| General Information |
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| Chemical Formula | Michael O’Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references |
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| Malachite Treatments |
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| Malachite often takes a rather poor polish and paraffin wax is used to improve the appearance and hide small cracks; epoxy resins could be similarly used - Nassau (1984) |
| Physical Properties of Malachite |
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| Mohs Hardness | 4Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references |
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| Specific Gravity | 3.75 to 3.95Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references |
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| Cleavage Quality | PerfectMichael O’Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references |
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| Fracture | Conchoidal,SplinteryArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) |
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| Optical Properties of Malachite |
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| Refractive Index | 1.655 to 1.909Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references |
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| Optical Character | Biaxial/-Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references |
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| Birefringence | 0.254Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references |
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| Pleochroism | NilArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) |
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| Dispersion | Relatively weakArthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) |
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| Colour |
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| Colour (General) | Deep saturated green and show characteristic bandingMichael O’Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) More from other references |
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| Causes of Colour | Green, Cu2+ in octahedral coordinationW. William Hanneman, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011) |
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| Transparency | OpaqueUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references |
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| Lustre | Vitreous,Silky,Dull (Earthy)Arthur Thomas, Gemstones (2009) |
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| Crystallography of Malachite |
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| Crystal System | MonoclinicHerve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) More from other references |
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| Habit | Aggregates of radial fibres with botryoidal forms or stalactitic/stalacmitic structureUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) More from other references |
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| Geological Environment |
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| Where found: | Malachite occurs as a common secondary mineral in the oxidation zone of copper ore deposits and can be an ore of copper.Michael O’Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) |
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| Inclusions in Malachite |
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| Often intergrown with azurite, turquoise, chrysocolla - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 4 |
| Further Information |
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| Mineral information: | Malachite information at mindat.org |
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| Significant Gem Localities |
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| Namibia | | |
| Gems, Sixth Edition, Michael O’Donoghue, 2006, p. 426 | | Russia | | |
| Gems, Sixth Edition, Michael O’Donoghue, 2006, p. 426 | | USA | | |
| Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 37. |
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