Minerals from Hungary

Hungary has a long and complex mining history, although modern mineral production is limited compared to earlier centuries.

Historically, the country was known for its production of bauxite, coal, and uranium, as well as base metals like copper and lead. Many of these operations have since ceased or been significantly reduced.

Hungary is not especially well known on the mineral specimen market today, but it has produced some interesting material in the past. The Mátra and Bükk mountain ranges, as well as the Rudabánya area, have yielded good specimens of azurite, malachite, siderite, and smithsonite.

Fluorite has also been found in Hungary, often in association with baryte and quartz. Some of these pieces can be quite attractive, although they aren’t especially common outside of European collections. The baryte can be rather nice, too!

Hungarian Opal-AN (hyalite) is well worth a mention, despite not actually being a mineral – it is a mineraloid. It is brightly fluorescent and pleasantly botryoidal, although perhaps not as clear and gemmy as the Mexican material.

Hungary is the type locality for twelve minerals, according to Mindat, most of which are relatively uncommon.

Older specimens may be labelled as from “Austria-Hungary” depending on the date of collection.

We do have some more information, and sometimes specimens from specific Hungarian locales.

Hungarian locales

• Láz Hill mine, Uzsa, Tapolca District, Veszprém County, Hungary

We may have some other specimens from Hungary, check the links below.

Hungary