Eisenerz - Ore Mountain Styrian Erzberg

The main feature of interest in Eisernerz is the Erzberg ("Ore Mountain", 1,466m/4,810ft), the largest deposit of spathic iron in Europe. There are step-like opencast workings. The Romans are thought to have mined here; in any case, it is certain that the mines were worked in the 12th century. The present annual output is about 3.5 million tons of spathic ore (siderite) with a 33% iron content.

Today the ore is no longer smelted in Eisernerz and Vordernberg but is taken to modern blast furnaces in Donauwitz and Linz. There are good general views of the workings from the Schichtturm, from the viewpoint at the Krumpenthal railroad halt and from the Polster (see below). There is a mine open to the public where visitors can see the conditions under which men worked underground in days gone by. Conducted tours are organized for individual visitors twice daily from May to October, starting from the lower station of the old mine cableway.