Planning and Zoning for “Frac Sand” Mining

Wisconsin is in the midst of a sand mining boom. The natural gas and oil industries use a method of extraction called hydraulic fracturing or fracking. A slurry of sand, water, and chemicals is injected into shale formations that creates fractures in the rock and the sand holds the fractures open so the natural gas or oil can flow to the wellhead. The sand injected into these fractures are referred to as a proppant. Fracking is occurring in places where there are deposits of natural gas and oil that cannot be produced with more conventional means.  Click  here to read more, frac sand mining factsheet 2_3_12.