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Austria Mining and Minerals
Austria has unusually diverse mineral resources for a small
country. It is the world's largest producer of magnesite. There
are also significant deposits of lignite and iron ore and smaller
deposits of wolfram, antimony, gypsum, graphite (lower grade),
dolomite, talcum, kaolin, quartz, and salt. Minerals are found
throughout the country, but most significant deposits are in
Styria or in northeastern Austria.
Mineral production accounted for only about 2 percent of GDP
in 1990, having declined steadily in economic importance since
World War II. However, it remains a significant source of income
and employment in certain mountainous areas and in 1991 consisted
of 109 firms employing about 6,700 persons. The principal mineral
products in 1990 were lignite (2.4 million tons), iron and
manganese (2.3 million tons), magnesite (2.0 million tons),
gypsum (753,000 tons), and kaolin (474,000 tons).
Data as of December 1993
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