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Malachite
Malachite
Uses Jewelry
Color Bright green, dark green, blackish green, commonly banded in masses; green to yellowish green in transmitted light
Streak light green
Luster Adamantine to vitreous; silky if fibrous; dull to earthy if massive
Diaphaneity Translucent to opaque
Cleavage Perfect
Luster Adamantine to vitreous; silky if fibrous; dull to earthy if massive
Hardness 3.5–4.0
Specific Gravity 3.6–4
Distinguishing Characteristics Green color, banded appearance
Crystal System Monoclinic
Chemical Classification Carbonate mineral
Chemical Composition Cu2CO3(OH)2

Malachite is a rock that is usually blue-green in color and has rock covered air bubbles all over its surface. Malachite is currently mostly mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in areas of South Africa and the Middle East. It is usually used in jewelery because of its appearance, and it is similar to Azurite.

Malachite is a green, very common secondary copper mineral with a widely variable habit. Typically it is found as crystalline aggregates or crusts, often banded in appearence, like agates. It is also often found as botryoidal clusters of radiating crystals, and as mammillary aggregates as well. Single crystals and clusters of distinguishable crystals are uncommon, but when found they are typically acicular to prismatic. It is also frequently found as a pseudomorph after Azurite crystals, which are generally more tabular in shape.

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