malachite

Malachite () is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral, with the formula Cu2CO3(OH)2. This opaque, green-banded mineral crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system, and most often forms botryoidal, fibrous, or stalagmitic masses, in fractures and deep, underground spaces, where the water table and hydrothermal fluids provide the means for chemical precipitation. Individual crystals are rare, but occur as slender to acicular prisms. Pseudomorphs after more tabular or blocky azurite crystals also occur.

AI overview

Malachite is a green mineral made of copper, carbon, and oxygen that typically forms banded patterns and grows in underground spaces where water and hot fluids cause it to crystallize. It has been valued throughout history for its distinctive appearance and has been used as a decorative stone, pigment, and source of copper.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Mineral.name: Malachite
Mineral.category: Carbonate mineral
Mineral.boxbgcolor: 3fce68
Mineral.image: Malachite, Zaire.jpg
Mineral.caption: Malachite from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mineral.formula: Cu2CO3(OH)2
Mineral.IMAsymbol: Mlc
Mineral.molweight: 221.1 g/mol
Mineral.strunz: 5.BA.10
Mineral.system: Monoclinic
Mineral.class: Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol)
Mineral.symmetry: P21/a
Mineral.color: Bright green, dark green, blackish green, with crystals deeper shades of green, even very dark to nearly black commonly banded in masses; green to yellowish green in transmitted light
Mineral.habit: Massive, botryoidal, stalactitic, crystals are acicular to tabular prismatic
Mineral.twinning: Common as contact or penetration twins on and . Polysynthetic twinning also present.
Mineral.cleavage: Perfect on fair on
Mineral.fracture: Subconchoidal to uneven
Mineral.tenacity: Brittle

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image: Malachit, Kupferspat.jpg

Show 8 more facts

Commons category: Malachite
Nickel-Strunz 9th edition (updated 2009): 5.BA.10
Nickel-Strunz '10th ed', review of (9th ed/ 2009 update): 5.BA.10
Mohs' hardness: 3.75
density: 3.850
IMA Mineral Symbol: Mlc
chemical formula: Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂
Strunz 8th edition (series ID, updated): Vb/B.01

Sources (6)

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Article

11 sections

Contents

Etymology and history
Occurrence
Structure
Use
Symbolism and superstitions
Ore uses
Health and environmental concerns
Gallery
See also
References
External links

==Etymology and history== thumb|left|The entrance to the Neolithic era malachite mine complex on the [[Great Orme, Wales]] The stone's name derives (via , , and Middle English melochites) from Greek Μολοχίτης λίθος molochites lithos, "mallow-green stone", from μολόχη molochē, variant of μαλάχη malāchē, "mallow". The mineral was given this name due to its resemblance to the leaves of the mallow plant. Copper (Cu2+) gives malachite its green color.