The Largest Diamond Ever Found in North America is now in Display at the Smithsonian.

The "Foxfire" Diamond, the largest diamond ever mined in North America, is now on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

The diamond weighs in at 187 carats (or 1.3 ounces) and is the largest uncut, gem-quality diamond ever mined at a diamond mine in Canada's Northwest Territories.

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The Foxfire diamond, the largest known uncut, gem-quality diamond mined in North America.
[Photo Credit]

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Not known to contain large diamonds, this piece would have been crushed if it not had been for its unique shape, which made it slip through the sieves, and found to be among the largest found ever at these mines.

The diamond was picked up at an auction by an investor named Deepak Sheth of Amadena Investments LLC/Excellent Facets Inc. in June 2015, and went on public display for the first time on Thursday.

He elected to keep the diamond in its uncut state thereby maintaining both the diamond’s dazzling physical characteristics and its unique story. It will be on display till the February of 2017.

Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem and Mineral Collection stated:

“We are delighted that our visitors will have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view North America’s largest gem-quality diamond in its natural form.”

When the Foxfire was discovered, large, gem-quality diamonds were not believed to exist in that area, as the diamonds found over the previous decade generally peaked at six carats. Because of this, the mine’s equipment was configured to sift out stones smaller than six carats while pulverizing the larger ones. The 187.63 carat Foxfire should have been crushed, but its uncommonly flattened shape enabled it to safely pass through the filters, as per reports.

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Sources for the post and further reading

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1. http://www.diamondworld.net/Content/Foxfire-diamond-to-showcase-at-Smithsonian%E2%80%99s-National-Museum-of-Natural-History/13634
2. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/foxfire-diamond-bedazzles-smithsonians-newest-rock-star-180961064/
3. http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2016/11/18/giant-uncut-foxfire-diamond-goes-on-display-at-smithsonian.html

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