Letšeng Mine Yields 212ct. Rough Diamond 

Gem Diamonds has unearthed a 212.49-carat rough from its Letšeng mine in Lesotho, its sixth stone over 100 carats so far this year.

The miner discovered the high-quality, type IIa diamond on May 28, it said Wednesday. Last month, the company retrieved two type IIa diamonds, weighing 169.15 and 118.74 carats. Meanwhile, in February it found a 113-carat rough. That followed a low-quality, 139-carat stone, and a high-value, 295-carat, type IIa white diamond in January.

The recovery of six diamonds greater than 100 carats within the first half of the year marks a rebound of sorts for Gem Diamonds. While Letšeng had been known for producing high-quality rough diamonds topping the 100-carat mark in the past, the recent output of large stones has been much lower.

In both 2022 and 2023, the miner produced only four diamonds of that caliber over the entire year, while in 2021, it unearthed six. Those figures represented a large fall from the 16 stones over 100 carats discovered in 2020.

Earlier this month, the miner reported sales grew 17% year on year to $43 million in the first quarter as demand for rough returned and the company had a higher proportion of large stones on offer. That also led to a 3% rise in the average price, it added.

Image: The 212.49-carat rough diamond. (Gem Diamonds)