Structural units of cuprates in natural Cu-oxysalts

The structure of copper oxysalt minerals is analyzed on the basis of the cl assification scheme developed earlier for synthetic cuprates. The copper-ox ygen compounds were considered as the salts of hypothetical copper acids wi th characteristic Cu-containing structural units of various dimensions form ed by a polymerization of the CuO squares. The results of magnetic suscepti bility measurements performed recently were analyzed from the viewpoint of the developed extended structural classification scheme. The dimerization o f magnetic moments was considered as a property of cuprates which was stron gly dependent on the type of Cu-containing structural unit. A further exten sion of the structural classification scheme for cuprates is also discussed .