Letseng diamond mine
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The Letseng diamond mine, found in the landlocked Southern African mountain kingdom of Lesotho, is owned by Gem Diamonds Ltd and the government of Lesotho and is the world's highest-altitude (3,100 m /10,000 ft) diamond mine.
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[edit] Production
It is characterised by extremely low grade (<2ct/hundred tons) and is well known for producing huge diamonds, having the highest percentage of large diamonds (>10 carats), giving it the highest dollar ratio per carat of any diamond mine. The world average is roughly US$81/carat, while Letseng averaged over US$1,894/carat for the first 6 months of 2007.[1]
Unusually for Africa and due to the altitude, temperatures at the mine drop to -20 °C, and snowfalls are common in winter.
[edit] Significant diamond finds
[edit] Lesotho Promise
On the 4th of October 2006 the 603 carat (121 g) white diamond, the Lesotho Promise was unearthed, and is the largest reported find this century and the 15th largest diamond ever found. The stone is an exceptional colour, rated D, the top colour for diamonds.
[edit] Lesotho Brown
Previously the largest diamond found at Letseng was the 601 carat (120 g) Lesotho Brown, recovered in 1967.
[edit] Unnamed (September 2007)
On September 13, 2007 Gem Diamonds Ltd announced that it found a 494 carat diamond, making it the 18th largest diamond ever found.[1]
[edit] Star of Lesotho
In 2004, Gem Diamonds Ltd found a large diamond of 123 carats[2].
[edit] References
- ^ a b Big diamond discovery in Africa. Finance 24. Fin24.com (2007-09-13). Retrieved on 13 September 2007.
- ^ Star of Lesotho. Retrieved on 14 April 2008.
