Germanium in zinc deposits
Germanium is not mined on its own anywhere in the world. It is recovered as a by-product of zinc smelting, and only where the ore carries enough of it to be worth extracting. It is used in fibre-optic cable, infrared optics and semiconductors.
Of 439 deposits tested for germanium, 265 returned a measurable value. The remainder were tested and returned nothing above the detection limit, which is not the same as containing none.
Highest germanium concentrations measured in sphalerite
| Deposit | Country | Type | Max ppm | Median ppm | Analyses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanmushu | China | MVT zinc-lead | 2,025 | 576 | 41 of 42 |
| Fankou | China | Irish-type sediment-hosted zinc-lead | 1,995 | 55.7 | 328 of 568 |
| Arre-Anglas | France | Vein polymetallic | 1,656 | 314 | 50 of 81 |
| Banbianjie | China | MVT zinc-lead | 1,552.9 | 660.4 | 67 of 67 |
| Bleiberg | Austria | MVT zinc-lead | 1,500 | 173.5 | 62 of 62 |
| Jauken | Austria | MVT zinc-lead | 1,500 | 1,500 | 1 of 1 |
| Tres Marias | Mexico | MVT zinc-lead | 1,430 | 940 | 8 of 13 |
| Peyrebrune | France | Vein polymetallic | 1,363 | 1,363 | 1 of 1 |
| Pend Oreille | United States | MVT zinc-lead | 1,330 | 160 | 439 of 471 |
| Shaojiwan | China | MVT zinc-lead | 1,257 | 53.4 | 40 of 40 |
| Hehuashan | China | MVT zinc-lead | 1,200 | 800 | 7 of 65 |
| Maoping | China | MVT zinc-lead | 1,190 | 13.8 | 163 of 168 |
| Dadongla | China | MVT zinc-lead | 1,165 | 575.5 | 40 of 40 |
| Central Tennessee Zinc District | United States | MVT zinc-lead | 1,150 | 420 | 659 of 692 |
| Mežica | Slovenia | MVT zinc-lead | 1,100 | 250 | 3 of 3 |
How to read these numbers
Concentrations are measured inside sphalerite, the zinc sulphide mineral, not across the whole rock. They indicate by-product potential and are not deposit grades or resources. Only part of any orebody is sphalerite, so the figure for the deposit as a whole is lower by that fraction.
A high maximum with a low median means a few unusually rich grains rather than uniformly enriched ore. Both are shown for that reason.
Source: Critical Minerals in Ores mineral chemistry database (CMiO-MIN), Geoscience Australia, Geological Survey of Canada and U.S. Geological Survey. Licensed CC-BY 4.0. Figures are reproduced as published, without rounding.
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