Botswana Mining Review Comprehensive Coverage of the Progress and Achievements in the Mining Sector
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Canadian miner Lucara Diamond Corp. has recovered a mammoth 1,305.4-carat rough diamond from its Karowe mine in Botswana, a discovery that underscores Southern Africa’s standing as a global powerhouse for critical minerals and precious stones.
The gem described as a white, unbroken stone measuring 79.9 by 34.1 by 51.9 millimeters was safely extracted using Lucara’s proprietary Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray Transmission technology. The specialized sorting system identifies high-value stones in the ore before they enter conventional crushing circuits, preserving mega-diamonds that would otherwise be shattered during extraction.
“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,” said Lucara President and Chief Executive Officer William Lamb. “No diamond mine in history has consistently produced diamonds of this magnitude, and Karowe continues to set itself apart on the global stage.”
The landmark find comes as neighboring Zambia and the broader Southern African region enjoy a renewed wave of global mining investment and resource-backed growth. While Zambia continues to solidify its position as Africa’s premier destination for copper and critical energy-transition metals, neighboring Botswana has anchored the region’s luxury sector through unmatched gem-quality discoveries. Together, the mineral corridors spanning Zambia and Botswana are proving pivotal to global supply chains, drawing international capital into advanced processing technology and underground mine expansions across the sub-continent.
A Streak of Historic Recoveries
The 1,305.4-carat stone marks the tenth diamond over 1,000 carats extracted from Karowe since operations began in 2012. The site has repeatedly rewritten gemological history, yielding some of the largest diamonds ever cataloged:
- 2,492-Carat Motswedi (2024): The largest diamond unearthed in over a century, trailing only South Africa’s historic 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond found in 1905.
- 1,758-Carat Sewelô (2019): A massive near-gem rough subsequently acquired by luxury house Louis Vuitton.
- 1,109-Carat Lesedi La Rona (2015): One of the pure Type IIa rough stones that established Karowe’s global reputation.
Lucara noted that the latest stone was recovered while processing a blend of open-pit material and stockpiled ore, validating ongoing capital expenditure toward Karowe’s underground transition project. As regional mining peers in Zambia accelerate deep-level copper developments to capture rising global demand, Lucara’s underground push reflects a broader, multi-billion-dollar effort across Southern Africa to extend the operating lifespans of world-class deposits.
