Austria
Austria was the eighth-ranked producer of tungsten
Pictured: wolframite (tungsten ore)
Statistics and information on the mining industry in Austria.
Overview
In 2024, Austria was the world’s second-ranked producer of fused aluminum oxide (a manufactured abrasive) accounting for 7% of world production, sixth-ranked producer of magnesium compounds accounting for 3% of world production (not including United States production), and eighth-ranked producer of tungsten accounting for 1% of world production. Other metallic mineral commodities produced in the country included aluminum, copper, ferroalloys, iron ore, pig iron, lead, raw steel and steel products, and zinc. Industrial minerals produced included cement, clay, feldspar, graphite, gypsum, lime, mica, nitrogen, salt, sand and gravel, stone, sulfur, and talc. Mining and quarrying contributed \$2.5 billion to Austria’s total output in 2023 (the latest year for which detailed data were available), amounting for about 0.5% of the country’s \$517 billion gross domestic product. In 2024, Austria’s leading mineral-related exports were those of iron and steel (\$8.7 billion), which were exported to Czechia, Germany, and Italy.
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Austria is provided by the Mineral Resources Act (Mineralrohstoffgesetz–MinroG) as published in Federal Law Gazette No. 38/1999, and its 16 amendments. Most mineral commodities were produced by privately owned companies. The Federal Ministry of Finance oversees the mining industry and issues permits for extraction of raw materials.
Imerys S.A. produced fused aluminum oxide in Villach for abrasives and for the refractory market. PRONAT Steinbruch Preg GmbH mined magnesite in the State of Steiermark. STYROMAG-Steirische Magnesitindustrie GmbH and Veitsch-Radex GmbH & Co OG mined and subsequently processed magnesium compounds (magnesite) for use in the refractory industry. Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG produced tungsten concentrates from scheelite ore in Mitterstill, which it in part used to produce tungsten powders at its plant in Sankt Martin.
2024 Report
Full data release with tables here.
In 2024, Austria was the world’s second-ranked producer of fused aluminum oxide accounting for 7% of world production, sixth-ranked producer of magnesium compounds accounting for 3% of world production (not including United States production), and eighth-ranked producer of tungsten accounting for 1% of world production. Other metallic mineral commodities produced in the country included aluminum, copper, ferroalloys, iron ore, pig iron, lead, raw steel and steel products, and zinc. Industrial minerals produced included cement, clay, feldspar, graphite, gypsum, lime, mica, nitrogen, salt, sand and gravel, stone, sulfur, and talc. Mining and quarrying contributed \$2.5 billion to Austria’s total output in 2023 (the latest year for which detailed data were available), amounting to about 0.5% of the country’s \$517 billion gross domestic product (GDP). In 2024, Austria’s leading mineral-related exports were those of iron and steel (\$8.7 billion), which were mainly exported to Czechia, Germany, and Italy. Austria exported nearly 170,000 metric tons (t) of articles of iron and steel and 104,000 t of iron and steel to the United States (Austrian Institute of Economic Research WIFO Economic Data Service, 2025; Trade Data Monitor LLC, 2025; World Bank Group, The, 2025; Londono, 2026; Olson, 2026; Saloum, 2026).
The legislative framework for the mineral sector in Austria is provided by the Mineral Resources Act (Mineralrohstoffgesetz–MinroG) as published in Federal Law Gazette No. 38/1999, and its 16 amendments. Most mineral commodities were produced by privately owned companies. The Federal Ministry of Finance oversees the mining industry and issues permits for extraction of raw materials. The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Europe and Central Eurasia, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/europ… (Federal Ministry of Finance, undated a, b).
Commodity Review
Abrasives.—At its plant in Villach, Imerys S.A. produced around 90,000 metric tons per year of fused aluminum oxide for abrasives and the refractory market. It exported 20,395 t of aluminum oxide mainly to Bulgaria, Germany, and Italy in 2024 (Facilities table; Trade Data Monitor, 2025; Imerys S.A., undated).
Magnesium Compounds.—STYROMAG-Steirische Magnesitindustrie GmbH and Veitsch-Radex GmbH & Co OG (wholly-owned by RHI Magnesita GmbH) mined and subsequently processed magnesium compounds (magnesite) for use in the refractory industry. PRONAT Steinbruch Preg GmbH (wholly owned by Schotter und Betonwerk Karl Schwarzl Betriebs GmbH mined magnesite in the State of Steiermark. In 2024, the country produced an estimated 664,000 t of magnesite and exported 528 t, mainly to Czechia, Germany, and Slovakia (Facilities table; Production table; Trade Data Monitor LLC, 2025; RHI Magnesita GmbH, undated; STYROMAG Steirische Magnesitindustrie GmbH, undated).
