Germanite

germanite

tennantite

renierite

enargite

Images

Formula: Cu13Fe2Ge2S16
Germanium-bearing sulphide, germanite group
Crystal System: Isometric
Specific gravity: 4.46 to 4.59
Hardness: 4
Streak: Dark grey
Colour: Pale greyish pink, tarnishing brown to black
Common impurities: Ga,Zn,Mo,As,V
Environments

Hydrothermal environments

Germanite occurs in primary copper-lead-zinc ores (Webmin) associated with renierite, pyrite, tennantite, enargite, galena, sphalerite, digenite, bornite and chalcopyrite (HOM).

Localities

At the type locality, the Tsumeb mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia, germanite occurs in primary copper-lead-zinc ores in a dolostone-hosted hydrothermal polymetallic ore deposit (HOM). Associated minerals include tennantite, renierite, pyrite, galena, enargite, digenite and bornite (Mindat).
Germanite occurred in rough stringers, crisscrossed with tennantite, and as rare disseminations in the pseudo-aplite ore, and also traces of germanite were noted with lead-zinc ores at 280-metre depth (R&M 93.6.544-545).
Textural relations observed in germanium-rich sulphide ore from the Tsumeb mine suggest that germanite was deposited at an early stage of the hypogene mineralisation and that renierite, which is closely associated with the germanite and present in approximately equal amounts, developed at a later stage principally by selective replacement of germanite and without further addition of germanium to the ore (EG 52.6.612–631).

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