Guinness World Records identifies largest uncut emerald weighing 3 pounds and resembling a rhino horn
The 7,525-carat ‘Chipembele’ emerald from Zambia has broken a Guinness World Record
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The world’s largest uncut emerald has been identified by Guinness World Records — and it reportedly weighs three pounds and resembles a rhino horn.
Guinness shared the world record announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 2, on the record reference guide’s website.
The 7,525-carat emerald, weighing 3 pounds and 5.09 ounces, was found at the Kagem Emerald Mine in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia in July 2021.
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Mining experts named the gem Chipembele.
It's a Bantu word that means "rhino" in the indigenous Bemba dialect spoken by northeastern Zambians.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The name was chosen because the emerald has a notable horn at its top, according to Guinness World Records.
The record-breaking Chipembele emerald sourced from Zambia was named after rhinos due to its horn-like appearance up top. (Guinness World Records)
The Chipembele emerald was sold to Eshed-Gemstar (Israel), an international diamond and emerald supplier, for an undisclosed sum in November 2021.
A portion of the sale proceeds was donated to the North Luangwa Conservation Programme, a Zambian wildlife conservation group that supports black rhinoceros, Guinness World Records reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Eshed-Gemstar submitted the Chipembele emerald for world record consideration and received verification from Guinness on April 22, 2022.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Eshed–Gemstar for comment.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Chipembele emerald was purchased by Eshed-Gemstar (Israel) in November 2021 from an emerald auction. (Guinness World Records)
The Chipembele emerald’s record is in the uncut category, meaning it’s a natural gemstone that hasn’t been modified, according to Guinness World Records.
Experts at the Gemological Institute of America reportedly examined the Chipembele emerald for composition homogeneity, shape, dimensions and mass, and provided a detailed laboratory report that broke down the stone’s chemical analysis.
"We wanted to do something really special to celebrate our relationship with Africa and African gemstones and there is nothing more suitable than breaking the Guinness World Records title for the largest uncut emerald," said Avraham Eshed, president of Eshed-Gemstar, in a statement.
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"We are here to inspire people worldwide and introduce them to the exquisite beauty and rarity of natural gemstones – especially natural gemstones from Africa," he continued.
"We want to pass our knowledge and love for natural gemstones to future generations."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Chipembele emerald was mined from the Kagem Emerald Mine in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. The mine is owned by specialty miner Gemfields in partnership with the Zambian government. (Guinness World Records)
The site where the Chipembele emerald was found — Kagem Emerald Mine — is known for producing giant colorful gemstones.
A 5,655-carat emerald (2 pounds and 7.89 ounces) called "Inkalamu," meaning lion, was found in 2018, according to Guinness World Records.
Eight years before that, a 6,225-carat emerald (2 pounds and 11.92 ounces) called "Insofu," meaning elephant, was found.
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The Kagem Emerald Mine is owned by Gemfields, a specialty miner that extracts emeralds, in partnership with Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation, a government agency focused on creating jobs and expanding the nation’s industrial growth.
Gemfields also mines rubies in Mozambique at its Montepuez Ruby Mine in the Cabo Delgado province.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Gemological Institute of America reports that the estimated worth of emeralds and rubies are quality dependent — and can range from a few dollars to tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars per carat.
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To learn more about the record-breaking Chipembele emerald from Guinness World Records, visit the record keeper’s website at guinnessworldrecords.com.