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Australia Finds Radioactive Capsule

posted by janrinok on Wednesday February 01, @01:53PM   
from the Lost-and-Found dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

Australian authorities on Wednesday found a radioactive capsule that was lost in the vast Outback after nearly a week-long search along a 1,400 km (870-mile) stretch of highway. The capsule was taken to a secure facility in Perth. The radioactive capsule was part of a gauge used to measure the density of iron ore feed from Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri mine in the state's remote Kimberley region. The silver capsule, 6 mm in diameter and 8 mm long, contains Caesium-137 which emits radiation equal to 10 X-rays per hour.

[...] Officials from Western Australia's emergency response department, defence authorities, radiation specialists and others have been combing the a stretch of highway for the tiny capsule that was lost in transit more than two weeks ago.

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Original Submission

• Re:No Further Details (Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Thursday February 02, @01:52AM

  by c0lo (156) on Thursday February 02, @01:52AM (#1289789) Journal

  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-01/australian-radioactive-capsule-found-in-wa-outback-rio-tinto/101917828 [abc.net.au]

  He said a search vehicle was driving past at 70 kilometres per hour on the Great Northern Highway when a detection device revealed radiation.

  A 20 metre "hot zone" has been set up around the capsule to ensure the public's safety and it will be placed into a lead container.

  The capsule will be stored at a secure location in Newman overnight before being transported to a WA Health Department facility on Thursday where it will be examined.
  ...
  Dr Robertson said the capsule did not appear to have moved after falling from the truck which was transporting it and it was pleasing no one had been harmed.

  He said he would now be investigating all aspects of the event to make sure the capsule was appropriately managed.

  "We have the ability to prosecute under the radiation safety act and we will certainly look at such prosecutions, and we've done that in the past," he said.

  The investigation was expected to take "a number of weeks" at least.

  The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, this morning joined those disappointed to learn the maximum penalty for mishandling radioactive material in such a manner was $1,000.

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  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0

  Parent

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