Natural Diamond Council reports surge in large diamond discoveries

The Natural Diamond Council has published a new report examining a recent increase in the discovery of exceptionally large diamonds, which it links to advances in mining and recovery technology.

The report, Record-Breaking Diamonds, is the latest in the council’s Diamond Reports series and focuses on diamonds weighing more than 2,000 carats. According to the council, only four such stones have ever been discovered, two of them within the past two years.

The largest gem-quality diamond on record remains the Cullinan Diamond, a 3,106.75-carat stone discovered in 1905 near Pretoria in South Africa.

More than a century later, a 2,492-carat gem-quality diamond was recovered at the Karowe mine in Botswana in August 2024. The stone, named Motswedi, was followed in July 2025 by a 2,036-carat near gem-quality diamond, also found at Karowe.

The council said recent discoveries have been enabled in part by the use of X-ray transmission technology, which allows mining companies to detect diamonds within large volumes of rock before processing. The technology is designed to reduce the risk of damaging large stones during extraction.

Raluca Anghel, NDC head of external affairs, said :”Natural diamonds are unmatched as true wonders of our planet. As well as highlighting newsworthy diamonds and their beauty, we also want to educate people about their role in the world and the incredible work that has brought them into being.

“These jaw-dropping diamonds are the stuff of legends, Mother Nature’s work of fine art, and it takes the work of a technically rigorous and responsible industry to keep uncovering them in a way that supports the development of diamond producing countries and respects our natural world”.

She added: “These unique finite natural resources turn into societal welfare above the ground. Up to 80% of rough diamond value can remain within local communities in the form of local purchasing, employment benefits, social programs and investment in infrastructure as well as the taxes, royalties and dividends paid from the industry to respective governments.”

The Natural Diamond Council is a non-profit organisation that promotes and provides information about natural diamonds. Its report also highlights the economic role of diamond mining in producing countries, including employment, local procurement and contributions to public finances.