Malachite
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Formula:
Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Colour:
Bright green, with crystals deeper shades of green, even vary dark to nearly black; green to yellowish green in transmitted light.
Lustre:
Adamantine, Vitreous, Silky, Dull, Earthy
Hardness:
3½ - 4
Specific Gravity:
3.6 - 4.05
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named in antiquity (see Pliny the Elder, 79 CE) molochitus after the Greek μαλαχή, "mallows," in allusion to the green color of the leaves. Known in the new spelling, malachites, at least by 1661.
Malachite is a green, very common secondary copper mineral with a widely variable habit. Typically it is found as crystalline aggregates or crusts, often banded in appearance, like agates. It is also often found as botryoidal clusters of radiating crystals, and as mammillary aggregates as well. Single crystals and clusters of distinguishable crystals are uncommon, but when found they are typically acicular to prismatic. It is also frequently found as a pseudomorph after Azurite crystals, which are generally more tabular in shape.
The Cu analogue of chukanovite. Structurally related to the Rosasite Group.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Malachite.
The Cu analogue of chukanovite. Structurally related to the Rosasite Group.
Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Malachite.
Classification of Malachite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
5/C.01-20
5.BA.10
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
Dana 7th ed.:
16.3.2.1
16a.3.1.1
16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
11.2.1
11 : Carbonates
2 : Carbonates of Cu
11 : Carbonates
2 : Carbonates of Cu
Physical Properties of Malachite
Adamantine, Vitreous, Silky, Dull, Earthy
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Bright green, with crystals deeper shades of green, even vary dark to nearly black; green to yellowish green in transmitted light.
Streak:
Light green
Hardness:
3½ - 4 on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
Perfect on {201}, fair on {010}.
Perfect on {201}, fair on {010}.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal, Fibrous
Density:
3.6 - 4.05 g/cm3 (Measured) 4 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Malachite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.655 nβ = 1.875 nγ = 1.909
2V:
Measured: 43° , Calculated: 38°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.254
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Very High
Dispersion:
relatively weak
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
X ^ c 23½° = nearly colourless
Y b = yellowish green
Z = Deep green
Y b = yellowish green
Z = Deep green
Chemical Properties of Malachite
Formula:
Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
IMA Formula:
Cu2CO3(OH)2
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Zn,Co,Ni
Crystallography of Malachite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.502 Å, b = 11.974 Å, c = 3.240 Å
β = 98.75°
β = 98.75°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.794 : 1 : 0.271
Unit Cell V:
364.35 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals uncommon, usually short or long prismatic or acicular, parallel to [001]; often grouped in rosettes, sprays, or tufts. Botryoidal to mammillary aggregates of radiating fibrous crystals more common. It may also be massive, compact, and stalactic.
Twinning:
Untwinned crystals are extremely rare. Typically twinned on {100}, sometimes as penetration or polysynthetic twinning with the axis parallel to [201].
Crystallographic forms of Malachite
Crystal Atlas:
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Malachite no.17 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Malachite no.20 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by
www.smorf.nl.
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Edge Lines | Miller Indicies | Axes
Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent
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Edge Lines | Miller Indicies | Axes
Transparency
Opaque | Translucent | Transparent
View
Along a-axis | Along b-axis | Along c-axis | Start rotation | Stop rotation
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 5.99 | (60) |
| 5.06 | (80) |
| 3.69 | (90) |
| 2.86 | (100) |
| 2.82 | (40) |
| 2.78 | (50) |
| 2.52 | (60) |
| 2.46 | (40) |
Comments:
Data given are for synthetic material.
