More sustainable raw materials for Austria

Federal Ministry of Finance

editorial staff

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Mining provides important minerals for the industrial sector and businesses. The latest crises have shown the high importance of a regional supply.

Mining is essential for the supply of our industry and our economy. The valuable minerals are the basis for countless products such as computers, medicine, buildings, roads and more. The current crises in particular have shown how important it is to have a supply of raw materials as close as possible. Without them, many areas of the economy would come to a standstill. There are many arguments in favour of maintaining and expanding mining in Austria. Only in this way can emissions be prevented by means of short transport routes, and compared to many regions of the world, Austria offers significantly higher environmental and occupational health and safety standards.

Open-cast mining has been going on at the Styrian Erzberg since 1820.
© Panthermedia.net / pajche

Ensure supply
Since mineral raw materials are important for covering a large number of basic human needs such as housing, the production of food and medicines, mobility and communication, a sufficient supply of these mineral raw materials must be ensured. They are thus an essential basis for economic activity. But also projects that are particularly important today, such as the green transformation, climate protection and, of course, the supply of the Austrian population with essential items for everyday life, depend on the provision of the necessary raw materials.
In Austria, we are self-sufficient in construction raw materials such as sand and gravel, but there is a threat of shortages due to competing uses of areas.

High dependence on imports
Therefore, we are highly dependent on imports for metals and energy raw materials, which still cover more than half of the final energy consumption in Austria. The Covid pandemic at the beginning of this decade and geopolitical upheavals such as the ongoing war in Ukraine have shown Europe quite clearly how fragile and disruptive raw material supply chains can be. To counteract these dependencies, innovative solutions must be found.

Master Plan Raw Materials 2030
The Master Plan Raw Materials 2030, Austria’s raw materials strategy, specifically addresses these issues. The promotion of domestic extraction, the transition from a linear to a circular economy, an efficient use of resources and automation and digitisation along the entire raw materials value chain will lead to a reduction in Europe’s and Austria’s dependencies and thus secure our prosperity.

Mining as an economic factor
There are about 950 active sand and gravel pits and 350 quarries in Austria. The entire raw material extraction sector employs about 15,000 workers and thus covers the annual demand for mineral raw materials in Austria of 100 million tonnes.

Recycling where possible
Some of these raw materials can be obtained from recycling, especially those raw materials that have already found other applications in the past, such as concrete, iron and copper. However, recycling alone is not enough to cover the demand for these “old” raw materials for energy production. “New” mineral raw materials, such as indium or germanium, which have had no alternative applications so far, cannot yet be reused, as they have not yet entered the raw material cycle.

Andreas Reichhardt, Head of Section VI – “Telecommunications, Post and Mining”
© BML / Paul Gruber

The future of Austrian mining
The future of Austrian mining requires decisive improvements in the framework conditions. Above all, this means accelerated licensing procedures. If we want to ensure sustainable development, it is essential that the goals of the Master Plan Raw Materials 2030 are fully implemented. Future mining, which wants to be a global trailblazer, must be innovative, technologically safe and environmentally friendly.
The change in the natural environment can also have positive consequences for animals and plants. For example, rugged and steep extraction walls in quarries and barren areas in sand and gravel pits are habitats that can hardly be found in the wild anymore. Post-mining landscapes can thus become “survival areas” for endangered animal species, as an environment is created for species that are threatened due to intensive agricultural use and water regulation.
Andreas Reichhardt, Head of Section VI - Telecommunications, Post and Mining at the Federal Ministry of Finance, says: “In Austria we have already proven that this type of mining has become reality and that we have the potential to play a pioneering role in Europe. By consistently pursuing the goals we have set ourselves, we can ensure that mining in Austria continues to play a central role in the supply of raw materials while at the same time meeting the highest standards for people and the environment.”