Montan Wax can be found in Germany, Eastern Europe and areas of the USA.
The wax originally served to protect plant leaves from extremes of climate. Whilst the leaves decomposed, the wax did not and can be found in the remaining lignite or brown coal deposits.
The wax is extracted from the coal using a solvent, which is distilled from the wax solution and removed using super heated steam. The remaining wax is then either cast into small blocks or sprayed to form fine prills.
Montan Wax is a very hard, dark wax with a crystalline structure.