Science & Technology

World's 3rd largest diamond found in Botswana

By T.K. Randall
June 19, 2021 ·  1 comment

That is one big diamond... Image Credit: Facebook / Debswana Diamond Company The impressive stone - which is thought to be the third largest diamond ever found anywhere on Earth - was discovered at Botswana's Jwaneng Mine back on June 1st.

It was unearthed by the Debswana Diamond Company - a 50/50 venture between the country's government and the De Beers Group corporation with most of the proceeds going to the state.

The first official viewing of the diamond took place on June 16th.While it is currently unclear exactly how much it is worth, the world's second-largest diamond - which was found in 2017 and is only slightly larger - was sold for a whopping $53 million.

"The historic discovery was made at Jwaneng Mine on 1st June 2021 and was made possible through the combination of cutting-edge technology to uncover and process the diamond and the unparalleled experience of the Debswana team who spotted the diamond and protected it throughout the recovery process," the company wrote on its Facebook page.

"Known as the Prince of Mines, Jwaneng Mine began production in 1982 and, along with Debswana's Orapa Mine, has been an engine for the inward investment of diamond revenues in infrastructure, education and healthcare that has driven Botswana's significant economic growth over the past half century."

The largest diamond ever found - weighing in at 3,106 carats - was found in South Africa in 1905.

Source: BBC News | Comments (1)

Tags: Diamond