Malachite

• Malachite is that incredible, intense green stone that is considered a semiprecious gemstone all over the world! Malachite is a copper mineral and is found in most places that copper mining goes on, the highest quality of the stone comes from Africa. Bisbee and Morenci Arizona has also had some spectacular pieces, but by far the largest amount comes from Africa. The deeper the green and the more patterns and whorls the stone has, the more valuable it becomes. It is a hard brittle stone, is easily cleaned and polished, but great care must be taken while cutting the stone. It will often time shatter while cutting with a saw if not handled correctly.