Synonyms of Malachite
Other Language Names for Malachite
Basque:Malakita
Bosnian (Latin Script):Malahit
Breton:Malakit
Catalan:Malaquita
Czech:Malachit
Dutch:Malachiet
Esperanto:Malakito
Estonian:Malahhiit
Finnish:Malakiitti
Galician:Malaquita
Hebrew:מלכיט
Hindi:ताप्रांगीयिज
Hungarian:Malachit
Japanese:孔雀石
Korean:공작석
Latin:Malachites
Ærugo nativa
Ærugo nativa
Lithuanian:Malachitas
Polish:Malachit
Portuguese:Malaquita
Romanian:Malachit
Russian:Малахит
Simplified Chinese:孔雀石
Slovak:Malachit
Slovenian:Malahit
Swedish:Malakit
Bärggrönt
Koppargrön
Bärggrönt
Koppargrön
Thai:มาลาไคต์
Traditional Chinese:孔雀石
Turkish:Malahit
Ukrainian:Малахіт
Vietnamese:Malachit
Varieties of Malachite
| Atlaserz | The German name for a fibrous variety of malachite. |
| Lime-Malachite | Probably an impure malachite |
| Mysorin | An impure Malachite. |
| Zincian Malachite | A Zn-bearing variety of malachite with Cu:Zn greater than 4:1. Can be distinguished from the visually similar rosasite by X-ray diffraction. |
Common Associates
| Atacamite | Cu2(OH)3Cl |
| Aurichalcite | (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6 |
| Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
| Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Chalcedony | SiO2 |
| Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O |
| Cuprite | Cu2O |
| Limonite | (Fe,O,OH,H2O) |
| Tenorite | CuO |
| Wad | A generic name for (often poorly crystalline) soft manganese oxides/hydroxides, often containing significant amounts ... |
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| Azurite | 4,330 photos of Malachite associated with Azurite on mindat.org. |
| Quartz | 951 photos of Malachite associated with Quartz on mindat.org. |
| Chrysocolla | 793 photos of Malachite associated with Chrysocolla on mindat.org. |
| Calcite | 792 photos of Malachite associated with Calcite on mindat.org. |
| Cuprite | 784 photos of Malachite associated with Cuprite on mindat.org. |
| Cerussite | 613 photos of Malachite associated with Cerussite on mindat.org. |
| Copper | 457 photos of Malachite associated with Copper on mindat.org. |
| Baryte | 336 photos of Malachite associated with Baryte on mindat.org. |
| Shattuckite | 287 photos of Malachite associated with Shattuckite on mindat.org. |
| Chalcopyrite | 231 photos of Malachite associated with Chalcopyrite on mindat.org. |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
| 5.BA.05 | Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 5.BA.10 | Georgeite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 · 6H2O | Amor. |
| 5.BA.10 | Glaukosphaerite | (Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 5.BA.10 | Kolwezite | (Cu,Co)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Tric. |
| 5.BA.10 | Mcguinnessite | (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 | |
| 5.BA.10 | Nullaginite | Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. |
| 5.BA.10 | Pokrovskite | Mg2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. |
| 5.BA.10 | Rosasite | (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 5.BA.10 | Zincrosasite | (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. |
| 5.BA.10 | Chukanovite | Fe2+2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 5.BA.15 | Aurichalcite | (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6 | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
| 5.BA.15 | Hydrozincite | Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| 5.BA.20 | Holdawayite | Mn6(CO3)2(OH)7(Cl,OH) | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| 5.BA.25 | Defernite | Ca6(CO3)2-x(SiO4)x(OH)7(Cl,OH)1-2x (x<0.5) | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
| 5.BA.25 | UM1977-03-COSiO:CaClH | Ca10-11(CO3)7(SiO4)Cl1-2(OH)1-2 | Mon. |
| 5.BA.30 | Loseyite | (Mn2+,Zn,Mg)4Zn3(CO3)2(OH)10 | Mon. 2/m |
| 5.BA.30 | Sclarite | (Zn,Mg,Mn2+)4Zn3(CO3)2(OH)10 | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
| 16a.3.1.2 | Rosasite | (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 16a.3.1.3 | Glaukosphaerite | (Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 16a.3.1.4 | Mcguinnessite | (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 | |
| 16a.3.1.4 | Zincrosasite | (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. |
| 16a.3.1.5 | Pokrovskite | Mg2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. |
| 16a.3.1.7 | Kolwezite | (Cu,Co)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Tric. |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
| 11.2.2 | Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 11.2.4 | Chalconatronite | Na2Cu(CO3)2 · 3H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| 11.2.5 | Callaghanite | Cu2Mg2(CO3)(OH)6 · 2H2O | Mon. |
Other Information
Thermal Behaviour:
Loses water at about 315°, leaving tenorite.
Notes:
Readily soluble in dilute acids. Very slightly soluble in water containing CO2.
Frequently found as pseudomorphs after azurite, or as alteration pseudomorphs after cuprite. Less frequently occurs as pseudomorphs after atacamite, brochantite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, chalcophyllite, gypsum, libethenite, calcite, sphalerite, cerussite, and pyrite.
Rarely found altered to azurite or cuprite.
Frequently found as pseudomorphs after azurite, or as alteration pseudomorphs after cuprite. Less frequently occurs as pseudomorphs after atacamite, brochantite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, chalcophyllite, gypsum, libethenite, calcite, sphalerite, cerussite, and pyrite.
Rarely found altered to azurite or cuprite.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
A minor ore of copper when abundant enough in a copper deposit.
Malachite in petrology
An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.
References for Malachite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Wallerius, J.G (1747) Mineralogia, eller Mineralriket. Stockholm: 279 (as Malachit).
L' Abbé Fontana (1778) Le Journal de physique et le radium, Paris: 2: 509.
Thomson (1836): 1: 601 (as Mysorin).
Zincken (1842) Berg.- und hüttenmännisches Zeitung, Freiberg, Leipzig (merged into Glückauf): 1 (as Kalk-malachit).
Lang (1863) Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: 25: 432.
Lang (1864) Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: 28: 502.
Des Cloizeaux, A. (1874) Manuel de minéralogie. 2 volumes and Atlas, Paris. volume 2, 1 Fasc., 208pp.: 185.
Haege (1888) Inaugural Dissertation, Jena.
Gonnard (1906) Min. du Rhône et de la Loire, Paris: 82.
Galbraith (1914) Arizona Bureau of Mines, Geological Series Bulletin 149.
Schrader, et al (1917) USGS Bulletin 624.
