Anyone have experience with Malachite ?

Crystal canuck · #1 13-07-2017, 03:08 AM

I have never seen a chunk of raw malachite in person. I collect large unpolished specimens of crystals and so forth, and the beauty of the stone is most important, not the metaphysical property.

I was wondering if malachite was similar to labradorite or tiger eye, with an interesting funky color iridescence, or if it was just some boring green rock.

It's hard to tell by pictures sometimes, I wasn't disappointed in my Labradorite it's much more beautiful than the pictures, but of course the way it shimmers different colours cannot be expressed in a picture.

I would be interested in this if it has an interesting iridescence, but not if it's just another green stone ( there are lots of different green stones more plentiful and cheaper than malachite ) I have a feeling this has a hidden beauty like the labradorite does.

AmazoniteSpirit · #2 13-07-2017, 10:25 PM

From my experience it doesn't have a labradorescence effect neither the the glow like the tiger eye, but some time some well polishe pieces had the lighter green color that give a pearl like shine effect, but it's not for all the samples.
bijoux-malachite.e-monsite.com/medias/images/malachite-bijou-10-.jpg

If you look in this picture you'll notice what I'm trying to say, is like some sort of nacreous.

Crystal canuck · #3 15-07-2017, 04:45 AM

Thank you for your input NikkiDraven ! I guess Malachite is pretty in it's own right, but I was thinking it had more too it I suppose. I love the way labradorite shines like a fluorescent neon light and the way tiger eye makes you think you can look into it like it's got layers, sort of hard to explain. I thought maybe Malachite might have some weird property like this.

I was debating between one or two different stones for a next purchase. I think I can rule out malachite, I have lovely large green fluorite chunk and a huge green phantom quartz cluster, so I wouldn't need anything like this. I am going to focus on Ocean Jasper I think. You can get some really nice Ocean jasper with funky colours like orange and red, some of them are over 20 LBS like the one I am considering.

Here is a picture of a similar one to what I am considering. I won't show you the actual one I am thinking of getting because if you saw how beautiful it was you might want it for yourself before I could raise the $ 1000 USD for the item.

I don't normally spend that much on my crystals, but I am collecting so much that my place is looking like a museum, and I think my wife is starting to want to cut me off, but I can probably justify one last hurrah....

AmazoniteSpirit · #4 15-07-2017, 09:29 AM

Believe me ahahhahahahah if I have that much money I would spend them on a trip, 1000dollars for a crystal is something I can't afford at the moment :(
btw ocean jasper is really beautiful, and if you like special effect looking stones check out: Sugilite, charoite, pietersite or septarian!

Crystal canuck · #5 15-07-2017, 03:10 PM

I don't normally spend that much, but this particular ocean Jasper I am looking at is abnormally beautiful and really large, and like I said, it could be a last hurrah. The problem with going for a trip, is afterwards you have nothing to show for it, where crystals last a lifetime. I don't really like the thought of travelling nowadays anyhow, with the terrorism and disease etc....Besides, people spend way more on actual art, or hell look at vehicles, people spend easily 20-30 thousand for a vehicle, and it only lasts maybe 10 years or so ( well up here in Canada they do, with the salt on the roads and the bad weather )

Thanks for the advice on the other stones, I will certainly check them out

Errol · #6 15-07-2017, 05:10 PM

Are we starting crystal beauty contest?
So, what are the rules and regulations? lol
Jaspers are really great, but opals... wow
When pietersite discovered, it's said - we found the most beautiful crystal in the world. Tri-color pietersite, wow, too...
Not so long ago I came across some very rare garnet found only in Japan, not allowed exploitation. I think you can browse "rainbow garnet Japan".
What mostly catch people's eyes are iridescence, adularescence, chatoyancy, color change, play of colors and patterns and of course, shape and size :)

FruitLoop · #7 15-07-2017, 06:37 PM

Seraphinite, Charoite Moonstone and Nuumite have interesting / reflective type qualities. I have a tumbled named Galaxite that is beautiful.

Malachite often has interesting patterns to it and the contrasts of greens is stunning, but it doesn't have the colour changes or flecks like the above stones.

Also, you don't really want raw malachite. The copper content makes the untumbled variety a lot more toxic.

Crystal canuck · #8 16-07-2017, 01:32 AM

Thank you Errol and Fruitloop for the suggestions on interesting crystals, I will certainly check them out when I have some free time. I agree that opals are amazing

The only problem with them is that I haven't seen a 10 or 20 LBS specimen, and if I did it would probably be like 200 thousand dollars or something silly

I like to collect the large specimens, they look great on tables and shelves, and are great conversation pieces. Some really interesting stones are not available in large chunks, so it kind of rules it out for me.

Hmmmm....a crystal beauty contest. I actually think that's a really interesting idea. We could have different catagories just like they do in a real beauty contest, with points going to classic type of beauty, interesting and weird stones, rare stones, colour or transparency, size, there could be lots of catagories and criteria. I guess you would have to appoint a judge/s because it would be too chaotic if everyone got a vote including participants. I suppose you would also have to determine if we were allowed to submit any crystal for judgement or if it has to be one we own/possess.

AmazoniteSpirit · #9 16-07-2017, 04:59 PM

This galaxite looks a bit like nuumite and larvikite, didn't knew of it, totally look for it for future buy!

Crystal canuck · #10 17-07-2017, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NikkiDraven

This galaxite looks a bit like nuumite and larvikite, didn't knew of it, totally look for it for future buy!

Thanks Nikki ( can I call you Nikki for short ? ) I didn't even know this existed. It looks very interesting indeed, not boring at all

Certainly will keep my eye out for this one. I thought I knew a lot of crystals, but you and Fruitloop and Errol have made me feel like an infant all of a sudden, maybe it's just my mental capacity is that of an infant