Color:
Various shades of green, often banded

Durability:
Somewhat soft, good for beads and pendants

Localities:
Zaire has the best quality, but malachite is associated with copper deposits world wide.

Malachite is a copper hydroxyl silicate. It is actually the green rust that forms on copper. It is closely associated with the mineral azurite. Large deposits have been found in the Ural Mountains of Russia and also in Zaire. It is a decorative stone that has been used for table tops, columns and wall coverings. Malachite was used by the ancient Egyptians for carvings, and also powdered for makeup. Russian legends claim that those that drink from a malachite goblet will be able to understand the language of animals. Malachite is said to attract love and money.
Shop owners are advised to keep a piece of malachite in their cash registers.