Karowe Yields First Large Diamond of 2021

RAPAPORT... Lucara Diamond Corp. has unearthed a 341-carat white diamond at its Karowe mine in Botswana, the first over 100 carats the deposit has produced this year.The miner recovered the "high-quality," unbroken stone from the site's south lobe M/PK(S) area, known for its large, high-quality rough, it said last week.The newest find is the 54th 200-carat-plus diamond Karowe has yielded since 2015. Other stones in that class include the 549-carat Sethunya, the 1,758-carat Sewel??, the 1,109-carat Lesedi La Rona and the 342-carat Queen of the Kalahari, the company noted.Most recently, the company found a 998-carat, high-quality diamond at the site in November."The consistent recovery of these large diamonds is a testament to the continued strong resource and plant performance at Karowe and underpins our rationale for moving forward with the underground expansion program that will see mining continue for at least another 13 years after the open pit ceases operations in 2026," said Lucara CEO Eira Thomas.The miner's share price rose 3% Friday following the announcement.Image: The 341-carat rough diamond. (Lucara Diamond Corp.)