mineral

Malachite

Copper carbonate hydroxide [Cu2CO3(OH)2]

Hardness: 3.5-4 (Mohs), Color: Bright green with dark/light green banding, Luster: Silky to dull (pearly when polished), Crystal Structure: Monoclinic, Cleavage: Perfect in one direction, Specific Gravity: 3.6-4.0

Hardness: 3

Identified July 9, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in the oxidation zones of copper deposits where hydrothermal solutions descend through copper-bearing rocks. Often found in association with azurite, goethite, and calcite.

Uses & applications

Mainly used as a decorative stone, gemstone for jewelry (cabochons), pigment in paint (historically), and as an ore of copper.

Geological facts

Malachite was used as a mineral pigment in green paints from antiquity until about 1800. Large blocks weighing up to 20 tons were historically mined in the Ural Mountains to decorate Russian palaces.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its distinctive 'bulls-eye' or concentric banding and deep green color. Can be found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, Namibia, and Arizona, USA. It reacts/effervesces with dilute hydrochloric acid.