When found in large pieces, the banded variety of Malachite makes a precious ornamental stone. Small ornamental objects, such as boxes and animal figures, are carved out of this compact stone, and if properly polished, they can be valuable.
Malachite is also used as a minor gemstone, and is cut into cabochon s and fashioned into necklace beads. Malachite is very popular among mineral collectors, especially interestingly shaped and banded specimens. It is also used as an ore of copper and crushed to make a green pigment. There are many places where fine Malachite comes from. Only the best will be mentioned here.
Much of the original gem material, from which ornaments and jewelry were made since early times, was from the large deposits in Yekaterinburg Oblast in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Africa contains several outstanding Malachite deposits. The mines at Katanga Shaba , especially at Kolwezi, in the D. Congo Zaire produce Malachite in all sorts of odd shapes and forms, and are the source of the best banded , concentric , stalactitic and sparkling specimens.
Tsumeb, Namibia, has also produced some of the best Malachite, especially Malachite pseudomorph s after Azurite. Morocco also contains fabulous Malachite sources, specifically in Touissit and Kerrouchene. A new specimen producer is China, where gorgeous Malachite comes from the Shilu Mine, Yangchun, Guangdong Province, with amazing stalactite s worthy of special mention.
In the U. Other important Arizona localities are Morenci, Greenlee Co. Brochantite - Doesn't effervesce in hydrochloric acid ; otherwise very difficult to distinguish the two minerals.
Have a question about Malachite? To sponsor this page, click here. Amazon Supply Store. Hammers, Chisels, Loupes, Cotton-filled boxes, etc. Recommended Reading. Malachite has a strong affinity with devic forces and heals the earth.
Long before it became admired in Europe, Malachite played a key role in ancient Egyptian rituals. The hieroglyph used to represent Malachite wadj- meaning green symbolized vegetation, new life and fertility. The handle of this Aztec knife from the 15th century is covered with a mosaic of Malachite, turquoise and shell.
The blade is made of chalcedony. More than its symbolism, Malachite was prized for its healing value eye diseases and often used for eye make-up Cleopatra — Queen of the shades. Beyond the Orient, historians have found artefacts showing that Malachite was highly priced as well amongst early Aztec cultures and in ancient China. This Chinese ritual food vessel, dating from the Sung Dynasty 10th to 12th centuries AD is decorated with inlaid malachite and silver.
After the downfall of the Egyptian empire, Malachite was used as a mineral pigment to create green paint similar to ultramarine from Lapis until the 19th century, when it came a favorite for decorative purpose given its iridescent shades of green and soft moldable complexion. Like a renaissance, Malachite found its greatest admirers in the sophisticated courts of imperial Russia in the early s. Russian tsars and princesses have dedicated national tales and entire halls of their palaces to this gemstone.
One of the grandest of all imperial palaces, the Winter Palace in St Petersburg features a stately salon decorated with Malachite, which was commissioned by Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna in Centerpieces of the Malachite room are the grand fireplace and an alley of columns along its sides, entirely made from the most stunning Malachite. In this watercolour painting of the Malachite Room by Konstantin A.
Ukhtomsky, the green malachite column and surfaces are highlighted by the white walls. Interior of St. Isaac's Catherdral. Eight giant green columns made of Russian malachite and two of Lapis Lazuli grace the iconostasis of this gold-domed, Russian Orthodox cathedral. They stand out dramatically against the white marble and gold leaf that cover the wall.
Malachite is related to a blue-green gemstone called Azure Malachite which, as the name suggests, has a mixture of blue and green colors in it. It's also related to the Eilat stone which is a Malachite mixture from Israel that has green and turquoise colors.
So if you see a mixture of colors beyond the traditional green, it might be one of these relations. If you simply want to improve the level of potential business success, Malachite gemstones can be added to decorative pieces for the home or the office. Malachite is a wonderful luxury gemstone that pairs well with copper, gold, or silver. The green Malachite colors are so rich that they can be integrated into contemporary jewelry designs, tribal jewelry, and even vintage designs.
Whether you want something subtle or dramatic, the fact that Malachite gemstones are not typically faceted means they can be drilled to fit men's jewelry and women's jewelry with equal resourcefulness. If you want to purchase Malachite jewelry, some stones might be bigger or smaller than diamonds based on their weight so, rather than purchasing gemstones by the carat weight, you are much better off purchasing them by their size.
Tip: If you invest in malachite jewelry, it's important to know that Malachite gemstones are softer than most gemstones which means it's easier for them to get scratched especially if you wear them as part of your belt buckle, bracelet, or ring.
That doesn't mean you can't of course, they can be worn regularly but they are less likely to become scratched if you integrate them into earrings, pendants, or other brooches. More important than that is the sensitivity of the gemstone to hot water, acid, and ammonia. When you are cleaning, avoid wearing any Malachite jewelry and when you are cleaning the jewelry itself, you want to use soapy water and a soft cloth, rinse it well, and allow it to dry naturally.
Even trying to wipe dust off it with a firm grip can result in scratches to the exterior polish. To ensure the longevity of any malachite pieces, store them in a soft cloth or a fabric jewelry box, and remove any jewelry you have before engaging in strenuous activity. Malachite can be expensive for many reasons. The fact that it doesn't come from all over the world but from specific regions of the world makes the supply rather limited, increasing the value.
The purity of most Malachite clusters that don't feature any type of azurite adds significantly to the expense. More importantly, most Malachite is found in the form of Malachite clusters deep in caves so it has to be removed from the cave and then processed but the size and shape of the stalactite dictate what sized gemstones can be cut from it. Finding natural reserves of larger clusters is much more difficult than finding larger gemstones, which makes larger gemstones more expensive.
Healing gemstones are quite common and Malachite is one of them. Malachite has been integrated into amulets since the times of ancient Egyptians, ancient Greeks, and Romans. It was thought that Malachite amulets would protect against the evil eye. Long after, during the Middle Ages, Malachite was worn by children to protect them against black magic and Witchcraft.
It was thought that Malachite possessed warning capabilities and if danger was nearby, the gemstone would break into pieces. Today there are similar healing benefits associated with Malachite gemstones. While it's not believed that the stone will break into pieces and the event of an impending danger it is still believed that it possesses protective qualities. Many claim that Malachite is calming and can help release negative emotions and conjure positive ones.
Being a traditional gemstone for the 13th anniversary of a wedding, it's also associated with physical benefits like reducing swollen joints, helping to alleviate menstruation, provide peaceful sleep, improve the circulation and immune system, and detoxify the liver. Malachite was first discovered over years ago when it was mined and exploited across Israel and Egypt to produce gemstones, pigments, and sculptures.
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