Middlebackite is an organic mineral with the formula Cu2C2O4(OH)2. It was first discovered within a boulder from the Iron Monarch quarry in South Australia in June 1990.[2] Peter Elliott from the University of Adelaide, Australia, identified the structure of the mineral 25 years later. He determined its crystal structure through single-crystal X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. Elliot named the mineral for the Middleback Range where it originated.[3] In 2018 middlebackite was found in Val di Fiemme, Italy, during researches that brought to the discovery of a new mineral named fiemmeite.[4]
Middlebackite | |
---|---|
General | |
Category | Organic mineral |
Formula (repeating unit) | Cu2C2O4(OH)2 |
IMA symbol | Mbk[1] |
Crystal system | Monoclinic |
Crystal class | 2/m - Prismatic |
Identification | |
Color | Turquoise |