The 1,098-carat diamond was found by the Debswana company and unearthed earlier this month. The largest diamond ever mined is the Cullinan, discovered in 1905.

Thousands of South Africans have rushed to dig for diamonds after a cattle herder made a mystery discovery outside a village 300 kilometres southeast of Johannesburg. Photos of the unidentified crystal-like stones circulated on social media, triggering a rush to the site despite government warnings that the stones could be worthless.

Workers at the world's biggest copper mine, Chile's Escondida, have approved a strike after rejecting the final contract offer proposed by multinational owners BHP. The workers are asking for a one-time bonus to recognize their work during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as education benefits for their children. Escondida workers staged a 44-day strike in 2017, the longest in the history of Chilean mining. The strike caused $740 million in losses for the company.

Emergency workers, ambulances and mourning relatives of victims are seen near the site of an explosion in an illegal coal mine that left 12 people dead in the Colombian department of Boyaca.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has said at least 12 people have died after a river was contaminated with toxic waste from an Angolan diamond mine.

Adorned with more than 10,000 diamonds and worth at least £1.5 million, renowned artist Debbie Wingham says her latest sparkling creation is the world's most expensive picture frame. Known as the 'World's Most Expensive' artist for her record-breaking, pricey fashion and cake creations, Wingham crafted the diamond-encrusted circular frame in the image of a clock face with Roman numerals. Revealed in Dubai for the first time on Tuesday (November 2), the frame, which was created with an eco-luxury ethos using reclaimed metal and reclaimed diamonds, holds an oil painting by Wingham of Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

Authorities in Portugal have launched raids after a tipoff that Portuguese troops may have smuggled contraband from the Central Afridan Republic. The country has 180 UN peacekeepers stationed in the African nation.

At least 18 people were killed on Sunday in an artisanal gold mine collapse in southern Niger, the local mayor said on Monday. The disaster took place in the southern Maradi region, near the border with Nigeria. The death toll is likely to rise, said the mayor of the commune of Dan Issa, Adamou Guero, . The Governor of the Maradi region, Aboubacar Chaibou, visited the site on Monday and promised better working conditions for people at the sire.

A black diamond on the plate: Sniffing out the secrets of French truffles. The truffle is a luxury fungus that's become a delicacy in French gastronomy. Being a truffle farmer requires years of patience and hunting for the "black diamond" cannot be done without the unrivalled sense of smell of man's best friend.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has called China a "savior." The people around the Bor copper mine, however, fear for their future, as Bor is part of the strategic investments around China's New Silk Road to Europe.

In a big day for LGBT residents of Botswana, an attempt to overturn the decriminalisation of homosexuality has failed in court. Also, South Africa's government says it is being punished as it tries to get countries to walk back some of their Covid-19 travel restrictions. And the China-Africa summit kicks off in Dakar, where participants are discussing trade, conflict and the coronavirus pandemic.

From accepting a transgender mayor in Bangladesh, restoring gay rights in the US to decriminalizing homosexuality in Botswana, several countries have offered glimmers of hope this year in advancing LGBTQ rights.