Miners have found a rough 552-carat yellow diamond at the Diavik Diamond Mine located about 135 miles south of the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
About The Size Of A Chicken Egg
The rock, which is about the size of a chicken egg, is the largest diamond ever discovered in North America. The diamond measures 33.74mm x 54.56mm and weighs exactly 552.74 carats.
It surpassed the previous record holder, the 187.7-carat diamond "Diavik Foxfire," which was also unearthed at the same mine in 2015.
The newly-found diamond, which was unearthed in October, is now the seventh-largest diamond ever found.
Mining companies Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond Mines, which jointly owned the Diavik Diamond Mine, announced the discovery of the diamond on Friday.
"This incredible discovery showcases what is truly spectacular about Canadamark diamonds," Dominion Diamond Mines chairman Kyle Washington said in a company statement.
"The color and texture of the diamond are a unique example of the journey that natural diamonds take from their formation until we unearth them. Our Diavik Mine has produced some of the most beautiful diamonds in the world, and this one certainly tops the list."
Unexpected Find
Dominion Diamond Mines said it is remarkable that the diamond remained intact given the difficult journey it went through during recovery. The company also said that finding a diamond this size is unexpected in this part of the world.
The company added that the diamond may be studied further particularly because, from a geological perspective, the gem's color, texture, and structure are unique.
Dominion said that it will not sell the diamond in rough form, and will choose a partner who will cut and polish the gemstone.
Valuable Stone
The value of the diamond is yet to be determined because it is still undergoing evaluation. The polished Diavik Foxfire, however, yielded a 36.80 brilliant-cut pear shape and a 37.87 brilliant-cut pear shape, which were purchased for $1.3 million.
