A brittle, silvery-gray, metallic chemical element, Ge, atomic number 32, atomic weight 72.59, melting point 937.4°C (1719°F), and boiling point 2830°C (5130°F), with properties between silicon and tin. Germanium is distributed widely in the Earth's crust in an abundance of 6.7 parts per million (ppm). Germanium is found as the sulfide or is associated with sulfide ores of other elements, particularly those of copper, zinc, lead, tin, and antimony.