Guide
Malachite specimens for sale
915 for sale · $20–$50,000 USD
2,648 in the gallery
Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral that forms in layered, banded aggregates with a distinctive deep green color. It often appears as botryoidal, stalactitic, or prismatic masses with a silky to dull lustre and characteristic concentric banding that reveals varying shades of green. In high-quality specimens, the vivid monoclinic-green bands create striking patterns that are highly prized by collectors.
- Formula
- Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
- Rarity
- Common
- Stability
- Stable
- Collector interest
- Very High Interest
- Classification notes
- Carbonate mineral; Strunz 5.BA.10; Dana 5.6.1
Key characteristics
- Crystal system
- monoclinic
- Mohs hardness
- 3.5–4
- Specific gravity
- 3.6–4.05
- Luster
- adamantine, vitreous, silky, dull
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent, opaque
- Color
- green
- Streak
- green
- Cleavage
- perfect
- Fracture
- subconchoidal, uneven, splintery
- Crystal habit
- prismatic, acicular, fibrous, radiating, botryoidal, stalactitic, druzy, granular, massive
- Gem mineral
- Classic / historic
Buy Malachite specimens
View all 915Where Malachite is found
Top localities
- Milpillas Mine308 specimens
- Bisbee140 specimens
- Mindingi Mine87 specimens
- Mashamba West Mine86 specimens
- Morenci Mine71 specimens
- Tsumeb60 specimens
- Kolwezi42 specimens
- Copper Queen Mine37 specimens
- Touissit37 specimens
- L'Etoile du Congo Mine33 specimens
Guides
All guides
Guide
Malachite from Tsumeb Mine, Namibia
Malachite from the Tsumeb Mine, Namibia - azurite-related pseudomorphs, velvety acicular sprays, blue-on-green contrast, highly valued by collectors for form.Read guide
Guide
Malachite from Morenci Mine, Arizona, USA
Malachite from Morenci, Arizona: vivid green botryoidal forms and pseudomorphs against a dark matrix; prized for color contrasts with azurite and chrysocolla.Read guide
Guide
Malachite from Milpillas Mine, Sonora, Mexico
Milpillas malachite, from Sonora’s Milpillas Mine, offers azurite-pseudomorph forms, silky green luster, and blue-green color contrasts that collectors prize.Read guide
Guide
Malachite from Lavrion Mining District, Greece
Malachite from Lavrion, Greece — bright green veils with azurite contrast in a historic oxidation-zone district; prized for locality and collector appeal.Read guide
Guide
Malachite from Katanga Copper Crescent, DR Congo
Malachite from Katanga Copper Crescent, DR Congo — velvety stalactites, fibrous sprays, and crisp botryoids; notable for surface life and precise locality.Read guideAbout Malachite
Notable sources include rich copper deposits in the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with examples from Namibia, Mexico, the United States, and China. Specimens from classic localities tend to exhibit sharp color zoning and impressive botryoidal growth, sometimes forming hollow, cavity-filling nodules. Collectors value Malachite for its eye-catching color, historical use as an ornamental stone, and the satisfying texture of polished surfaces that reveal the mineral’s layered structure.
For many enthusiasts, Malachite represents an accessible entry point into copper minerals due to its standout appearance and relative abundance compared with rarer species. Its decorative appeal, combined with familiar association to malachite-coated artifacts and green microcrystals under magnification, makes it a dependable highlight in mineral cabinets and display cases.
