Germanium Deposits in the United States

Dates

Publication Date: 2020-04-29

Citation

Gnesda, W.R., Karl, N.A., and Mauk, J.L., 2020, Germanium deposits in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9CPYTFN.

Summary

This data release provides data for the single site in the United States (U.S.) that has public record of germanium (Ge) production. Germanium, which is currently classified as a critical mineral in the U.S., is also extracted as a byproduct from deposits in Alaska, Washington, and Tennessee. However, there is no public information that documents germanium production from these deposits. Current annual production of refined germanium is led by China at 85,000 tons, while estimates place U.S. reserves near 2,500 tons. Reported production of germanium in the U.S. is limited to one site, the Apex mine in Washington County, Utah. The Apex mine produced gallium (Ga) and germanium as primary products during the mid-1980s. Since its closure, [...]

Summary

This data release provides data for the single site in the United States (U.S.) that has public record of germanium (Ge) production. Germanium, which is currently classified as a critical mineral in the U.S., is also extracted as a byproduct from deposits in Alaska, Washington, and Tennessee. However, there is no public information that documents germanium production from these deposits.

Current annual production of refined germanium is led by China at 85,000 tons, while estimates place U.S. reserves near 2,500 tons. Reported production of germanium in the U.S. is limited to one site, the Apex mine in Washington County, Utah. The Apex mine produced gallium (Ga) and germanium as primary products during the mid-1980s. Since its closure, germanium recovery has been restricted to refining processes of ore concentrates and recycling of waste scrap both in and outside the U.S. (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020).

As a part of the process set forth by Executive Order 13817, the USGS National Minerals Information Center (NMIC) identified germanium as a critical mineral (Department of the Interior, 2018) due to the import reliance and importance in the sectors of defense, manufacturing, and telecommunications (Fortier and others, 2018). Germanium is used for strategic, consumer, and commercial applications due to its high refractive index, transparency to infrared light, and properties as a semiconductor. Most notably, germanium is a major component in infrared devices, fiber optic cables, and PET plastics (Melcher and Buchholz, 2014). As of 2019, the U.S. maintains greater than 50% reliance on imported germanium from countries such as Belgium and China who were the main U.S. suppliers between 2015–2018. Germanium is imported to the U.S. as germanium metal and dioxide for consumption (U.S. Geological Survey, 2020). Some germanium is recovered from recycling of scrap during the manufacturing process, such as the manufacture of fiber-optic cables (Mercer, 2015).

The element germanium largely occurs as a geochemical substitute in various sulfide minerals, primarily in the mineral sphalerite (ZnS), with minor inclusion in silicate minerals. The greatest germanium concentrations occur in Kipushi-type deposits, principally in oxidation zones of sulfide ore (Höll and others, 2007). The largest past producers of germanium from Kipushi-type deposits occurred in Kipushi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tsumeb, Namibia. These deposits host 60 million tonnes (t) at 100–200 parts per million (ppm) Ge and 28 million t at 50–150 ppm Ge, respectively. Currently, germanium is produced as a byproduct of zinc-bearing ore deposits. Acid mine drainage may have elevated signatures of germanium because of germanium’s strong association to sulfide minerals (Shanks and others, 2017). Germanium is also recovered from lignite and coal deposits worldwide (Melcher and Buchholz, 2014).

The entries and descriptions in the database were derived from published papers, reports, data, and internet documents representing a variety of sources, including geologic and exploration studies described in State, Federal, and industry reports. Production and resource information extracted from older sources might not be compliant with current rules and guidelines in minerals industry standards such as National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101). The presence of a germanium mineral deposit in this database is not meant to imply that the deposit is currently economic. Inclusion of material in the database is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The authors welcome additional published information in order to continually update and refine this dataset.

Department of the Interior, 2018, Final list of critical minerals 2018: Federal Register Notice 83 FR 23295, no. 97, p. 23295–23296, https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-10667.

Fortier, S.M., Nassar, N.T., Lederer, G.W., Brainard, J., Gambogi, J., and McCullough, E.A., 2018, Draft critical mineral list—Summary of methodology and background information—U.S. Geological Survey technical input document in response to Secretarial Order No. 3359: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018-1021, 15 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181021.

