Rare Malachite Stalactite
An incredibly rare malachite stalactite in excellent condition. This magnificent piece comes from the Katanga Province in Democratic Republic of Congo.
The intense greenish almost black colour comes from copper.
Stalactite formations are quite rare especially in this size and condition.
Malachite has been used as an ore of copper for thousands of years. Chalcopyrite is now the main ore of copper so malachite is rarely used.
Malachite forms close to the surface from the weathering of other copper ores. It's often found close to copper minerals such as azurite and chrysocolla.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to some of the world's largest reserves. Although Congo is one of the most important producers of malachite, two enormous deposits in the Ural Mountains of Russia known as Gmeshevskoe and Mednorudnyanskoye also produce significant amounts.
Two small slits through which surface water would once have dripped are still visible in this piece. It has a slightly waxy lustre and under the right light sparkles beautifully.
This piece doesn't stand up by itself so needs to be positioned on a small stand or be supported from behind.
