One of the world’s most magnificent diamonds has been discovered in Botswana, the country’s administration has declared. The 1,098-carat stone, considered the third-largest “gem-quality” diamond ever obtained, was given to President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Wednesday.
This month, the discovery was made shortly at the Jwaneng mine, approximately 75 miles from Gaborone’s city. According to its official site, the mine is managed by Debswana, a diamond company collectively maintained by Botswana’s administration and the De Beers Group.
Botswana is Africa’s most comprehensive producer of diamonds.
“This is the largest diamond to be recovered by Debswana in its history of over 50 years in operation,” said Lynette Armstrong, Debswana Diamond Company’s interim managing director.
“From our preliminary analysis it could be the world’s third largest gem quality stone.”
Debswana is a mutual enterprise between the government and global diamond giant De Beers. Up to 80% of the proceeds from purchases go to country coffers through interests, sovereignty, and expenses.
An evaluation of the stone’s likely price has not yet been published, but in 2017, the second-largest diamond ever discovered, Lesedi La Rona, was sold for $53m (£39.5m).
The enormous diamond ever found was the 3,106 carat Cullinan Diamond in South Africa in 1905. The diamond was auctioned to luxury craftsman Graff for $53 million two years later.
Formally inaugurated in 1982, the Jwaneng mine usually produces between 12.5 million and 15 million carats of diamonds per year, according to Debswana. This month’s discovery is the biggest gem discovered by the group since diamonds were first found in Botswana in 1967, the ministry said.
At present, the magnificent diamond ever recorded is the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, found in South Africa in 1905. The Cullinan was subsequently cut into smaller stones, some of which form part of the British royal family’s crown jewels.
Unpolished diamonds are generally categorized as gem-quality, near-gem, or manufacturing quality, depending on their appearance, accuracy, measurement, and contour.
