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Mooloo Downs Station, Upper Gascoyne Shire, Western Australia, Australiai
Regional Level Types
Mooloo Downs StationStation (farming)
Upper Gascoyne ShireShire
Western AustraliaState
AustraliaCountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
25° South , 116° East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
-25.00000,116.00000
GeoHash:
G#: qed3z8us7
GRN:
S17E75
Type:
Station (farming)
Köppen climate type:
BWh : Hot deserts climate
Mindat Locality ID:
12310
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:12310:0
GUID (UUID V4):
0


A cattle station of approximately 131,715 hectares.

Moolooite occurs as a result of the interaction of bird guano with weathering copper sulfides.
The reference provides a detailed description of the location and species found. The species was found 12 kilometres east of the Mooloo Downs Homestead, and one kilometre north of Bunbury Well, during mapping by one of the authors (assumed I.R. Williams) in May 1977.

Specimens were obtained from the surface in white glassy quartz cropping out of a quartz strewn field. The quartz outcrop is 1.0-1.5 metres high and the vein carries scattered grains of chalcopyrite, digenite, and covellite. An oxidation process has seen a variety of secondary minerals develop including brochanite, antlerite, atacamite, gypsum, barite, and jarosite.

The site contains a number of large boulders, believed to be roosting sites for some of the local bird population. The interaction between the guano and weathering copper sulphides has seen the development of moolooite. In the outer few centimetres of the quartz are solution cavities and cracks lined with moolooite, closely associated with sampleite,libethenite and an unidentified oxalate. One specimen had a crust of whewellite on it.

Moolooite is the first naturally occurring hydrated copper oxalate found, generally turquoise in colour, occuring as micro concretionary crusts and powder. The minimal role of water distinguishes it from other oxalates.

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Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

21 valid minerals. 1 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Rock list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Amesite
Formula: Mg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4
ⓘ Antigorite
Formula: Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
ⓘ Antlerite
Formula: Cu3(SO4)(OH)4
ⓘ Atacamite
Formula: Cu2(OH)3Cl
ⓘ Baryte
Formula: BaSO4
ⓘ Brochantite
Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘ Chalcopyrite
Formula: CuFeS2
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
ⓘ Clinochlore
Formula: Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
ⓘ Covellite
Formula: CuS
ⓘ Digenite
Formula: Cu9S5
ⓘ Dolomite
Formula: CaMg(CO3)2
ⓘ Dravite
Formula: NaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
ⓘ Gypsum
Formula: CaSO4 · 2H2O
ⓘ Jarosite
Formula: KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
ⓘ Libethenite
Formula: Cu2(PO4)(OH)
ⓘ Middlebackite
Formula: Cu2C2O4(OH)2
ⓘ Moolooite (TL)
Formula: Cu(C2O4) · nH2O
ⓘ Opal
Formula: SiO2 · nH2O
ⓘ Opal var. Opaline
Formula: SiO2 · nH2O
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Sampleite
Formula: NaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
ⓘ 'Serpentine Subgroup'
Formula: D3[Si2O5](OH)4
ⓘ 'Silica'
ⓘ Whewellite
Formula: Ca(C2O4) · H2O

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘDigenite2.BA.10Cu9S5
ⓘCovellite2.CA.05aCuS
ⓘChalcopyrite2.CB.10aCuFeS2
Group 3 - Halides
ⓘAtacamite3.DA.10aCu2(OH)3Cl
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
ⓘOpal4.DA.10SiO2 · nH2O
ⓘvar. Opaline4.DA.10SiO2 · nH2O
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘDolomite5.AB.10CaMg(CO3)2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘBaryte7.AD.35BaSO4
ⓘAntlerite7.BB.15Cu3(SO4)(OH)4
ⓘBrochantite7.BB.25Cu4(SO4)(OH)6
ⓘJarosite7.BC.10KFe3+3(SO4)2(OH)6
ⓘGypsum7.CD.40CaSO4 · 2H2O
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
ⓘLibethenite8.BB.30Cu2(PO4)(OH)
ⓘSampleite8.DG.05NaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘDravite9.CK.05NaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
ⓘClinochlore9.EC.55Mg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
ⓘAmesite9.ED.15Mg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4
ⓘAntigorite9.ED.15Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Group 10 - Organic Compounds
ⓘMoolooite (TL)10.AB.15Cu(C2O4) · nH2O
ⓘWhewellite10.AB.45Ca(C2O4) · H2O
ⓘMiddlebackite10.AB.50Cu2C2O4(OH)2
Unclassified
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Silica'-
ⓘ'Serpentine Subgroup'-D3[Si2O5](OH)4

