Land Quality Programs
Coal
The LQD regulates the permitting of coal production in the state. The LQD's regulations include issuing a variety of permits for coal mining activities, preparing cumulative hydrologic impact assessments, and issuing annual reports on coal mining sites.
Non-Coal
The LQD regulates the licensing and permitting of all non-coal mine production in the state. Permit forms, applications, licenses and a variety of other legal forms can be found on this section of the site.
Limited Mining Operations
This page contains information and forms pertaining to Limited Mining Operations (LMOs). LMO's are mining operations, "whether commercial or noncommercial, for the removal of sand, gravel, scoria, limestone, dolomite, shale, ballast or feldspar from an area of fifteen (15) acres or less of affected land, excluding roads used to access the mining operation..." (W.S. 35-11-401(e)(vi)).
Uranium Recovery
Uranium mining has long been a part of Wyoming's mineral activity. The LQD handles permitting and licensing for uranium production operations; navigate this section of the website to find forms and information pertaining to uranium.
Source Material
Wyoming continues to see increased interest in rare earth element (REE) and critical mineral development and opportunities to diversify its economy through mineral extraction technologies that produce source material; navigate this section of the website to find forms and information pertaining to source material.
Blasting
The Land Quality Division (LQD) regulates blasting in surface coal mining in Wyoming, and has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wyoming Mine Inspector for all other mining operations in the state.
Exploration and Prospecting
The LQD regulates minerals exploration by dozing or trenching using motorized equipment, or a suction dredge whose intake diameter is greater than 3 inches or whose motor is greater than 10 h.p. LQD does not regulate recreational exploration involving minor surface disturbances that are infrequent in nature.