Uranium

Some officials in the Mountain West want to ramp up American uranium production to power future nuclear reactors. But expanding operations in the region is concerning for many local residents, particularly tribal communities.

Wyoming would like to have more control over regulating the rare earth mineral industry – the hope being it would spur nuclear development in the state.A bill that recently passed its committee would create a ‘source material associated with the mining agreement.’ Source materials are radioactive byproducts that can come from rare earth mineral mining, including the mineral uranium.

The opening date is being delayed for the nuclear plant that is slated to replace the Naughton coal plant near Kemmerer.The start date will likely be pushed back two years to 2030, according to a press release from the nuclear plant developer TerraPower. The main reason is Russia’s war in Ukraine, as Russia is the only commercial supplier of the highly enriched uranium (HALEU) the plant needs to run.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to calls to reduce or eliminate its energy exports by many countries. This has given industry experts hope that it will revive the U.S.'s fledgling uranium industry, which has suffered from cheap exports largely from Russia and Central Asia. Wyoming may be one of the major beneficiaries of a revived uranium industry, which it hosted during many of the Cold War years.

Abandoned uranium mines are found in all corners of the Southwest. With big money flowing in the coming decade from settlements with large corporations and the U.S. government for contamination, cleanup of hundreds of abandoned mines will finally begin after decades of neglect. And that means jobs for tribal citizens and businesses, providing an economic balm for areas that need work.

Uranium mining in the state dates back to the 1950s, experiencing several boom-and-bust cycles since then.

A new agreement signed in Wyoming hopes to boost domestic uranium production. Alongside Gov. Mark Gordon, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman…

As part of its budget plan, the Trump administration proposes spending $150 million for a new uranium reserve. That could help struggling uranium mining...

The Wyoming State Geological Survey has released a new report about the state's most productive uranium reserve.The Gas Hills District near Riverton…

Wyoming lawmakers are exploring the possibility of storing spent nuclear fuel rods to bolster the state budget as coal revenue becomes less reliable....