Diamond believed to be first-ever found in Arctic Finland
What is thought to be the first diamond discovered in Lapland has been confirmed as such.
German geologist Kasper von Wuthenau found the diamond in August 2018, when he and two German goldsmiths were panning for gold at Tankavaara, Lapland. The gem, which measures about 0.7 millimetres in diametre, was recently confirmed to be a diamond at the University of Hamburg’s Mineralogical Museum.
According to von Wuthenau, who has panned for gold in Lapland for the past 30 years, no diamonds have ever been found in the region.
In Lapland, a few precious stones including rubies and sapphires have been discovered, mainly in the Lemmenjoki gold area.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: 187.7 carat diamond unearthed in Canada’s North, Radio Canada International
Finland: Gold mining in northern Finland hurts reindeer, says Natural Resources Institute, Yle News
Norway: Iron mines in Arctic Norway could soon re-open, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Large ore mine to be developed in remote Russian Arctic, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Iron mine in northern Sweden to restart production, The Independent Barents Observer
