Massive Diamond Discovered in Lesotho Is World’s Fifth Largest (Video)

One of the biggest diamonds in history has been discovered and it’s going to give Queen Elizabeth’s collection a run for its money. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@FantasticMrNate) shows us.

Workers at Lesotho’s Letšeng mine have discovered an absolute whopper of a diamond, rated at 910-carats. Roughly the size of two golf balls, the precious gem has an estimated value of $40 million.

The rock, uncovered in the landlocked southern African country of Lesotho, is a 910-carat, D-color Type IIa diamond. This type of diamond makes up about 1 to 2 percent of all natural diamonds, containing no measurable impurities such as nitrogen atoms. Type IIa’s are typically colorless, and are practically transparent in ultraviolet light. At 910-carats, it weights 182 grams, or 6.42 ounces. The Letšeng mine in which the diamond was unearthed is owned by Gem Diamonds, a British-based global diamond mining business.

“Since Gem Diamonds acquired Letšeng in 2006, the mine has produced some of the world’s most remarkable diamonds, including the 603 carat Lesotho Promise, however, this exceptional top quality diamond is the largest to be mined to date and highlights the unsurpassed quality of the Letšeng mine,” Clifford Elphick, Gem Diamonds’ Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “This is a landmark recovery for all of Gem Diamonds’ stakeholders, including our employees, shareholders and the Government of Lesotho, our partner in the Letšeng mine.”