Gaborone: Africa’s leading diamond producer, Botswana, has reinforced its status as a global powerhouse in the gemstone industry after a massive 1,305.4-carat diamond was recovered from the country’s renowned Karowe mine, adding yet another extraordinary discovery to its record of producing some of the world’s largest and most valuable diamonds.

The stone is categorized as white and is unbroken, the miner said, and measures 79.9 mm x 34.1 mm x 51.9 mm.  The huge rough diamond was detected by the Mega Diamond Recovery (MDR) X-ray Transmission (XRT) machines, which Lucara said have been instrumental in preserving and recovering large gem-quality diamonds. 

The stone was found while processing a blend of open-pit material and previously mined, unprocessed stockpiled ore. As a result, Lucara said it cannot conclusively determine whether the diamond originated from the site’s open-pit mine or from run-of-mine stockpiled material. 

• Botswana has reinforced its position as a top diamond producer with the recovery of a 1,305.4-carat diamond from the Karowe mine.
• This marks the tenth diamond over 1,000 carats found at Karowe, an unmatched accomplishment in the diamond industry.
• The massive gem was recovered using advanced Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray Transmission technology to safely extract large stones.
• The discovery underscores Karowe’s exceptional geology and bolsters confidence in its long-term value, particularly as it transitions to underground mining.