Worlds largest diamond found in South Africa

The worlds largest diamond has been found in a mine in South Africas North-West province.

Sydney, Aug.28 : The world's largest diamond has been found in a mine in South Africa's North-West province.

News.com.au quoted a South African FM Radio report as saying that the stone was twice the weight of the Cullinan Diamond, which weighed about 3106.75 carats in its rough state when found in Gauteng province in January 1905.

The Cullinan, was until recently acknowledged to be the largest cut diamond in the world, weighing in at 530.20 carats. In 1985 it lost the record to the Golden Jubilee, which was found in the same mine as the Cullinan and weighed 545.67 carats.

The Cullinan now forms part of King Edward's sceptre and is in the Tower of London. The Cullinan, also known as the Star of Africa, was thought by some to be part of a larger stone, which still lies somewhere undiscovered.

The world's largest diamond was found on Monday, and is to be taken to Johannesburg under tight security, the radio report said.

According to The Guardian, it was discovered in South Africa's North-West Province, but the circumstances of its discovery are shrouded in mystery.

The diamond is expected to attract furious bidding from buyers worldwide and could fetch up to 15 million pounds.

A spokesman for the mining house which made yesterday's find, Brett Joli, said the diamond was being rushed to a bank vault in Johannesburg and would be kept there for a couple of days "until we calm down and decide what we are going to do".

A security company was being hired to protect the precious stone.

The mining company, which made the find, has not been identified. (ANI with inputs)

ANI