Tungsten.—Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG (wholly owned by Sandvik AB) produced tungsten concentrates from scheelite ore in Mitterstill, which it in part used to produce tungsten powders (tungsten metal, tungsten carbide) at its plant in Sankt Martin. These powders were used in manufacturing high-tech components in part for the automotive and aerospace industries. Austria produced an estimated 835 t of tungsten concentrate (W content) in 2024 and imported about 2,130 t of tungsten and articles thereof. In 2024, based on mirrored trade data, Austria exported approximately 1,800 t of tungsten and articles thereof (Facilities table; Production table; Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG, 2025a, b; Trade Data Monitor LLC, 2025).
Production table
(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)
| Commodity | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum, secondary, metal | 404,800 | 442,300 | 442,000 | 425,800 | 425,000 |
| Cement, hydraulic | 5,404,367 | 5,623,758 | 5,433,926 | 4,726,459 | 4,700,000e |
| Clays, unspecified, including bentonite, brick clay, and illite | 2,045,863 | 1,965,490 | 1,522,371 | 1,073,255 | 1,000,000e |
| Clinker | 3,522,299 | 3,662,612 | 3,560,071 | 3,075,996 | 3,000,000e |
| Copper, refinery, secondary, Cu content | 132,019 | 133,481 | 107,862 | 100,486 | 125,200 |
| Copper, smelter, secondary, Cu content | 75,412 | 75,370 | 85,658 | 79,000e | 99,000e |
| Feldspar, mine, byproduct of silica processing | 35,000e | 35,000e | 35,000e | 35,000e | 35,000e |
| Ferroalloys, ferromolybdenum | 2,200e | 2,100e | 1,500e | 1,700e | 3,200e |
| Ferroalloys, ferronickel, including ferronickel molybdenum | 2,300e1 | 1,800e1 | 1,800e1 | 2,000e1 | 2,000e1 |
| Ferroalloys, ferronickel, including ferronickel molybdenum, Ni content | 900e | 700e | 700e | 800e | 800e |
| Ferroalloys, ferrovanadium | 6,880e | 6,880e | 6,880e | 6,880e | 6,880e |
| Graphite, crude | 100e | 200e | 300e | 300e | 300e |
| Gypsum, crude, including anhydrite | 901,619 | 900,374 | 876,075 | 702,581 | 700,000e |
| Iron ore, mine, including micaceous iron oxide | 3,043,237 | 3,311,102 | 3,236,767 | 3,201,000 | 3,200,000e |
| Iron ore, mine, including micaceous iron oxide, Fe content | 843,000 | 917,000 | 897,000 | 887,000 | 885,000 |
| Kaolin, crude | 13,500e | 13,500e | 13,500e | 13,500e | 13,500e |
| Lead, refinery, secondary | 27,000e | 27,000e | 27,000e | 27,000e | 27,000e |
| Lime, including quicklime | 867,384 | 993,542 | 958,549 | 905,665 | 900,000e |
| Magnesite | 816,370 | 844,226 | 771,043 | 669,400 | 664,000e |
| Mica | 3,400e | 5,200e | 5,000e | 4,300e | 4,000e |
| Nitrogen, ammonia, Ni content | 424,000 | 434,000 | 376,000 | 407,808 | 400,000e |
| Pig iron | 5,322,050 | 6,144,055 | 5,803,213 | 5,498,109 | 5,548,358 |
| Raw steel | 6,765,000 | 7,884,000 | 7,512,242 | 7,133,129 | 7,129,872 |
| Salt, brine | 1,010,000 | 1,113,000 | 988,468 | 1,158,271 | 1,150,000e |
| Sand and gravel, construction, unspecified | 29,439,450 | 32,177,816 | 31,085,910 | 27,589,806 | 30,000,000e |
| Sand and gravel, industrial, quartz | 1,092,997 | 992,714 | 854,937 | 719,593 | 700,000e |
| Steel products, semimanufactured, hot-rolled | 6,197,000 | 7,036,000 | 6,622,000 | 6,717,000 | 6,700,000e |
| Stone, crushed, amphibolite | 1,798,282 | 1,911,465 | 1,755,898 | 1,716,428 | 1,700,000e |
| Stone, crushed, basalt, not included in diabase | 2,273,827 | 2,423,153 | 2,058,552 | 2,239,269 | 2,200,000e |
| Stone, crushed, diabase, of basaltic rocks | 1,544,541 | 1,721,413 | 1,595,556 | 1,430,346 | 1,400,000e |
| Stone, crushed, dolomite | 4,132,414 | 4,733,471 | 4,519,752 | 4,122,452 | 4,100,000e |
| Stone, crushed, gneiss | 1,365,760 | 1,458,933 | 1,626,046 | 1,768,714 | 1,800,000e |
| Stone, crushed, granite, including granulite | 2,683,963 | 3,147,105 | 3,282,275 | 3,275,483 | 3,300,000e |
