New metal rich mixed nickel-silicon and nickel-germanium chalcogenides, Ni 5.68 SiSe 2 , Ni 5.46 GeSe 2 , and Ni 5.42 GeTe 2 , were synthesized by high temperature ceramic techniques. The X ray diffraction study of single crystals grown from a molten flux revealed that the compounds are isostructural and crystallize in the tetragonal system (space group I4/mmm, Z = 2). These compounds are the first members of the family of M 7-δ EX 2 type (M = Ni or Pd; E = Sn or Sb; X is chalcogen) intergrowth structures containing "light" p elements E. Resistivity measure ments on pressed textured pellets showed that both selenides are anisotropic metallic conduc tors in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the heterometallic bond systems. The geometric criteria of stability of the intergrowth structure type under consideration are dis cussed.One of the structure types, in which metal rich mixed chalcogenides containing low dimensional infinite bond systems between transition and main group metals can crystallize, includes compounds of the general formula M 7-δ EX 2 , where M is a transition metal, E is a main group metal, and X is a chalcogen. The crystallographic data for the following representatives of this structure type were published so far: Ni 5.72(3) SbSe 2 , Ni 5.66(2) SbTe 2 , 1 Ni 5.98(3) SnS 2 , 2 Ni 5.62(1) SnSe 2 , Ni 5.78(2) SnTe 2 , 3 and Pd 6.21(1) SnTe 2 . 4All these compounds crystallize in the tetragonal sys tem (space group I4/mmm) and are built of the following two types of 2D slabs, which alternate along the c axis and have an interface consisting of M atoms: heterometallic slabs 2 ∞ [M 3 E] of the slightly distorted Cu 3 Au type and d metal chalcogenide slabs 2 ∞ [M 4-δ X 2 ]. In all known phases, except for Ni 5.98(3) SnS 2 , the latter slabs can be considered as Cu 2 Sb type fragments. In the Ni 5.98(3) SnS 2 compound, the Cu 2 Sb type slabs randomly alternate with the antifluorite type nickel chalcogenide slabs.All known phases of this family are nonstoichiometric with respect to d metal due to the fractional occupation of the M site in d metal chalcogenide slabs. The index 7 in the chemical formulas corresponds to the full occupancy of the site. The above mentioned compositions of the compounds were refined in the course of the crystal struc ture solution and were verified by the energy dispersive * Dedicated to Academician G. A. Abakumov on the occasion of his 70th birthday.