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Germanocolusite

A valid IMA mineral species
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00358420017271923381950.jpg
Germanocolusite

Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia
03468660017271923419041.jpg
Germanocolusite, etc.

Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania
09421450017360473682408.jpg
Germanocolusite, etc.

Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania
00358420017271923381950.jpg
Germanocolusite

Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia
03468660017271923419041.jpg
Germanocolusite, etc.

Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania
09421450017360473682408.jpg
Germanocolusite, etc.

Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania
07880000017271923509295.jpg
Germanocolusite

Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia
03468660017271923419041.jpg
Germanocolusite, etc.

Merelani Hills, Lelatema Mountains, Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, Tanzania
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About GermanocolusiteHide

Formula:
Cu26V2(Ge,As)6S32
Hardness:
4½ - 5
Specific Gravity:
4.55 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Isometric
Member of:
Germanite Group
Name:
Named for its germanium content and its relation to colusite.
This page provides mineralogical data about Germanocolusite.


Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
1682
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1682:3

IMA Classification of GermanocolusiteHide

Classification of GermanocolusiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2025):
2.CB.30

2 : SULFIDES and SULFOSALTS (sulfides, selenides, tellurides; arsenides, antimonides, bismuthides; sulfarsenites, sulfantimonites, sulfbismuthites, etc.)
C : Metal Sulfides, M: S = 1: 1 (and similar)
B : With Zn, Fe, Cu, Ag, etc.
Dana 8th ed.:
3.1.1.2

3 : SULFOSALTS
1 : ø > 4

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference
GcluIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Pronunciation of GermanocolusiteHide

Pronunciation:
PlayRecorded byCountry
Jolyon RalphUnited Kingdom

Physical Properties of GermanocolusiteHide

Transparency:
Opaque
Hardness:
4½ - 5 on Mohs scale
Hardness:
VHN40=280 - 370 kg/mm2 - Vickers
Cleavage:
None Observed
Density:
4.55 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of GermanocolusiteHide

Reflectivity:
WavelengthR1 (%)
400nm22.4%
420nm22.5%
440nm22.7%
460nm23.2%
480nm24.1%
500nm25.5%
520nm26.4%
540nm27.1%
560nm27.6%
580nm27.8%
600nm27.9%
620nm28.0%
640nm27.9%
600nm27.8%
680nm27.7%
700nm27.4%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 28.0%.
Colour in reflected light:
Yellow, grayish yellow, greenish yellow, olive yellow, cream yellow, less commonly yellowish cream with a rose to brownish rose tint.

Chemistry of GermanocolusiteHide

Mindat Formula:
Cu26V2(Ge,As)6S32
Element Weights:
Element% weight
Cu51.374 %
S31.906 %
Ge13.552 %
V3.168 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Elements listed:
As, Cu, Ge, S, V - search for minerals with similar chemistry
Common Impurities:
Ag,Fe,Zn,Ga,Sb,Sn,Mo,W,Bi

Crystallography of GermanocolusiteHide

Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
4 3m - Hextetrahedral
Space Group:
P4 3m
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.568(3) Å
Unit Cell V:
1,180.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1
Comment:
Space group by analogy to colusite.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
3.05 Å(100)
2.64 Å(40)
1.870 Å(50)
1.595 Å(30)
1.320 Å(30)
1.212 Å(30)
1.079 Å(30)
1.017 Å(30)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
33 : Minerals deposited by hydrothermal metal-rich fluids (see also [#12])

Type Occurrence of GermanocolusiteHide

Co-Type Localities:
ⓘ Maikain Au deposit, Bayanaul District, Pavlodar Region, Kazakhstan
ⓘ Urup Cu Deposit, Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia
General Appearance of Type Material:
Single grains or equant to elongate segregations < 1-100 µm across.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia, 2050/1–2.
A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Late bornite and tennantite mineralization in a polymetallic deposit (Urup).
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
BaryteBorniteChalcociteChalcopyriteEnargite
GalenaGalliteGermaniteHemusiteLuzonite
MawsonitePyriteRenieriteSphaleriteStephanite
StromeyeriteTennantite Subgroup
Reference:
Spiridonov, E. M., Kachalovskaya, V. M., Kovachev, V. V. & Krapiva, L. Ya. (1992): Germanocolusite Cu26V2(Ge,As)6S32: A new mineral. - Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta, Seriya 4, Geologiya, 1992(6), 50-54 (in Russian).