| Stone, crushed, limestone, including marble | 14,932,887 | 15,411,775 | 21,419,023 | 19,539,221 | 20,000,000e |
| Stone, crushed, marl | 1,097,862 | 1,258,578 | 1,320,632 | 1,200,396 | 1,200,000e |
| Stone, crushed, other, including conglomerate and sandstone | 22,160 | 30,642 | 54,483 | 38,251 | 40,000e |
| Stone, crushed, other, quartz and quartzite, including pegmatite | 774,997 | 796,856 | 735,909 | 572,072 | 600,000e |
| Stone, crushed, serpentine | 1,358,140 | 1,395,708 | 1,466,266 | 1,233,962 | 1,200,000e |
| Sulfur, byproduct, natural gas and petroleum, S content | 6,564 | 4,755 | 4,672 | 4,400 | 4,000e |
| Talc and related materials, including leucophyllite, white mica | 123,000 | 157,493 | 157,047 | 138,621 | 140,000e |
| Tungsten, mine, concentrates | 3,932 | 3,898 | 4,032 | 3,567 | 3,630e |
| Tungsten, mine, concentrates, W content | 896 | 919 | 910 | 819 | 835e |
| Tungsten, mine, ore | 549,518 | 563,207 | 575,219 | 532,246 | 550,000e |
References Cited
- Austrian Institute of Economic Research WIFO Economic Data Service, 2025, Industry—Table 6.9 output value, physical production: Vienna, Austria, Austria Institute of Economic Research WIFO Economic Data Service. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://www.wifo.ac.at/en/research/wifo-economic-data-service/.)
- Federal Ministry of Finance, [undated]a, Mineralrohstoffgesetz (MinroG) [Mineral Resources Act (MinroG)]: Vienna, Austria, Federal Ministry of Finance. (Accessed on November 10, 2025, at https://www.bmf.gv.at/themen/bergbau/rechtsangelegenheiten-im-bergbau/m….) [In German.]
- Federal Ministry of Finance, [undated]b, Mining: Vienna, Austria, Federal Ministry of Finance. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://www.bmf.gv.at/en/topics/mining.html.)
- Imerys S.A., [undated], Imerys in Österreich [Imerys in Austria]: Paris, France, Imerys S.A. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://www.imerys.com/de/osterreich.) [In German.]
- Londono, Vanessa, 2026, Magnesium compounds: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 120–121.
- Olson, D.W., 2026, Abrasives (manufactured): U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 38–39.
- RHI Magnesita GmbH, [undated], Entfache deine Karriere bei RHI Magnesita [Ignite your career at RHI]: Vienna, Austria, RHI Magnesita GmbH. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://rhimagnesita.jobs/de/austria/.) [In German.]
- Saloum, S.H., 2026, Tungsten: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 190–191.
- STYROMAG Steirische Magnesitindustrie GmbH, [undated], Production—Bergbau [Production—Mining]: St. Katharein, Austria, STYROMAG Steirische Magnesitindustrie GmbH. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://www.styromag.at/de/produktion/bergbau/.) [In German.]
- Trade Data Monitor LLC, 2025, Trade Data Monitor database: Charleston, South Carolina, Trade Data Monitor LLC. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://tradedatamonitor.com/.)
- World Bank Group, The, 2025, GDP (current US$)—Austria: Washington, DC, The World Bank Group. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?locations=AT.)
- Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG, 2025a, Products: Sankt Martin, Austria, Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://www.wolfram.at/en/products/.)
- Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG, 2025b, The Mittersill Mine: Sankt Martin, Austria, Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG. (Accessed December 23, 2025, at https://www.wolfram.at/en/raw-materials/the-mittersill-mine/.)
Publications
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Tables: 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017-18 | 2019 | 2020-21 Tables-only release | 2022 Tables-only release | 2024