Germanite - Encyclopedia
Class : Sulfides and sulfosalts
Subclass : Sulphides
Crystal system : Cubic
Chemistry : Cu13Fe2Ge2S16
Rarity : Very rare
Germanite is a complex sulfide of germanium, copper and iron. Although very rare, it is with renierite the most common of the germanium minerals, often accepting some zinc and gallium. Its name reflects its high germanium content. The crystals, cubic, are tiny and germanite usually appears in purplish masses tarnishing into purplish moir, with a strong metallic luster, reminiscent of bornite. It frequently crystallizes in intergrowth with renierite or in exsolution in sphalerite such as gallite. It is a germanium ore.
Main photo : Purplish germanite and chalcopyrite from Kipushi Mine, Katanga, DR Congo © Gerard van der Velt
Germanite in the World
Twinning
No twin known for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes recorded for this mineral species.
Hardness : 4
Density : 4.46 to 4.59
Fracture : Irregular
Streak : Gray to black
TP : Opaque
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : None
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : Nitric acid
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None