Carbonate-hosted　Pb–Zn　deposits　frequently　contain　significant　amounts　of　critical　metals　such　as　germanium　in　sphalerite.　However,　the　textural　and　chemical　controls　leading　to　Ge　enrichment　remain　poorly　constrained.　Based　on　textural　observations　and　laser-ablation　(multi-collector)　inductively　coupled　plasma　mass　spectrometry　analysis,　we　investigate　the　origin,　textural　control,　and　incorporation　of　Ge　in　the　Zhulingou　carbonate-hosted　Zn(-Ge)　deposit,　South　China,　which　contains　＞　400t　Ge　at　97.9 ppm.　Two　hydrothermal　stages　(I　and　II)　and　three　textural　types　of　sphalerite　(Sp1,　Sp2,　and　Sp3)　are　recognized　in　stratabound　and　stockwork　Zn(-Ge)　orebodies.　Acicular　colloform　Sp1　formed　in　stage　I,　whereas　euhedral　sector-zoned　Sp3　is　related　to　stage　II.　In　acicular-euhedral　Sp2,　both　Sp1　and　Sp3　are　observed.　A　large　variation　of　Ge　concentrations　is　observed　with　an　average　Ge　of　1013 ppm　in　Sp1,　decreasing　to　621 ppm　in　Sp2　and　to　492 ppm　in　Sp3.　In　the　three　types　of　sphalerite,　Ge　concentrations　are　not　correlated　to　monovalent　cations　(Cu　and　Ag),　indicative　of　unusual　substitution　mechanisms　coupled　to　divalent　cations　such　as　Mn,　Pb,　or　Cd.　Trace　element　distribution,　sulfur,　and　lead　isotopes　suggest　that　the　deeply　circulating　brines　interacted　with　Ge-rich　basement　rocks　and　mixed　with　shallow　biogenic　sulfur:　This　mixing　process　was　certainly　the　main　factor　controlling　the　Ge　endowment.　The　precipitation　of　acicular　sphalerite　was　likely　controlled　by　a　combination　of　specific　fluid　conditions　(i.e.,　low　T　and　pH,　and　rapid　mineral　growth　rate)　and　fluid　mixing.　These　conditions　leading　to　the　formation　of　acicular　sphalerite　were　favorable　for　Ge　enrichment,　compared　to　co-existing　euhedral　grains　generally　less　rich　in　Ge.　©　2022,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.