Gem Diamonds Unearths 122ct. Rough from Letšeng

Gem Diamonds has recovered a 122-carat rough from its Letšeng mine in Lesotho, its first 100-carat-plus stone this year. 

The miner discovered the “exceptional-quality,” D-color, type IIa diamond on March 5, it said Monday.

Previously, Letšeng had been known for producing a large supply of rough diamonds over 100 carats. However, the number of stones reaching that size has been declining. Last year, the miner retrieved only four diamonds of that caliber, compared to six in 2021 and 16 in 2020.

The lack of special-size stones has dented the company’s revenue, with sales falling 6% to $188.6 million for the full year.

Image: The 122-carat rough diamond. (Gem Diamonds)