A huge rough diamond, an impressive pebble with silvery reflections that coils in the palm of a hand, was discovered in June in Botswana, we learned Wednesday from the Canadian company Lucara.
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The 1,174-carat gemstone, discovered on June 12, steals third place, on the podium of the largest diamonds in the world, to another exceptional stone found a few days earlier, on June 1, in the same country but by another mining company.
It is a
“historic
discovery
, for us and for Botswana as well,”
commented Lucara CEO Naseem Lahri.
"In the hierarchy of large stones, it is in third place,"
she proudly told AFP during her presentation to the government in Gaborone.
The 1,174-carat diamond, discovered on June 12, climbed to third place on the world's largest podium.
MONIRUL BHUIYAN
Leader of the largest stones
This latest discovery consolidates Botswana's position as the world leader on the largest stones, with six of the largest diamonds in the world.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi praised this
"fascinating moment"
and the increasing frequency of diamond discoveries in the country.
The 1098-carat diamond discovered on June 1 is owned by the Debswana company, jointly owned by the government and South African diamond dealer De Beers.
And the largest known diamond is the “Cullinan”, over 3100 carats, unearthed in South Africa in 1905.
