Radiation Capsule Lost in Australia
Search Continues for Several Days
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] An Australian mining company lost a capsule containing the radioactive material cesium-137 during transportation in the western region, prompting authorities to launch a search. Authorities are using radiation detectors to scan the 1,400 km truck route.
On the 30th (local time), according to Australia's ABC News and others, the Western Australia Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued an alert after receiving a report that a silver circular capsule measuring 6 mm in diameter and 8 mm in height had gone missing.
If this capsule was lost on the highway, it could be lodged in the tire of another vehicle and be located hundreds of kilometers away from the search area. For this reason, David Gill, the Fire and Emergency Services Director, stated, "There is a possibility that the capsule may not be found."
The lost capsule was inside a radiation detector used in mining operations at a mine in Newman, Western Australia. The detector was packed for repair on the 12th and sent to a suburb northeast of Perth, a city 1,400 km away in the southwest, and arrived at the Perth repair factory warehouse four days later on the 16th.
However, when the package was opened on the 25th, the detector was found disassembled with screws loosened, and the capsule was missing. Police consider the possibility of theft or other crimes to be low. It is presumed that during transportation by truck, screws and bolts loosened, causing the capsule to fall out of the package.
Authorities are using GPS data to determine the truck’s exact route and stopping points to search those areas. The search has been ongoing for several days. One expert described it as "like finding a needle in a haystack."
Rio Tinto, the Australian mining company that lost the capsule, issued a statement apologizing for the incident. Rio Tinto said, "We take this incident very seriously and regret the anxiety caused to the Western Australia community."
Health authorities are concerned that local residents might unknowingly be near or touch the capsule. Authorities emphasized, "Being within 1 meter of the capsule for one hour exposes a person to radiation equivalent to receiving 10 X-rays, so the general public must stay at least 5 meters away." They added, "If you have touched the capsule, immediately visit a hospital and report that you have 'touched radioactive material.'"
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