I just wanted to scream: rookie on finding the biggest diamond in a century, set to sell for £50 million
When Tiroyaone Mathaba realised that the tennis ball of a stone in his hand was actually a diamond, his immediate reaction was a natural one.
Mr Mathaba’s discovery would be christened “Lesedi La Rona”, meaning “our light”, and dispatched to Sotheby’s, where it is to be auctioned on June 29 with a guide price of £50 million.
It was discovered at Karowe mine in Botswana where Mr Mathaba was on probation as a 27-year-old trainee, having worked as a sorter for fewer than five months.
Mr Tshupo passed the diamond up the chain to the senior process engineer and then the geology department of Lucara, the Canadian company which runs the mine.
The verdict was that Mr Mathaba’s discovery was the second biggest diamond ever found, smaller only than the 3,106 carat Cullinan unearthed in South Africa in 1905.
Excitement rippled around the mine, but Mr Mathaba and his colleagues were careful not to spread the word before the find was officially declared.
Since it was confirmed, the mood at the mine has changed. “Everyone looks forward to coming to work, it’s been a breath of new life,” he said.
Mr Mathaba is the grandson of a chief from a village in the Tswapong hills of central Botswana. In his free time, he still looks after the family cattle herd.
The verdict was that Mr Mathaba’s discovery was the second biggest diamond ever found, smaller only than the 3,106 carat Cullinan unearthed in South Africa in 1905.
Excitement rippled around the mine, but Mr Mathaba and his colleagues were careful not to spread the word before the find was officially declared.
Since it was confirmed, the mood at the mine has changed. “Everyone looks forward to coming to work, it’s been a breath of new life,” he said.
Mr Mathaba is the grandson of a chief from a village in the Tswapong hills of central Botswana. In his free time, he still looks after the family cattle herd.
Meanwhile, Mr Mathaba has been promoted to permanent member of staff. There are no individual bonuses for employees who find big stones, but all 804 people working at Lucara have received a bonus related to the find.
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