The facts
What malachite actually is
Malachite is classified as copper carbonate, with the composition Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from copper, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.655–1.909. Specific gravity around 3.6–4.0. Cleavage: perfect, one direction. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where malachite comes from
Malachite is produced at Katanga, DR Congo, Ural Mountains, Russia (historic), Arizona, USA and Australia.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How malachite is treated
Often stabilised or waxed. Pressed and reconstituted material is widespread.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What malachite is confused with
In the trade malachite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Reconstituted malachite, Dyed howlite or Plastic.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.655–1.909 and specific gravity 3.6–4.0 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What malachite is used for
Demand for malachite comes from architecture and interiors, decorative objects, jewellery, watch dials, pigments and carving and sculpture, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the square metre, by the piece or by the carat.
Durability and care
Malachite is 3.5–4 on the Mohs scale, with perfect, one direction cleavage.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What malachite costs
As a guide, malachite trades around $1–30/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is malachite treated, and how?
Often stabilised or waxed. Pressed and reconstituted material is widespread.
Where does malachite come from?
Katanga, DR Congo, Ural Mountains, Russia (historic), Arizona, USA and Australia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is malachite hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 3.5–4 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does malachite cost?
Indicatively $1–30/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is malachite confused with?
Most often Reconstituted malachite, Dyed howlite and Plastic. A refractive index of 1.655–1.909 and a specific gravity near 3.6–4.0 separate it quickly.
What is malachite used for besides jewellery?
architecture and interiors, decorative objects, watch dials, pigments and carving and sculpture. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for malachite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about malachite