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The mineralogy of Germanium

General Properties
Symbol:Ge
Commodity pages:Germanium
Atomic Number:32
Standard atomic weight (Ar):72.64(1)
Electron configuration:[Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p2
Photos
<
Ultrapure chunk of polycrystalline germanium
>
Atomic Properties
Electronegativity (Pauling scale):2.01
Atomic Radius:125 pm
Ionic Radius:73 pm (+2)
1st Ionization energy:762 kJ/mol
1st Electron affinity:-119 kJ/mol
Oxidation States:-4,1,2,3,4
Physical Properties
Standard State:solid
Bonding Type:metallic
Melting Point:1211 K
Boiling Point:3093 K
Density:5.32 g/cm3
Metal/Non-Metal:metalloid
Main isotopes of Germanium
Isotope% in NatureHalf LifeDecay typeDecay product
68Gesynthetic270.8dε68Ga
70Ge21.23%stable
71Gesynthetic11.26dε71Ga
72Ge27.66%stable
73Ge7.73%stable
74Ge34.94%stable
76Ge7.44%1.78×1021yβ-β-76Se
Other Information
Year Discovered:1886
Discovered By:
00981000017362201886375.jpg
Clemens Winkler
Year Predicted:1871
Named For:
08278730017362201886527.jpg
after Germany, homeland of the discoverer
CPK color coding:#668F8F
External Links:WikipediaWebElementsLos Alamos National LaboratoryTheodore Gray's PeriodicTable.com
Simple Compounds and Mineral Names
Nitridestrigermanium tetranitrideGe3N4+4
Sulfidesgermanium sulphideGeS+2
germanium disulphideGeS2+4
Selenidesgermanium selenideGeSe+2
germanium diselenideGeSe2+4
TelluridesGermanium tellurideGeTe+2
Hydridesgermanium tetrahydrideGeH4+4
digermanium hexahydrideGe2H6+3
Fluoridesgermanium difluorideGeF2+2
germanium tetrafluorideGeF4+4
Chloridesgermanium dichlorideGeCl2+2
germanium tetrachlorideGeCl4+4
Bromidesgermanium tetrabromideGeBr4+4
Iodidesgermanium diiodideGeI2+2
germanium tetraiodideGeI4+4
Oxidesgermanium oxideGeO+2
germanium dioxideGeO2+4Argutite
Mineral Diversity of Germanium
1. Elements 3 valid mineral species
2. Sulfides And Sulfosalts 22 valid mineral species
4. Oxides 6 valid mineral species
7. Sulfates 5 valid mineral species
9. Silicates 6 valid mineral species
Total:42 valid species containing essential Germanium
Minerals with the greatest weight % of Germanium
ArgutiteGeO269.42 %
PertolditeGeO269.42 %
EyseliteFe3+Ge4+3O7(OH)54.11 %
RadvaniceiteGeS253.11 %
OtjisumeitePbGe4O945.28 %
BartelkeitePb(Fe2+Ge)[Ge2O7](OH)2·H2O33.79 %
KrieseliteAl2(GeO4)F231.78 %
NancyrossiteFeGeO6H531.65 %
StottiteFe2+[Ge4+(OH)6]31.51 %
ZincostottiteZnGe(OH)630.26 %
Geochemistry of Germanium
Goldschmidt classification:Chalcophile
Ge4+ was one of the ions least depleted from the mantle in the formation of the crust.
Ge4+ is concentrated in residual soils and sediments (less certainty.)
Elemental Abundance for Germanium
Crust (CRC Handbook)1.5 x 10-6mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Kaye & Laby)1.3 x 10-6mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Greenwood)1.5 x 10-6mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)1.6 x 10-6mass fraction, kg/kg
Crust (Ahrens/Wänke)1.32 x 10-6mass fraction, kg/kg
Upper Crust (Ahrens/Taylor)1.6 x 10-6mass fraction, kg/kg
Sea Water (CRC Handbook)5 x 10-11mass per volume fraction, kg/L
Sea Water (Kaye & Laby)6 x 10-11mass per volume fraction, kg/L
The Sun (Kaye & Laby)7.2 x 10-5atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Kaye & Laby)1.2 x 10-4atom mole fraction relative to Si=1
Solar System (Ahrens)1.19 x 10-4 (9.6%)atom mole fraction relative to Si=1 (% uncertainty)
Element association of Germanium in the Mineral World
This table compares the known valid mineral species listed listed with Germanium and the other elements listed based on the official IMA formula. Note that unlike other sections on this page this includes non-essential elements.

