The Styrian Erzberg

Mining. Science & Research. Sports. These are the keywords you can associate with the Styrian Erzberg.

The Erzberg is the biggest open pit mining area in Central Europe, the most important ore deposit in the Alps, symbol of industrialization and it is the central part of the “Eisenstraße”. For more than 1.300 years people have been mining on this mountain and it got its current shape in 1890 by the labor of many men and women. Today about 13 million tons of stone are extracted per year by using modern open pit mining techniques. The annual amount of delivered fine ore is 3,3 million tons which is transported exclusively to the main customers Voestalpine Stahl Leoben-Donawitz GmbH & Co KG, and voestalpine AG with their headquarters in Linz. Due to investments, technical innovations, and a very high-quality product mining is going to continue at the Erzberg for another few decades. Furthermore, the mining company VA Erzberg has established itself as a global player in the network of innovative companies by making successful cooperation with, for instance, the Montan-University Leoben and the research project “Zentrum am Berg”.

The Erzberg, a mountain with an exciting presence

The Erzberg and the town of Eisenerz have a very rich history and a unique treasure of natural as well as cultural landscape. Therefore, it is no surprise that the biggest “pyramid” of the world is a magnet for many tourists. But in recent years the mountain has become very interesting for sports as well. Exciting and dramatic scenes of the toughest and most famous offroad motorcycle race of the world – the “Red Bull Erzbergrodeo” – can be seen on TV every year, and they show how the world’s best Hard-Enduro-racers grit their teeth and try to beat the iron mountain. The RED BULL ERZBERGRODEO MAIN RACE, in particular, is an event in a class of its own for participants as well as viewers. Last but not least, the beauty and the uniqueness of the Erzberg are popular motifs in art. Numerous pieces of paintings, photography and film underline this fact.

Factbox
Ore mining at the Erzberg – numbers & facts

•   extracted stone per year: 13 millionen tons
•   annual fine ore production: 3,3 millionen tons
•   annual consumption of explosives: about 1,500 tons
•   meters drilled per year: about 80,000 meters
•   16 dumpers (called: “SLKW”) and 7 wheel loaders are in operation 24 hours a day, and 7 days per week

The Styrian Erzberg is unique on our planet, and it belongs to the TOP 5 tourist destinations in Styria. Its incredible shape on the surface, the exciting and interesting underground tour in the Show Mine, as well as the adventurous trip with the biggest yellow cab of the world, the 1.217 HP powered Hauly, is definitely taking your breath away. The Profitcenter Abenteuer Erzberg lets visitors from all around the world experience authentic ore mining firsthand, thereby uniting history and presence, as well as showing future prospects. Guests are able to explore modern open-pit mining, thus getting insights into the every-day lives of the miners. Abenteuer Erzberg firsthand: For visitors the adventure „Abenteuer Erzberg“ starts in the entrance hall of the “Talstation”, a historical building. It is the starting point for an incredible trip into the biggest open-pit mining area of Central Europe. Even when entering the hall, people can see the very fast development in mining: the “Talstation” was the bottom station of an inclined elevator, called “Hugo-Stinnes-Aufzug”, which took thousands of miners to their workplace or to their houses on the Erzberg, and which also took visitors to the top station “Berghaus” (1,220 meters above sea-level) from 1924 to 1965, when the inclined elevator eventually was shut down. The bottom station was later rebuilt to meet touristic requirements, but without losing its former functional shape. Modernized and adapted for tourism, the building serves as reception hall today. This reception hall has several offers for guests: in the “Haulyrestaurant” delicious meals and drinks are served, the “Haulyshop” offers numerous souvenirs, and the “Vernissage Erzberg” by Dr. August Zöbl can be gazed at without charge. Additionally, souvenir pictures of the guests are taken which can be purchased.

Hauly Adventure Trip

Visitors go up the level of the Erzberg by the most powerful and biggest yellow cab of the world – the so-called “Hauly” – which is a modified 1.217-HP dumper with seats and a viewing platform. During the one-hour trip visitors are able to watch dumpers and wheel loaders in operation, thereby experiencing modern open-pit mining at its best. Furthermore, visitors get interesting facts about open-pit mining and the work of the miners, and they get to know the landscape and regional culture of the area.

Live-Blast

On Thursdays visitors get the opportunity to experience mining extremely close, as they are directly taken to the place by the Hauly, where they can watch a real live blast. There they can see how about 80.000 tons of ore and stone are blasted out of the solid mountain. The guest-relations-manager is happy to answer all of the visitor’s questions. As a souvenir all the guests get a written report of the blast which includes detailed facts and figures. (Abenteuer Erzberg strongly recommends making a reservation for this trip as the demand is very high and there is limited space.)

Schaubergwerk – Show Mine

Under the surface of the Erzberg there lies a hidden maze of tunnels that wants to be explored. The Show Mine trip offers interesting insights into the tough working conditions underground from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Furthermore, visitors can see and hear how this unique mountain
developed geologically, and an old miner tells them the ancient legend of the mystical creature “Wassermann”. But there are several other highlights in the Show Mine: guests are eyewitnesses of an audiovisual dynamite blast, and children – as well as adults – can try out some of the miners’ old tools and machines.

Opened daily from May, 1st to October, 31st , Visitor center : daily open 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m.

Daily in all weathers (except snowfall) between 8:30 a.m and 3:00 p.m.

Reservation strongly recommended as there is limited space on the offered tours.

Contact: Abenteuer Erzberg, Erzberg 1, 8790 Eisenerz, Tel: +43 3848 3200 │

E-Mail: info@abenteuer-erzberg.at
www.abenteuer-erzberg.at

Important Information

Near the entrance hall of the “Talstation” there is a huge parking lot for visitors of Abenteuer Erzberg (no charge!).

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VISIT.

ABENTEUER ERZBERG