Lesotho mine scores again with 149 carat diamond find

Cape Town – Since discovering a 910 carat gem diamond just last week, Gem Diamonds has recovered another large high quality diamond.

The diamond, a 149 carat D colour Type IIa diamond, was recovered at the Letšeng mine in Lesotho, Gem Diamonds said in a statement issued on Monday.  

“This is the fourth high quality diamond of over 100 carats recovered so far this year, and follows closely upon the recovery of the exceptional 910 carat diamond announced on January 15 2018,” the statement read.

• READ: Exceptional 910 carat gem diamond found in Lesotho

Fin24 previously reported that the 910 carat gem diamond is the largest discovered at the Letšeng diamond mine since 2006.

In June 2017 Gem Diamonds discovered two diamonds greater than 100 carats. These were a 104.73 carat D colour Type IIa diamond and a 151.52 carat Type I yellow diamond, Bloomberg reported. In April 2017, Gem Diamonds recovered a 114 carat diamond.

• READ: PICS: Two massive diamonds found in Lesotho

Gem Diamonds is a British-based diamond company listed on the London Stock Exchange. It has operations in both Botswana, where it owns Ghaghoo mine, and Lesotho, where it owns 70% of the Letšeng Diamond Mine.

According to the company’s website, Gem Diamonds acquired the Letšeng mine - which has produced over 60 +100 carat white diamonds - in 2006.

Other big finds include the 550 carat Letšeng Star and the 493 carat Letšeng Legacy.

A 149 carat diamond found at the Letšeng mine in Lesotho in January 2018 (Gem Diamonds website) 

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