"The Board intends to declare in May its first semi-annual dividend of $0.02 per share for payment in June," Lucara said in a statement. In its latest independent technical report that was put together by a panel of Qualified Persons, the company says that the occurrence of large high value stones adds to the robust economic viability of the Karowe Mine, since high value stone tend to be less negatively affected by downturns in the diamond market relative to smaller stones. "Karowe Mine produces a relatively large number of exceptionally large and valuable stones (often Type IIa stones of greater than 10.8 ct or fancy coloured stones such as blue or pink diamonds), and these stones tend to occupy a specific niche in the overall diamond market," the report says. The company unearthed a US$22.9 million gem diamond in the last quarter of 2013 at its Karowe mine in Letlhakeng.