Botswana, a 2,492-carat rough diamond discovered: one of the world's largest gems

One of the world's largest diamonds ever unearthed, a rough stone weighing 2,492 carats (almost half a kilogram, for those unfamiliar with carats, ndr), has been found in Botswana: this was announced today by Lucara Diamond Corp. the Canadian mining company that discovered the gem. The diamond was found in the Karowe mine in north-eastern Botswana, about 430 kilometres from the capital Gaborone. The company did not disclose the value of the diamond, nor did it provide details on its quality.

In terms of carats, the stone is a worthy rival to the largest diamond ever mined, the 3,016.75-carat Cullinan discovered in South Africa in 1905. "We are thrilled with the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond," said Lucara's CEO and president, William Lamb. It is "one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed" and was identified using the company's Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, he added.