KMI

Kärntner Montanindustrie GmbH (KMI) was founded in 1932. The company owns micaceous iron oxide mines and processing facilities. MIOX^® is the trade name for functional fillers. In addition, our product portfolio contains other standard and micronized industrial minerals, e.g. wollastonite and mica (phlogopite and muscovite).

KMI’s operations are situated near the border between the two Austrian states of Carinthia and Styria, at the village of Waldenstein. Our headquarters are located in Wolfsberg Castle, in the district capital.

Waldenstein ore contains a natural iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) which distinguishes it from other iron ores a.o. with its metallic grey lustre. Its lamellar structure – resembling that of mica – has also given it its name. Through a process of drying, grinding, screening and cleaning, the rock, which is also known as hematite, is turned into a soft, grey lustrous material with lamellar particles. It is precisely this lamellar structure and the strict adherence to a given grain size distribution that allows its use as a colour pigment, with properties which cannot be achieved by any other type of micaceous iron oxide.