The Drill Down

The Minerals Program regulates all non-coal mining operations in the state with a few exceptions. From Kennecott Copper, the largest open-mined pit in the state to small operations mining for trilobite fossils, staff works to ensure mining operation procedures are followed. This includes verifying operators work within permit boundaries, mines pose no threat to public safety or the environment and confirming appropriate fees/bonds are collected for reclamation.

According to preliminary 2014 data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Utah ranks 5^th in the value of non-fuel mineral production, accounting for approximately 5.4 percent of the United States total. In 2014, copper was the largest contributor to the value of non-fuel minerals in Utah, having an estimated value of $1.5-billion and mostly produced from Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation’s Bingham Canyon Mine. Source: Utah’s Extractive Resource Industries 2014 

There are almost 200 different minerals mined in Utah including copper, gold, silver and beryllium. Currently there are more than 600 permitted mineral operations statewide.