Press Release
TOMRA XRT technology at Lucara recovers 1,758 carat diamond
As the largest diamond ever recovered by a mechanical process, it reinforces the unparalleled value XRT offers kimberlite and diamond mining companies.
TOMRA Sorting Mining is pleased to announce one of the largest diamonds in recorded history, an unbroken 1,758 carat stone, was recovered by TOMRA XRT sensor technology commissioned by Lucara Diamond Corp at its Karowe Mine in Botswana. The diamond is the largest to be mined at Karowe to date and weighs close to 352 grams. Detailed analysis is ongoing.
Since introducing TOMRA XRT technology as the primary recovery tool to the mine in 2015, it has delivered ground breaking results. In less than four years, TOMRA XRT has recovered two diamonds greater than 1,000 carats. This record-breaking recovery further highlights the success of TOMRA Sorting technology, which has detected four of the top ten largest diamonds in the world to date.
“As the largest diamond ever recovered by a mechanical process, it reinforces the unparalleled value XRT offers kimberlite and diamond mining companies,” commented Geoffrey Madderson, Diamond Segment Manager for TOMRA Sorting Mining. “Lucara’s innovative strategy in combination with TOMRA’s world-class sensor technology has once again proved an enormous success,” Madderson added.
The TOMRA XRT technology recognizes and separates material based on its specific atomic density. It uses a cutting-edge X-Ray camera with DUOLINE® sensor technology to measure spectral absorption information. TOMRA Sorting’s proprietary high-speed X-Ray processing unit uses the data to produce a detailed “density image” of the material. The result is a high level of purity in sorting materials, irrespective of size, the degree of moisture or surface pollution present.
In addition to the XRT circuit at Karowe, TOMRA currently operates XRT and other advanced optical sorting equipment in Canada, Brazil and other countries around the world.
