Lucara recovers another huge stone
Lucara Diamond Corp has recovered the fourth largest diamond of 1,080.1 carat from its Karowe Diamond Mine. The company revealed that the diamond, measuring 82.2 x 42.8 x 34.2mm is described as a Type IIa top white gem of high quality, recovered in Karowe from direct milling of ore sourced from the M/PK(S) unit of the South Lobe. Lucara Chief Executive Officer, Eira Thomas stated that the 1,080.1 carat diamond represents the fourth +1,000 carat diamond recovered from the South Lobe of the AK6 kimberlite since 2015. Karowe mine is famous for its notable recoveries, including the 1,758 carat Sewelô (2019), a 1,174 carat diamond (2021), and the 1,109 carat Lesedi La Rona (2015). “Lucara is extremely pleased to be reporting the recovery of another large, high quality gem diamond in excess of 1,000 carats in size, representing our fourth diamond over 1,000 carats since 2015,” said Thomas. She pointed out that as the company transition from mining in the open pit to underground, exclusively in the South Lobe, the preponderance of large, high value stones is increasing, consistent with the resource model and underpins the strong economic rationale for investing in the Underground expansion that will extend the mine-life to at least 2040. The company indicated that the Karowe underground mine is designed to access the highest value portion of the Karowe orebody, with initial underground carat production predominantly from the highest value eastern magmatic/pyroclastic kimberlite unit. The mine is forecast to contribute approximately $4 billion in additional revenues using conservative diamond price assumptions which are un- escalated and exclude exceptional stone revenues.