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.
