mineral
Malachite
Copper carbonate hydroxide, Cu2CO3(OH)2
Hardness: 3.5–4.0 (Mohs scale); Color: Bright green, dark green to black-green, often banded; Luster: Silky to dull, vitreous; Crystal structure: Monoclinic (often botryoidal or fibrous); Cleavage: Perfect in one direction; Specific Gravity: 3.6–4.0
- Hardness
- 3
- Color
- Bright green, dark green to black-green, often banded
- Luster
- Silky to dull, vitreous
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Physical properties
Hardness: 3.5–4.0 (Mohs scale); Color: Bright green, dark green to black-green, often banded; Luster: Silky to dull, vitreous; Crystal structure: Monoclinic (often botryoidal or fibrous); Cleavage: Perfect in one direction; Specific Gravity: 3.6–4.0
Formation & geological history
Formed as a secondary mineral in the oxidation zone of copper ore deposits. It precipitates from descending carbonated water reacting with copper-bearing minerals. Can form at various geological ages depending on the exposure of parent copper lodes.
Uses & applications
Commonly used for ornamental purposes, jewelry (cabochons and beads), decorative inlays, and historically as a green pigment for paints. It is also an indicator mineral for copper mining prospecting.
Geological facts
Malachite is famous for its distinctive concentric green banding. Until the 1800s, it was the primary source of green pigment in European painting. Large blocks weighing several tons have been found in the Ural Mountains.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by its vibrant green color, botryoidal (grape-like) or 'bubbly' habit, and its reaction (effervescence) to cold dilute hydrochloric acid. Commonly found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Russia, and Arizona, USA.
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