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Due to its rich geology, the state of Michigan has abundant and diverse mineral resources such as oil, gas, copper, salt, sand and gravel. The DNR manages access to those energy and mineral resources that occur on and beneath state-owned land, balancing the use and protection of our public lands.
The DNR Minerals Management Section is the steward of more than 6.4 million acres of state-owned mineral and storage rights and of the revenue Michigan receives from leasing such rights. Minerals Management ensures mineral rights are developed in an orderly manner that optimizes revenue and is consistent with other public interests and natural resource values. Each year, millions of dollars from leasing mineral rights translates into funding for the acquisition, development, and maintenance of local and state parks and other recreational areas, expanding access to Michigan's forests, trails, waterways, and beaches and resulting in a wide range of recreational opportunities. These funds have contributed more than $1.3 billion towards the development and improvement of outdoor recreational opportunities and habitat improvements in all of Michigan’s 83 counties.
We take this responsibility seriously. We work together with department experts in forestry, wildlife, fisheries, parks, and cultural resources, employing scientific conservation management practices to evaluate the land while maximizing long-term benefits to the state. We also collaborate with our regulatory partners and key stakeholders to ensure environmental protections are in place for proper protection of the land and for the people of Michigan.
Visit our program pages for additional information.
General questions? Please call 517-284-5850 or email DNR-Minerals.
Lease Management Unit questions? Please email DNR-LeaseManagement.
Revenue Verification Unit questions? Please email DNR-Remittance.
A mineral right is a right to extract a mineral from the earth or to receive payment, in the form of royalty, for the extraction of minerals. “Mineral” may have different meanings depending on the context, and there is no universal definition. However, “mineral” generally includes:
• Fossil fuels – oil, natural gas, and coal
• Metals and metal-bearing ores – gold, copper, iron, nickel, zinc, etc.
• Nonmetallic minerals and mineable rock products – limestone, gypsum, building stone, salt
“Mineral” may also include sand and gravel, peat, marl, etc.
Many times mineral rights are separated from surface rights. While we do accept applications from surface owners for the purchase of the state-owned mineral rights on, within, or under their property, please know that there is a non-refundable application fee, and no guarantee that we will be able to release the requested rights.
Please email DNR-LeaseManagement before submitting an application.
This interactive map depicts geologic and mineral resource data for Michigan from sources including the DNR, EGLE and the Michigan Geological Survey. All of the data contained in the map is publicly available from other sources and is summarized here for ease of viewing, as well as the ability to search, query and analyze data.
