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Moolooite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Moolooite
Formula:
Cu(C2O4) · nH2O
Also given as Cu(C2O4) · 0.4H2O.
Colour:
Turquoise-green, blue to green
Lustre:
Waxy, Dull
Specific Gravity:
3.43 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named after the type locality (Mooloo Downs Station, Australia).
Compare other Cu-bearing oxalate minerals: middlebackite, fiemmeite, wheatleyite, and antipinite.
May be a biomineral formed by the action of lichens (Acarospora rugulosa, Lecidea inops, Lecidea lactea) growing on cupriferous rocks (vide Burford et al., 2003).
May be a biomineral formed by the action of lichens (Acarospora rugulosa, Lecidea inops, Lecidea lactea) growing on cupriferous rocks (vide Burford et al., 2003).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2773
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2773:7
Similar Names
IMA Classification of Moolooite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Cu2+(C2)6+O4·nH2O
Approval year:
1980
First published:
1986
Classification of Moolooite
10.AB.15
10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A : Salts of organic acids
B : Oxalates
10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A : Salts of organic acids
B : Oxalates
50.1.6.1
50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
1 : Oxalates
50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
1 : Oxalates
31.1.2
31 : Oxalates, Citrates, Mellitates and Acetates
1 : Oxalates
31 : Oxalates, Citrates, Mellitates and Acetates
1 : Oxalates
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Moo | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Moolooite
Waxy, Dull
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Turquoise-green, blue to green
Streak:
Turquoise-green
Comment:
Could not be measured
Density:
3.43 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Could not be measured due to scarcity of pure material
Optical Data of Moolooite
Type:
Biaxial
RI values:
nα = 1.57 nβ = 1.77 nγ = 1.95
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.380
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Dispersion:
r > v
Chemistry of Moolooite
Mindat Formula:
Cu(C2O4) · nH2O
Also given as Cu(C2O4) · 0.4H2O.
Also given as Cu(C2O4) · 0.4H2O.
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Moolooite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.4 Å, b = 5.57 Å, c = 2.54 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.969 : 1 : 0.456
Unit Cell V:
76.40 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1
Comment:
Point Group: n.d.; Space Group: n.d.; by analogy to synthetic Cu(C2O4) • 0.1H2O.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.88 Å | (100) |
| 2.50 Å | (30) |
| 1.753 Å | (30) |
| 2.31 Å | (25) |
| 1.787 Å | (25) |
| 2.14 Å | (20) |
| 2.33 Å | (18) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere | <0.6 |
| 52 : Guano- and urine-derived minerals | <0.4 |
Type Occurrence of Moolooite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Micro-concretionary crusts and powder in cracks and solution cavities. Aggregates of generally sub-micrometer sized equidimensional crystallites.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Mineral collection, Government Chemical Laboratories, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Interaction of solutions derived from bird guano and weathering copper sulphides.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Moolooite
Other Language Names for Moolooite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 47 photos of Moolooite associated with Native Copper | Cu |
| 22 photos of Moolooite associated with Whewellite | Ca(C2O4) · H2O |
| 20 photos of Moolooite associated with Humboldtine | Fe2+(C2O4) · 2H2O |
| 8 photos of Moolooite associated with Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 6 photos of Moolooite associated with Analcime | Na(AlSi2O6) · H2O |
| 5 photos of Moolooite associated with Epidote | (CaCa)(AlAlFe3+)O[Si2O7][SiO4](OH) |
| 3 photos of Moolooite associated with Cuprite | Cu2O |
| 1 photo of Moolooite associated with Strashimirite | Cu8(AsO4)4(OH)4 · 5H2O |
| 1 photo of Moolooite associated with Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
| 1 photo of Moolooite associated with Schorl | NaFe2+3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 10.AB. | Deveroite-(Ce) | Ce2(C2O4)3 · 10H2O |
