I found this on myspace....the person's name is on the article

Malachite
by Stephanie Pflumm ©Copyright 2007

Malachite is a Grandmother stone. Her story goes back, past the burials of
Egyptian royalty and into the years of unwritten history. Soft and pliant with
swirling bands of green and black that intrigue the eye and launch the
imagination. Malachite is easy to carve or drill, so she quickly was adopted
as an adornment and talisman by our most ancient ancestors. Making her our
Grandmother.

There is a chemical reaction when Copper is exposed to Carbon in rain water
and precipitation, it becomes Malachite. Sometimes this happens very slowly
allowing crystals, stalactites and massive stone formations to grow. Other
times it happens rapidly (especially in geological terms) as Bronze (an alloy
of Copper) and Copper turn green from exposure to weather.

Crystals of Malachite are extremely rare, many are rounded, boytroidal (grape
like) formations. On occasion monoclinic crystals (thin) and prismatic wedges
are discovered, usually as twins. Very few Malachite crystals are large enough
to be cut into gemstones. Ornamental pieces of the stoned are carved to
exploit Malachite's intricate concentric bands.

These bands form as the gemstone grows through centuries of different
hydrothermal events, rain and or precipitation. Rings forming "eyes",
sometimes referred to as peacock's eyes, are highly sought after by the
jewelry industry.

Azurite, Turquoise and Chalcopyrite are some of Malachite's Copper cousins.
Malachite and Azurite are especially close, often growing into one stone.

In the earliest written documents on natural gifts, Malachite was associated
with the herb Mallow, and the Greek word for this herb, Malache may be the
origins of its name. Other references cite Malakos the Greek term for soft as
the root for Malachite.

Anywhere that Copper is found, Malachite is available. The earliest mines were
believed to be in Western Asia where they were smelting the gemstone to
produce Copper. Much of the Copper produced there ended up in Egypt. Today
some of the world's prettiest specimens come from Zaire, Australia and Bisbee
Arizona in the Southwest US. It is also abundant in England, Namibia, Chile,
France, Mexico, Germany, South Africa and Romania.

One very important location for the Malachite gemstone is missing from the
list above. The Ural Mountains of Russian gave birth an unbelievable array of
gems and crystals during their formative centuries. It is no wonder that these
magical mountains also gave birth to a mythical Mistress of Copper Mountain,
protector of of the mountain's crystal children.

In 1944 (that's the oldest copyright I could find) Pavel Bazhov wrote a book
called "The Malachite Casket". This collection of stories about the Mistress
of Copper Mountain is based on tales the miners from the Urals have passed
down. Many of these stories revolve around Malachite gemstones and the
consequences of stealing or being given these gifts from the Mistress.

An unrelated reference mentioned an old Russian tradition that claims drinking
from a goblet made of Malachite, allows you to understand the animals. It made
me wonder if this tradition comes from one of the Ural Mountains tales of the
Mistress.

Egyptians were some of the first to use the crystal as an adornment. Besides
wearing jewelry made from Malachite, a powder made from the stone was also
applied as eye make-up. This was probably not wise, as the dust from Malachite
can be toxic.

Hanging a Malachite from an infant's cradle was believed to keep away evil
spirits and give the child a restful sleep. In Germany a talisman of Malachite
and Turquoise was suppose to keep you from falling. If your stone breaks, it
means that danger is coming.

Italians would carve the image of a rooster on the stone to enhance it's
protective powers. Rooster represented the power of the Sun, which held
dominion over demons and was a defender of children, women and the weak. Other
traditions would simply carve the image of the Sun for the same protective
enhancement or to protect against the venom of poisonous creatures. Malachite
stones with eye rings were often carved into a triangular shape and set in
Silver to be worn as protection against the "Evil Eye".

Malachite might provide protection against poisonous spiders or snakes, but it
doesn't protect you from itself. For many years oil paints were created by
crushing this gemstone. When this paint becomes damp it emits toxic fumes. If
you carve or work around the dust of this crystal, keep the stone wet as you
are working and please wear a respirator.

In you own life, Malachite can work for you on many levels. In your personal
life it can help you in appreciating the beauty around you. Not just the
beauty of our planet, but it will also help you to understand and value the
artistic accomplishments of our species.

Using this gemstone with other stones or tools will enhance their powers.
Whether you are trying to improve your financial situation, a health problem
or bringing some other change, Malachite will add its creative energies and an
extra boost to your creative work.

To draw customers to your business, try placing Malachite in the four corners
of your store, or simply keep a piece in your cash register. If you are
involved in a job that requires you to "sell", Malachite will aid you with
your presentation skills, helping you find the right words for each different
customer and facilitate in closing the deal. Partners in business can exchange
this gem to promote loyalty, honesty and success in the partnership.

Are you trying to release a bad habit or harmful thoughts from your life? Are
you trying to let go of a past injury that is still festering in your heart?
When you send something out of your life, even a harmful thing, you must fill
the space that you have emptied. Sometimes it takes us a while to know how to
refill that emptiness with something that will nurture as oppose to harm.
Malachite can serve as a "filler" as you go through the process of letting go.
Protecting you from refilling your new empty space with different, but similar
destructive emotions because they "feel comfortable" .

If you are having trouble reaching a goal, try some meditations with
Malachite. It will aid you in seeing what obstacles lay in your path and
assist you in developing a step by step plan that will get you where you want
to be. It teaches responsibility while helping you to understand problems and
actions on a very intuitive level so that you can respond to them
instinctively.

In health, Malachite is especially helpful in opening and stimulating the
Heart Chakra, helping to heal emotional blockages that can lead to an
unhealthy body. Its Copper content makes it an excellent candidate for relief
from arthritis. For many centuries midwives carried the stone to assist with
deliveries. It is also beneficial in relieving cramps and other problems from
menstruation.

Its historic association with different female divinities has also made it
popular as a stone for female health. Promoting healthy development of a young
girl into womanhood. Malachite may also assist with mending broken bones,
improving immunity and the circulatory system.

Some references cite it as a detoxifyer, but given Malachite's potential to be
poisonous, I don't recommend making elixirs from this gemstone.

Abundant blessings,
Stephanie

many blessings
ladycrimsonflame