Synonyms of GermanocolusiteHide

Other Language Names for GermanocolusiteHide

Relationship of Germanocolusite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Germanite Group
Other Members of Germanite Group:
ChatkaliteCu6FeSn2S8Tet. 4 2m : P4m2
ColusiteCu13VAs3S16Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
GermaniteCu13Fe2Ge2S16Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
MaikainiteCu20(Fe,Cu)6Mo2Ge6S32Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m)
NekrasoviteCu26V2(Sn,As,Sb)6S32Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
Ovamboite Cu20(Fe,Cu,Zn)6W2Ge6S32Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
Renierite(Cu1+,Zn)11Fe4(Ge4+,As5+)2S16Tet. 4 2m : P4 2c
StibiocolusiteCu13V(Sb,Sn,As)3S16Iso. 4 3m : P4 3m

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
3 photos of Germanocolusite associated with Wurtzite(Zn,Fe)S
1 photo of Germanocolusite associated with SphaleriteZnS
1 photo of Germanocolusite associated with Wurtzite-4HZnS

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

2.CB.RichardsiteZn2CuGaS4Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.OkruginiteCu2SnSe3Mon. m : Bb
2.CB.HanswilkeiteKFeS2Mon. 2/m : B2/b
2.CB.AuroselenideAuSeMon. 2/m : B2/m
2.CB.Ruizhongite(Ag2◻)Pb3Ge2S8Iso. 4 3m : I4 3d
2.CB.AgmantiniteAg2MnSnS4Orth.
2.CB.TolstykhiteAu3S4Te6Tric. 1 : P1
2.CB.GachingiteAu(Te1-xSex)Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.05aHawleyiteCdSIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05UM1998-15-S:CuFeZnCu2Fe3Zn5S10
2.CB.05aColoradoiteHgTeIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05aMetacinnabarHgSIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05aTiemanniteHgSeIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05aSphaleriteZnSIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05bSakuraiite(Cu,Zn,Fe)3(In,Sn)S4 Iso.
2.CB.05cPolhemusite(Zn,Hg)STet.
2.CB.05aRudashevskyite(Fe,Zn)SIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05aStilleiteZnSeIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.05aIshiharaite(Cu,Ga,Fe,In,Zn)SIso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.07aUnnamed (Cu-Mn-Sn Sulphide)Cu2MnSnS4
2.CB.07aShenzhuangiteNiFeS2Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10bTalnakhiteCu9(Fe,Ni)8S16Iso. 4 3m : I4 3m
2.CB.10bHaycockiteCu4Fe5S8Orth. 2 2 2
2.CB.10aLenaiteAgFeS2Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10aGalliteCuGaS2Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10aRoquesiteCuInS2Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10aEskeborniteCuFeSe2Tet. 4 2m : P4 2c
2.CB.10aUM1984-30-S:CuFeSnCu2Fe2Sn3S7
2.CB.10cOmariniiteCu8Fe2ZnGe2S12Orth. 2 2 2 : I2 2 2
2.CB.10aChalcopyriteCuFeS2Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10aUnnamed (Cu-Zn-In Sulphide)CuZn2InS4
2.CB.10bMooihoekiteCu9Fe9S16Tet. 4 2m : P4 2m
2.CB.10aLaforêtiteAgInS2Tet. 4 2m : I4 2d
2.CB.10bPutoraniteCu1.1Fe1.2S2Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Pn3m
2.CB.15aVelikiteCu2HgSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15cUM2006-11-S:CuFeGeZnCu8(Fe,Zn)3Ge2S12 (?)
2.CB.15aHocartiteAg2(Fe2+,Zn)SnS4Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.15aKësteriteCu2ZnSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15aPirquitasiteAg2ZnSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15aStanniteCu2FeSnS4Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.15cStannoiditeCu+6Cu2+2(Fe2+,Zn)3Sn2S12Orth. 2 2 2 : I2 2 2
2.CB.15bMohiteCu2SnS3Mon.
