British miner European Diamonds Plc said it offered a total of 13,567 carats of run of mine diamonds for tender in Antwerp, of which 11,608 carats were sold for $2.17 million. This was the company�s fourth sale of diamonds from the Lesotho-based Liqhobong mine, bringing its annual proceeds to $4.3 million. The 1,959 carats not sold were smaller, low value stones.

The parcel achieved a significantly higher price mainly due to a D-colour 27.7 carat stone that fetched $748,121, or $27,008 per carat, according to chief executive officer, Roy Spencer. It also contained several other smaller high quality stones of between 11 carats and 23 carats, he added. There are indications that the 27 carat stone is a Type IIa diamond fragment of a much larger diamond which, taken together suggests that larger, similarly high quality stones, may be present in the main pipe, the firm said.
�We believe this may be the highest price paid on a per carat basis from Lesotho in recent times. If the three largest, high quality stones are removed from the equation, the remaining parcel fetched $72 per carat,� Spencer noted.