Malachite Rough Stone

A rough malachite stone from the Congo. The unprocessed material shows the characteristic concentric banding structure of malachite in its natural, unprocessed form.

Malachite (Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂) is a copper hydroxide carbonate that forms in the oxidized zones of copper ore deposits. The Democratic Republic of Congo (Katanga Province) is the world's premium source, with the Kolwezi and Likasi deposits producing the highest quality malachite material since the 19th century.

The typical banding is caused by cyclical oxidation phases during the mineralization history. Each banding ring documents a specific geochemical episode.

Rough malachite, without polishing, shows the natural growth geometry unadulterated. A Mohs hardness of 3.5-4 makes the material moderately hard but susceptible to scratches.