Gypsum and anhydrite
The Ca sulphates gypsum and anhydrite are free for mining in Austria. They are mined at seven production sites in surface and underground extraction in Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria and Tyrol. With a production volume of 900,217 tonnes annually in 2019, Austria ranges among the 25 biggest producer countries worldwide.
Due to their favourable physical properties for construction, for example fire resistance and insulation, gypsum and anhydrite are preferred construction minerals. In Austria, natural gypsum provides the basis for the production of gypsum plaster boards as well as of ready-mixed mortar and building plasters. Anhydrite is mainly used as setting regulation agent in cement or in concrete production as well as for floating screeds.
The current production data for Austria and the world can be found in the Austrian Montan-Handbuch and in the international statistics on raw materials, WORLD MINING DATA.