TSX-, Nasdaq- and Botswana Stock Exchange-listed Lucara Diamond Corporation on Thursday recovered a 127 ct, top white gem-quality diamond from its Karowe diamond mine, in Botswana.
Since mining started at Karowe in 2012, the company has recovered 129 diamonds in excess of 100 ct, including 12 diamonds larger than 300 ct.
Advertisement“The recovery of this latest, high-value diamond attests to the remarkable nature of the Karowe orebody, which has consistently delivered large diamonds throughout its history.
“In 2019, mining will be largely focused on the high-value south lobe, including contributions from the newly refined EMPKS unit, which is now understood to be the source of both the historic 1 109 ct Lesedi la Rona and the 813 ct Constellation diamonds,” noted CEO Eira Thomas.
AdvertisementThe Karowe diamond mine has openpit reserves of 2.6-million carats, with a mine life up to 2026.
The company is completing a feasibility study that could expand mining underground and extend the mine’s life to 2036.