Lucara Diamond Corp has sold two diamonds recovered from its Karowe mine in Botswana for a total of $54 million.
The 549-carat Sethunya and the 1,080-carat Eva Star were extracted from the South Lobe of the Karowe kimberlite, an area known for producing large, high-value diamonds.
Karowe’s Ongoing Production of Large Diamonds
The sale highlights Karowe’s history of recovering sizeable stones. Lucara’s president and CEO, William Lamb, commented on the mine’s continued production of high-quality diamonds.
“The sale of these two extraordinary diamonds further validates our investment in the Karowe underground project. The unique characteristics of Karowe’s kimberlite, particularly in the South Lobe, continue to amaze us with its ability to produce diamonds of exceptional size and quality. The mineralogy we’re seeing is truly unprecedented in the industry, consistently delivering Type IIa diamonds of remarkable clarity and size,” said Lamb.
Major Diamond Discoveries at Karowe
The Karowe mine has been the source of several large diamond discoveries. Notable recoveries include the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond in 2019, a 1,174-carat diamond in 2021, and the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona diamond in 2015. The 1,080-carat Eva Star is the fourth diamond exceeding 1,000 carats recovered from the mine.
More recently, the mine produced the 2,492-carat Motswedi diamond in August 2023, followed by the 1,094-carat Seriti diamond in September 2023. The Motswedi is the second-largest diamond ever found, following the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond recovered in South Africa in 1905.
Lucara’s underground expansion at Karowe, designed to reach deeper sections of the South Lobe where high-value EMPKS ore is present, is expected to extend the mine’s life beyond 2040. Underground production is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2028.
