Abstract Cretaceous sandstones occur mainly in the north and NE of Germany. Some of them have been quarried for more than a thousand years and they have been transported to other regions, even abroad, from as early as medieval times. These are the Elbe Sandstones in Saxony, the Wealden Sandstones and the Bentheimer Sandstone in Lower Saxony and the Baumberger Sandstone in North Rhein-Westfalia. All of these are still quarried, and all can be used as building stone as well as for sculptures. They are introduced with their special features and their use over the centuries.

Abstract Some sediment-hosted base metal deposits, specifically, the clastic-dominated Zn-Pb deposits, carbonatehosted Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits, sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper deposits, and carbonate-hosted polymetallic (“Kipushi-type”) deposits, are or have been important sources of critical elements including Co, Ga, Ge, PGEs, and Re. Cobalt is noted in only a few clastic-dominated and MVT deposits, whereas sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper deposits are major producers. Gallium occurs in sphalerite from clastic-dominated and MVT deposits. Little is reported of germanium in clastic-dominated deposits; it is more commonly noted in MVT deposits (up to 4,900 ppm within sphalerite) and has been produced from carbonate-hosted polymetallic deposits (Kipushi, Tsumeb). Indium is known to be elevated in sphalerite and zinc concentrates from some MVT and clastic-dominated deposits, produced from Rammelsberg and reported from Sullivan, Red Dog, Tri-State, Viburnum Trend, Lisheen, San Vincente, and Shalipayco. Platinum and palladium have been produced from sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper deposits in the Polish Kupferschiefer. Sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform copper deposits in the Chu-Sarysu basin are known to have produced rhenium. Although trace element concentrations in these types of sediment-hosted ores are poorly characterized in general, available data suggest that there may be economically important concentrations of critical elements yet to be recognized.