Malachite from Namibia, Oshikoto Region, Tsumeb

Malachite on Calcite

Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia

5.5 x 4.8 x 2.7cm

A fine example of botryoidal primary Malachite from the Tsumeb Mine. The Malachite forms a single, well-defined sphere with a deep emerald-green colour and characteristic velvet surface texture — a result of densely packed radiating fibres terminating at the crystal surface.

The matrix is an excellent companion, consisting of sharp, pearlescent Calcite crystals displaying a classic flattened rhombic habit. The juxtaposition of the two minerals — one opaque and richly coloured, the other pale and vitreous

— makes this a genuinely eye-catching combination piece.

Tsumeb's unique polymetallic ore body is responsible for some of the most diverse and exceptional mineral assemblages ever documented, and copper secondary minerals like this Malachite are among its most prized outputs.