The World’s second-largest  diamond has been discovered in Botswana, a Canadian company, Lucara, has said.

Lucara’s Chief Executive Officer, William Lamb, in a statement, said the 1,111-carat diamond was second in size only to the 3,106-carat one unearthed at Cullinan mine in neighbouring South Africa in 1905, was cut into British crown jewels.

The diamond, slightly smaller than a tennis ball, was recovered by machines in the Karowe mine in central Botswana.

However, experts said that it was too early to estimate the value of the diamond.

“I am truly at a loss for words; we are truly blessed by this amazing asset.

“Our focus, mining the south lobe has been perfectly timed with the commissioning of our recent plant modifications, enabling the recovery of large, high-quality exceptional diamonds,” Mr. Lamb said.

An expert in the Belgian city of Antwerp, one of the world’s main diamond trading centres, said the diamond was “of exceptional quality”.

Christopher Gemerchak from the Antwerp Diamond Jewellers Association said a diamond half that size was sold for 35 million dollars recently.