WHAT ARE MALACHITE AND AZURITE COPPER?
MALACHITE IS WEATHERED AZURITE. WEATHERING CAUSED WATER TO REPLACE SOME OF THE CARBON DIOXIDE IN AZURITE AND CHANGED THE AZURITE TO MALACHITE. THE MOH'S HARDNESS SCALE LISTS THEM AT 3.5-4. MALACHITE IS THE MORE STABLE FORM THESE TWO COPPER CARBONATES. AZURITE IS A DEEP BLUE COLOR AND MALACHITE IS A GREEN COLOR WHERE THE AMOUNT OF WEATHERING DETERMINES THE INTENSITY OF THE GREEN COLOR. SPECIMENS RANGE FROM THE POLISHED GREEN MALACHITE COPPER ORE FROM THE CONGO. DEPOSITED IN LAYERS, WITH "EYES" WHERE THE SOLUTION DRIPPED, TO MINERAL SPECIMENS (SOME DRUSY COATED) WITH MALACHITE AND AZURITE CRYSTALS.. .