Chrysocolla usually occurs as a bright green or bluish crust, or as compact, grape-like groups. Crystal's inergrown with quartz or with opal are more commonly used in jewellery.

Copper mining areas, particularly Chile, the former USSR, and Zaire. "Eilat Stone" (intergrown with malachite and turquoise) reputedly came from King Solomon's mines.

The name is from the Greek chrysies, meaning golden, and beryls, which refers to the beryllium content. Known for thousands of years in Asia, it was highly valued for the protection it afforded from the "evil eye".