Lucara Diamond Corp has recovered the tenth diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats from Botswana’s Karowe mine, an achievement unmatched by any other diamond mine in history.
Africa’s leading diamond producer, Botswana, has reinforced its status as a global powerhouse in the gemstone industry after a massive 1,305.4-carat diamond was recovered from the renowned Karowe mine, adding yet another extraordinary discovery to its record of producing some of the world’s largest and most valuable diamonds .
The latest find, announced by Lucara Diamond Corp, marks the tenth diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats to be recovered from the Karowe mine, an achievement unmatched by any other diamond mine in history . The enormous gem was recovered using the mine’s Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray Transmission technology, which is specifically designed to identify and preserve exceptionally large diamonds without breaking them during processing .
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Lucara President and CEO William Lamb described the discovery as another defining moment for the mine. “The recovery of our tenth diamond exceeding 1,000 carats is another extraordinary milestone for Karowe and further demonstrates the singular nature of this world-class orebody. No diamond mine in history has consistently produced diamonds of this magnitude, and Karowe continues to set itself apart on the global stage,” Lamb said .
The newly recovered diamond was found while processing a blend of material from the current open-pit operation and previously mined stockpiled ore . Lucara said it cannot conclusively determine whether the stone originated from ongoing mining activities or from older run-of-mine material . Despite that uncertainty, the discovery further highlights the exceptional geology of the Karowe orebody, which has repeatedly yielded rare, high-quality diamonds over the past decade .
Karowe is currently undergoing a major transformation as Lucara develops its Underground Project, which is designed to access the highest-value portion of the orebody after the depletion of the open pit . According to the company, underground development ore is expected to begin replacing stockpiled material in 2027, while full-scale underground production is scheduled to commence in the first half of 2028 .
Since commercial production began, Karowe has earned a global reputation for recovering some of the largest gem-quality diamonds ever discovered . Among its most celebrated finds are the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona, the 1,094-carat Seriti, the 1,080-carat Eva Star, and the remarkable 2,488-carat Motswedi—the largest diamond discovered anywhere in the world in more than a century .
According to a report by Accra Street Journal, the latest recovery further cements Botswana’s position as Africa’s foremost diamond producer and underscores the country’s continued importance to the global luxury gemstone market . Diamonds remain one of Botswana’s most significant exports and a cornerstone of its economy, with discoveries from Karowe helping sustain the country’s reputation as the world’s premier source of rare, high-value diamonds
Source: Accra Street Journal
Last Updated on July 15, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu
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Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.
