A recent discovery in Botswana has sent shockwaves through the world of geoscience. In June 2021, a diamond was found in the Jwaneng Mine that is being hailed as a sensation due to its size. The stone, which is yet to be named, is roughly the size of a tennis ball and weighs an astonishing 1,098 carats (219 grams). It is one of only four diamonds ever discovered that weigh over 1,000 carats, and is likely to be the third largest diamond of its kind in the world.
The Jwaneng Mine is part of the Debswana consortium, which is jointly owned by the Botswana government and diamond producer De Beers. The consortium operates four diamond mines, with the Jwaneng mine being the largest. It has been in operation since 1972 and is widely regarded as the richest diamond mine in the world. The value of the newly discovered diamond is yet to be determined, according to Debswana Director Lynette Armstrong. It is also unclear what will happen to the diamond.
This is not the first time that Botswana has made headlines for a diamond discovery. In 2015, the Karowe Mine yielded a diamond known as “Lesedi La Rona” (Our Light), which weighed 1,111 carats and was the second largest diamond ever discovered. It was sold in 2017 for around €42 million. The largest diamond ever discovered weighed 3,106 carats and was found in the Cullinan Mine in South Africa in 1905. It has since been split and is now part of the British Crown Jewels.
