Home > Secondary Minerals – May 24 > MS0702 Pseudomalachite

Pseudomalachite - Sold


Pseudomalachite is a mineral named for its resemblance to malachite, with pseudo meaning false in Greek (Hausmann, 1813). The type locality is Libethen, once Hungary now Slovakia. As pseudomalachite is a phosphate, it requires a source of phosphorus to form, which is much less abundant in bedrock than carbonate ions, so it is significantly rarer than its look alike malachite. This example shows curved crystalline groups to 8 mm, with an especially dark green color. This specimen sits on a shard of quartz which would require saw cutting to trim into a nice thumbnail. There is minor chrysocolla also present.