Azurite vs Malachite
| Property | Azurite | Malachite |
|---|---|---|
| Formel | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Kristallsystem | Monoclinic | Monoclinic |
| Mineralklasse | 05 Carbonates and Nitrates | 05 Carbonates and Nitrates |
| Mohshärte | 3.5-4.0 | 3.5-4.0 |
| Farbe | Azure blue, dark blue | Bright green, dark green |
| Glanz | Vitreous | Vitreous |
| Strichfarbe | Light blue | Light green |
| Transparenz | Transparent | Translucent |
| Spaltbarkeit | Perfect {011}, fair {100} | Perfect {201} |
| Bruch | Conchoidal | Subconchoidal to uneven |
Key Differences
- ◆ Malachite is green; azurite is deep azure blue — both are copper carbonates found together.
- ◆ Malachite formula is Cu2(CO3)(OH)2; azurite is Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 with more copper and CO3.
- ◆ Azurite commonly converts to malachite through weathering (pseudomorphism).
- ◆ Malachite typically shows banded botryoidal habits; azurite forms well-defined prismatic crystals.
- ◆ Malachite has a light green streak; azurite has a light blue streak.