Science & Technology

Man finds 706-carat diamond in Sierra Leone

By T.K. Randall
March 17, 2017

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) The massive stone, which is comparable in size to a hockey puck, is the second largest diamond ever found in Sierra Leone and the largest overall to have been found in over four decades.

Despite being eligible for a large sum of money from the sale of the diamond, Mamoh chose instead to hand it over to the government in the hope that the proceeds will help to improve the current economic situation in the country through the funding of new development projects.

Sierra Leone pastor strikes lucky with discovery of giant 706-carat diamond https://t.co/pfzM1fmG5t pic.twitter.com/e5l8ezoDgQ

— RT (@RT_com) March 17, 2017

"I believe the government can do more, especially at a time when the country is undergoing some economic challenges," he said.

The diamond was presented to President Ernest Bai Koroma on Wednesday and is now being stored in Freetown's central bank vault where it awaits official valuation.

The largest diamond ever found, which was known as the Cullinan Diamond, was unearthed in South Africa in 1905 and weighed an utterly staggering 3,106.75 carats. It was later cut in to a number of smaller diamonds - two of which can still be found today in the British Crown Jewels.

Source: News.com.au

Tags: Diamond, Sierra Leone