Where is germanium commonly found in nature?

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Germanium is widely distributed in nature, but because it is highly reactive, it does not occur in its free, elemental state.1

It is found in several rare primary minerals, including:
* Argyrodite
* Germanite
* Renierite
* Canfieldite

Additionally, trace amounts of germanium are found in certain zinc blendes, sulfidic ores of copper and arsenic, and in coals. The presence of the element in coal is believed to be a result of concentration by plants during the Carboniferous Period. Today, some plants continue to concentrate germanium, and commercial sources are often derived from zinc-process concentrates as well as ash and flue dusts from coal-burning facilities.1