Malachite

Appearance:

Opaque combination (striped) of light, mid and dark greens, often with black areas.

Common confusions......

Very small chips of Malachite can be confused with almost any opaque green stone. In larger chunks, however, it is very distinctive.

Esoteric beliefs and associations...

Common lore suggests that Malachite offers protection against magic of all kinds, and offers physical protection to small children. In lore, Malachite was believed to be a cure for stomach disorders and vomiting.

Other useful information...

The name may be derived from the Greek 'malakos' (meaning 'soft') because of Malachite's softness, or possibly from the Greek 'mallache' (meaning 'mallow').

Physical properties...

Chemistry	Basic copper carbonate
System/Structure	Monoclinic (small, long prismatic crystals, aggregates with fine needles)
Refractive Index	1.655 - 1.909
Specific Gravity	3.75 - 3.95
Mohs' Hardness	3.5 - 4.0