A rare pink diamond weighing 170 carats was recently unearthed at the Lulo mine in Angola, Africa.
Pink diamonds are some of the rarest gemstones in the world. It can take centuries to discover even the smallest of them. However, a recent discovery of a pink diamond in a mine in Angola has been deemed a historic find for being the largest pink diamond to be found in over 300 years.
Photo Courtesy: Lucapa Diamond Company
Australian miner Lucapa Diamond Companydiscovered the diamond at Lulo alluvial diamond mine in the Lunda Norte region of Angola. A Type IIa diamond, it received the name  “Lulo Rose” after the mine it was discovered in.
The Lulo mine is an alluvial mine where stones are uncovered from a riverbed, through underground pipes also called kimberlite pipes, which are the main source of these diamonds. The company currently has 400 employees, responsible for two of the largest diamonds found in Angola, including a 404-carat clear diamond called the “4th February Stone”. This was sold at an auction for USD 16 million.
Photo Courtesy: Lucapa Diamond Company
The Lulo Rose is the fifth largest diamond to be found in Angola. And while the diamond is yet to be cut and polished, it is expected to fetch millions at a forthcoming auction, that will be run by the Angolan state diamond marketing company — Sodiam. At the moment, the 59.6 carat Pink Star diamond which was sold at a Hong Kong auction in 2017 for $71.2 million, holds the title of the most expensive pink diamond.
Photo Courtesy: Sotheby’s
Speaking about the diamond, Diamantino Acevedo, Angola’s minister of mineral resources, petroleum and gas said, “This record and spectacular pink diamond recovered from Lulo continues to showcase Angola as an important player on the world stage for diamond mining and demonstrates the potential and rewards for commitment and investment in our growing diamond mining industry”.
