Wyoming can now regulate uranium mining waste that isn't just uranium

Wyoming will now regulate certain radioactive materials recovered from mining, taking over from US nuclear regulators. This means the state, not the federal government, will oversee waste from minerals processed for things other than their uranium or thorium content.

For decades, US nuclear regulators oversaw all radioactive materials, even those that were byproducts of other mining operations. This change means Wyoming can now set its own rules for these specific materials, potentially streamlining the process for miners extracting other valuable minerals alongside uranium. It shifts regulatory power from a federal agency to a state, which could lead to different standards and enforcement.