Penny-sized radioactive capsule goes missing in Australia

 

A tiny radioactive capsule, about the size of a pea, has the Australian government on edge. It is believed to have fallen off a truck while being transported between a mine and the city of Perth - a distance longer than the length of Great Britain - a couple of weeks ago.

In order to expand the frantic search that is underway for the lost capsule, nothing short of finding a needle in a haystack, Australia's Department of Fire and Emergency Services has brought in new radiation detection equipment that could be fitted to vehicles. The deadly device is expected to have fallen off somewhere along the 1,400-km-long path the truck took.

The capsule is part of a density gauge. It is composed of Cesium-137 (Cs-137) and reportedly has the capacity to emit radiation equivalent to receiving ten X-rays in an hour. Scientists have raised warnings against the device, saying it could cause skin burns and prolonged exposure could cause cancer.

Vibrations from the truck possibly caused the screws and the bolt to come loose, authorities suspect, making the tiny capsule from the gauge fall out of the package and then out of a gap in the vehicle.

Mining giant Rio Tinto, which was responsible for transporting the equipment, apologised on Monday for the alarm that had been caused. The firm, which has been the subject of a series of controversies in recent years, announced it would be launching its own investigation into what had happened.

There are concerns that the radioactive capsule, being so small, might have become lodged in the tyre of a vehicle passing along the road. Moreover, if it is discovered by a member of the public, authorities fear, they might unintentionally keep it as a souvenir.

In a statement, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) on Tuesday announced it would work in conjunction with the Western Australia government to locate the device.