Höll, R., Kling, M., and Schroll, E., 2007, Metallogenesis of germanium—A review: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 30, p. 145–180, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2005.07.034.

Melcher, F. and Buchholz, P., 2014, Germanium, chap. 8 of Gunn, G., eds., Critical metals handbook: Chichester, UK, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., p. 177–203, https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118755341.

Mercer, C.N., 2015, Germanium—Giving microelectronics an efficiency boost: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2015–3011, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20153011.

Shanks, W.C.P., III, Kimball, B.E., Tolcin, A.C., and Guberman, D.E., 2017, Germanium and indium, chap. I of Schulz, K.J., DeYoung, J.H., Jr., Seal, R.R., II, and Bradley, D.C., eds., Critical mineral resources of the United States—Economic and environmental geology and prospects for future supply: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1802, p. I1–I27, https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1802I.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2020, Mineral commodity summaries 2020: U.S. Geological Survey, 200 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/mcs2020.

Contacts

Point of Contact :: Jeffrey L Mauk
Originator :: William R Gnesda, Nick A Karl, Jeffrey L Mauk
Metadata Contact :: Carma A San Juan
Publisher :: U.S. Geological Survey
Data Owner :: Mineral Resources Program
Distributor :: U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
USGS Mission Area :: Energy and Minerals
SDC Data Owner :: Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center

Attached Files

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USGS_Germanium_US_Metadata.xml “Data documentation and instructions” Original FGDC Metadata	View	92.78 KB	application/fgdc+xml
00Readme_Germanium.txt “Readme file”		4.46 KB	text/plain
USGS_Germanium_US_CSV.zip “Germanium data (CSV files and Data Dictionary)”		12.26 KB	application/zip
USGS_Germanium_US_Excel.zip “Germanium data (Excel files and Data Dictionary)”		218.06 KB	application/zip
USGS_Germanium_US_Geodatabase.zip “Germanium Geodatabase”		1.16 MB	application/zip
USGS_Germanium_Metadata.zip “Germanium Metadata (XML, HTML, TXT)”		85.14 KB	application/zip
USGS_Germanium_Shapefiles.zip “Germanium Shapefiles (and CSV files)”		58.28 KB	application/zip
USGS_Germanium_US_Thumbnail.png “Germanium symbol - Map view of Apex site - Sphalerite mineral”		1.17 MB	image/png

AGOL Service Definition: USGS_Germanium_US_Map_Service.zip
USGS_Germanium_US_Map_Service.sd “ ArcGIS service definition, contains mxd and GIS data”		1.18 MB

Related External Resources

Type: Web Link

USMIN Mineral Deposit Database	https://www.usgs.gov/energy-and-minerals/mineral-resources-program/science/usmin-mineral-deposit-database?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects
Mineral Resources Online Spatial Data	https://mrdata.usgs.gov/
National Minerals Information Center (NMIC): Germanium Statistics and Information	https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nmic/germanium-statistics-and-information
USGS Professional Paper 1802- I Germanium and Indium By: W.C. Pat Shanks III, Bryn E. Kimball, Amy C. Tolcin, and David E. Guberman	https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp1802I
Fact Sheet: Germanium—Giving Microelectronics an Efficiency Boost	https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2015/3011/fs20153011.pdf

Purpose

This dataset was developed as part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Geological Survey to inventory public information on critical mineral deposits within the United States that have public record of production and (or) resources above a specified cutoff limit. In the case of germanium there is no cutoff limit since there is only one deposit with public record of production. The geospatial data provide location, geologic description, and production and resource information. In general, USGS uses this information to delineate permissive tracts (geographic areas in which specific types of mineral deposits may occur), develop assessments of potential undiscovered mineral resources, determine where and how the environmental effects of mining may be observed, and understand the natural variability found in mineral deposits of particular types. The data also support the Federal strategic objective to secure reliable supplies of critical minerals by providing information for geoscience research and mineral exploration to State and Federal agencies, private industry, and the general public.

Germanium Deposits in the United States

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