The 1 109 ct Lesedi La Rona, which will be sold in June
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Lucara Diamond Corp has sold an 812.77 ct diamond recovered at its Karowe mine, in Botswana, for $77 649/ct, or $63.11-million.
The Type IIa diamond, which was recovered in November, was named “The Constellation”.
As part of the sale, Lucara had partnered with Nemesis International DMCC and would retain a 10% interest in the net profit received from the sale of the resultant polished diamonds.
“We are very pleased with the result from the sale of this magnificent 813 ct diamond, as well as the opportunity to further participate in profits earned when the polished product is sold.
“The sale of the 813 ct diamond is the highest price ever achieved for a rough diamond, breaking all records. This achievement solidifies our reputation in the jewelry industry as one of the most important sources of diamonds of the very highest quality,” commented Lucara CEO William Lamb.
International auction house Sotheby’s would on June 29 sell an even bigger diamond recovered by Lucara at the Karowe mine in November 2015. The 1 109 ct Lesedi La Rona, which means "Our Light" and which is the second-largest diamond ever recovered, was expected to sell for $70-million.