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AmesiteMg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4
Hⓘ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Hⓘ AntleriteCu3(SO4)(OH)4
Hⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Hⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Hⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Hⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Hⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Hⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Hⓘ LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
Hⓘ MoolooiteCu(C2O4) · nH2O
Hⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Hⓘ Opal var. OpalineSiO2 · nH2O
Hⓘ SampleiteNaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
Hⓘ WhewelliteCa(C2O4) · H2O
Hⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
Hⓘ MiddlebackiteCu2C2O4(OH)2
BBoron
Bⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
CCarbon
Cⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Cⓘ MoolooiteCu(C2O4) · nH2O
Cⓘ WhewelliteCa(C2O4) · H2O
Cⓘ MiddlebackiteCu2C2O4(OH)2
OOxygen
Oⓘ AmesiteMg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4
Oⓘ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Oⓘ AntleriteCu3(SO4)(OH)4
Oⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Oⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Oⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Oⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Oⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Oⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Oⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Oⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
Oⓘ LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
Oⓘ MoolooiteCu(C2O4) · nH2O
Oⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Oⓘ Opal var. OpalineSiO2 · nH2O
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ SampleiteNaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
Oⓘ WhewelliteCa(C2O4) · H2O
Oⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
Oⓘ MiddlebackiteCu2C2O4(OH)2
NaSodium
Naⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Naⓘ SampleiteNaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ AmesiteMg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4
Mgⓘ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Mgⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Mgⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Mgⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AmesiteMg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4
Alⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Alⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
SiSilicon
Siⓘ AmesiteMg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4
Siⓘ AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4
Siⓘ ClinochloreMg5Al(AlSi3O10)(OH)8
Siⓘ DraviteNaMg3Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH)
Siⓘ OpalSiO2 · nH2O
Siⓘ Opal var. OpalineSiO2 · nH2O
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ Serpentine SubgroupD3[Si2O5](OH)4
PPhosphorus
Pⓘ LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
Pⓘ SampleiteNaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
SSulfur
Sⓘ AntleriteCu3(SO4)(OH)4
Sⓘ BaryteBaSO4
Sⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Sⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Sⓘ CovelliteCuS
Sⓘ DigeniteCu9S5
Sⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Sⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
ClChlorine
Clⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Clⓘ SampleiteNaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
KPotassium
Kⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
CaCalcium
Caⓘ DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
Caⓘ GypsumCaSO4 · 2H2O
Caⓘ SampleiteNaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
Caⓘ WhewelliteCa(C2O4) · H2O
FeIron
Feⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Feⓘ JarositeKFe33+(SO4)2(OH)6
CuCopper
Cuⓘ AntleriteCu3(SO4)(OH)4
Cuⓘ AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
Cuⓘ BrochantiteCu4(SO4)(OH)6
Cuⓘ ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
Cuⓘ CovelliteCuS
Cuⓘ DigeniteCu9S5
Cuⓘ LibetheniteCu2(PO4)(OH)
Cuⓘ MoolooiteCu(C2O4) · nH2O
Cuⓘ SampleiteNaCaCu5(PO4)4Cl · 5H2O
Cuⓘ MiddlebackiteCu2C2O4(OH)2
BaBarium
Baⓘ BaryteBaSO4

Localities in this Region

Australia

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Australia
Australian PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

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
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