Germanite
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Germanite is named for its Germanium content. The element Germanium was named in 1885 by chemist Clemens Winkler who discovered it. Winkler named the new element germanium from the Latin word Germania, for Germany, in honor of his homeland.

Discovered in 1922; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Cu₂₆Fe²⁺₄Ge₄S₃₂

Copper Iron Germanium Sulfide

Molecular Weight:

3,192.14 gm

Composition:

Iron

7.00 %

Fe

Copper

51.76 %

Cu

Germanium

9.10 %

Ge

Sulfur

32.14 %

S

100.00 %

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Sulfides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

2/C.10-20

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

2.CB.30

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.

Related to:

n/a

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

ICSD 64787, PDF 36-395

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hextetrahedral

Crystal Habit:

Cubic crystals, rarely to 3 cm; commonly massive, intergrown with Reniérite.

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

4.0

Density:

4.46 - 4.59 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Pale grayish pink, reddish gray, tarnishes to a dull brown; in polished section, pinkish gray.

Transparency:

Opaque

Luster:

Metallic, dull

Reflectivity:

Isotropic. R: (400) 21.9, (420) 21.5, (440) 21.1, (460) 20.6, (480) 20.0, (500) 19.6, (520) 19.7, (540) 20.2, (560) 21.0, (580) 21.9, (600) 22.8, (620) 23.8, (640) 24.7, (660) 25.5, (680) 26.2, (700) 26.8

RL Color:

Pinkish gray

Occurances

Geological Setting:

In primary Cu–Pb–Zn ores in a dolostone-hosted hydrothermal polymetallic ore deposit (Tsumeb, Namibia).

Common Associations:

Reniérite, Pyrite, Tennantite, Enargite, Galena, Sphalerite, Digenite, Bornite, Chalcopyrite.

Common Impurities:

Ga, Zn, Mo, As, V

Type Locality:

Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region (Oshikoto), Namibia

Year Discovered:

1922

View mineral photos:

Germanite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Germanite is an important ore of the element Germanium (Ge) and is named for the element. It is known from only a handful of worldwide localities. It has a characteristic grayish-purple-pink metallic luster that is hard to mistake. Germanite is named for its Germanium content. Germanium was named in 1885 by chemist Clemens Winkler who discovered it. Winkler named the new element germanium from the Latin word, Germania, for Germany, in honor of his homeland. Germanite is very "heavy" with a molecular weight of 3,192.14 gm as compared to Lead at 207.20 gm, Quartz at 60.08 gm and Diamond at only 12.01 gm.

Distribution: From Tsumeb, Namibia (the type locality). At M’Passa, 150 km west of Brazzaville, Congo Republic. From Kipushi, 28 km southwest of Lubumbashi, Katanga Province, Congo (Shaba Province, Zaire). In the USA, at the Inexco #1 mine, Jamestown, Boulder County, Colorado; and in the Ruby Creek deposit, Brooks Range, near Bornite, Alaska. In Cuba, from Pinar del Rio Province. In Bulgaria, at the Radka deposit, Pazardzhik. From Dastakert, Armenia. At Bor, Serbia. From the Bancairoun mine, Alpes-Maritimes, France. At Weisloch, ??, Germany. In Russia, from Vaygach, Arkhangel’sk, and in the Noril’sk region, western Siberia; at the Vaigach and Sibai deposits, Ural Mountains. In the Shakanai mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan.
 

  
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