Malachite Mineral Data

General Malachite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu2(CO3)(OH)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 221.12 gm

Copper 57.48 % Cu 71.95 % CuO

Hydrogen 0.91 % H 8.15 % H₂O

Carbon 5.43 % C 19.90 % CO₂

Oxygen 36.18 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂

Environment:

Secondary mineral in the oxidized zones of copper ore deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric

Locality:

Nizhne-Taglisk, Ural Mountains, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek, malache, - "mallow" in reference to green leaf color.

Name Pronunciation:

Malachite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 100150

PDF 41-1390

Malachite Image

Images:

Malachite Azurite

Comments: Dark blue stubby pyramidal azurite crystals and green botryoidal-shaped radial aggregates of malachite.
Location: Nevada Lode Mine, San Juan Co., Utah, USA. Scale: 4 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy

Images:

Malachite Demesmaekerite

Comments: Pale green crystals of demesmaekerite on dark green malachite.
Location: Musonoi Mine, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Scale: Crystal Size 3mm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Malachite Devilline

Comments: Blue crystals of devilline on green, botryoidal malachite.
Location: Spania Dolina (Herrengrund), Slovakia. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Malachite

Comments: Botryoidal malachite.
Location: Mindigi, Shaba, Congo. Scale: 7.5 x 5.5 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Malachite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.7935:1:0.2705

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.502, b = 11.974, c = 3.24, Z = 4; beta = 98.75° V = 364.35 Den(Calc)= 4.03

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/a

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.857(1), 3.693(0.85), 5.055(0.75),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 0) ( 1 0 0) ( 1 1 0) ( 2 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Susse P , Acta Crystallographica , 22 (1967) p.146-151, Verfeinerung der kristallstruktur des malachits, Cu2(OH)2CO3

Physical Properties of Malachite

Cleavage:

{201} Perfect, {010} Fair

Color:

Green, Dark green, Blackish green.

Density:

3.6 - 4, Average = 3.8

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to subtranslucent to opaque

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).

Habit:

Massive - Fibrous - Distinctly fibrous fine-grained forms.

Habit:

Stalactitic - Shaped like pendant columns as stalactites or stalagmites (e.g. calcite).

Hardness:

3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Silky

Streak:

light green

Optical Properties of Malachite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.114 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.051 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2017,KPDmeas= 0.2139,KC= 0.192
Ncalc = 1.69 - 1.77

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.655, b=1.875, g=1.909, bire=0.2540, 2V(Calc)=38, 2V(Meas)=43. Dispersion relatively weak.

Pleochroism (x):

nearly colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

yellowish green.

Pleochroism (z):

deep green.

Calculated Properties of Malachite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.86 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Malachite =4.03 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0007725449
Boson Index = 0.9992274551

Photoelectric:

PE_Malachite= 25.34 barns/electron
U=PE_Malachite x rElectron Density= 97.90 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Malachite is Not Radioactive

Malachite Classification

Dana Class:

16a.03.02.01 (16a)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen

(16a.03)where (A B)2 (XO3) Zq

(16a.03.02)Malachite Group

16a.03.02.01 Malachite Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

16a.03.02.02 Nullaginite Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/m,P 2₁ Mono

16a.03.02.03 Pokrovskite Mg2(CO3)(OH)2•0.5(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

16a.03.02.04 Chukanovite! Fe2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

05.BA.10 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.B - Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O

05.BA -With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn

05.BA.10 Nullaginite Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/m,P 2₁ Mono

05.BA.10 Georgeite Cu5(CO3)3(OH)4•6(H2O) None

05.BA.10 Malachite Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Glaukosphaerite (Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Mcguinnessite (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2/a or P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Kolwezite (Cu,Co)2(CO3)(OH)2 P1 or P1 Tri

05.BA.10 Pokrovskite Mg2(CO3)(OH)2•0.5(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Rosasite (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Zincrosasite (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Chukanovite! Fe2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Malachite Information

References:

NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Malachite Specimen Label here :

Malachite

Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Dana No: 16a.03.02.01 Strunz No: 05.BA.10
Locality:

Notes: