News broke in August that Lucara had unearthed a 2,492-carat diamond from the Karowe mine in Botswana.
The mining company identified the stone during kimberlite processing at the site using X-ray transmission technology (XRT). The Cullinan Diamond, discovered in South Africa in 1905, weighs 3,106 carats and is considered the largest gemstone-quality diamond ever recovered.
It was initially speculated that the diamond would be sold to HB Antwerp as part of an offtake agreement. It was later suggested that the diamond may remain rough, and in a recent interview with MiningMX, CEO William Lamb revealed that the company has been in discussions with unusual buyers.
“The short and sweet of it is that these are not easy stones to move, if you looked at the universe of people that could afford the stone — you’ve got to be fairly selective,” he explained.
“We’ve had discussions with three different museums across the globe who want to acquire the stone. They want it in the rough; they don’t want to polish it.”
Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi handled the diamond shortly after the discovery during a special presentation, describing it as “overwhelming.”
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