Malachite

specimen number:
9711199

location:
Mutshatsha mine, Kolwezi, Lualaba, DR Congo

description:

A fine display quality large cabinet piece showing terminated crystallized green stalactites of malachite 8.0 cm in height coming off of a matrix covered by beautifully crystallized malachite. This is in really good condition all around.

The Mutshatsha territory, located within the Lualaba Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is a major hub of the Central African Copperbelt, encompassing significant mining operations such as the Mutoshi and Sicomines projects. Geologically, the area is defined by the Kolwezi Klippe, a complex Neoproterozoic thrust-sheet structure where sediment-hosted copper and cobalt deposits occur within folded and faulted Roan Group rocks. Mineralogically, the deposits feature rich zones of secondary oxidation products including malachite, chrysocolla, and cuprite, alongside primary sulfide assemblages. Historically, modern formal extraction began in the early 20th century under colonial concession, evolving through decades of state-controlled industrial production, periods of prominent artisanal activity, and recent large-scale mechanized expansions focused on critical battery metals.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.