Goldschmidt, V. (1918) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text, vol. 5: 187.
Perrier (1921) Reale accademia nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, Att.: 30[5]: 309.
Shannon (1926) U.S. National Museum, Bulletin 131.
Hintze, Carl (1929) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [3A]: 3368.
Guillot, Geneslay (1936) Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 202: 136.
Binder (1937) Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 204: 1200.
Pabst (1938) California Division of Mines Bulletin 113.
Northrop (1942) University of New Mexico Bulletin, Geology Series: 6, no. 1.
Ramsdell, L.S., Wolfe, C.W. (1950) The unit cell of malachite. American Mineralogist: 35: 119-120.
Palache, C., Berman, H., Frondel, C. (1951) The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 252-255.
Susse, P. (1967) Verfeinerung der Kristallstruktur des Malachits, Cu2(OH)2CO3. Acta Crystallographica: 22: 200-204.
Zigan F., Joswig W., Schuster H.U., Mason S.A. (1977) Verfeinerung der Struktur von Malachit, Cu2(OH)2CO3, durch Neutronenbeugung. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 145: 412.
Gaines, R.V., Skinner, C.W.H., Foord, E.E., Mason, B., Rosenzweig, A.(1997) Dana's New Mineralogy: The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 488.
F. Girgsdies, Behrens, M. (2012) On the structural relations of malachite. II. The brochantite MDO polytypes. Acta Crystallographica B68: 571-577.
Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W. and Nichols, M.C., Eds. Handbook of Mineralogy, Mineralogical Society of America, Chantilly, VA 20151-1110, USA. http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/ (2016)
Internet Links for Malachite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2550.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
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Significant localities for Malachite
Showing 21 significant localities out of 12,462 recorded on mindat.org.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| Noble R.J., Just J. and Johnson J. E., (1983), Catalogue of South Australian Minerals-1983, Government Printer, Adelaide, South Australia.; Grguric, B., Pring, A. & Drew, G. (1994), "The Burra Burra mine, Burra, South Australia", Mineralogical Record, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 121-129. |
Austria | |
| Meixner, H., Paar, W. (1975) Neue Untersuchungen am "Lockenmineral" von Brixlegg/Tirol. Der Karinthin, 72/73, 175-181.; Wight, Q. (1998). The Curly Malachite of Schwaz-Brizlegg, Tyrol, Austria New Find from 5,000-year-Old Locality. Rocks & Minerals, 73(5), 314-318. |
| Lapis 19(7/8):13-78 (1994) |
Bolivia | |
| Alfredo Petrov collection. |
Canada | |
| No reference listed |
Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre) | |
| No reference listed |
| [MinRec 22:13-20,28] | |
| Lapis (1992): 17(3), 13-40. |
France | |
| Favreau G., Legris J-R., Dardillac M. (1996), La Verrière (Rhône): Histoire et Minéralogie, Le Cahier des Micromonteurs, n°3, pp:3-28 |
Germany | |
| www.alterbergbau.de, www.minmax.net, collection Thomas Thieme |
| Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", Weise (Munich), 1990 Markus Gerstmann - Collection |
| Markus Gerstmann - Collection | |
Ireland | |
| Lips, ALW (2006) A review of non-ferrous mineral deposits in Europe - Finalised initial database BRGM/RP -54957 - FR; Sangameshwar, S. R., & Barnes, H. L. (1983). Supergene processes in zinc-lead-silver sulfide ores in carbonates. Economic Geology, 78(7), 1379-1397. |
Namibia | |
| Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 205, 251, 254.; Mineralogical Record, 8 (3), 130 pp. |
Russia | |
| Kievlenko E.V., Senkevich N.N. (1983) Geology of gem stone deposits, - Moscow, "Nedra", pp. 97-99 (in Rus.) |
USA | |
| Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 37. |
| Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 580; Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 285; Ransome, F.L. (1903b), The copper deposits of Bisbee, AZ, Engr. Mining Jour.: 75: 444; Dana 6:1093; Kunz, G.F. (1885), On remarkable copper minerals from AZ, Annals N.Y. Acad. Sci.: 3: 275-278; Douglas, J. (1899), The Copper Queen mine, AZ, A.I.M.E. Trans.: 29: 511-546; Frondel, C. (1941), Paramelaconite: A tetragonal oxide of copper, Am.Min.: 26: 567-672; Lindgren, W. (1904), The genesis of copper deposits, Engr.Mining Jour.: 78: 987; Palache, C. & L.W. Lewis (1927), Crystallography of azurite from Tsumeb, Southwest Africa, and the axial ratio of azurite, Am.Min.: 12: 115-141; Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 27, 53. |
| Mineralogy of Michigan (2004) Heinrich & Robinson; Rocks & Minerals 84:298-323 |
| A. Plante collection; R. Janules collection; A. Smith collection; et.al. |
| Robert E. Walstrom; Chester S. Lemanski, Jr. |
| U.S. Geological Survey, 2005, Mineral Resources Data System: U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia., Steve Adams |
Defesa das Mercês Mine, Barrancos, Barrancos, Beja District, Portugal