Malachite pseudomorph after Cuprite on Native Copper

A rich branching cabinet specimen of light peppermint green Malachite covering and partly replacing Native Copper with areas of Cuprite from the Rudabánya mining area in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, Hungary. Specimens from this area rarely appear on the market and are only available from old collections. The specimen is complex and it is difficult to measure exact lengths, but it is safe to say many individual branching arms of Native Copper exceed 5 cm in length. Examined close-up, the Malachite has a micro-acicular habit with a resultant velvety texture. This forms peppermint green crusts and epimorphs around central cores of sage to pistachio green Malachite covering and replacing the Native Copper. It’s a delightful and excellent example from Rudabánya with a previous collector’s label.