The group VIA elements are called chalcogens because most ores of copper (Greek chalkos) are oxides or sulfides, and such ores contain traces of selenium and tellurium.

Why are they called chalcogens?

-Group-16 elements are also called chalcogens. They are called so because most of the copper ores have copper in the form of oxides and sulphides. They also contain small amounts of selenium and tellurium. The ores of copper are called 'chalcos' in Greek.

What does chalcogen mean?

The chalcogens (ore forming) (/ˈkælkədʒənz/ KAL-kə-jənz) are the chemical elements in group 16 of the periodic table. This group is also known as the oxygen family. It consists of the elements oxygen (O), sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), and the radioactive element polonium (Po).