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Post by upfromsumdirt on Oct 9, 2006 19:11:15 GMT -5
Giant diamond sells for more than $12 million By Elizabeth BoswellMon Oct 9, 11:11 AM ET The biggest diamond to be found in 13 years, the "Lesotho Promise," was sold on Monday at auction for more than $12 million and is expected to fetch in excess of $20 million once it is cut up. The 603-carat (120 gram) diamond, named after the tiny African mountain kingdom where it was found, went under the hammer at the Antwerp Diamond Center and was sold to the South African Diamond Corporation, owner of luxury jewellers Graff. The 10th largest white diamond ever to be found, it will be cut into a large heart-shaped diamond and several smaller stones which will then be sold. The uncut diamond is a third bigger than a golf ball. Johnny Kneller from the South African Diamond Corporation said that once it was cut up, he expected to sell the stones for a third more than the auction price. "We can't say for sure but we hope it's going to fetch over $20 million," Kneller said. Diamonds have long been a status symbol and were famously serenaded as a girl's best friend by Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." Growing affluence has boosted sales and busy shopping streets such as London's Bond Street are awash with jewellers and luxury goods stores offering right-hand diamond rings for well-heeled women. The biggest rough diamond ever found was the Cullinan at 3,106 carats, while the second largest, the Excelsior, was 995 carats. Both were found in South Africa. The Lesotho diamond was found at the Letseng Diamond Mine high in the mountains of the tiny nation which is surrounded by South Africa, by a woman who was sorting through the rocks. "She started screaming and all the staff thought she had been electrocuted," said Clifford Elphick, head of Gem Diamond Mining, which owns 70 percent of the mine. He said he was very pleased with the price that the gem had fetched.
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Post by upfromsumdirt on Oct 9, 2006 19:24:15 GMT -5
fuckin bastards...
(im sorry yall!)
i remember reading the original story of this about a year ago when it was found.
the brother who found it (working as a miner for some company, i'll hafta google around for the original story) had to run into the forest and hide out for a while or risk being killed for it... im not sure what his take was (i do believe a very small percentage was due him/but nowhair near 12 million dollars that for damn sure!)
those of yall familiar with sista moyamba/tichaona on dead poets society on ezboard or the black poetry cafe should check out her blood diamonds poetry
or other articles on diamond mining in africa...
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Post by blueplanetii on Oct 9, 2006 20:40:58 GMT -5
the brother who found it (working as a miner for some company, i'll hafta google around for the original story) had to run into the forest and hide out for a while or risk being killed for it... im not sure what his take was (i do believe a very small percentage was due him/but nowhair near 12 million dollars that for damn sure!)
Aint that sum shit? Worked half to death doing backbreaking work for pennies for a greedy corporation that will make millions of your labor... and then to add insult to injury-- having to fear for your life cuz you caught a small blessing.
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Post by upfromsumdirt on Oct 9, 2006 20:58:59 GMT -5
at most of the mines in africa, the folks are physically probed at the end of each day to make sure they aint concealing items in 'any cavities'... how degrading is that??? tell a muhfuh to get they own diamond if i hafta have my colon fondled before i punch out for the day... and rest assured, that the chick holdin the stone in the pic will be the LASSST black hand to ever touch that thing without a major blood-letting... the wealthiest continent in the world... the poorest living conditions...and this overseen by the european countries who supposedly uphold the noblest ideas of democracy and humanity...  |
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Post by blueplanetii on Oct 14, 2006 1:53:03 GMT -5
I saw this as a newstory on the television the other morning..and over my coffee and oatmeal I asked the reporter how come he aint talking about the real story here. How come he aint probing and sharing with US how folks are humilitated daily just to make a living. Kept hearing about the profit this diamond was gonna bring the company who bought it, I wanted to hear about the cost. The damned reporter didnt answer tho.
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Post by upfromsumdirt on Oct 14, 2006 4:25:12 GMT -5
our weather men have a god-complex, so they dominate our tv sets nearly 20 hours a day... so
about the only time i find myself screaming incoherently to the tv is when 'jay' is on and goin in depth
about how a gnat poot in west fuck cacalack is reeking havoc with louisville's ragweed count...
always interruptin my soap operas too... ...the muhfucker.
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Post by blueplanetii on Oct 15, 2006 1:23:38 GMT -5
gnat poot in west fuck cacalack is reeking havoc with louisville's ragweed count...
LMAO! See? This just comes naturally to you huh?
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Post by upfromsumdirt on Oct 15, 2006 1:46:32 GMT -5
bullshit? yes. its my inheritance.
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