Malachite

Malachite

     Copper Carbonate Hydroxide (Cu₂ [Cu₃][OH]₂ or CuCO₃[OH]₂)
     Color: green, various shades. Coloring is caused by presence of ions of copper; its intensity depends on a structure, size and a combination of mineral units and aggregates of malachite.
     Hardness: 3.5 - 4 on Mohs scale, it is fragile.
     Density: 3.9 - 4.1 gr/sm³.
     Break: rough.
     Shine: glass up to diamond, the break has silky surface, a polishing surface looks like velvet.
     Transparency: opaque.
     Crystals of malachite are extremely rare. It has shape of short and long prismatic, needle and fibrous. Malachite is distributed usually as dense and ingrowths formations, earthy extractions and pseudomorphosises.
     Malachite has received the name from Greek "malache" - malva which coloring of green is similar to color of malachite. Formation of it is connected to zones of oxidation of the copper-sulphidic deposits deposited in carbon. As a jewelry and a collection material of malachite is used dense units of malachite, and also it pseudomorphosises of various minerals which contain copper. Malachite is used for producing of jewelry boxes, jewelry (rings, ear rings, brooches, beads), candelabrums, desk sets, vases etc.
     On Ural mountain there are allocations of two versions of malachite: turquoise and plush.
     Turquoise malachite has parallel - fibrous with concentrated-zone "figured" structure. The size of individual unites of malachite does not exceed the 100-th shares of millimeter. Color of this version - it is bright, bluish - emerald-green and turquoise. A structure of more light zones is cryptocrystal, and dark zones are combined by rather large unites (the tenth shares of millimeter). Exchanging of smoothly bent, various on intensity of coloring of strips of unique figure is created. There are little figured and stripe turquoise malachite, which differs by the configuration and largeness of details of figure. Value of malachite grows at a combination of these versions.
     Plush malachite is characterized by a radical - radiant structure, dark tones of coloring, silky shine on a break. It is a little bit worse polished and on decorative effect also is concedes to turquoise malachite.
     Allocations of ornamental malachite are concentrated in the closed chambers, and its safety from distractive reagents is caused by filling of chambers by clay formations.
     Malachite is the unique in a nature green figured mineral. It is one of the most popular gemstone: beautiful figure, bright green coloring, and also easiness of processing and ability of polishing of the highest class have caused wide use of malachite in jewels and subjects of art.
     Main parameters regulating application of malachite - its decorative qualities and weight of a gemstone, the minimal size - 30 mm in a diameter, maximal - it is unlimited; an output of a faultless stone of 50-100 %. Fragments of decorative malachite of the smaller sizes also are used in jewelry manufacture and as a collection material.
     Our factory produces different wares from malachite: jewelry boxes, jewelry (rings, ear rings, brooches, beads), candelabrums, desk sets, vases etc.

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