RocksdayMalachite vs Turquoise
How to tell them apart
A vivid green copper carbonate with bold light-and-dark banding. It forms where copper deposits weather near the surface.
Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/), CC BY-SA 3.0
A copper aluminum phosphate prized for its sky-blue to green color, often webbed with brown or black host rock ('matrix').
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick tests
- Hardness: Turquoise is clearly harder: Mohs 5–6 versus 3.5–4.
- Acid (vinegar or dilute HCl): Malachite fizzes; Turquoise doesn't.
- Streak (rub on unglazed porcelain): Malachite leaves a light green streak; Turquoise leaves white to greenish.
- Heft: Malachite feels noticeably heavier for its size (specific gravity 3.6–4.05 vs 2.6–2.9).
Key differences
- Turquoise is blue-green, harder and never shows malachite's bullseye banding.
- Malachite is a deeper green and shows bullseye banding.
Side by side
| Property | Malachite | Turquoise |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Mineral | Mineral |
| Mohs hardness | 3.5–4 | 5–6 |
| Luster | Silky to dull | Waxy to dull |
| Streak | Light green | White to greenish |
| Colors | Green | Blue, Green |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic | Triclinic |
| Specific gravity | 3.6–4.05 | 2.6–2.9 |
| Formula | Cu₂CO₃(OH)₂ | CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O |
| Found in | Katanga, DR Congo; Ural Mountains, Russia | Arizona; Nevada |
Properties that are the same for both are grayed out.
How to identify malachite
- Bright green with concentric light/dark bands.
- Fizzes in acid.
- Feels heavy for a stone.
- Light green streak.
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Full Malachite guide →How to identify turquoise
- Opaque sky blue to green with a waxy look.
- Often veined with brown or black matrix.
- Never forms visible crystals — always massive nuggets or veins.
- Porous: it can darken when oiled.
Crystal system: Triclinic
Full Turquoise guide →More comparisons
Could you tell them apart from a blurry close-up?
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