Malachite Micro Faceted 3mm Round Beads (16 inch Strand)

Malachite has been used as a  and sculptural material for thousands of years and is still popular today. Today it is most often cut into cabochons or beads for jewelry use.

Malachite has a green color that does not fade over time or when exposed to light. Those properties, along with its ability to be easily ground to a powder, made malachite a preferred pigment and coloring agent for thousands of years.

Much of the malachite entering the lapidary market today is from deposits in the . Smaller amounts are produced in , , and .