Second-biggest diamond ever found unearthed in Botswana

The second-biggest diamond ever found has been unearthed by a small mining company in Botswana.

The 1111-carat gem stone, just smaller than a tennis ball, is the largest diamond discovery for more than 100 years, according to Vancouver-based Lucara.

“The significance of the recovery of a gem-quality stone larger than 1,000 carats, the largest for more than a century and the continued recovery of high-quality stones from the south lobe, cannot be overstated,” William Lamb, chief executive officer of Lucara, said in the statement.

The biggest diamond discovered is the 3,106-carat Cullinan, found near Pretoria in South Africa in 1905. It was cut to form the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa, which are set in the British Crown Jewels.