mineral
Malachite
Malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2)
Hardness: 3.5-4.0 Mohs; Color: Bright green with dark and light green banding; Luster: Silky to dull in rough form, vitreous when polished; Crystal Structure: Monoclinic; Cleavage: Perfect in one direction.
- Hardness
- 3
- Color
- Bright green with dark and light green banding
- Luster
- Silky to dull in rough form, vitreous when polished
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3.5-4.0 Mohs; Color: Bright green with dark and light green banding; Luster: Silky to dull in rough form, vitreous when polished; Crystal Structure: Monoclinic; Cleavage: Perfect in one direction.
Formation & geological history
Formed by the weathering of primary copper ore deposits in the oxidized zone. It typically occurs as botryoidal or stalactitic masses.
Uses & applications
Used primarily in jewelry, cabochons, decorative carvings, and as a historical pigment (mountain green). It was once an important copper ore.
Geological facts
Ancient Egyptians used malachite for amulets and eyeshadow as far back as 4000 BC. Large specimens were used to panel the pillars of the Temple of Artemis.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its distinctive concentric green bands; frequent associate of azurite. Common locations include Africa (DRC, Namibia), Russia (Urals), and Arizona, USA.
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Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)
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Metamorphic Rock
![Biotite Schist (Biotite-rich Schist [K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(F,OH)2]) — metamorphic](https://media.rock.id/9ca564b5-bc87-402b-965a-69b21f9aa6bf-thumbnail.jpg)
Biotite Schist
Biotite-rich Schist [K(Mg,Fe)3AlSi3O10(F,OH)2]
metamorphic