The first data column contains the total number of minerals listed with Germanium and the element listed for that row.

The second data column lists this number as a percentage of all minerals listed with Germanium.

The final data column compares this percentage against the percentage of all minerals that contain the element listed in each row.

Click on a heading to sort.
ElementValid Minerals listed with element and Germanium% of Ge mineralsRelative to % in all minerals
Sulfur25 minerals with Ge and S58.14%164.00% higher
Oxygen18 minerals with Ge and O41.86%48.45% lower
Iron16 minerals with Ge and Fe37.21%66.77% higher
Hydrogen13 minerals with Ge and H30.23%45.60% lower
Copper13 minerals with Ge and Cu30.23%123.75% higher
Lead11 minerals with Ge and Pb25.58%136.80% higher
Zinc5 minerals with Ge and Zn11.63%107.87% higher
Aluminium4 minerals with Ge and Al9.30%53.27% lower
Arsenic4 minerals with Ge and As9.30%28.44% lower
Silver4 minerals with Ge and Ag9.30%137.86% higher
Gallium3 minerals with Ge and Ga6.98%4,736.43% higher
Nickel2 minerals with Ge and Ni4.65%38.84% higher
Calcium2 minerals with Ge and Ca4.65%81.31% lower
Palladium2 minerals with Ge and Pd4.65%229.76% higher
Tungsten2 minerals with Ge and W4.65%409.10% higher
Silicon1 mineral with Ge and Si2.33%91.56% lower
Phosphorus1 mineral with Ge and P2.33%81.03% lower
Vanadium1 mineral with Ge and V2.33%51.80% lower
Carbon1 mineral with Ge and C2.33%71.49% lower
Fluorine1 mineral with Ge and F2.33%70.45% lower
Cadmium1 mineral with Ge and Cd2.33%326.74% higher
Molybdenum1 mineral with Ge and Mo2.33%48.05% higher
Rhodium1 mineral with Ge and Rh2.33%480.37% higher
Tin1 mineral with Ge and Sn2.33%27.27% higher
Tellurium1 mineral with Ge and Te2.33%34.64% lower
Periodic Table
1H 2He
3Li 4Be 5B 6C 7N 8O 9F 10Ne
11Na 12Mg 13Al 14Si 15P 16S 17Cl 18Ar
19K 20Ca 21Sc 22Ti 23V 24Cr 25Mn 26Fe 27Co 28Ni 29Cu 30Zn 31Ga 32Ge 33As 34Se 35Br 36Kr
37Rb 38Sr 39Y 40Zr 41Nb 42Mo 43Tc 44Ru 45Rh 46Pd 47Ag 48Cd 49In 50Sn 51Sb 52Te 53I 54Xe
55Cs 56Ba 57La 72Hf 73Ta 74W 75Re 76Os 77Ir 78Pt 79Au 80Hg 81Tl 82Pb 83Bi 84Po 85At 86Rn
87Fr 88Ra 89Ac 104Rd 105Db 106Sg 107Bh 108Hs 109Mt 110Ds 111Rg 112Cn 113Nh 114Fl 115Mc 116Lv 117Ts 118Og
 
