Lucapa Unearths 404-Carat Diamond

Perth, Western Australia--Lucapa Diamond Co. said Monday that it has discovered the largest recorded diamond ever found in Angola, a 404.2-carat stone that has tested as Type IIa and D color.

It was recovered from alluvial mining block 8 at the Lulo Mine, which the company said has produced more than 60 large, special diamonds since mining commenced there in August of last year. The most recent large diamond found here weighed 133.4 carats.

The recently found 404-carat diamond already holds a few records, according to Lucapa.

The company said it is the 27th largest recorded diamond in the world, and the biggest diamond ever discovered by an Australian mining company. It also is the fourth 100-plus-carat diamond to be recovered from Lulo to date, as well as the 114th largest “special” diamond--meaning it weighs more than 10.8 carats--recovered from the mine.

“The Lulo diamond field is an example of what we would like to showcase to the world in encourage international investment in Angola’s diamond mining industry,” said Antonio Carlos Sumbula, chairman at Endiama, the national diamond company of Angola that controls mining rights in the country.

The Lulo project is a partnership between Lucapa, Endiama and Rosas and Pétalas. Lucapa is the operator with a 40 percent interest in mining operations, followed by Endiama (32 percent) and Rosas and Pétalas (28 percent.)

Alluvial mining operations at Lulo began in 2015.

“We have always emphasized the very special nature of the Lulo diamond field and this recovery … is further evidence of that,” said Lucapa CEO Stephen Wetherall. “And while we continue mining these exceptional alluvial gems from mining blocks 6 and 8 at Lulo, we are also continuing to advance our systematic exploration program to find the kimberlite source of these diamonds.”