Sierra Leone 'peace diamond' sells for €5.4m

A 709-carat diamond found in Sierra Leone has been sold for more than 6.5 million US dollars (€5.4m), officials said.

The diamond is said to be the 14th-largest ever discovered, according to the Rapaport Group, which auctioned the stone in New York on behalf of Sierra Leone's government.

The company said 59% of the money will go to the government of the West African nation, while 26% will benefit the artisanal diggers who found the diamond.

Its discovery in March caused a sensation.

The Rapaport Group has dubbed the stone the "peace diamond" and said its sale "will provide vital lifesaving infrastructure to the area where the diamond was found".