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were built, powered by water wheels leading to bellows, encouraging further settlement. On the mountain, black powder, the earliest known chemical explosive, was tried in 1720 and in 1870, dynamite. In 1876, electrical cables (or fuses) were used to connect to the blasting cap. Boreholes to house the explosive material were dug manually. From 1906, carbide acetylene lamps and percussion drills were used, powered by compressed air in pipelines. Hydraulic drill rigs are the current technology.
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Underground mining began in the 16th century using hammer and pick, on the orders of the
Austrian emperor. The upper part was mined by the townsfolk of Vordernberg and the lower by the more local people of Innerberg (former name of Eisenerz). In the valley of Eisenerz and Vordernberg Radwerke forges
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Ore production increased in the 20th century. Mine trucks appeared in 1951, replacing carts and rails by 1963, except for transport outside the mine to blast furnaces. Eventually a loading station was built down slope in the valley. Technological advances including automation and remote control of
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The process of turning ore into iron was tough in the first few centuries. Ore was carried out manually and taken to the valley
Radwerke using primitive sleighs, Sackzug, with women assisting, before horses and carts were available. From 1810 to 1870 the shafts and tunnels were equipped with rails
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Iron has been mined at
Erzberg for more than 1,300 years.The Oswaldikirche Catholic church in the mining town of Eisenerz, adjoining the site, had a document that predated this back to 712AD, although this is unconfirmed Initially, surface mining took place. Limonite was found close to the surface
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The tunnels may still be visited by a tourist train. Ore is shipped in two directions, to
Voestalpine AG, based in Linz, and south to Donawitz, a smelter with plans to be based on renewable energy by 2027. The mine is believed to have adequate iron ore for several decades.
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operations led to major job losses and the contraction of the mine workforce. Nonetheless, wooden and then brick dormitories were built to house the workforce. The funicular railway, the "Hugo-Stinnes Aufzug", transported workers more quickly to the mine site from town.
233:. The deposit lies at the Northern fringes of the Eastern greywacke zone, a band of Paleozoic metamorphosed sedimentary rocks that run east-west through the Austrian Alps, rich in copper and iron ore. Erzberg is the largest
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Underground mining was replaced by open pit terraces from 1890. The mine is a multi-level, terraced open-pit, gradually eating into an iron-rich mountain that was once mined via the tunnels and galleries.
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and was mined in the 12th century, with exploitation rights accorded by territorial rulers. It was smelted in small forges near the pits and miners had little more than subsistence livelihoods.
241:, having estimated reserves of 235 million tonnes of ore. The mine produces around 3.2 million tonnes of pure iron ore per year. It is also the site of the annual
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and miners' carts, although the routes changed according to new digs.
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430:"Green electricity for future steel production in Donawitz"
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Different layers of the mountain being mined for ore
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402:"Historical Mountain :: Abenteuer Erzberg"
388:"Historical Mountain :: Abenteuer Erzberg"
374:"Historical Mountain :: Abenteuer Erzberg"
360:"Historical Mountain :: Abenteuer Erzberg"
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229:and 260 km south-west of the capital,
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444:Northwest side of Erzberg and the town
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341:. US Geological Survey (USGS). 2010
544:Buildings and structures in Styria
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221:, in the central-western part of
16:Mine in Eisenerz, Styria, Austria
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416:"Home :: Abenteuer Erzberg"
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310:. brgm.fr. 2010. Archived from
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308:"Austrian site: Erzberg mine"
482:. You can help Knowledge by
336:"Mining Industry in Austria"
245:hard enduro motorbike race.
225:, 60 km north-west of
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554:Styria geography stubs
478:location article is a
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529:Iron mines in Austria
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126:47.52500°N 14.91167°E
432:. 20 September 2023.
160:2,153,000 tonnes of
539:Geography of Styria
122: /
64:Location in Austria
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343:. Retrieved
316:. Retrieved
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237:reserves in
207:Erzberg mine
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58:Erzberg mine
20:Erzberg mine
209:is a large
198:Voestalpine
129: /
117:014°54′42″E
105:Coordinates
523:Categories
345:2010-09-06
318:2010-09-06
294:References
157:Production
142:Production
114:47°31′30″N
446:Eisenerz
235:iron ore
215:Eisenerz
211:open-pit
162:iron ore
151:Iron ore
147:Products
77:Eisenerz
73:Location
34:Location
249:History
239:Austria
223:Austria
194:Company
176:History
99:Austria
95:Country
476:Styria
231:Vienna
219:Styria
181:Opened
89:Styria
474:This
339:(PDF)
189:Owner
480:stub
227:Graz
205:The
171:2008
84:Town
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