A rough 2,492-carat diamond, the second-largest diamond ever discovered, was discovered in Botswana in a mine operated by the Canadian company Lucara Diamond.

Since the 3,106-carat Cullinan diamond, which was discovered in South Africa in 1905 and split into nine different stones, several of which are housed in the British Crown Jewels, this discovery is the largest.

The diamond was discovered at Karowe Mine, roughly 300 miles (500 km) north of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.

According to the government of Botswana, it is the biggest diamond ever found in the state in southern Africa.

The previous biggest discovery in Botswana was a 1,758-carat stone found at the same mine in 2019.

Botswana is one of the world's biggest producer of diamonds, accounting for about 20% of global production.

In a statement, Lucara said the stone was "one of the largest rough diamonds ever unearthed".

"We are ecstatic about the recovery of this extraordinary 2,492 carat diamond," said Lucara head William Lamb.

The firm did not give details of the stone's gem quality or its value.

The diamond was detected with the use of Lucara's Mega Diamond Recovery X-ray technology, said Mr Lamb.

It has been used since 2017 to detect and preserve high-value diamonds so that they do not break during ore-crushing processes, according to the Miningmx publication.

Lucara has 100% ownership of the mine in Karowe.

Botswana's government has proposed a law that will ask companies, once granted a license to mine, to sell a 24% stake to local firms if the government does not exercise its option of becoming a shareholder, Reuters news agency reported last month.