Lucapa Diamond Company has sold seven diamonds in a tender in Luanda, Angola, with the gems fetching $US15.7 million ($24.5 million).
The 180-carat Type IIa white diamond, found on June 30 2023, and the 66-carat pink diamond both attracted the highest prices per stone.
All diamonds were recovered from the Lulo Alluvial diamond mine in Angola.
“This tender demonstrates that the weakness being experienced currently in the smaller goods which go into the mainstream diamond jewellery market doesn’t seem to have translated into the large, high-quality stones, where demand and prices remain robust,” Lucapa chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Nick Selby said.
The average price per carat for the diamonds was $US29,401.00.
Other high-value diamonds featured at the tender included a 10-carat pink diamond, and a 96-carat, 77-carat and two 51-carat white diamonds.
This was Selby’s first tenure as CEO after stepping into the role a week ago.
Selby said he was delighted to take on the role of CEO and managing director as Lucapa’s mining operations increase production and operational efficiencies at its assets in Africa and Australia.
The company has plans to advance the search for primary sources of high-quality diamonds being recovered at its Lulo Alluvial diamond mine in Angola.