Abstract

Wyoming's economy is heavily dependent on the production and efficient use of its natural resources. Diversification of the State's economy and economic growth are possible through the logical development of its natural resources. In particular, the state contains several known mineral deposits that could potentially be mined economically and provide a significant tax base for the state. The economic impact of mineral development is underappreciated by local, state, and federal governments. Job for job, a minerals-industry position infuses many times more taxes into state and county coffers than does any other category. To increase mineral production in Wyoming the regulatory and permitting processes need to be streamlined and made more efficient. Incentives should be focused on new, rather than existing production. Dozens of potentially economic deposits have been identified that could provide hundreds of high-paying jobs, and could comprise an enormous tax base for Wyoming.