 The 552 carat yellow diamond beats a previous record held by a diamond from the same mine 
 
 Dominion Diamond Mines ULC (“Dominion”), a world leading producer of responsibly mined diamonds, announces the recovery of the largest known gem quality diamond ever found in North America. So it’s a very unique discovery.” 
 
 The discovery is the seventh-biggest this century Source: Dominion Diamond Mines 
 
 In 2015, Rio unearthed a 187.7 carat gem-quality diamond from Diavik. Our Diavik Mine has produced some of the most beautiful diamonds in the world, and this one certainly tops the list.” 
 
 The astonishing gemstone was uncovered while passing through the initial screening process at Diavik’s recovery plant. Due to the significance of the discovery, Dominion will select a partner in the coming weeks who will cut and polish the stone. The size and highly technical nature of this stone means that only a handful of master cutters in the world are qualified to polish it, ensuring that the stone’s beauty, color and brilliance are maximized. Dominion Chief Executive Officer Shane Durgin said the diamond is gem quality, meaning it’s suitable for jewelry, but gave few additional details that help determine its value.
– Gigantic gemstones don't typically emerge out of Canadian mines like they do in South Africa, but a big find in the Northwest Territories has just smashed that stereotype. Bloomberg reports a 552-carat yellow diamond the size of a chicken egg (picture here) was found there in October, and it's now said to be the largest diamond ever unearthed in North America. The "astonishing gemstone" was discovered at the Diavik mine, owned by the Rio Tinto Group and Dominion Diamond Mines, about 135 miles south of the Arctic Circle, per a press release. In addition to its North American honors, the diamond, which measures 33.74mm by 54.56mm, would rank among the 30 biggest stones ever discovered, per Bloomberg estimates, as well as the seventh largest this century. The scratches on the diamond indicate it had a "difficult journey," and that it remained intact during the recovery process is "remarkable," the release notes. Also noteworthy is the fact that it came out of a mine in Canada, which is known for having tough terrain to penetrate due to the sub-Arctic conditions and dearth of access. "It's very unusual for a diamond of this size in this part of the world," Dominion Chief Executive Officer Shane Durgin tells Bloomberg. He adds that it's hard to say yet how much the diamond will ultimately be worth; it needs to be seen how it ends up once it's cut. Dominion will select a partner to do that job, and polish the stone to finish it off, in the next few weeks. (A 163-carat white diamond went for $33.7M last year at auction.)