Chrysocolla is a copper-bearing mineral with some of the most gorgeous blues and greens in the gem world, often swirled together like a satellite photo of Earth. It forms where copper deposits weather, so it is often found tangled up with malachite, turquoise and quartz. On its own it is quite soft, but when nature infuses it with silica it becomes what cutters call gem silica or silicified chrysocolla, which is much harder and highly prized. Major sources include the USA, Peru, Chile, Mexico and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Pure chrysocolla sits around 2.5 to 3.5 on the Mohs scale, so it is strictly a gentle-wear stone unless it is the harder, quartz-rich material. It is cut as cabochons and beads, and it suits pendants and earrings far better than rings. Keep it away from water soaking, chemicals and knocks, and wipe it clean with a barely damp cloth. When buying, ask whether a stone is pure chrysocolla or gem silica, since the difference matters a lot for both durability and price.
Turquoise, malachite and shattuckite are other copper minerals with similar colours.
