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Article: Malachite.
- Article from:
- Rocks & Minerals
- Article date:
- September 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Shaba Region, Democratic Republic of Congo
If one asked the general populace to name any ten minerals, malachite would likely appear on many lists, primarily because of its common use in inexpensive jewelry and as a carving medium for freeform ashtrays, inlays, and the like. Most of the uninitiated would not understand that malachite also has been a historically important ore mineral of copper, occurring in individual masses weighing many tons and in malachite-dominated bodies weighing hundreds, if not thousands, of tons. It is of widespread occurrence and, as with many of the species discussed in recent issues, is typically of near-surface or supergene origin. ...