Vancouver-based Lucara Diamond Corp., has unearthed a 1111-carat, gem-quality diamond at its Karowe Mine in Botswana, making it the second-largest ever recovered.
The Type 11a diamond is also the largest ever to be recovered through a modern processing facility.
“This historic diamond recovery puts Lucara and the Karowe mine amongst a select number of truly exceptional diamond producers,” said company president and CEO, William Lamb.
“The significance of the recovery of a gem-quality stone larger than 1000 carats, the largest for more than a century, and the continued recovery of high-quality stones from the south lobe, cannot be overstated. Our focus on mining the south lobe, which is delivering value beyond expectation, has been perfectly timed with the commissioning of our recent plant modifications, enabling the recovery of these large, high-quality exceptional diamonds.”
The diamond was recovered by the newly installed large diamond recovery (LDR) XRT machines. The stone measures 65 mm x 56 mm x 40 mm and is the largest ever to be recovered in Botswana.
