Producing Germanium (Ge)

Ge: Germanium

Winkler (Germany) discovered in 1886.

Abundance: 1.5ppm(in the earth's crust)

React chlorine with baked copper or silver sulfides such as chalcopyrite and/or pyragyrite.

GeCl4

Distillate and dissociate germanium chloride by hydrolysis.

GeCl4 + 2H2O GeO2 + 4HCl

Add sodium chloride to obtained white solid, and heat with pure coal.

Sodium chloride is added to lower the melting point.

GeO2 + NaCl + 2C Ge + 2CO + NaCl