A 10.69 carat diamond has been retrieved from a shallow mine in the town of Panna, in the Indian the state of Madhya Pradesh, which could fetch a whopping INR 5 million ($66,997) when it's ready for auction, local government authorities have revealed. It was found by a mine worker named Anandilal Kushwaha.
R.K. Pandey, the District Diamond Officer, acknowledged that while smaller diamond pieces are being found in the area frequently, this particular piece is a “special find”.
Once auctioned, the proceeds from the precious stone would be handed over to the depositor, after the deduction of taxes and government royalties, the media reported.
Mine worker Kushwaha, who dug up the gem, had another major win earlier this month when he unearthed a 70-cent diamond from one of the mines.
For his second one, a team of eight more workers assisted Kushwaha and the labourer will be distributing his share from the diamond auction equally with his other team members.
While gawking in awe at the newly-found unpolished diamond, netizens have pointed out that a special compensation must be awarded to Kushwaha, which could help his family in these critical times, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Netizens are sharing the news widely on social networking platforms, likening the find to winning the jackpot.
Beautiful diamond findings from Panna town often make it to the headlines in India. Here is what the diamond mines there look like.
In 2018, a daily wager found a sparkling diamond worth a whopping INR 10.5 million ($200,879) in Panna town.