JAKARTA - A miner has become an impromptu billionaire overnight, after successfully excavating one of the largest precious stones in the history of world mining.
Sushil Shukla, 47, a miner from Kishoreganj in central Madhya Pradesh, managed to find a diamond weighing 26.11 carats, at a mine in Panna, India last Monday.
Panna is a diamond mining center in India. The area is estimated to have reserves of up to 120 million carats, according to government figures, as reported by The National News February 23.
Fortune seekers like Sushil Shukla have long been involved in mining activities, in search of precious stones.
"I was lucky this time. I can't believe I've found a diamond this big. I've seen small diamonds, but these are huge," Shukla told The National.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I touched them for the first time. My eyes sparkled with gleam," says Shukla.
It is understood Shukla ran a small brick kiln and had been mining government contracts without much success for 20 years, prior to Monday's discovery.
He leased a shallow mine with five workers last month, spending about $135 on rent and labor payments.
"My patience finally paid off, my life changed forever," he said.
The gemstone has been handed over to local authorities and will be auctioned this week.
Experts say the diamond could cost more than 12 million rupees or about Rp.2,307,556,246. The proceeds will be given to Shukla after deducting government royalties and taxes.
"This is the 11th largest diamond that has been mined from Panna. We value it depending on color, clarity, edge and quality," explains Ravi Patel.
"We will cut the royalty by 11 percent and give the rest to the miners," said the local district mining official.
To note, last September, a farmer became a millionaire after he found a 12.08 carat diamond in one of the reserves in Panna. The stone was sold for 4.3 million rupees or around Rp. 826,874,321.
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