Germanium is a hard, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group with the chemical symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, resembling silicon and tin. Germanium is a brittle, crystalline solid that is a fairly good conductor of electricity. It is somewhat harder than silicon, but softer than tin. Germanium has a high melting point and a low boiling point.