Name:
Malachite		 Origin of name:
from the Greek malaché (Hebrew, malluah), meaning mallow, a plant with bright green leaves		 Chemical composition:
Cu2(CO3)3(OH)2
Malachite is a carbonate of copper, as is azurite; the two minerals are commonly found together in the weathered region of copper deposits.

Crystals of malachite are prismatic or needle-like, but the mineral more commonly occurs as botryoidal masses (shaped like bunches of grapes) with a fibrous banded structure. Slices cut through such masses show attractive clour-banding in shades of green (as illustrated) and are used for jewellery and ornaments.

The use of malachite as a green pigment has been traced back to the Bronze Age in Egypt.

Crystal system:
monoclinic
Class:
Carbonates
Hardness:
3.5-4.0
Cleavage:
perfect
Colour:
green
Specific gravity:
4.0

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