Photo courtesy Lucara Diamond
Lucara Diamond is kicking off 2021 with a bang.
The Vancouver-based mining company recovered a white gem-quality unbroken diamond weighing 341 carats from its Karowe Diamond Mine in Botswana.
The stone was recovered from milling of ore sourced from the south western quadrant of the mine’s South Lobe M/PK(S) unit and follows a series of notable diamond recoveries, Lucara says.
“The 341-carat diamond represents the 54th diamond greater than 200 carats to be recovered from Karowe since 2015,” says the company’s CEO, Eira Thomas. “The consistent recovery of these large diamonds is a testament to the continued strong resource and plant performance at Karowe and underpins our rationale for moving forward with the underground expansion program that will see mining continue for at least another 13 years after the open pit ceases operations in 2026.”
Last November, Karowe produced an unbroken 998-carat white diamond. Year to date, the mine has produced more than 30 diamonds larger than 100 carats, including 10 greater than 200 carats.
