Stone of the Month: 

December 2023 

"Verdant Hills"

By Thomas Elias

The various forms of malachite have been admired for over a millennium. It is one of the minerals described in Tu Wan’s Stone Catalogue of Cloudy Forest, published in China between 1126 and 1130 CE. Most malachite was formed in concentric rings to a hard, smooth surface over a considerable time. Some of these are polished to make jewelry and other decorative objects. Occasionally, specimens are found with numerous tiny sharp crystals that break away from the body of the piece when handled. “Verdant Hills” is a beautiful landscape viewing stone reminiscent of spring when trees are sprouting leaves in many shades of green. 

Despite the fact that “Verdant Hills” is a very attractive piece, it should not be handled with bare hands, and care should be taken not to inhale any of the tiny crystals as they are highly toxic to people. Fibrous malachite specimens belong in museum collections where they have the proper storage and personnel trained to handle toxic materials. Even though this is a natural piece, it does not belong in private collections of viewing stone enthusiasts. 

This specimen is 28 x 11 x 14 cm