5.9" Flowery, Hinged Malachite Jewelry Box - DR Congo

This is an absolutely gorgeous jewelry box made out of sections of polished malachite that have been pieced together to form this beautiful specimen. The dimensions of this box are 5.9 x 3.9 x 2.2" and the lid opens via a hinge that runs along one long edge of the specimen. The malachite was collected from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Malachite is an intense green copper-based mineral that can be found in a wide variety of forms. Malachite can grow in botryoidal masses, stalactitic formations, and reniform formations, typically as a tight cluster of fanning fibrous needles that make up a seemingly solid mass. As layers continue to stack during formation, banded patterns can sometimes begin to take shape, explaining the rings in all shades of green seen on most polished malachite specimens.

Malachite results from the weathering of other copper ores, and is very often found associated with other copper-based minerals such as azurite and chrysocolla. It can be found in copper deposits around the world, but the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the primary source for polished malachite and mineral specimens.

Malachite has been prized since ancient times, first as a utilitarian copper ore, then as an ornamental stone. Due to its value as a decorative stone, it is rarely mined as a copper ore anymore.
SOLD
DETAILS
SPECIES
Malachite
LOCATION
Democratic Republic of the Congo
SIZE
5.9 x 3.9 x 2.2"
CATEGORY
ITEM
#303448