Value of huge Botswana diamond still unknown

Lucara mining firm attracts many inquiries to buy 1,111-carat gem but says stone not yet valued as it’s too big for onsite equipment and must be flown to Antwerp
The Canadian mining company which this week unearthed the world’s largest diamond in more than a century says it cannot put a value on the 222g (7.8oz) stone.

The 1,111-carat gem was hauled from an open pit mine in central Botswana, by the Lucara Diamond Corporation, a Vancouver based firm.

William Lamb, the company’s chief executive, said Lucara had already been inundated with inquiries from potential buyers, but said it was impossible to price the diamond at this stage. The stone, the second largest ever recovered, was too large to fit inside the company’s own scanner, so it was be transported to Antwerp for closer inspection.

The company has yet to decide how to sell the stone, but it is likely to be auctioned once it has been prepared for sale. “People are still reeling from the fact that it’s over 1,000 carats,” Lamb said on Thursday.

The company’s share price rose 32% on the back of the news, adding about $150m to its market value. - Read More at the Botswana diamond 

Value of huge Botswana diamond still unknown