The 998-carat unbroken white diamond, measuring 67x49x 45mm is one of the five largest stones ever mined. It won’t remain as such — Lucara said the diamond was clivage, meaning it would have to be split before further processing into polished gems.
“Lucara is extremely pleased with the continued recovery of large high quality diamonds from the South Lobe of the Karowe mine,” chief executive Eira Thomas said in a media statement. “To recover two +500 carat diamonds in 10 months along with the many other high-quality diamonds across all the size ranges is a testament to the unique aspect of the resource at Karowe mine in Botswana, the same asset that last year yielded the 1,758-carat Sewelô (“rare find”), the second-largest diamond ever mined.”