CCHB-16
Malachite stalactites
Tonglushan Copper Mine, Daye Co., Huangshi, Hubei Province, China
Small Cabinet, 7.0 x 5.8 x 5.0 cm
SOLD

Malachites from this ancient mine (worked since the Chinese Bronze Age 3500 years ago!) have varied in form and are often quite attractive, but so rarely have I seen a Malachite from here, or anywhere else for that matter, that matches the sheer elegance of these hollow stalactites. It has a gracile, biological look to it, and is unique among the hundreds of specimens I have seen preserved from copper mining here. I am told that this is old, probably 20-25 years out of the ground. That would make sense, as it certainly does not look like what I normally see when I travel through this mining town (by the way, it is very near to Wuhan). The aesthetics are second to none, and I will simply let the pics do the talking.

Video on Instagram