A 1,098 carat diamond accepted to be the third biggest pearl quality stone ever to be mined, has been found in Botswana, as indicated by a joint effort between Anglo American’s De Beers and the government.
The stone was presented to President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Wednesday by Debswana Diamond Company’s acting managing director Lynette Armstrong. It is the third biggest in the world, behind the 3,106 carat Cullinan stone recovered in South Africa in 1905 and the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona uncovered by Lucara Diamonds in Botswana in 2015.
“This is the biggest diamond to be recovered by Debswana in its history of more than 50 years in operations,” Armstrong said.
“From our preliminary examination it may be the world’s third biggest pearl quality stone. We are yet to settle on a choice on whether to sell it through the De Beers channel or through the state owned Okavango Diamond Company,” Armstrong said.
Minerals minister Lefoko Moagi said the discovery of the yet-to-be named stone, which estimates 73mm long, 52mm wide and 27mm thick, couldn’t have come at a better time after the Coronavirus pandemic hit jewel deals in 2020.
The government gets as much as 80% of the pay from Debswana’s deals through dividends, royalties and taxes.
Production at Debswana fell 29% in 2020 to 16.6 million carats while deals fell 30% to $2.1 billion as the pandemic affected both production and demand.
In 2021, Debswana plans to expand yield by as much as 38% to pre-pandemic levels of 23 million carats as the global precious stone market recuperates with the lifting of movement resrictions and reopening of jewelers.
