The San Rafael Swell wilderness study areas, including the Muddy Creek, Crack Canyon, San Rafael Reef, Mexican Mountain, and Sids Mountain Wilderness Study Areas, are in Emery County, south-central Utah. At least 4,100 current and historic mining claims have been located in or near the study areas, primarily for uranium. Vanadium is the most valuable byproduct of uranium mining, although minor copper, silver, lead, zinc, and gold also occur in some deposits.

In 1985,1986, and 1988, the U.S. Bureau of Mines and the U.S. Geological Survey studied the Desolation Canyon (UT-060-068A), Turtle Canyon (UT-060-067), and Floy Canyon (UT-060-068B) Wilderness Study Areas, which are contiguous and located in Carbon, Emery, and Grand Counties in eastern Utah. The study areas include 242,000 acres, 33,690 acres, and 23,140 acres respectively.