2019 has been a great year for diamond miners in Africa, with some record gemstones being unveiled! Here are our top 12 from South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Lesotho. Do you know of any other diamond discoveries in Africa, worth mentioning?
The Top 12 African Diamond finds for 2019
- Botswana
Company: Lucara Diamond Corporation
Mine: Karowe
Diamond: 127 carat, top white gem diamond
Month Recovered: January
- Botswana
Company: Lucara Diamond Corporation
Mine: Karowe
Diamond: 223 carat, high white gem diamond
Month Recovered: February
- South Africa
Company: Petra Diamonds
Mine: Cullinan
Diamond: 100.83 carat, D-Colour Type II gem quality diamond
Month Recovered: March
- South Africa
Company: Petra Diamonds
Mine: Cullinan
Diamond: 425.10 carat D-Colour Type II gem quality diamond
Month Recovered: March
- Botswana
Company: Lucara Diamond Corporation
Mine: Karowe
Diamond: 1758 carat diamond, unbroken, weighing close to 352g and measuring 83mm X 62mm X 46mm. The diamond was characterised as near-gem of variable quality, including domains of high quality white gem. It was named Sewelo, meaning “rare find” in Setswana.
Month Recovered: April
- South Africa
Company: Petra Diamonds
Mine: Cullinan
Diamond: 209.9 carat D-Colour Type II gem quality diamond and the third +100ct Type II D-Colour gem quality diamond recovered by Petra since March 2019.
Month Recovered: April
- Lesotho
Company: Lucapa Diamond Corporation
Mine: Mothae
Diamond: 126 carat diamond and largest gem-quality diamond ever recovered from Mothae. It is the sixth +50 carat diamond recovered since pre-production bulk sampling in 2018
Month Recovered: May
- Angola
Company: Lucapa Diamond Corporation
Mine: Lulo
Diamond: 130 carat diamond
Month Recovered: May
- Lesotho
Company: Lucapa Diamond Corporation
Mine: Mothae
Diamond: Exceptional 64 carat diamond – Type IIa D colour gem. It was the first commercially produced diamond from Mothae to sell for a price in excess of US$1 million.
Month Recovered: August
- Botswana
Company: Lucara Diamond Corporation
Mine: Karowe
Diamond: 123 carat gem quality top white Type II diamond – sourced from the EM/PK(S) area which delivered several other high value diamonds including the 1 109 carat Lesedi La Rona, the 813 carat Constellation
Month Recovered: September
- South Africa
Company: Petra Diamonds
Mine: Cullinan
Diamond: Exceptional 20.08 carat blue gem quality Type IIb diamond
Month Recovered: September
- Botswana
Company: Lucara Diamond Corporation
Mine: Karowe
Diamond: Exceptional blue, 9.74 carat gem quality diamond and a 4.13 carat pink gem quality diamond
Month Recovered: September
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