World's Second Largest Diamond Unearthed In Botswana
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
Alignment
On August 22, 2024, Lucara Diamond revealed the discovery of a massive 2,492-carat diamond in Botswana. The gemstone is the second biggest one ever found and the largest one found in the Southern African nation. The largest diamond discovered to date is the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond. It was found in South Africa in 1905.
"We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492-carat diamond," said William Lamb, president and CEO of Lucara Diamond.
The yet-to-be-named stone was found in the Karowe mine using X-ray technology. The relatively small mine is known for its exceptionally large diamonds. They include the 1,758-carat Sewelô diamond. Previously recognized as the world's second-biggest diamond, it was sold to French fashion house Louis Vuitton in 2019 for an undisclosed sum.
It will take experts several months to determine the value of the latest discovery. But the gemstone is expected to fetch tens of millions of dollars. Like most large diamonds, it will likely be cut into smaller gems.
For example, the Cullinan diamond was divided into nine larger gems and nearly 100 smaller ones. Two of the biggest stones are part of the British Crown jewels. The 530.2-carat Cullinan 1 was added to the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross in 1910. The sceptre has been used in every coronation since Charles II became king in 1661. The 317-carat Cullinan II is the centerpiece of the Imperial State Crown. Queen Elizabeth II wore it annually for the State Opening of Parliament.
Diamonds are formed when carbon atoms are squeezed together under high-pressure deep underground. This process occurs at depths of over 93 miles (150 km), where temperatures exceed 2,000°F (1,093°C). Over time, the diamonds are carried closer to Earth's surface by volcanic eruptions. Scientists believe that most natural diamonds are at least a billion years old. Some are even over three billion years old!
Resources: Washingtonpost.com, CNN.com, mma.prnewswire.com
Get the Workbook for this article!
Workbook contains: Article, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking Questions, Vocabulary in Context (+ answers), Multiple Choice Quiz (+ answers), Parts of Speech Quiz (+ answers), Vocabulary Game (+ answers)Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
57 Comments
- datizedi-1598549258582 monthsI bet its like a billion dollars
forthepineapple2 monthscant wait to see what they use it for
sigmaohiorizz2 monthsHow much did it cost
haylee12d2 monthswow so big
marced122 monthsYeah! It's massive.
lovingpug212 monthsi want it
minecraft23453 monthsI imagine that on a wedding ring... Wow!
s400418743 monthsIf I had that diamond, I would tie it to a chain and wear it as a necklace so I can look super cool and rich!!
345763 monthsMega-huge!
samhuang3 monthsSo big!!
milkfanforever3 monthsWoah... Thats huge!
