Germanite Mineral Data

General Germanite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu26Fe4Ge4S32

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 3,192.14 gm

Iron 7.00 % Fe

Copper 51.76 % Cu

Germanium 9.10 % Ge

Sulfur 32.14 % S

______

100.00 %

Empirical Formula:

Cu₂₆Fe²⁺₄Ge₄S₃₂

Environment:

In primary Cu-Pb-Zn ores.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1922

Locality:

Tsumeb mine (Tsumcorp mine), Tsumeb, Otavi, Namibia Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its content of the element Germanium.

Synonym:

ICSD 64787

PDF 36-395

Germanite Image

Images:

Germanite

Comments: Red metallic germanite, tarnishing black.
Location: Tsumeb, Oshikoto, Namibia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Germanite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.5862, Z = 1; V = 1,186.37 Den(Calc)= 4.47

Crystal System:

Isometric - HextetrahedralH-M Symbol (4 3m) Space Group: P 43n

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.054(1), 1.87(0.7), 1.595(0.4),

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Tettenhorst R T , Corbato C E , American Mineralogist , 69 (1984) p.943-947, Crystal structure of germanite, Cu26Ge4Fe4S32, determined by powder X-ray, diffraction

Physical Properties of Germanite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Brown, Red gray.

Density:

4.4 - 4.6, Average = 4.5

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

Euhedral Crystals - Occurs as well-formed crystals showing good external form.

Habit:

Granular - Generally occurs as anhedral to subhedral crystals in matrix.

Hardness:

3 - Calcite

Luster:

Metallic

Streak:

dark gray

Optical Properties of Germanite

RL Color:

Pinkish gray.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Germanite in Air**
λ	R	∑ R(λ)
400 nm	21.50
420 nm	21.00
440 nm	20.50
460 nm	20.20
480 nm	20.00
500 nm	19.90
520 nm	20.10
540 nm	20.60
560 nm	21.20
580 nm	21.80
600 nm	22.60
620 nm	23.50
640 nm	24.00
660 nm	24.60
680 nm	25.00
700 nm	25.40

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Germanite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	50%	100%	150%	200%	250%	300%	350%	400%	430%
R

Calculated Properties of Germanite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.20 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Germanite =4.47 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Germanite= 32.75 barns/electron
U=PE_Germanite x rElectron Density= 137.38 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Germanite is Not Radioactive

Germanite Classification

Dana Class:

02.09.04.02 (02)Sulfides - Including Selenides and Tellurides

(02.09)where Am Bn Xp, with (m+n):p=1:1

(02.09.04)Germanite Group

02.09.04.01 Renierite (Cu,Zn)11(Ge,As)2Fe4S16 P 4₂c- 4 2m

02.09.04.02 Germanite Cu26Fe4Ge4S32 P 43n 4 3m

02.09.04.03 Maikainite! Cu20(Fe,Cu)6Mo2Ge6S32 P 43n 4 3m

02.09.04.04 Ovamboite! Cu20(Fe,Cu,Zn)6W2Ge6S32 P 43n 4 3m

Strunz Class:

02.CB.30 02 - SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulf

02.C - Metal Sulfides, M:S = 1:1 (and similar)

02.CB -With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, Au, etc

02.CB.30 Colusite Cu12-13V(As,Sb,Sn,Ge)3S16 P 43n 4 3m

02.CB.30 Germanite Cu26Fe4Ge4S32 P 43n 4 3m

02.CB.30 Germanocolusite Cu13V(Ge,As)3S16 P 43n 4 3m

02.CB.30 Nekrasovite Cu26V2(Sn,As,Sb)6S32 P 43n 4 3m

02.CB.30 Stibiocolusite Cu13V(Sb,As,Sn)3S16 P 43n 4 3m

02.CB.30 Maikainite! Cu20(Fe,Cu)6Mo2Ge6S32 P 43n 4 3m

02.CB.30 Ovamboite! Cu20(Fe,Cu,Zn)6W2Ge6S32 P 43n 4 3m

Other Germanite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic1) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic1)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Germanite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - HyperPhysics
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Ask about Germanite here :
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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Germanite Specimen Label here :

Germanite

Cu26Fe4Ge4S32
Dana No: 02.09.04.02 Strunz No: 02.CB.30
Locality:

Notes: