Malachite is a common, beautiful mineral, unique in appearance thanks to its formation process. Its bright coloring draws the eye immediately, whether is in its natural form or cut and polished.

The Physical Properties of Malachite

Malachite is a secondary copper mineral quite popular for use in jewelry and ornaments thanks to its bright green color. Its shell-like formation causes its unique appearance of light and dark layers shaped as concentric rings, stripes, and other shapes. It's often found as crystalline aggregates or crust, or botryoidal clusters of radiating crystals. It is not commonly seen as a single crystal, although it can happen, in which case it's acicular to prismatic.

The mineral scores a 3.5 to 4 on Mohs scale of hardness. It's opaque in transparency, with a varying luster ” it can be vitreous, silky, or dull. It often takes a poor polish and is prone to small cracks, so its appearance improves with paraffin wax.

The History of Malachite

It received its name in antiquity from Pliny the Elder ” the name then was molochitus, after the Greek word for mallow which alluded to its bright, leaf-like green color. From around 1661 it's been known by its current name, malachite. Egyptians began mining it as early as 4000 BC, and its pigment was used for eye makeup starting from 3000 BC. Pharaohs used to line the inside of their headdresses, in the belief, it promoted wise rule. Today, it is found at localities in Namibia, Peru, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, and the USA.

The Lore of Malachite

In the ancient lore and legends, malachite connect with wisdom, protection from the evil eye and enhancement of magical capabilities. It also associated with a few love goddesses, such as Our Lady of the Mountains of central Russia, and Freya, the Norse goddess of love and beauty. In the Russian lore, water from a malachite goblet would grant the drinker the power to speak with animals, and during the Middle Ages, was regarded as the best protection against sorcery.

The Metaphysical Properties of Malachite

Among its other names, malachite has been called the Midwife Stone, thanks to its beneficial effect on the female menstrual cycle and cramps, easing labor and pregnancy. It's a diuretic stone, and it can help lower blood pressure, treat travel sickness, trembling, fractures and rheumatic pain. However, be warned only to use polished malachite, as its dust is toxic.

Malachite is said to be able to heal emotional abuse scars, battle anxiety, and depression, and encourage relationships that are healthy. It can open the wearer's eyes to what's obstructing their spiritual growth, and how best to express their feelings to nurture friendships and empathy. Malachite is believed to be dedicated to the Heart Chakra, which affects how we interact with the external world. It can fix the Heart Chakra imbalance which causes unhealthy relationship control, harsh criticism of others and strong emotional responses to everyday stimuli.

This bright green stone helps its wearer make wiser choices and live a healthier, more balanced life. Due to its beauty, every crystal enthusiast can get great wear out of it.