Africa-focused Gem Diamonds' (LON:GEMD) has recovered a 115-carat diamond from the Let??eng mine in Lesotho.
The top white colour Type IIa gem was the ninth diamond of over 100 carats the company has found so far this year, exceeding the total number of precious stones over 100 carats dug up in 2017. Those recoveries include a massive 910-carat rock found in januaryu, the world's fifth biggest gem-quality diamond ever found.
Since acquiring Let??eng in 2006, Gem Diamonds has found now five of the 20 largest white gem quality diamonds ever recovered.Since acquiring Let??eng in 2006, Gem Diamonds has found now five of the 20 largest white gem quality diamonds ever recovered, which makes the mine the world's highest dollar per carat kimberlite diamond operation.
At an average elevation of 3,100 metres (10,000 feet) above sea level, Let??eng is also one of the world's highest diamond mines.
The biggest diamond ever found was the 3,106-carat Cullinan, dug near Pretoria, South Africa, in 1905. It was later cut into several stones, including the First Star of Africa and the Second Star of Africa, which are part of Britain's Crown Jewels held in the Tower of London. Lucara's 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona was the second-biggest in record, while the 995-carat Excelsior and 969-carat Star of Sierra Leone were the third- and fourth-largest.