The 709-carat diamond is the second-largest to ever be discovered in the West African country, behind only the Star of Sierra Leone, which was found in 1972 and weighed 969 carats, the BBC reported.

Freelance, or artisanal, miners are common in Sierra Leone's diamond-rich areas, reports the BBC's Umaru Fofana. ... Star of Sierra Leone, found in Sierra Leone in 1972, weighed 969 carats. 5.

Momoh’s diamond is believed to be the largest diamond found in Sierra Leone since the 968-carat “Star of Sierra Leone,” which sold for $2.5 million in 1972.

In 1972, the 968.9-carat Star of Sierra Leone was found by miners and sold for about $2.5 million. ... Sierra Leone's diamond wealth fueled a decade-long civil war that ended in 2002.

Wonday says the diamond will be auctioned again in Belgium to get the best price. He is not disclosing the government's reserve price. In 1972, the 968.9-carat Star of Sierra Leone was found by ...

A pastor in Sierra Leone has discovered the largest uncut diamond found in more than four decades in this West African country and has turned it over to the government, saying he hopes it helps to ...

On his office wall, just below a gaping hole in his shabby plywood ceiling, he has a poster of the 968.9-carat Star of Sierra Leone, discovered near here in 1972. “People say it’s a curse, but ...

Among gemologists, the world’s biggest diamonds are more than just portable forms of extreme wealth—they’re windows into the earth’s deeper mantle. Known as “CLIPPIR” diamonds—the ...

In 2022, output reached 689,000 carats worth $142.9mn, falling to around 525,000 in 2023. Notable finds include the 968.9-carat Star of Sierra Leone and a 709-carat alluvial diamond discovered in ...

A pastor in Sierra Leone has discovered the largest uncut diamond found in more than four decades in this West African country and has turned it over to the government, saying he hopes it helps to ...

In Sierra Leone, Carat and the Stick. Workers Weigh the Cost of Diamond Mine Labor, Lure of Illegal Trading. By Robyn Dixon. April 22, 2006 at 8:00 p.m. EDT.