tellurides

Tellurides are chemical compounds that contain tellurium, typically bonded with metals to form intermetallic or metal telluride minerals. In mineralogy, telluride minerals are compounds in which tellurium occurs with one or more metals, often producing dense, metallic-looking crystals. They form in a variety of geological environments, but are especially common in hydrothermal ore veins and, in some cases, placer deposits associated with gold and silver. Tellurides tend to accumulate under reducing conditions in which tellurium behaves as Te2− and can be concentrated by late-stage metallurgical processes.

Prominent telluride minerals include calaverite, AuTe2, a primary ore of gold; sylvanite, (Au,Ag)Te4; petzite, Ag3AuTe2; and altaite, PbTe. These minerals occur as discrete grains or in solid solutions with other tellurides and sulfides, and may accompany quartz, pyrite, and other gangue minerals. Some telluride assemblages are economically important because they host native or precious metals and serve as sources of tellurium in refining operations.

Beyond natural minerals, tellurides are studied and utilized in materials science for their electrical and thermoelectric properties. Tellurium-containing semiconductors such as CdTe and HgCdTe are widely used in photovoltaic cells and infrared detectors, illustrating the broader relevance of tellurium chemistry alongside its natural mineralogy.

In geology and inorganic chemistry, tellurides are recognized for their role as ore minerals and as chemically interesting compounds with practical technological applications.