One of the most significant blue diamond finds in recent years was recovered by Petra Diamonds Limited at the Cullinan Mine in Gauteng. This 41.82-carat natural blue diamond is seemingly of exceptional quality in terms of both its colour and clarity.
The diamond has been classified as a Type IIb stone, which is an ultra-rare category characterised by the presence of boron and minimal nitrogen content, Petra Diamonds announced on 13 January. The company is in the process of analysing the stone and ascertaining the preferred method of its sale.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) stated that Type IIb diamonds account for approximately 0.1 per cent of all natural diamonds, placing them amongst the rarest gemstones globally.
The Cullinan Mine is known for the recovery of very rare and highly valuable blue diamonds. According to Diamond World News Service, notable recoveries from the mine include the 12.03-carat Blue Moon of Josephine, which sold for USD 48.4 million in 2015, and the 15.10-carat De Beers Cullinan Blue, which achieved USD 57.5 million at auction in 2022.
Both stones realised record values after cutting and polishing optimised their colour and clarity.
This newly recovered diamond in rough form will undergo extensive analysis before a final cutting strategy is determined. Experts are expected to evaluate its internal structure, colour distribution and crystal orientation, a process that can take several months for high-value fancy colour diamonds.
The final value and polished outcome of the 41.82-carat blue diamond will be determined following completion of the cutting process.
Petra Diamonds also operates a diamond mine near Lime Acres in the Northern Cape.
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