The second-biggest uncut diamond in history has been unearthed from a mine in Botswana.
The 1,758-carat diamond, larger than a tennis ball, weighs close to 352 grams (12.42 ounces), Lucara said in a statement. The stone is second in size only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, recovered in South Africa in 1905.
The stone is the latest in a series of high-value recoveries for the company at Karowe. Since introducing its XRT diamond recovery technology, Lucara has recovered 12 diamonds over 300 carats, including a 472-carat and a 327-carat diamond in April 2018.
The 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona, which Lucara recovered in November 2015, failed to meet its undisclosed reserve price at a June 2016 auction, putting pressure on the company’s shares. British diamond dealer Graff Diamonds finally bought it for $53 million in September 2017.
Forbes reported late last year that Graff had created 67 finished gems from the stone.