World's Second-Largest Diamond in Botswana

Recent discovery:

• The newly discovered diamond is second to the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond, which was found in South Africa over a century ago.
• Botswana, a leading diamond producer, relies heavily on the diamond industry, which constitutes 30% of its GDP and 80% of its exports.
• The diamond was unearthed using advanced X-ray transmission technology, which enhances the recovery of large stones without causing damage.
• The diamond is yet to be fully assessed, and its potential to yield high-quality gems remains to be determined.

Diamond characteristics:

• Formation: Diamonds form in the Earth’s mantle and are brought to the surface through volcanic activity. They are found in volcanic landforms like dykes and sills.
• Uses: Diamonds are utilised in jewellery, industrial cutting tools, and polishing due to their hardness.

Diamonds in India:

• Major locations:
  • Panna belt: Madhya Pradesh
  • Wajrakarur Kimberlite pipe: Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh
  • Krishna River basin gravels: Andhra Pradesh
• Recent discoveries: New kimberlite fields in Raichur-Gulbarga districts, Karnataka.
• Processing: Modern cutting and polishing are concentrated in Surat, Navasari, Ahmedabad, and Palampur.

Global diamond production:

• Leading producers: Russia, Botswana, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• Notable producers:
  • Botswana: Key mines include Orapa and Jwaneng.
  • Australia: Known for coloured diamonds such as pink, purple, and red.
  • South Africa: Hosts diverse diamond deposits including kimberlite and fissure mining.
• Synthetic diamonds: The US is the largest producer of synthetic industrial diamonds.

Global diamond resources:

• Russia: Believed to have the largest and richest diamond resources.
• Botswana: Leading in value and significant in volume.
• DRC: One of Africa’s major diamond producers.