Image credit: Lucara Diamond
Lucara Diamond has recovered a 62.7-carat fancy pink diamond from its wholly-owned Karowe mine, in Botswana.
The dual-listed diamond company said the stone was named "Boitumelo" meaning "Joy" in Setswana and it represents the largest fancy pink gem to be recovered in Botswana and one of the world's largest rough pink diamonds on record.
The fancy pink, Type IIa gem was recovered from the ore sourced at the EM/PK(S) unit of the South Lobe.
"Lucara is delighted to announce another historic diamond with the recovery of the Boitumelo and very pleased to demonstrate the continued potential for large, coloured diamonds from the South Lobe production,” said company chief executive Eira Thomas.
“These remarkable pink diamonds join a collection of significant diamond recoveries in 2021 produced from the EM/PK(S) which forms a key economic driver for the proposed underground mine at Karowe."
Meanwhile, Lucara said a 22.21-carat fancy pink gem of similar quality was also recovered during the same production period along with two additional pink gems of similar colour and purity weighing 11.17, and 5.05 carats.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
