The gem quality 117-carat Lulo diamond. Image: Lucapa Diamond Company
Lucapa Diamond Company has recovered a 117-carat diamond from the Lulo alluvial mine in Angola, south-central Africa.
This is the 14th 100-plus carat diamond Lucapa recovered from Lulo to date and is the first one for 2020.
The recovery of the stone was a collective effort among Lucapa, Angola’s national diamond company Endiama and private group Rosas & Petalas.
“The recovery of this gem-quality 117 carat diamond represents a positive start for Lulo in 2020 as we continue rolling out our plans to increase production and revenues this year,” Lucapa managing director Stephen Wetherall said.
The 117-carat diamond was among the Specials, or 10.8-plus carat diamonds recovered recently from Mining Block 19.
The site sits between the Mining Blocks 6 and 8, which have together produced 12 100-plus carat diamonds. These include Angola’s biggest recorded gem, the 404-carat stone recovered and sold in 2016 for $US16 million ($23.3 million).
Lucapa also continues to recover “large diamonds” from the Mothae kimberlite mine in Lesotho, South Africa. The latest recovery of Specials from Mothae includes a 60-carat gem-quality stone.
The Mothae mine is a joint venture between Lucapa (70 per cent) and the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho (30 per cent).
