Minerals & Geology Management
Welcome! The Forest Service Minerals and Geology Management (MGM) program promotes the sustainable use and enjoyment of mineral and geologic resources on USDA National Forests and Grasslands.
The Minerals and Geology Management (MGM) program administers mineral and geologic resources. Minerals and Geology program staff oversee mineral exploration, development and reclamation activities related to federal (government owned) and nonfederal (privately-owned) mineral estates according to specific authorities, legislation, rules, and regulations. The Forest Service minerals and geology staff interact with the Bureau of Land Management and state agencies to manage minerals on NFS lands. Mineral commodities produced from National Forests and Grasslands include gold, silver, copper, platinum, palladium, lead and zinc, sand, gravel, decorative and building stone, along with coal, oil and gas, phosphates and geothermal resources. The MGM program also investigates and remediates abandoned mine lands from historic mining. The Geologic Resources program area provides expertise in the geosciences such as geology, geologic hazards, and groundwater. It administers caves and karst features, paleontological (fossil) resources, and other geologic special interest areas that occur on National Forest System lands and which serve as the landscape foundations that support diverse ecosystems.
HAZARDS & SERVICES