Stability of beryllium carbonate

Beryllium carbonate is reported to be unstable under normal conditions and should only be kept in a atmosphere of $\ce{CO2}$. Why and how this stability is maintained? Why does this compound decompose when kept in an atmosphere of oxygen?





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> Why and how is this stability maintained?
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Beryllium carbonate decomposes into Beryllium oxide and Carbon dioxide.
$$\ce{BeCO3 <=> BeO + CO2}$$


According to [Le Chatelier's principle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chatelier%27s_principle) one simply has to store it under a $\ce{CO2}$ atmosphere to push the equilibrium to the left.
$$\ce{BeCO3 <<=> BeO + CO2}~\text{in excess}$$



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> Why this compound decomposes when kept in atmosphere of oxygen?
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When there is no $\ce{CO2}$ atmosphere the equilibrium is pushed to the right, which would be the "normal" case under standard conditions.
$$\ce{BeCO3 <=>> BeO + CO2}$$


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