Moving swiftly on its promise, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)  in early November issued licenses to two of what will likely be several facilities approved to distribute irradiated gemstones. Ideal Source Quality Assurance in Columbia, Missouri, and HBM Virginia in Warrenton, Virginia.

Wholesalers and manufacturers working with blue topaz must acquire their material from a licensed distributor, or if importing material directly from a source overseas, whether loose or set, must work through a licensed distributor before the material can be distributed in U.S.A.

In its fact sheet, the NRC states that it has no reason to believe irradiated gemstones currently on the market." At presstime in November, the NRC was expected to release an official statement exonerating existing stock on the market of any known problems.

NRC regulations will extend beyond gemstones irradiated in nuclear reactors(neutron bombardment) to include accelerator-treated stones(electron bombardment). In Addition to blue topaz, other gems that can be irradiated include blue , pink, and yellow beryl, as well as pink , red, and purple tourmaline. Some stones treated at low energy in an accelerator may not actually become radioactive, so they would not qualify as radioactive material under NRC Authority. Also, Stones treated in a cobalt irradiator do not become radioactive, according to the NRC.