How to tell if malachite is real

Malachite, a vibrant green mineral, which has been popular for thousands of years for its distinct appearance and ornamental uses. Unfortunately, due to its popularity, counterfeit malachite is quite common. Several merchants label their crystals or jewelry as "natural," although they are selling synthetic malachite. This doesn't happen only in marketplaces like Ebay, Amazon or Wish, but it is also on well-known platforms such as Etsy, local holistic shops, and even prominent American spiritual chains.

Find our genuine Malachite for sale here.

Malachite is a copper carbonate mineral with a hardness of 3.5 to 4, usually found in the oxidized zones of copper deposits like Australia, Chile, South Africa and the U.S.A. Its distinct characteristics include:

• Color: Vibrant green with shades ranging from light to dark green.
• Pattern: Banded or concentric patterns with different shades of green, often resembling a bull's-eye or swirled pattern.
• Luster: Silky, vitreous (glass-like) to dull.
• Transparency: Opaque, light cannot pass through it.

Fake Malachite can be made from glass, clay, and even plastic. Fake Malachite is often labelled as "synthetic", "imitation", "manmade", or even 'faux' to try and dress it up as something fancier. These are all genuine Malachite examples:

( Malachite Free-Form Slabs
https://www.magiccrystals.com/products/genuine-malachite-free-form-slabs )

A genuine malachite tumbled gemstone
(https://www.magiccrystals.com/products/malachite-tumbled-stone)

Malachite Genuine Necklace: CLICK HERE

Price: If a price seems too good to be true, this could be a warning sign. Compare prices with other reputable sources to ensure you're getting a fair price for genuine malachite. Be wary of extremely low prices as they may indicate fakes.

Feel the weight: Authentic malachite is relatively heavy for its size due to its high copper content. If the item feels too light, it may be a fake made from resin or plastic.

Price is typically the initial factor to consider when searching for genuine Malachite. Authentic Malachite value is often high, while synthetic Malachite or reconstructed varieties tend to be more affordable.

Another easy give away of the authenticity of the mineral is the patterns present in the malachite. Genuine Malachite is notable for its impressive variety of swirls, waves, rings and stripes, while their counterfeit counterparts tend to feature only stripes, as they are the simplest to reproduce. Authentic Malachite boasts a full spectrum of green hues, ranging from light, gentle and delicate greens to dark greens that are so deep they appear black.

On the other hand, synthetic Malachite is often only a medium green with a flat black contrast, with the lines between the two colors being very sharp. Additionally, fake Malachite typically only displays 2 - 4 shades of green and black, resulting in a more uniform appearance, whereas true Malachite's patterns will not repeat and the shades will vary significantly.

Photo credits: Temu inc

Photo credits: Etsy inc

Photo credits: Amazon inc

Photo credits: Etsy inc 

Find and shop our genuine Malachite here.