Malachite

Named by the ancient Greeks for its resemblance to the mallow plant, malachite has been an object of longing and desire in the worlds of jewelry, art, and spirituality for over 3,000 years. It was utilized by the ancient Egyptians as a beautification pigment, in the Middle Ages as a form of protection from the evil eye, and as a symbol of wealth and grandeur by the Czars of Russia.

Among the most famous producers of malachite are the (now closed) Ural mountain mines of Russia. Czars of the 19th century paid fortunes to harvest the material and have it cut and carved to adorn floors, columns, and the walls of their opulent palaces. Malachite has become synonymous with luxury and extravagance. Prime examples of its utilization for this purpose can be viewed today in the collection of lavish artifacts housed in the State Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg, Russia.

The primary source of all malachite specimens found today is the Katanga region in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Katanga region has been recognized as a producer of collectible malachite specimens since the 1960's. Malachite can crystallize in different forms, or it can form as a block of mineralized layers.

This specimen has been polished on the sides to reveal the beautiful repeating bands of light and dark green layers. The polished layers are very lustrous and show the true beauty that people are used to seeing with malachite. The top of the specimen has a thin layer of sea green microline malachite crystals, adding texture and overall visual interest to the piece. There are also some dark spots of crystallization on top that add a slight sparkle to the piece this region, however, both botryoidal (grape-like) and stalactite forms have been found as well. These blocks are commonly used to carve everything from vases, to animal figurines, effigies, fine intarsia jewelry boxes, and jewelry itself.