Malachite is a secondary copper mineral known for its vivid green color and characteristic concentric banding in polished sections. It typically forms in botryoidal or stalactitic masses within the weathering zones of copper deposits.

Hardness

3.5-4

Mohs

Luster

Adamantine to vitreous; silky if fibrous; dull to earthy if massive

Streak

Pale green

Transparency

Translucent to opaque

mineralcommon

Malachite

Also: Copper carbonate

Hardness: 3.5-4
Luster: Adamantine to vitreous; silky if fibrous; dull to earthy if massive
Streak: Pale green
Transparency: Translucent to opaque

Spotting malachite in the field

Field marks

1
Vivid green, opaque, in banded botryoidal masses that look like stacked grape clusters
2
Cut faces show concentric light and dark green banding
3
Soft at 3.5 to 4, and it fizzes in dilute acid

Malachite is a copper carbonate and it is the green stain on every weathered copper deposit on Earth, which makes it a prospecting indicator as much as a collectible. The banded botryoidal masses worth cutting come from the oxidized zone above a copper ore body. It effervesces in dilute acid, and it is unmistakable in color. Nearly all lapidary-grade material now comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Before you collect

Malachite dust is a copper compound and is toxic to inhale. Cut, grind and sand it wet, with a respirator, and never dry-polish it. This is the single most common way hobbyists expose themselves to something genuinely harmful.

Straight answers

Is it worth cutting?: Cuts easily and polishes to a high gloss, but see the warning. Work wet, always.
What is it really worth?: Inexpensive to moderate. Tight, high-contrast concentric banding and large solid pieces carry the value.
Can you legally keep it?: American copper districts are almost entirely private or claimed mine land. Bisbee and Morenci are not open to collecting.

Often confused with

Malachite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Chrysocolla

Mohs ~2-4

How to tell apart: Chrysocolla is blue-green and does not react with acid. Malachite is pure green and fizzes.

Compare →

Often found alongside malachite

Minerals reported to co-occur with malachite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.

All properties

Chemical formula: Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂
Mohs hardness: 3.5-4
Density: 4.05 g/cm³
Colors: Bright green Dark green Emerald green Green Blackish green
Streak: Pale green
Luster: Adamantine to vitreous; silky if fibrous; dull to earthy if massive
Transparency: Translucent to opaque
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Crystal habit: Botryoidal, fibrous, radial aggregates, massive
Cleavage: Perfect on {201}; fair on {010}
Rarity: Common
Uses: Ornamental, Lapidary, Collector, Pigment
Host rock: A common secondary mineral formed in the oxidation zone of copper deposits; locally may be an ore of copper

Where rockhounds find malachite

138 mapped spots

Classic worldwide localities

Copper Queen, Czar, and other mines in the Warren district, Bisbee, Cochise Co. and at Morenci, Greenlee Co., Arizona, USA
Fierro-Hanover district and at Santa Rita, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA
Chessy, near Lyon, Rhône, France
Nizhni Tagil and Ekatarinburg, Ural Mountains, Russia
Katanga Province (Shaba Province, Zaire), from Lubumbashi, at the Musonoi mine, near Kolwezi, Mashamba West mine, Congo
Tsumeb, and as Onganja mine, 60 km northeast of Windhoek, Namibia

U.S. states with malachite

Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce malachite.

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: A common secondary mineral formed in the oxidation zone of copper deposits; locally may be an ore of copper. If you start seeing azurite, cuprite, cerussite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: botryoidal, fibrous, radial aggregates, massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah, Missouri, New Mexico. Start trip planning there.

Browse 138 U.S. spots for malachite →

More malachite photos

Common questions

How do you identify malachite?+

Mohs hardness is 3.5-4. Luster: adamantine to vitreous; silky if fibrous; dull to earthy if massive. The streak is pale green. Common colors include bright green, dark green, emerald green, green.

Where is malachite found?+

Notable localities include Copper Queen, Czar, and other mines in the Warren district, Bisbee, Cochise Co. and at Morenci, Greenlee Co., Arizona, USA; Fierro-Hanover district and at Santa Rita, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA; Chessy, near Lyon, Rhône, France; Nizhni Tagil and Ekatarinburg, Ural Mountains, Russia; Katanga Province (Shaba Province, Zaire), from Lubumbashi, at the Musonoi mine, near Kolwezi, Mashamba West mine, Congo.

Can I find malachite in the United States?+

RockHoundR maps 138 malachite rockhounding spots across 12 U.S. states. The top states are Utah, Missouri, New Mexico.

Is malachite safe to handle?+

Malachite contains copper. Contains copper, which is toxic if ingested or inhaled as dust. Handle with care, avoid grinding or inhaling dust particles, and wash hands after handling specimens.

What rocks look like malachite?+

Malachite is most often confused with Chrysocolla. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with malachite?+

Malachite commonly co-occurs with Azurite, Cuprite, Cerussite, Chrysocolla, Calcite, Limonite. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does malachite form in?+

Where it forms: A common secondary mineral formed in the oxidation zone of copper deposits; locally may be an ore of copper. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is malachite used for?+

Malachite is used in ornamental, lapidary, collector, pigment.

Find malachite on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.