Malachite
bracelets, hearts, pendants, beads, rolled stones, with Azurite and Jasper K2

Malachite is known in lithotherapy for its transformative and protective properties. Its symbols are ancient and present in many cultures.

The origin of Malachite symbols

The evidence is not irrefutable, but it is likely that its history goes back to the time of the Neanderthals, who would have used Malachite in their ornaments long before homo sapiens arrived on their territory.
A 10,500-year-old Malachite disc has been discovered in Iraq and 9,000-year-old beads have been found in the Jericho region of the Levant.
The discovery of Malachite jewelry dating back to the Neolithic period testifies to the very ancient presence of this stone in cultures, whether for aesthetic, symbolic or spiritual reasons.

Malachite was venerated in ancient Egypt, where it was associated with Hathor, goddess of love and motherhood. Malachite amulets were used to protect pregnant women. For the Egyptians, the afterlife was a Malachite field, a place where rebirth had no end.

It was worn as a talisman by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Greeks used it in war as protection against wounds and evil spirits. It decorated their temples, as in the columns of the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.
The Romans associated it with Aphrodite, goddess of love, seduction and fertility. A medicinal Malachite powder or amulet protected them from lightning strikes.

In ancient times, its green color was used as a pigment and for eye shadow, sculpture, cosmetics and jewelry.

In the Middle Ages, Malachite was reputed to ward off the evil eye, protect against black magic and nightmares. There were all kinds of remedies based on Malachite powder. It was even said that drinking water from a Malachite glass enabled one to understand the language of animals (this practice is not recommended today, as it is toxic).

In Switzerland at that time, Malachite was said to protect pregnant women and young children. Since the 16ᵉ century, "birth crosses" adorned with Malachite have existed in the Alps as amulets for pregnancy and birth.

In imperial Russia, it adorned the palaces of the Tsars; the columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg are a case in point. Russian craftsmen used a mosaic technique with Malachite lamellae, enabling the Tsars to richly decorate their castles and all kinds of objects with this stone. They even presented Napoleon with Malachite-covered chairs and a table.

In Germany, it was long known as the "Midwife's Stone". It was common for a mother to wear a Malachite amulet for protection.

In many civilizations, Malachite has been associated with a goddess related to motherhood, fertility and young children.

The benefits of stone in lithotherapy

The Malachite strata remind us that we have different planes of consciousness. Within us, there is light and shadow, unconscious and conscious parts. The stone's wisdom encourages you to visit each facet of your being, so that all can be considered under the enlightened eye of an awakening consciousness.

The path to spiritual transformation involves emotional liberation. To achieve this, the stone's symbols and properties guide you in becoming aware of your repressed desires, intimately linked to your wounds.

By exposing your shadowy areas, the origins of behaviors you may have adopted, but which are not your own, may suddenly appear to you as the expression of guilt as illusory as it is deeply rooted. It's a question of revealing what was hidden, and sometimes despised, to give new movement to what seemed petrified, "the Self", who you really are.

In lithotherapy, accompanying Malachite can help you overcome past blockages and encourage change where you've turned a blind eye. Soothing emotional disturbances such as stress or sleep deprivation, anxiety or trauma, it can stimulate intuition and mental clarity, and absorb negative energies in its own way to promote emotional healing. It offers and protects you to build self-confidence.

Physical healing

Malachite's physical effects have not been scientifically proven, but according to tradition it is often used and has met with great success to relieve aches and pains such as inflammation (rheumatism, tendonitis or arthritis), cramps or headaches. It is also reputed to relieve pain during menstruation and childbirth. Its name, in bird language, "mal l'a quitte", is perhaps no coincidence.

Malachite's high copper content promotes the circulation of energies in the body, making it easier to dissolve blockages that cause pain or discomfort. It stimulates the immune system, preventing infections and promoting cell regeneration and increased lung capacity.

How do I use it?

• In case of pain, place Malachite directly on the painful area. Don't hesitate to tie it up with a bandage to benefit from its long-lasting action.
• wear Malachite when you feel your immune system is tired or under particular strain
• to emancipate your consciousness, meditate regularly by contemplating a polished Malachite.
• do not ingest malachite powder or make elixirs from it! It is toxic in this form.

Where to place a Malachite?

• A Malachite in your home will bring energies conducive to healing
• welcome in a treatment room, living room or bedroom
• in a hospital room to aid convalescence and healing
• Malachite can be of great help to people suffering from chronic pain, autoimmune diseases and frequent joint, muscle or ligament pain.
• for athletes who often experience pain after exercise
• for women in labor or suffering from painful menstruation.

What complementary stones should Malachite be combined with?

You can combine it with other stones to promote energetic synergies and amplify its properties:

• Combine with Brazilian Smoky Quartz for its purifying virtues
• with Rose Quartz to heal the heart and strengthen self-esteem
• Chrysocolla for balance and calm
• with Moonstone for greater softness and harmony in everyday life.

Malachite mineralogy

Malachite is a copper hydrocarbonate formed by copper oxidation when surface rocks are altered and carbonic acid-rich water infiltrates. The copper present in the rock then becomes a copper carbonate.

It appears mainly as nodules of bulbous clusters formed in concentric layers. This layered bulbous formation and the variations in its composition reveal magnificent designs in different shades of green when polished. It is also found in fibrous form.

Its hardness ranges from 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale, and its density from 3.6 and 4.0.

Did you know?

Azurite is formed when the pH of the water is acidic, while Malachite is formed when the pH is alkaline. However, some Azurites can be transformed into Malachite by water absorption, and it's common to find Azurite and Malachite side by side.

In 1835, Russian miners in the Urals exposed a Malachite of exceptional quality, weighing over 260 tonnes. It took 9 years to free the enormous rock and almost 12 years to bring it to the surface.

The largest Malachite deposits are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, Namibia, Australia and Arizona in the USA. A famous deposit is located in Chessy, France.

We don't know whether its name comes from the Greek malakos = soft (because it's a stone of low hardness) or from the Greek malakhe = mallow for its slight resemblance to the leaves of this plant.