Turquoise, Malachite & Chrysoprase

These opaque to highly translucent gems are known for their distinctive body colours. Turquoise (a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium) and malachite (a copper carbonate) owe their blue and banded green hues to the presence of copper. Chrysoprase, an apple-green variety of chalcedony, derives its colour from trace nickel, which distinguishes it from chromium-coloured green agates.

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