Steirisches Becken

Styrian Basin, Late Tertiary depression basin on the southern fringe of the eastern edge of the Alps with various branching embayments that reach deep into the Alps. It forms the Styrian Hills. It is divided into the smaller West Styrian Basin (sub-bituminous coal deposits at Köflach, Voitsberg) and the larger East Styrian Basin by the southbound Sausal or Mittelsteirische Schwelle Ridge. The East Styrian Basin is separated from the Pannonian (Hungarian) Basin by the Südburgenländische Schwelle Ridge, which is almost completely subterranean. A special feature of the East Styrian Basin is recent volcanism (basalt cone of Bad Gleichenberg, Riegersburg).