Rattlesnake Hills Quarry Highwall Reclamation

Projects

Client

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Abandoned Mine Land Division

Timeline

2021–2025

Location

Gas Hills, Wyoming

A grassy, open field with sparse shrubs leads up to a large, rocky hillside under a clear blue sky. The hillside has distinct layers of sediment and a few scattered trees near the top.
A rocky hill under a clear blue sky, with a large, white, flat area carved into its side and surrounded by sparse vegetation and patches of snow on the ground.
A wide, open landscape with rolling brown hills, patches of snow, dry grass, and a partly cloudy blue sky. The terrain appears arid and rugged, with a few rocky outcroppings on the hills.

Reducing Legacy Mining Hazards While Restoring Stable, Natural Landforms in Central Wyoming

When the Past Leaves Risks Behind

Long after operations ended at the Rattlesnake Hills quarry, the land still carried their imprint. Steep, vertical highwalls towered over the Gas Hills landscape, shedding rock, concentrating runoff, and posing ongoing safety risks to the people and environment below. Under the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Abandoned Mine Land Division (AML) program, RESPEC collaborated with state partners to address these hazards, prioritizing long-term stability and compatibility with the surrounding landscape.

RESPEC developed a reclamation strategy that combined controlled blasting with engineered regrading to reduce the vertical highwall complex to stable slopes. The blasting program was carefully designed to minimize flyrock and vibration while efficiently breaking down the highwall face, enabling safe earthwork.

To ensure long-term performance, RESPEC used Carlson Natural Regrade software with the GeoFluv™ model to create a geomorphically stable landform that mimics natural drainage patterns and slope configurations. This approach reduced erosion potential, improved hydrologic function, and ensured the reclaimed terrain blended seamlessly with the surrounding undisturbed landscape.

A Safer Landscape Built to Last

The completed reclamation transformed a high-risk quarry face into a safer, more stable landscape that eliminates legacy mining hazards, restores natural drainage and landform processes, and delivers a visually and environmentally compatible reclamation solution for central Wyoming.