Malachite Crystal

The energetic properties of malachite are profoundly grounding, and yet playful. Malachite has a reputation for being one of the most powerful protective stones in the crystal kingdom. It is rumored that if your Malachite breaks, this is a sign that something is coming your way; this doesn't necessarily mean anything bad, but it can mean that. Alternatively, it could also be a sign that the stone has absorbed something that was harming you, or something else completely different based on your individual and unique relationship with this mineral. Malachite tends towards brittleness and is about a 4 on the Mohs scale.

Like the forest, this crystal is not all butterflies and rainbows but also a force to be reckoned with! It was Paracelsus that said that the only difference between poison and medicine was the dose. Use malachite only if you are prepared to deal with the core of the issue, as this mineral has a tendency to highlight the things that we need to be responsible for in order to evolve to our highest potential. It can take some time and space to work through something like that, but ultimately it is worth it in the end.

Malachite, like nature, is capable of being a thousand things at once to many different people. Many of these things are seemingly paradoxical; predator and prey, light and dark, day and night. This beautiful stone possesses the ability to work on multiple levels, and can help you integrate both/and paradoxes as well as new experiences into a philosophy that is aligned with your highest self. This healing process happens through a subtle illumination that guides your attention where it needs to be in order to achieve your greatest potential, like a path of bioluminescent mushrooms lighting your path through the gloomy forest.

Copper metal is often associated with Venus. Malachite, Chrysocolla, and Azurite all share a particularly significant relationship with copper! This mineral can be particularly useful for the Venus-ruled sign of Taurus, who sometimes may over-indulge themselves. Malachite and Azurite are also associated with Jupiter. Because of this dual- association with the traditional benefics (or "good" guys) of astrology, Malachite can be super helpful for attracting wealth and abundance! Because of the Jupiterean influence, this crystal has ties to the adventurous and rather hot-headed sign of Sagittarius who could really benefit from Malachite's strong, grounded presence every once in a while! The benefits of this stone are many and vary from person to person.

I sense something distinctly Saturnian in this crystal, in the way it represents nature and connects back to the forest, and in the way that this stone showers us with love that is strictly necessary, but can be a little tough to handle sometimes. Saturn is also related with old age, and the fact that the longer azurite stays exposed to air, the more malachite will form is pretty appropriate. The Saturn-ruled sign of Capricorn is already naturally really talented at accumulating material resources; Capricorns can use Malachite to strengthen boundaries and anchor them to their highest selves in times of uncertainty. This also serves as a reminder to Capricorn placements that the inner world is just as important as the outer one and deserves to be resourced as well!

*CAUTION* If Malachite is calling to you, it is imperative that you exercise caution and work only with inert polished stones; Malachite is a copper-metal mineral that is toxic to humans! Breathing in the raw dust from working with this crystal, or even excessive skin contact with raw Malachite can make you really sick. We at Bliss Crystals would not recommend using this crystal as an elixir, ritual bath, or essence. Opt instead for something inert like Rose Quartz, any of the Quartz family, or Obsidian!

Malachite appears as cool forest green bands and swirls, often in rosette patterns. Malachite is often found with other copper carbonate specimens such as the radiant dark blue Azurite, Chrysocolla, a copper hydroxide mineral, is often in the mix and wears a contrasting electric blue manifestation of turquoise. There is a mineral called Red Malachite, but this is actually a misnomer, as it is a form of Jasper in the Chalcedony family.