- 1, 094ct rough diamond discovered at Karowe Mine
- Luraca says discovery validates expansion of underground capacity
- Diamond bears striking resemblance to last year’s 692ct stone that sold for over $13m
BONGANI MALUNGA
Lucara Diamond has announced a second major diamond discovery in less than a month.
Announced on Sunday, the latest discovery is of a 1, 094-carat rough diamond unearthed at Lucara’s Karowe Mine.
This comes just weeks after the diamond exploration company discovered the second largest diamond ever unearthed, a massive 2,492-carat stone, that made global headlines.
6th stone exceeding 1000ct
Lucara confirmed in a statement that the newly unearthed 1,094-carat stone is the sixth diamond in excess of 1,000 carats recovered by the company.
“Its exceptional size and quality underscore the unique characteristics of the Karowe ore body and reinforce the company’s position as the leading producer of large, high-quality diamonds,” it said in the statement.
The president and CEO of Lucara, William Lamb, stated that the discovery vindicates the company’s expansion of its underground capacity. The company’s underground expansion project is set to extend the lifespan of the Karowe Mine to beyond 2040.
As part of the expansion project, it has been designed to access more areas of the South Lobe of the mine at depth where the EMPKS ore type is in abundance.
Exceptional
“The recovery of this exceptional 1,094-carat diamond is a testament to Karowe’s remarkable potential and further validates our investment in the underground expansion project,” Lamb said in the statement.
“These continued discoveries of large, high-value diamonds demonstrate the consistent quality of our resource and its ability to deliver substantial returns.
“As we progress with our underground development, we’re increasingly confident in Karowe’s capacity to produce these legendary diamonds well into the future and cementing our position in the high-end diamond market.”
Striking resemblance
The company also announced that the latest large stone bears a striking resemblance to a 692-carat diamond announced in August 2023, which was polished by Belgian diamond polishing and cutting firm, HB Antwerp.
The diamond yielded polished diamonds that were eventually sold for a combined value exceeding $13 million.