Lucara Recovers Seventh +300-ct Diamond of 2021 at Karowe
August 03, 21
(IDEX Online) - Lucara has recovered its seventh +300-carat diamond this year from its Karowe mine, in Botswana.
The Canadian miner says the 393.5-carat top white Type IIa gem quality diamond (pictured) was recovered from direct milling of ore from the M/PK(S) unit of the South Lobe - from which it has already recovered two +300-carats stones this year.
In June, Karowe yielded a 1,174.76 carat clivage gem, which will need to be split before being processed further. It could well have been part of a rough stone weighing over 2,000 carats.
Lucara is embarking on a five-year $500m underground expansion of Karowe after the government of Botswana extended its mining license for a further 25 years.
The mine is forecast to produce between 340,000 and 370,000 carats in 2021.
Lucara CEO Eira Thomas said: "This recent recovery continues to demonstrate the strong and consistent resource performance of the South Lobe … as Lucara looks to ramp up construction activities for the proposed underground expansion at Karowe."