This stone is the labyrinth of an ancient forest, frozen in rhythmic ripples of moss and shadow. Malachite, a stone of profound depth displays hypnotic green bands and velvet-like textures that have inspired poets and emperors for millennia. It is a vibrant, opaque copper carbonate hydroxide mineral that has distinctive bright to dark green concentric or banded patterns and commonly found in Congo, Russia, Australia, and Arizona. It shows fibrous or botryoidal habit and occurs in the oxidized zones of copper deposits, often near azurite mineral. It has been used for thousands of years as a gemstone, ornamental stone, and as a green pigment. It is polished into cabochons, beads, and carved into sculptures. It is a stone of change that is associated with protection, emotional healing, transformation and growth. It is known to activate the heart chakra and encourages empathy. It is soft (3.5–4 on the Mohs scale). Rough or improperly made malachite jewelry could be toxic if dust is inhaled or ingested.