Lucara names its 1,111 carat diamond as Lesedi La Rona

Lucara Diamond Corp. has decided to call its 1,111 carat gem quality diamond recovered in November 2015 as "Lesedi La Rona" meaning Our Light, selecting this name from entries of the naming competition. The winner of the competition, Thembani Moitlhobogi, will receive a prize of 25,000 Pula.

Lucara had invited people of Botswana including its Batswana employees to participate in the competition of naming this diamond. The competition which began on January 18, 2016 attracted over 11,000 entries. Entrants were invited to submit their suggested name and their rationale for their choice.

To ensure transparency and independence during the name selection process, the audit firm of Ernst & Young were retained to oversee the competition. The judging panel consisted of a total of five executives from both Lucara and the Karowe mine. Entries were submitted to the judging panel on an anonymous basis with Ernst & Young retrieving the winner's name after the panel had selected the winning name for the diamond.

The 1,111 carat gem quality diamond is a Type IIa diamond, the biggest diamond ever recovered in Botswana and the second largest ever found in the world.

William Lamb, CEO and President commented, "The outpouring of pride and patriotism shown by all the participants in the contest was incredible. The diamond industry has played a vital role in the country's development, allowing for significant and ongoing investment in world-class healthcare, education and infrastructure. "Lesedi La Rona" symbolizes the pride and history of the people of Botswana."