Rough Malachite with Chrysocolla

An impressive piece of rough malachite with chrysocolla from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Minute crystals that sparkle beautifully can be be seen as light reflects at just the right angle.  Some can be seen in our last photo.

Malachite was the first ore of copper.  During the Bronze Age it was crushed and used as a green pigment.

In ancient Greece and Rome malachite was used for decorative purposes but primarily for vases.  It's still widely used today as a carving material.

Both malachite and chrysocolla (particularly in its purest form) are soft and fragile.  For this reason pieces like this should ideally be handled as little as possible.