Lucara Diamond has recovered a 1,305.4-carat diamond from its Karowe Mine, reinforcing Botswana’s reputation as home to some of the world’s largest gem-quality stones at a time when the global diamond industry continues to battle weak demand and price pressure.
The latest discovery is the tenth diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats recovered from Karowe since production began in 2012, a record that further distinguishes the mine from other diamond operations worldwide. The white, unbroken stone was recovered using the mine’s X-ray Transmission (XRT) technology, which is designed to detect and preserve large diamonds that might otherwise be damaged during processing.
Lucara said it could not determine whether the stone came from current open-pit mining or from previously mined ore held in stockpiles because both materials were being processed simultaneously.
The discovery adds to Karowe’s list of headline-making recoveries, including the 2,488-carat Motswedi, the largest diamond unearthed in more than a century, as well as the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona, the 1,094-carat Seriti and the 1,080-carat Eva Star.
For Botswana, the latest find comes as the diamond sector works through one of its most challenging periods in years, with subdued consumer demand and growing competition from laboratory-grown diamonds weighing on revenues across the industry.
Lucara President and Chief Executive Officer William Lamb said the recovery highlights the unique nature of the Karowe orebody and strengthens confidence in the mine’s long-term value as the company advances its underground expansion project. The underground mine is expected to replace stockpile processing from 2027, with full-scale production targeted for the first half of 2028.