Chrysocolla

Although as you can see, chrysocolla is a beautiful mineral with its wondeful turquoise tones and flecks of gold, it was once crucial to ancient jewellery processes.

In Greek chrysos means "gold", and kolla "glue", and it got its name from being the glue used since ancient times to solder gold. Amazing, then, that is appears to have gold flecks in it!

Chrysocolla is actually created by the oxidisation of copper ore, and that accounts for the green tinges.