A frantic search continues after a small radioactive capsule goes missing in Western Australia. British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto apologized for the explosive incident. “We take this incident very seriously. We recognize that this incident is of great concern and regret the concern it has caused among the Western Australian community,” said the company’s iron ore chief. They will investigate the loss of the capsule.
According to initial reports, the loss was not discovered until about two weeks after the capsule left the mine. Rio said he was notified of the disappearance by the transport company on January 25.
New search devices on vehicles to detect capsule
New radiation detection equipment that can be mounted on vehicles is now being used on the route the capsule was transported. Previously, the busy freight route was searched with portable radiation and metal detectors.
The mining company hired a third party with the expertise and certification to package the capsule for shipment. This company launched its own investigation into the disappearance of the capsule.
Minimum distance of five meters recommended
The capsule, filled with caesium-137, was lost during its 1,400-kilometer journey from a mine north of the town of Newman in the remote Kimberley region to a storage facility near Perth, the Australian Radiation Protection Agency said. The capsule emits a radiation exposure equivalent to about ten X-rays in one hour. The authority recommends a minimum distance of five meters from the radioactive material.
Source: Krone
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