Baryte with Malachite

An excellent small cabinet specimen of bluish green Malachite with one impressive, well-terminated Baryte crystal, from Shangulowé mine within the Katanga Copper Crescent of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DCR). The DCR is the second largest country in Africa and this copper-rich belt lies towards its southern tip, about 130 km north of the border with Zambia. Shangulowé is renowned for producing the best Baryte in the DCR, so this specimen featuring a 3 cm tall, perfectly terminated chisel tipped Baryte crystal will make an important addition to many a collection. The Malachite forms a rich velvet-like crust over a copper-rich gossan matrix. Along its side profile, the Malachite is a fairly uniform 2 mm thick, displaying distinct banding in various shades of green.