DIAMONDS: Lucara unearths 127-ct top white stone at Karowe

[caption id="attachment_1003726449" align="aligncenter" width="448"] This is the 127-ct white diamond recently recovered from the Karowe mine in Botswana. (Image: Lucara Diamond)[/caption] BOTSWANA – Vancouver-based Lucara Diamond Corp. has recovered a 127-carat, top white gem diamond at its Karowe mine in the Orapa-Letlhakane district. The mine also produced the 1,109-carat Lesdi la Rona and the 813-carat Constellation, which sold for a record US$63.1 million. Since mining began in 2012, a total of 129 diamonds weighing more than 100 carats have been found, and 33 of those were recovered in 2018. The total includes 12 diamonds larger than 300 carats, of which five were found last year. Karowe has open pit reserves of 2.6 million carats that will carry production forward to 2026. A feasibility study is underway that could expand mining underground to 2036. Mining is currently focused on the high value south lobe and the EMPKS. Lucara president and CEO Eira Thomas has a knack for finding diamonds. Her name will be familiar to readers for her role in discovering the Diavik kimberlites and for founding Stornoway Diamond Corp., Quebec’s only diamond producer. As chief executive of Kaminak Gold Corp., she can add “gold finder” to her resume as well. Detailed information about the Karowe mine is posted at www.LucaraDiamond.com.