58Ce 59Pr 60Nd 61Pm 62Sm 63Eu 64Gd 65Tb 66Dy 67Ho 68Er 69Tm 70Yb 71Lu
90Th 91Pa 92U 93Np 94Pu 95Am 96Cm 97Bk 98Cf 99Es 100Fm 101Md 102No 103Lr
Default Categories CPK Electronegativity Atomic Radius Lowest Oxidation Highest Oxidation Crustal Abundance Goldschmidt Mineral Species Minerals with Ge Relative Frequency
Gallium << Germanium >> Arsenic


Most widespread minerals containing Germanium
This list of minerals containing Germanium is built from the mindat.org locality database. This is based on the number of localities entered for mineral species and is therefore slanted towards minerals interesting to collectors with less coverage of common rock-forming-minerals so it does not give an undistorted distribution of Germanium mineral species. It is more useful when comparing rare species rather than common species.
NameFormulaCrystal SystemMindat Localities
ArgyroditeAg8GeS6Orthorhombic95
Renierite(Cu+,Zn)11Fe4(Ge4+,As5+)2S16Tetragonal45
GermaniteCu13Fe2Ge2S16Isometric43
ArgutiteGeO2Tetragonal19
BriartiteCu2FeGeS4Tetragonal17
BrunogeieriteGe4+Fe2+2O4Isometric15
GermanocolusiteCu26V2(Ge,As)6S32Isometric8
PalladogermanidePd2GeHexagonal5
ZincobriartiteCu2(Zn,Fe)(Ge,Ga)S4Tetragonal4
CarraraiteCa3(SO4)[Ge(OH)6](CO3) · 12H2OHexagonal4
Photos
03968600017864942107011.jpg
Argyrodite

Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, PotosĂ­, Bolivia
05002520017271926184600.jpg
Renierite, etc.

Kipushi Mine, Kipushi, Kipushi Territory, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
01283790017360473947758.jpg
Germanite, etc.

Kipushi Mine, Kipushi, Kipushi Territory, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
05277000017361048768598.jpg
Argutite, etc.

Ottenthal adit, Nöckelberg mining district, Schwarzleograben, Hütten, Leogang, Zell am See District, Salzburg, Austria
01982520017367039539821.jpg
Argyrodite

Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, PotosĂ­, Bolivia
05002520017271926184600.jpg
Renierite, etc.

Kipushi Mine, Kipushi, Kipushi Territory, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
07432430017362273813848.jpg
Germanite, etc.

Kipushi Mine, Kipushi, Kipushi Territory, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
05277000017361048768598.jpg
Argutite, etc.

Ottenthal adit, Nöckelberg mining district, Schwarzleograben, Hütten, Leogang, Zell am See District, Salzburg, Austria
05686700017367060925892.jpg
Argyrodite

Colquechaca, Colquechaca Municipality, Chayanta Province, PotosĂ­, Bolivia
05002520017271926184600.jpg
Renierite, etc.

Kipushi Mine, Kipushi, Kipushi Territory, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
01283790017360473947758.jpg
Germanite, etc.

Kipushi Mine, Kipushi, Kipushi Territory, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
09130840017361048764598.jpg
Argutite, etc.

Ottenthal adit, Nöckelberg mining district, Schwarzleograben, Hütten, Leogang, Zell am See District, Salzburg, Austria

Localities with greatest number of different Germanium mineral species
1Tsumeb Mine (Ongopolo Mine), Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia23 Ge minerals
2Capillitas mining district, Andalgalá, Andalgalá Department, Catamarca Province, Argentina5 Ge minerals
3Maikain Au deposit, Bayanaul District, Pavlodar Region, Kazakhstan5 Ge minerals
4Kipushi Mine, Kipushi, Kipushi Territory, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo5 Ge minerals
5La Rosario vein, Capillitas mining district, Andalgalá, Andalgalá Department, Catamarca Province, Argentina4 Ge minerals
6Carboire, Ustou, Saint-Girons, Ariège, Occitanie, France4 Ge minerals
Panagyurishte Municipality, Pazardzhik Province, Bulgaria4 Ge minerals
8Kateřina Coal Mine, Radvanice, Trutnov District, Hradec Králové Region, Czech Republic3 Ge minerals
 
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