What does synthetic malachite mean?

Rock malachite is a soft mineral, hydrous copper carbonate.
Malachite is one of the most beautiful minerals, the only green stone with a patterned pattern. The green color of malachite has a very wide range: from light green to almost black. Single-color malachite stones are rare. It is rich in inclusions: dendrites of manganese minerals, black additives of resin and copper ore, fibers and grains of chrysocolla, chacutitte, brochantite, azurite, elite, etc., giving malachite great decorativeness. Other names for malachite stone: green stone, peacock stone, plush malachite, satin ore, copper green. Characteristics and properties of malachite. What does malachite stone look like? Malachite owes its unusual appearance to the copper it contains and to the “quirks” of geological processes. The chaotic growth of mineral aggregates depends entirely on the availability of free space around. The pattern of malachite—the width of alternating light and dark layers—depends on changes in the copper content in the copper sulfate solution, which is the basis of the formation. The optical properties of malachite also depend on this.
Hardness – 3,5 – 4,0 on the Mohs scale
Density – 3,7 – 4,1 g/cmXNUMX
Syngonia – monoclinic
Color – green in various shades
Brilliance – different: for fine-fiber aggregates and pieces – silky, for crystals – glassy
Chemical formula of malachite – Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 When the mineral is heated in a container, it releases carbon dioxide and water and turns black. Malachite also dissolves in acids, releasing carbon dioxide, and in ammonia it turns a beautiful blue color. Free copper can be obtained from malachite. The method of obtaining it has been known since ancient times. Types of malachite – radiant malachite – a dark grassy-green stone, finely radiant in structure with a silky sheen.
– kidney-shaped malachite – dark green layers alternate with light ones.
– plush – it has darker shades, a silky shine, and a radial structure.
– azure-malachite – a mixture of malachite and bright blue azurite.
– turquoise malachite – a striped pattern that resembles curls and curls. It has a concentric-zonal, parallel-fibrous internal structure. Shades range from turquoise to emerald blue. Where is malachite mined? Malachite deposits In the form of large masses, malachite is found in Russia in the Urals (Ural malachite), in Altai (Altai malachite) and in Kazakhstan – Dzhezkazgan. Mining of Ural malachite has now been discontinued. The main source for malachite jewelry is malachite mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A characteristic feature of African malachite is concentric small regular rings (unlike Ural malachite, which has irregularly shaped rings) with a more contrasting alternation of dark and light zones.
Today, the main supplier of malachite on the world market is Zaire, but in color and beauty of the pattern it is inferior to that of the Urals.
There are smaller deposits in Australia, the USA, Hungary, and Namibia. In Western Europe, this mineral is mined in Chessy (near Lyon), Retzbania, Cornwall, the Harz, etc. Malachite stone price The price of natural gemstone malachite high quality (jewelry malachite) is quite high. The fancier and smaller the curls of malachite, the more contrasting the stripes, the higher the value of the stone.
Pressed malachite – valued significantly less. It can be distinguished by its weight because it is lighter. Along with natural malachite, there is a synthetic analogue on the market – artificial (synthetic) malachite. One of the synthesis methods is pressing natural malachite chips (2-5 mm) with the addition of dyes and hardeners at high temperature. Since high temperature treatment partially destroys natural malachite, the synthetic analogue has alternating dirty brown and green lines in its design, without the unevenness characteristic of natural malachite. Synthetic stone is also duller. Plastic and glass are used to counterfeit malachite. Modern fakes made of plastic can be easily distinguished by their warmth (real malachite will be colder compared to a fake). It is impossible to check glass fakes in this way – the thermal conductivity of glass is close to the thermal conductivity of malachite. But if, upon closer examination, you see transparent inclusions on the surface of the stone, it means that this is a glass fake. It is even more difficult to distinguish a fake made from a natural stone of a different type, using painting and varnish. You can distinguish such a product by applying a drop of ammonia to the surface (where it will not be noticeable). After a few minutes, ammonia applied to real malachite will turn blue, and the malachite itself will turn white underneath. The fake will remain unchanged – its ammonia will not harm. Traditionally, it is considered a life stone of growth and attractiveness. It has a peculiar color of green and all its shades. Its picturesque patterns give malachite special beauty and sophistication. They determine the type of stone. The following varieties are distinguished: banded , patterned , looped , cockade и flowy . It is believed that the more varied the color of a stone, the stronger its properties. In Russia, malachite is mined in the Urals, where the largest rock was found, weighing one and a half tons. Currently, malachite is not mined in the Urals. Ural residents believe that the found stone will bring good luck. But you can’t give it to anyone, otherwise your luck will pass to this person, and you will remain unhappy. Malachite crystals almost never grow alone. Growing from the center, the crystals form spherulites – radiant balls. There are usually many spherulites in the cracks. Because of the small space, they crowd together and creep on top of each other, forming grape-shaped growths. The solutions feeding the spherulites have different concentrations of copper and each of the growing layers is darker or lighter. Artificial malachites often go on sale. They are usually cheaper and lighter than the real thing. But the beauty of artificial stone is inferior to real one. Only synthetic malachite has brown layers. Also? it looks duller than the original. To distinguish natural malachite from artificial one, you need to remember its natural color and pattern. It is very easy to prevent fake natural malachite by dropping a drop of ammonia onto a real stone, and at the point of contact the malachite will turn white and the alcohol will turn blue. According to quality, stone is divided into three types: turquoise , velvet и curly . « Turquoise malachite “is considered the best of the three types. It is valued by craftsmen for its strength. Thanks to her, it lends itself perfectly to polishing. « Velvet malachite “or, as it is also called, ” plush ” It has a more granular structure, so it does not polish very well. « curly ” or ” finely patterned “th” malachite is considered the rarest of the species. But he is the most beautiful. Its pattern is so beautiful that it resembles the branches of a swaying birch tree. Malachite is a fragile mineral. Acids have a special, negative effect on it. For example, if you eat a lemon and accidentally drop its juice onto malachite, the mineral will enter into a chemical reaction and begin to boil and bubble. Also, its fragility can be learned from the Greek name “ malakos “, which means soft. It is strictly not recommended to expose malachite to high temperatures, as the mineral will turn black and lose its magnificent coloring. Malachite is mainly used in making jewelry. This mineral adorns earrings, rings, beads, and pendants. Used for lining caskets. Also, a variety of sculptures, fakes, and vases are made from malachite. For example, in the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, in the center of the hall there is a large, antique malachite vase. Also, for a long time, malachite has been used to obtain copper. The State Hermitage has the notorious malachite hall, in which more than a hundred products made from this magnificent stone are exhibited. Vases, tables, bowls seem to be made from one single piece of stone. This is the result of painstaking work on selecting a malachite pattern. Do you want to touch real malachite live? Then feel free to visit our catalogue! Other products made from this stone: