Malachite.

Malachite is a hydrated copper carbonate that forms in the oxidised upper zones of copper deposits, which is why almost all of it carries striking green banding from concentric growth around a void. Russian Ural deposits supplied the Romanov palaces with the polished panels still visible at the Hermitage, and the Democratic Republic of Congo currently produces most of the trade material.

Across antiquity malachite was used both as ornament and as cosmetic. Ground Egyptian eye paint contained malachite for its colour and its mild antimicrobial copper content. Across European and Russian tradition it was kept as a protective amulet for travellers and children, and the bullseye pattern was read as a watchful eye against harm.

In modern crystal practice malachite is paired with the heart chakra, but it is treated as the harder and more demanding sibling of the gentler green stones. It is the piece people keep when they are doing real boundary work, the kind that asks for honesty rather than soothing. The safety note is genuine and worth saying clearly. Polished malachite sealed under a glaze is safe to handle. Raw or freshly cut malachite produces toxic copper dust, so cutting and grinding should be done wet and with respiratory protection. Never put malachite in water for elixirs or cleansing rinses, and wash hands after handling raw pieces.