for their size and beauty. Among these are:
- Cullinan of 3.106 carats (1905).
- 1,758-carat Sewelô (2019).
- Lesedi La Rona of 1,109 carats (2015).
- Excelsior with 995.2 carats (1893).
- Star of Sierra Leone with 968.9 carats (1972).
- Lesotho Legend with 910 carats (2018).
- The incomparable 890 carats (1984).
- Constellation with 813 carats (2015).
- Koh-1-Noor 105 carats (1526, according to sources).
Of all these diamonds, the “Cullinan“, found in South Africa in 1905, weighed 3,106 carats and is the largest ever found. This giant diamond was later cut into several smaller gems and is now part of the British crown jewels.
On the other hand, unlike other diamonds diamonds mined from the Karowe mine, such as the Sewelô and the Lesedi La Rona, this new 2,492-carat gem has yet to receive an official name. While its predecessors quickly gained worldwide recognition with unique names, this newly discovered colossus awaits its time to be christened, which will undoubtedly add another fascinating chapter to the story of Lucara and its flagship mine in Botswana.
About X-Ray Transmission (XRT) Technology
The XRT technology, renowned for its accuracy and efficiency, has redefined the sorting paradigm by taking advantage of differential X-ray absorption to X-ray by materials with different atomic densities. Its integration into diamond mining operations has proven to be crucial, especially in the recovery of larger diamonds, which have significant market value.
The basic operating principle of the XRT classifier is that the unsorted material is fed uniformly through a feeder over a transition chute onto a common conveyor belt. Towards the end of the conveyor belt, the XRT technology system detects the material based on its atomic density to pneumatically eject the diamonds into the concentrate chamber.
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Source and photos: Lucara Diamond