Natural Malachite
rough stones, with Chrysocolla
Natural Malachite has fascinated curious minds since time immemorial.
Its magnificent range of green tones is exemplary for any collector.
Why natural Malachite?
Its beauty spans human history
The first traces of Malachite collection can be found in archaeological sites dating back to prehistoric times. Some scientists also believe it was found in places inhabited by Neanderthals, who may have used it as an ornament even before the arrival of homo sapiens.
For its aesthetic, symbolic or spiritual value, it has been around since antiquity. Traces of it in historical sites in the Middle East date back over 10,000 years.
It impressed the Egyptians, then ancient Rome, as a magical, cosmetic or decorative stone.
In Switzerland, in the Middle Ages, it was used to protect pregnant women and children, and elsewhere in Europe it was a stone of protection.
In many cultures, it was a symbol of fertility.
Today, its symbols link it to protection and spiritual transformation in lithotherapy. It is also particularly attractive to aficionados and aficionadas of minerals and nature.
Its mineralogy
Its variegated green color is striking. Its appearance, often in nodules, clusters or concentric rosettes, attracts science buffs and aesthetes alike.
Natural malachite has a high copper content. It is a hydrocarbonate of this ore, resulting from the oxidation of copper deposits under the effect of water, carbon dioxide and primary minerals.
You can also find rolled Malachite at this link.
Its monoclinic system produces colors ranging from pale and dark green, depending on the orientation of the crystals. Mostly opaque, it can be slightly translucent in thin sections.
It is often found alongside Azurite, Chrysocolla or Cuprite, in veins of rock subjected to hydrothermal circulation.
It may contain nickel, zinc or cobalt.
It is now of interest to mineralogists for its crystallochemical properties and its ability to substitute certain ions in related structures, revealing subtle mechanisms of mineral evolution in metal-enriched environments.
*Please note! Some minerals may be toxic and must not be licked or ingested (as such or in the form of powder, elixir or stone water) or be in prolonged contact with the skin or mucous membranes.
*The information on the stones described here are general indications based on our research and experience, and are not exhaustive.
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