Rare gem found in SA

LONDON – A 29.6 carat blue diamond, one of the rarest and most coveted in the world with a possible price tag of tens of millions of dollars, has been discovered.

Petra Diamonds said the “exceptional” acorn-sized diamond was unearthed at the Cullinan mine near Pretoria.

The mine, owned by the firm since 2008, was also where the Cullinan Diamond was found in 1905 – the largest rough gem diamond ever recovered, weighing 3 106 carats.

Other notable diamonds found in the mine include a 25.5 carat Cullinan blue diamond, found in 2013 and sold for $16.9-million (about R184-million), and a diamond found in 2008, known as the Star of Josephine. –