malachite Mineral, Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂; sp. gr. 3.9–4.0; hardness 3.5–4.0; monoclinic; bright green; pale green streak; in fibrous condition with a silky lustre, crystals with adamantine or vitreous lustre; crystals very rare, and it is usually found as botryoidal, encrusting masses with bands of varying colour, and frequently in a fibrous, radiating habit; common secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of copper deposits, associated with azurite, native copper, and cuprite; soluble with effervescence in dilute hydrochloric acid. It is often used for ornaments and pigments, and as an ore mineral for copper. See SPESSARTITE.

mal·a·chite / ˈmaləˌkīt/ • n. a bright green mineral consisting of copper hydroxyl carbonate. It typically occurs in masses and fibrous aggregates with azurite and is capable of taking a high polish.

malachite XVI (melo-). — OF. melochite (now malachite) — L. molochītēs — Gr. molokhîtis, f. molókhē, var. of malákhē MALLOW; see -ITE.

Malachite

A precious stone (a variety of topaz) of basic copper carbonate. Folklore held that it preserved the cradle of an infant from spells.