Malachite

Unknown Owner

Gorgeous green lustrous botryoidal malachite across the top of this matrix. Minimal damage is present as shown in the video, I think that when one considers the antiquity of this piece, and how few large examples are ever offered on the market today, I think this in good condition. The specimen comes with several previous labels, including one from the dealer Hugh Ford. The Tur'inskii Mine, located along the Turya River near Serov in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, is part of a historic copper mining region in the Ural Mountains that was developed during the 18th and 19th centuries. The deposits are associated with hydrothermal mineralization in metamorphic and igneous rocks, where copper bearing solutions formed veins and replacement bodies. Mining activity in the area contributed to early Russian copper production and supported regional industrial development. The mine is especially well known for its malachite, which occurs as rich green banded masses, botryoidal crusts, and compact material formed in the oxidized zones of the deposit. These malachite specimens developed through the alteration of primary copper minerals and are valued for their color and decorative qualities, representing classic material from the Ural mining region.