Big germanium deposit found in Siberia

A unique, in its size, deposit of germanium was found in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory (Siberia) near the taiga village of Yartsevo.

Head of the geological party Andrei Ozersky reported that the prospecting work on the swampy soil in the region started when the first frosts began and the ground hardened. Impregnation of this rare metal was discovered in the soil lifted to the surface from the first well 100 metres deep. This metal is intensively used, for instance, for the preparation of modern communications means, and is comparable with gold as for its cost on the world market.

Ozersky also told journalists that over the past 10 years germanium was not extracted in Russia. Now, there is a possibility of correcting the mistake and begin exploring the discovered deposit any time to come. According to forecasts the deposit contains several hundred tons of germanium, which will make it possible to fully meet the requirements of the country's domestic market.