Workers at Lesotho’s Letšeng mine have discovered an absolute whopper of a diamond, rated at 910-carats. Roughly the size of two golf balls, the precious gem has an estimated value of $40 million.
The rock, uncovered in the landlocked southern African country of Lesotho, is a 910-carat, D-color Type IIa diamond. This type of diamond makes up about 1 to 2 percent of all natural diamonds, containing no measurable impurities such as nitrogen atoms. Type IIa’s are typically colorless, and are practically transparent in ultraviolet light. At 910-carats, it weights 182 grams, or 6.42 ounces. The Letšeng mine in which the diamond was unearthed is owned by Gem Diamonds, a British-based global diamond mining business.
“Since Gem Diamonds acquired Letšeng in 2006, the mine has produced some of the world’s most remarkable diamonds, including the 603 carat Lesotho Promise, however, this exceptional top quality diamond is the largest to be mined to date and highlights the unsurpassed quality of the Letšeng mine,” Clifford Elphick, Gem Diamonds’ Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “This is a landmark recovery for all of Gem Diamonds’ stakeholders, including our employees, shareholders and the Government of Lesotho, our partner in the Letšeng mine.”
The Letšeng mine is renowned for producing big, high quality diamonds. Back in 2015, Gem Diamonds sold a 357-carat rock for $19.3 million, and in 2006 it discovered the 603-carat Lesotho Promise. The company didn’t say how it would sell the diamond, or disclose its worth, but as Bloomberg Quint reports, the precious stone could be worth $40 million if it’s devoid of large internal defects.
The largest diamond ever discovered remains the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond found near Pretoria in South Africa in 1905. The mine’s owner, Sir Thomas Cullinan presented all 1.33 pounds of the stone to Edward VII of the United Kingdom as a birthday present. That stone was then cut into nine large stones and 100 smaller ones. Many of the stones have become part of the crown jewels. The largest stone, the 530-carat Cullinan I, named the Star of Africa, is now part of the U.K.’s Royal Sceptre, and the 317-carat Cullianan II is mounted on the U.K.’s Imperial State Crown.
The rock, uncovered in the landlocked southern African country of Lesotho, is a 910-carat, D-color Type IIa diamond. This type of diamond makes up about 1 to 2 percent of all natural diamonds, containing no measurable impurities such as nitrogen atoms. Type IIa’s are typically colorless, and are practically transparent in ultraviolet light. At 910-carats, it weights 182 grams, or 6.42 ounces. The Letšeng mine in which the diamond was unearthed is owned by Gem Diamonds, a British-based global diamond mining business.
“Since Gem Diamonds acquired Letšeng in 2006, the mine has produced some of the world’s most remarkable diamonds, including the 603 carat Lesotho Promise, however, this exceptional top quality diamond is the largest to be mined to date and highlights the unsurpassed quality of the Letšeng mine,” Clifford Elphick, Gem Diamonds’ Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “This is a landmark recovery for all of Gem Diamonds’ stakeholders, including our employees, shareholders and the Government of Lesotho, our partner in the Letšeng mine.”
The Letšeng mine is renowned for producing big, high quality diamonds. Back in 2015, Gem Diamonds sold a 357-carat rock for $19.3 million, and in 2006 it discovered the 603-carat Lesotho Promise. The company didn’t say how it would sell the diamond, or disclose its worth, but as Bloomberg Quint reports, the precious stone could be worth $40 million if it’s devoid of large internal defects.
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