A diamond weighing 2,492 carats was unearthed this week at Botswana’s renowned Karowe mine by Canada’s Lucara Diamond Company, marking one of the largest gemstones ever found.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Lucara Diamond described the “extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond” as a “spectacular find,” and noted it is “one of the largest rough diamonds ever discovered.” The diamond was retrieved using the company’s Mega Diamond Recovery (MDR) X-ray Transmission (XRT) technology, which was implemented in 2017 to help identify and protect large, valuable diamonds.

While Lucara did not disclose the gem’s quality, reports from Reuters suggest its size places it as the second-largest diamond ever discovered, following the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, which was found in South Africa in 1905.

The Cullinan Diamond was later transformed into part of the British Crown jewels after it was cut and polished.

According to Lucara’s news release, this latest discovery adds to a remarkable list of significant finds from the Karowe mine, including the 1,758-carat Sewelô and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona.

Prior to this discovery, the 1,758-carat Sewelô was regarded as the largest diamond found in Botswana, as reported by Al-Jazeera. It was also sourced from the Karowe mine back in 2019.

The Botswana government confirmed that this diamond is the largest ever found in the southern African nation, according to BBC News.

‘Unbelievable Diamond’

William Lamb, President and CEO of Lucara, expressed the company’s excitement about recovering this remarkable 2,492-carat diamond, emphasizing that this find underscores Karowe’s status as a world-class diamond mine.

Lucara fully owns the Karowe mine, which has been operational since 2012, according to the company’s website. They are expected to present the diamond to Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi, as noted by Reuters.

Botswana stands as one of the world’s largest diamond producers, contributing approximately 20% of global output, according to a report by GlobalData. Last month, the southern African nation proposed legislation requiring mining companies, upon receiving a license, to allow local investors to purchase a 24% stake in the mines unless the government opts to take the stake itself, as reported by Reuters.