Mining by country

Mining in Hungary

Mining in Hungary: the public figures we hold so far. The World Bank puts mineral rents close to zero (2021) and ores and metals at 1.3% of merchandise exports (2025). No world production share, mine or listed company project is recorded here yet.

Mineral rents0%of GDP, 2021. Higher than 0% of countries.
Ores and metals1.3%of merchandise exports, 2025.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law+0.22above 58% of countries
  • Political stability+0.51above 61% of countries
  • Regulatory quality+0.26above 63% of countries
  • Control of corruption+0.00above 55% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Mining in Hungary at a glance

Mining in GDP0.3%2019. Mining and quarrying share of GDP, 2019 (value about USD 635 million).Source: USGS
Mining jobs11,5002019. Average employment in mining and quarrying, 2019.Source: USGS
First recorded mining
1351 (name Rudabanya, "mining town", first appears). The Rudabanya town history says the name with the mining suffix appears in 1351. The settlement had been written as Ruda in 1299. Source: Rudabanya town council
Mining since
Before written history (Rudabanya). A 2022 book preface says mining at Rudabanya began before written history, with breaks of varying length. Source: University of Szeged, Department of…
Defining moment
Founding of the Borsodi Mining Company, Vienna, 4 February 1880. It started modern, large-scale iron ore mining at Rudabanya. Source: Rudabanya town council
Mining law
Act No. 48 of 1993 on mining, amended by Act No. 86 of 2014. Government Regulation 311 of 2014 supports it. Source: USGS
Key mining regions
Rudabanya (northern Hungary, about 50 km north of Miskolc) Source: University of Szeged, Department of…
Main mines
Markushegy coal mine (Oroszlany), Bukkabrany opencast mine Source: USGS

Mining employment from the ILO usually counts all of mining and quarrying, often with oil and gas; national shares of GDP and exports are as each source defines them.

History of mining in Hungary

What the ground holds. perlite, zeolites, bentonite, diatomite, lime, coal, lignite, crude petroleum, natural gas, alumina and steel. Source: USGS

How prospectors changed the worldThe full mining timeline

Mining elsewhere in Europe

RussiaSpainSwedenGermanyNorwayPolandAustriaPortugalFranceUkraine

World shares: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, latest year per mineral. Mineral rents, exports and governance: World Bank WDI and WGI. Trade: CEPII BACI. Projects: listed companies' announcements.

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Cover photos from Wikimedia Commons: The Big Hole by Rudolph Botha, CC BY-SA 3.0.