EditorsJan 16, 2026
Remembering Pete Yantzer for His Contributions and His Kindness Pete’s boundless curiosity extended beyond diamond cut and he was always eager to share his knowledge with others, no matter the topic.
SourcingSep 20, 2017
Gem Diamonds Finds 6th 100-Carat-Plus Stone This Year
Discovered in Lesotho, the diamond is a Type IIa stone that weighs 115 carats.
This 115-carat rough diamond is the latest in a string of big finds this year for London-based miner Gem Diamonds. The mining company said it is a D color, Type IIa stone.
London--Mining company Gem Diamonds announced this week it has unearthed another big, high-quality rough diamond from the Letšeng Mine in Lesotho.
The stone is 115 carats and is a D color, Type IIa diamond, meaning it has no measurable nitrogen or boron impurities. Type IIa diamonds are the most chemically pure, and it’s estimated that only about 1 percent of the world’s diamonds are Type IIa.
The announcement, made Tuesday, follows Gem Diamonds’s recovery of five other diamonds weighing more than 100 carats this year at Letšeng, which is known for producing big, valuable diamonds.
The largest of the stones recovered so far this year was a 126-carat D color, Type IIa diamond discovered in July.
Other finds this year include a 104.73-carat diamond in June and a 114-carat diamond in April, both of which also are D color and Type IIa, and a 151.52-carat Type I yellow in June.
Gem Diamonds owns 70 percent of the Letšeng Mine, with the remaining 30 percent held by the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
It also owns 100 percent of the Ghaghoo Mine in Botswana, though production at that mine is currently halted until market conditions improve.
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