| 10.AB. | Edwindavisite | Cu(C2O4)(NH3) |
| 10.AB.X | Falottaite | MnC2O4 · 3H2O |
| 10.AB. | Uroxite | [(UO2)2(C2O4)(OH)2(H2O)2] · H2O |
| 10.AB.05 | Katsarosite | Zn(C2O4) · 2H2O |
| 10.AB.05 | Andreybulakhite | Ni(C2O4) · 2H2O |
| 10.AB.05 | Humboldtine | Fe2+(C2O4) · 2H2O |
| 10.AB.05 | Lindbergite | Mn2+(C2O4) · 2H2O |
| 10.AB.10 | Glushinskite | Mg(C2O4) · 2H2O |
| 10.AB.20 | Stepanovite | NaMgFe3+(C2O4)3 · 8-9H2O |
| 10.AB.25 | Minguzzite | K3Fe3+(C2O4)3 · 3H2O |
| 10.AB.30 | Wheatleyite | Na2Cu(C2O4)2 · 2H2O |
| 10.AB.35 | Zhemchuzhnikovite | NaMgAl(C2O4)3 · 8H2O |
| 10.AB.40 | Weddellite | Ca(C2O4) · (2.5-x)H2O |
| 10.AB.45 | Whewellite | Ca(C2O4) · H2O |
| 10.AB.47 | Fiemmeite | Cu2(C2O4)(OH)2 · 2H2O |
| 10.AB.50 | Caoxite | Ca(C2O4) · 3H2O |
| 10.AB.50 | Middlebackite | Cu2C2O4(OH)2 |
| 10.AB.52 | Metauroxite | (UO2)2(C2O4)(OH)2(H2O)2 |
| 10.AB.55 | Oxammite | (NH4)2(C2O4) · H2O |
| 10.AB.60 | Natroxalate | Na2(C2O4) |
| 10.AB.60 | Phoxite | (NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4 |
| 10.AB.60 | Carboferriphoxite | [(NH4)K(H2CO3)][Fe3+(HPO4)(H2PO4)(C2O4)] |
| 10.AB.60 | Ferriphoxite | [(NH4)2K(H2O)][Fe3+(HPO4)2(C2O4)] |
| 10.AB.65 | Coskrenite-(Ce) | Ce2(SO4)2(C2O4) · 8H2O |
| 10.AB.70 | Levinsonite-(Y) | (Y,Nd,La)Al(C2O4)(SO4)2 · 12H2O |
| 10.AB.75 | Zugshunstite-(Ce) | (Ce,Nd,La)Al(C2O4)(SO4)2 · 12H2O |
| 10.AB.80 | Novgorodovaite | Ca2(C2O4)Cl2 · 2H2O |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Moolooite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2773.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Moolooite
Reference List:
Gleizes, A., Maury, F., Galy, J. (1980) Crystal structure and magnetism of sodium bis(oxalato)cuprate(II)dihydrate, Na2Cu(C2O4)2.2H2O. A deductive proposal for the structure of copper oxalate, CuC2O4.xH2O (O <= x <= 1). Inorganic Chemistry, 19 (7). 2074-2078 doi:10.1021/ic50209a048
Clarke, R. M., Williams, I. R. (1986) Moolooite, a naturally occurring hydrated copper oxalate from Western Australia. Mineralogical Magazine, 50 (356) 295-298 doi:10.1180/minmag.1986.050.356.15
Hawthorne, Frank C., Jambor, John L., Bladh, Kenneth W., Burke, Ernst A. J., Grice, Joel D., Phillips, Don, Roberts, Andrew C., Schedler, Robert A., E., James (1987) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 72 (9-10) 1023-1028
Chisholm, J. E., Jones, G. C., Purvis, O. W. (1987) Hydrated copper oxalate, moolooite, in lichens. Mineralogical Magazine, 51 (363) 715-718 doi:10.1180/minmag.1987.051.363.12
BURFORD, EUAN P., KIERANS, MARTIN, GADD, GEOFFREY M. (2003) Geomycology: fungi in mineral substrata. Mycologist, 17 (3). 98-107 doi:10.1017/s0269915x03003112
Frost, Ray L., Weier, Matt L. (2003) Raman spectroscopy of natural oxalates at 298 and 77 K. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 34 (10). 776-785 doi:10.1002/jrs.1052
Frost, R.L (2004) Raman spectroscopy of natural oxalates. Analytica Chimica Acta, 517 (1). 207-214 doi:10.1016/j.aca.2004.04.036
Echigo, T., Kimata, M. (2010) Crystal Chemistry and Genesis of Organic Minerals: a Review of Oxalate and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Minerals. The Canadian Mineralogist, 48 (6) 1329-1357 doi:10.3749/canmin.48.5.1329
Piro, Oscar Enrique, Baran, Enrique José (2018) Crystal chemistry of organic minerals – salts of organic acids: the synthetic approach. Crystallography Reviews, 24 (3) 149-175 doi:10.1080/0889311x.2018.1445239
Localities for Moolooite
Showing 18 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia (TL) | |
| Clarke et al. (1986) |
| Clarke et al. (1986) | |
France | |
| Wittern et al. (1997) |
| Queneau (n.d.) |
| Favreau et al. (2024) |
| Favreau (n.d.) +1 other reference | |
| Favreau et al. (2024) | |
Germany | |
| Kolitsch et al. (2010) |
| Gröbner et al. (2008) +1 other reference |
Italy | |
| Guastoni (2009) |
| Demartin et al. (2018) +2 other references |
| Rocchetti (2019: Aggiornamento 2019 sulla mineralogia vicentina. Moolooite e middlebackite di Valle Cumerlati.Studi e Ricerche - Associazione Amici del Museo - Museo Civico “G. Zannato”, 26, 46-47) |
Kazakhstan | |
| Leon Hupperichs collection |
Norway | |
| Chisholm et al. (1987) |
Russia | |
| Frank-Kamenetskaya et al. (2021) |
Turkmenistan | |
| Lebedev et al. (1983) |
USA | |
| Heinrich et al. (2004) |
| www.excaliburmineral.com (n.d.) |
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Clara Mine, Oberwolfach, Ortenaukreis, Freiburg Region, Baden-Württemberg, Germany