Nothing captures the heart like a beautiful piece of malachite, with its vibrant shades of greens....and nothing will break your heart like discovering your beloved piece is nothing more than a hunk of plastic.
As you have no doubt noticed, crystals are most definitely having their moment. You see them everywhere, and even those who aren't spiritual are still inclined to decorate with beautiful natural elements. Take the high interest add a pandemic, and soaring prices; and you've got a recipe that scammers dream of. No surprise right? But did you know, that it has also paved the way for thousands of crystal loves to post videos and blogs all about how to spot a fake? I have no doubt that their intentions are good. Hey, they wanna help you out? I get it. But sadly, most of them base their videos on things they've seen on tiktok, youtube etc. So that means for you my dear reader, quality information is like finding a needle in a hay stack.
So today, we delve into the world of malachite, what it is, the shape it forms, its dangers and of course, how to spot a fake.
To begin, Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral. You'll find it dull and dusty - which is how it is naturally found. However the more popular style is to find it polished. This really shows off its depth of colour. But the polish also serves another purpose. The dust of malachite is toxic, so polished pieces are safer to handle.
Malachite is in the monoclinic crystal system. In very simple terms, that means it has 3 pairs of vectors 2 pairs that grow perpendicular and meet at a right angle, and the 3rd pair that grow at anything other than 90 degrees. That's the science behind it. It basically forms in 2 main ways. The first is called botryoidal. This basically means its clumpy and round like a bunch of grapes. This gives it beautiful swirls and movement. Some vloggers says this is the "only" way to know it's real. They are wrong.
The second way it is formed is called pseudomorphs. These are atypical forms and usually blocky, like a bunch of squares imposed on themselves. This gives it gorgeous straight lines. Some vloggers insist this means its a fake. They are also wrong..
So whatcha sayin' Barbara? I am saying that malachite that has swirls can be real and malachite that has stripes can also be real.
But wait...there's more....
As you can imagine, the mining industry is extremely expensive, and miners what to get the absolute best bang for their buck. Whenever they do work, it creates sandy dust and teeny pieces. These bits are formed to create crystal beads. This is 100% real malachite, and has all of the real metaphysical properties. When you look at them, you'll notice they often look quite similar. This has led some vloggers to say the beads are fake if they look the same. They are wrong.
By now are you wondering how the heck can you identify a fake malachite? Well, I am so glad you asked. There is only ONE way to identify a fake malachite, and that is to hold a lighter to it. A fake malachite will melt. Plastic melts - rocks do not.
Now that you know all this, you are probably feeling a little worried about how to shop for malachite, afterall, you can't exactly go walking around a shop with your lighter going. (Please, please don't walk around a shop with your lighter going...especially my shop mkay?)
In order to find a quality piece, you need to shop at a quality store with owners who know what they are doing when they purchase. Mark and I have spent over a decade working directly with miners, jewelry makers and quality distributors. We only ever work with educated, skilled people who take pride in the products they sell us. We are also always happy to talk with you and answer your questions about crystals, or any of the other treasures we sell. For those of you who may be too far to shop in person, please know that you can always reach out through email, messenger, and phone. Even though our online shop is limited, we always have lots more within our physical shop, so we can send pictures, and quote over the phone and are happy to ship.
In closing, I hope you continue your love affair with crystals. Its amazing how much beauty can be found in the world around us. But when looking for advice, always check the quality of your source. When in doubt, reach out to us.
About Barbara: She is an internationally recognized Spiritual Advisor, Paranormal Expert and Holistic Practitioner with over 27 years experience. She is know for her compassionate non-judgmental attitude and in-depth knowledge. Barbara is also one of the founders of InSpirit Centre and a key mentor for all psychics and readers at InSpirit Centre. To book a session with Barbara, or one of our other psychics please call 289-891-7711