Extraction, processing and refinement of quartz, kaolin and feldspar for industry – for over 130 years.
Quarzwerke Österreich GmbH
Melk · St. Georgen an der GusenNew on Amplifa
About Quarzwerke Österreich
Quarzwerke Österreich GmbH is a significant producer of mineral raw materials focusing on the extraction, processing and refinement of industrial minerals, in particular quartz, kaolin and feldspar. As an independent family-owned company, the company combines high-quality raw material deposits with modern, quality-assured processing technology. The products – including quartz sand as moist and dry sand, quartz flour, quartz gravel as well as low-iron feldspars – are washed multiple times, classified by screening, dried and refined in iron-free milling processes. Fields of application are in particular the glass, construction, construction chemistry and foundry industries, water treatment as well as sports, leisure and home improvement store products. For foundries, individual particle size distribution design and COMIN®-coated foundry sands for shell molding and core applications are offered; through the subsidiary Min2C GmbH, natural stone gravel and chippings for construction and garden markets are additionally packed. Main sites are the processing and bagging plants in Melk and St. Georgen an der Gusen; the entire production process, from extraction to delivery, is subject to continuous quality monitoring.
- Site
- Melk
- Processes
- Extraction, processing and refinement of industrial minerals (quartz, kaolin, feldspar), Multiple washing of quartz sand (wet-mechanical), Classification by screening technology (wet-mechanical), Drying of quartz sand (drying and screening plants), Iron-free milling processes (quartz flour production), Production of COMIN® coated foundry sands for shell molding processes (resin systems, solid and, Individual particle size distribution design for foundry sands (core manufacturing), Quartz sands for mold manufacturing in foundries
- Materials
- Quartz (silicon dioxide, SiO2), Quartz sand, Quartz flour (milled), Quartz gravel, Feldspar (potassium feldspar, sodium feldspar, mixed feldspars, low-iron), Kaolin, Colorit quartz (pigmented quartz sand), Gravel/chippings (natural stones)
- Founded
- 1890
- Industries
- Glass industry, Construction chemistry, Construction industry, Foundry industry, Water treatment/well construction, Sports and leisure
- 01
Extraction (open-pit mining in own deposits)
- 02
Washing (wet-mechanical processing)
- 03
Classification by screening technology
- 04
Drying in drying and screening plants
- 05
Iron-free milling into quartz flour
- 06
Refinement (pigmentation, COMIN® coating)
- 07
Bagging and logistics
Raw Materials and Processing Methods
Quartz (silicon dioxide)
Hard, chemically inert and heat-resistant; as moist and dry sand, quartz gravel and milled quartz flour for glass, construction, foundry and water treatment.
Feldspar (potassium feldspar, sodium feldspar, mixed feldspars)
Low-iron feldspars with content of aluminum oxide and alkalis for ceramic and industrial applications.
Kaolin
Raw material that has been part of the Quarzwerke portfolio since the acquisition of the Amberger Kaolinwerke.
Wet-mechanical processing (multiple washing)
Removes impurities and ensures the absence of organic components, e.g. for well construction and the glass industry.
Classification by screening technology
Enables defined grain sizes and individual particle size distributions for foundry and fluidized bed applications.
Iron-free milling
Production of quartz flour in fine grains without iron contamination.
Coating of foundry sands (COMIN®)
Customer-specific formulations with highly modern resin systems for shell molding processes, solid and hollow cores.
Pigmentation (Colorit quartz)
High-purity quartz sands with pigments and reactive resin systems for colored sands, industrial floors and decorative products.
Sites
Melk (Wachbergstraße 1)
ATMain site: processing plant, administration, sales
- Materials
- Quartz sand, quartz flour, colored sands, foundry sands
- Processing plant (commissioned 2000)
- 2 bagging plants (2011)
- Drying plants
- Screening plants
- Milling plants (iron-free milling processes)
- Screening facility
St. Georgen an der Gusen (Knierüblerstraße 18)
ATPlant, raw material supplier for the glass industry since 1975
- Materials
- Quartz sand
- Processing plant
Min2C GmbH
ATSubsidiary, trading hub for home improvement store products
- Materials
- Gravel, chippings
- Filling lines for consumer packaging
- Storage capacities
Products and Applications
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction, processing and refinement of industrial minerals (quartz, kaolin, feldspar)Processing of mineral raw materials | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Feldspar, Kaolin |
| Multiple washing of quartz sand (wet-mechanical)Processing of mineral raw materials | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Quartz sand |
| Classification by screening technology (wet-mechanical)Processing of mineral raw materials | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Quartz sand, Quartz gravel |
| Drying of quartz sand (drying and screening plants)Processing of mineral raw materials | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand |
| Iron-free milling processes (quartz flour production)Processing of mineral raw materials | – | – | – | – | Quartz, Quartz flour |
| Production of COMIN® coated foundry sands for shell molding processes (resin systems, solid andCasting | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand |
| Individual particle size distribution design for foundry sands (core manufacturing)Casting | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand |
| Quartz sands for mold manufacturing in foundriesCasting | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand |
| Bagging (packaging in sacks, bagging plants)Processing of mineral raw materials | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand |
| Pigmentation of quartz sand (Colorit quartz colored sands with reactive resin systems)Surface | – | – | – | – | Quartz sand |
| Filling of natural stones (gravel, chippings) into consumer packaging unitsProcessing of mineral raw materials | – | – | – | – | Natural stone, Gravel, Chippings |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing plant | – | – | – | 2000 | Melk |
| Bagging plant | – | 2 | – | 2011 | Melk |
| Drying plants | – | – | – | – | – |
| Screening plants | – | – | – | – | – |
| Milling plants (iron-free milling processes) | – | – | – | – | – |
| Screening facility (classification) | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Company History
- 1900
In the mid-19th century, occasional local sand extraction began; the Sand-Kellergasse (sand cellar lane) emerged.
- 1920
Purchase of partial areas of today's extraction area by Hansmann senior; beginning of commercial quartz sand extraction, initially in underground mining.
- 1948
Otto Hansmann took over the plant and converted it into a GesmbH; beginning of open-pit mining.
- 1971
Cooperation with German partners (Quarzwerke); founding of Quarzwerke GmbH in Austria.
- 1975
Construction of a powerful processing plant in Zelking; the St. Georgen/Gusen plant positions itself as a raw material supplier for the glass industry.
- 1982
Acquisition of KG Fischer in Melk and Statzendorf by Quarzwerke GesmbH.
- 1999
Closure of the plant in Zelking; demolition of KG Fischer in Melk and Statzendorf.
- 2000
Commissioning of the new processing plant, built according to the latest technical findings.
- 2001
Official opening of the new site in Melk.
- 2011
Commissioning of two bagging plants at the Melk plant.
- 2014
Founding of the subsidiary Min2C as a trading hub.
- 2016
Min2C GmbH becomes a company of the Quarzwerke Group.