This extraordinary stone ranks among the largest diamonds ever found, though its full potential in terms of gem quality remains to be assessed. The find is notably close in size to the world’s largest diamond, the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905.

The diamond was recovered using advanced X-ray technology installed at the Karowe mine to detect high-value stones within the primary ore body. This technological innovation has proven successful before, leading to the discovery of other significant diamonds at Karowe, including the 1,758-carat Sewelo and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona.

Lucara’s Chief Executive Officer, William Lamb, highlighted the significance of the discovery, stating, "The ability to recover such a massive, high-quality stone intact demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach to diamond recovery."

This monumental find comes at a challenging time for the diamond industry, with prices hitting a four-year low, according to the Diamond Standard Index. While the sector saw a boost during the pandemic as consumers redirected their spending from travel and entertainment to luxury goods, demand has since softened. The market now faces additional pressure from China's economic slowdown and the rising production of synthetic diamonds.

As Lucara continues to assess the quality of this newly discovered diamond, the find underscores Karowe's reputation as a world-class source of some of the largest and most impressive diamonds in the industry.