Five of the 20 largest gem-quality white diamonds ever recorded were unearthed at Lesotho’s Letšeng mine — a mine that consistently yields the highest per-carat value of any kimberlite diamond mine in the world. At 10,000 feet above sea level, Letšeng has the distinction of being the world’s highest diamond mine. Completely surrounded by South Africa, its only neighboring country, the diminutive Kingdom of Lesotho has a reputation for producing large, top-quality diamonds.
Recently, British mining company Gem Diamonds Ltd. discovered a gem-quality rough diamond weighing 164 carats at Letšeng. Although it is much smaller than other amazing finds from Lesotho like the 603-carat Lesotho Promise and the 550-carat Letšeng Star, the diamond was purchased for $9 million.
The rough diamond is being studied to determine its potential value as a faceted gemstone. Depending on the findings, the D-color, Type IIa rough could be divided to yield a number of flawless polished diamonds, or if it is internally flawless, be kept as one single stone. A flawless diamond of this size could break previous price records if it is sold at auction.
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