Lucara Botswana has recovered a massive 1,305.4-carat rough diamond from its Karowe Mine, adding another exceptional stone to the country’s growing list of globally significant diamond discoveries.
The latest find marks the 10th diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats recovered from the mine since commercial operations began in 2012.
Lucara Botswana Managing Director, Naseem Lahri, presented the newly recovered diamond to Botswana’s President, Duma Boko, and members of the cabinet, highlighting the continued significance of the Karowe mine to the country’s diamond industry.
Karowe has established itself as one of the world’s leading sources of large, high-quality Type IIa diamonds, which are known for their exceptional purity and rarity. The mine specialises in stones weighing more than 10.8 carats and has produced several of the world’s most notable diamonds in recent years.
Among its most remarkable discoveries is the 2,488-carat Motswedi, described as the largest diamond recovered in more than a century. The mine has also produced the 1,758-carat Sewelô and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona, further cementing its reputation as a major source of extraordinary gemstones.
The recovery of the latest 1,305.4-carat stone reveals Karowe’s ability to produce exceptionally large diamonds that attract significant interest in the international market.
Type IIa diamonds are among the rarest natural diamonds and are valued for their high levels of transparency and purity. Their scarcity has made large stones from Karowe particularly sought after by the global diamond industry.
The latest discovery comes as Botswana continues to position diamonds as a critical pillar of its economy. The country is one of the world’s major diamond producers, with the industry playing a significant role in government revenues, exports and employment.
For Lucara, the discovery represents another major milestone for a mine that has repeatedly generated headlines with its extraordinary diamond recoveries.
