Germanium APEX Mineral

Germanium (Ge #32) is the next element on the periodic table for my APEX mineral collection. 

Wikipedia Germanium

Germanium Minerals - There are only about 10 Germanium minerals.

Germanite (Cu26Fe4Ge4S32) with 9% Germanium is the only practical choice for APEX Mineral.  This only occurs as small inclusions in other minerals.  The redder shiny stuff in the above rock are Gallite inclusions.

Germanium is not produced in any quantity.  Only 100 tons was produced in 2011. 

Germanium was unknown before the 19th century.

Germanium was the primary metal used in the first semiconductors of the 20th century.  However today, Silicon has replaced it.  The primary use for Germanium today is in optics for infrared, low - light or no-light applications. 

Germanium has no known role in biology.