2.CB.15aČernýiteCu2(Cd,Zn,Fe)SnS4Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.15aIdaiteCu5FeS6Hex.
2.CB.15aFerrokësteriteCu2FeSnS4Tet. 4 : I4
2.CB.15aKuramiteCu3SnS4Tet. 4 2m : I4 2m
2.CB.17a vArsenic-bearing RenieriteCu11GeAsFe4S16
2.CB.20MawsoniteCu6Fe2SnS8Tet. 4 2m : P4m2
2.CB.20ChatkaliteCu6FeSn2S8Tet. 4 2m : P4m2
2.CB.30FrieseiteAg2Fe5S8 (?)
2.CB.30NekrasoviteCu26V2(Sn,As,Sb)6S32Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.30Argyropyritenear Ag2Fe7S11
2.CB.30MaikainiteCu20(Fe,Cu)6Mo2Ge6S32Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m)
2.CB.30ColusiteCu13VAs3S16Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.30GermaniteCu13Fe2Ge2S16Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.30StibiocolusiteCu13V(Sb,Sn,As)3S16Iso. 4 3m : P4 3m
2.CB.30Ovamboite Cu20(Fe,Cu,Zn)6W2Ge6S32Iso. 4 3m : P4 3n
2.CB.35aMorozeviczite(Pb,Fe)3Ge1-xS4Iso.
2.CB.35aRenierite(Cu1+,Zn)11Fe4(Ge4+,As5+)2S16Tet. 4 2m : P4 2c
2.CB.35aHemusiteCu6SnMoS8Iso.
2.CB.35bCatamarcaiteCu6GeWS8Hex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.35aVincienniteCu+7Cu2+3Fe2+2Fe3+2Sn(As,Sb)S16Tet.
2.CB.35aKiddcreekiteCu6SnWS8Iso. 4 3m : F4 3m
2.CB.35aPolkovicite(Fe,Pb)3(Ge,Fe)1-xS4Iso.
2.CB.40LautiteCuAsSOrth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma
2.CB.42LingbaoiteAgTe3Trig. 3m : R3m
2.CB.45CadmoseliteCdSeHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45RambergiteMnSHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45Buseckite(Fe,Zn,Mn)SHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45MaletoyvayamiteAu3Se4Te6Tric. 1 : P1
2.CB.45GreenockiteCdSHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.45Wurtzite(Zn,Fe)SHex. 6mm : P63mc
2.CB.47MurchisiteCr5S6Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3 1c
2.CB.50ZincselenideZnSe
2.CB.50WassoniteTiSTrig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
2.CB.52DzhezkazganiteReMoCu2PbS6 ?Trig. 3m : R3m
2.CB.55bIsocubaniteCuFe2S3Iso. m3m (4/m 3 2/m) : Fm3m
2.CB.55aCubaniteCuFe2S3Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.60RaguiniteTlFeS2Orth.
2.CB.60PicotpauliteTlFe2S3Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Cmcm
2.CB.65ArgentopyriteAgFe2S3Mon. 2/m
2.CB.65SternbergiteAgFe2S3Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.70SulvaniteCu3VS4Iso. 4 3m : P4 3m
2.CB.75VulcaniteCuTeOrth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.80EmpressiteAgTeOrth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
2.CB.85MuthmanniteAuAgTe2Mon. 2/m : P2/m

Other InformationHide

Notes:
Unaffected by standard chemical reagents.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for GermanocolusiteHide

References for GermanocolusiteHide

Localities for GermanocolusiteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Bulgaria
 
  • Pazardzhik Province
Sahlström et al. (2017)
DR Congo
 
  • Haut-Katanga
    • Kipushi Territory
      • Kipushi
webcenter.ru (2003) +2 other references
Kazakhstan (TL)
 
  • Pavlodar Region
    • Bayanaul District
Spiridonov et al. (1992) +2 other references
Namibia
 
  • Oshikoto Region
    • Tsumeb
Pekov (1998) +1 other reference
Russia
 
  • Buryatia
    • Severo-Baykalsky District
      • Dovyren Highlands
        • Yoko-Dovyrensky Massif
Spiridonov et al. (2019, April)
  • Chelyabinsk Oblast
    • Verkhneuralsky District
Belogub et al. (2005)
  • Karachay-Cherkessia
Spiridonov et al. (1992) +2 other references
Tanzania
 
  • Manyara Region
    • Simanjiro District
      • Lelatema Mountains
Bindi +2 other references
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