A report drawing on “Geology Now” research describes a rare diamond category called CLIPPIRs—Cullinan-like, Large, Inclusion-Poor, Pure, Irregular, Resorbed—that accounts for less than 1% of diamonds worldwide. The analysis focuses on why some of the world’s largest, highest-quality stones come from specific mining regions in southern Africa.
The article highlights three standout CLIPPIR diamonds and their locations. The Cullinan, weighing 3,106 carats, is described as being found at the Premier mine in South Africa. The Lesedi La Rona, at 1,111 carats, is identified as having been discovered at the Karowe mine in Botswana in 2015 and later sold for US$53 million in 2017. A third example, the Motswedi, is reported as 2,492 carats and recovered from the Karowe mine in 2024.
Across the sources, the key common points are the CLIPPIR classification, its rarity globally, and the recurrence of extremely large specimens in South Africa and Botswana’s major diamond mining sites.
