Government Issues Update on a Piece of Stone Suspected to be Diamond

The Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources, alongside the National Minerals Agency (NMA), has issued a press release regarding a recent incident involving a stone found in Kerry Town that was initially believed to be a diamond.

On October 28, 2024, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) presented a smooth, irregularly shaped, transparent white stone for examination. This stone was brought in by D/P.C. 13846 Ngaujah, accompanied by two individuals, Yusuf Conteh and Mohamed Kamara, who claimed to have discovered it.

To ascertain the nature of the stone, the NMA utilized a Presidium Duotester, a specialized device designed to measure thermal conductivity, which is essential in determining if a stone is a diamond. The testing process was conducted in the presence of both the police officer and the claimants.

Following the examination, the results confirmed that the stone is not a diamond. Subsequently, the NMA returned the stone to the police officer and the individuals who claimed to have found it, who left the NMA’s premises together.