The Storm Mountain Diamonds (SMD) jointly owned by Namakwa Diamonds Limited and the Government of Lesotho has on Friday announced a recovery of a 108.39-carat fancy pink diamond at its Kao Mine.

The diamond is one of the largest pink roughs ever found in Africa, which includes the ”Lulo Rose”, a 170-carat precious stone recovered by Australia’s Lucapa Diamond in Angola last year.

SMD said the diamond was recovered from a 1.5-tonne sample of kimberlite ore that was processed at the mine’s plant. ”It is a type of Lla stone which means it has a  few impurities and a high level of clarity”, said SMD.

Coloured diamonds, especially pink ones have set record-setting prices in recent years as they are rarer than white ones, while they come in many hues, pink and blue are the most coveted.

Prices for the pink variety are expected to soar to new highs in the coming years as Rio Tinto closed its iconic Argyle mine. The operation was said to be the world’s largest diamond mine and the main global source of high-quality gems.

The Kao mine is one of the largest diamond mines in Lesotho and produces about 400, 000 carats of diamonds annually.

Source: LENA 23/04/2023