On the occurrence of gallium and germanium in the Bergslagen ore province, Sweden

ABSTRACTThe presence of the critical and sought-after (semi-)metals gallium (Ga) and germanium (Ge) has previously been reported from mineralisations in the Bergslagen ore province, south central Sweden. Some of these reports were however recently shown to be questionable or erroneous. Here we summarise early analytical work on these metals in mineral deposits of the Bergslagen province, as well as briefly report new analytical data for Ga and Ge from recent, in part on-going work on different mineralisation types. The new data show that the sampled sulphide and iron oxide mineralisations in the Bergslagen province are overall not particularly enriched in Ga, and even less so with regards to Ge. One major exception is the significant Ga enrichment observed in skarn-hosted Fe-REE(-polymetallic) deposits of Bastnas type. Notably, these mineralisations also host increased contents of Ge. Based on this broader suite of sampled deposits, the suggested correlation between Ga and Al contents in previously studie...