On January 25th, a tiny radioactive capsule was reported missing in the Aussie Outback. Authorities fear that the capsule was lost in transportation somewhere on the 870-mile stretch from north of Newman to the northeastern suburbs of Perth. The casing of the capsule contains cesium-137. This is a substance you definitely don’t want to come into contact with.
What is it?
The capsule was being used at the Gudai-Darri mine site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Its job is to measure the density of iron ore feed in the crushing circuit of the fixed plant. Unfortunately when a bolt was shaken loose in the back of the truck that was carrying it, the capsule slipped out and onto the road. It wasn’t until it was opened up on January 25th that they realised it was missing, after being shipped between January 11th and January 14th.
What’s the risk?
Although small in size, the capsule has a big radioactive footprint. Cesium-137 can cause burns, acute radiation sickness, and even death. Exposure to the high-energy gamma radiation from Cesium-137 can also increase the risk of cancer. The scary part? Researchers have found that Cesium-137 has a life span of more than thirty years, so it definitely needs to be found promptly. Rio Tinto is working closely with Australian authorities to find the capsule. They’ve apologised for the incident and have assured the public they’re taking it very seriously.
To give you some context, we can reflect on a similar situation that occurred in Ukraine in the 1970s. It’s known as the ‘Kramatorsk radiological accident‘. A small capsule containing highly radioactive caesium-137 was lost in a Ukrainian quarry. Authorities gave up on searching for it after a week. Turns out the capsule ended up in concrete used to construct an apartment that went on to poison residents from 1980 to 1989. Four passed away due to leukemia and 17 others were subject to heavy doses of radiation.
Stay away from the capsule
Chief health officer and radiological council chair for the Western Australia Department of Health, Dr Andrew Robertson, has said “stay away from it and keep others away from it, too.”
If you do spot the capsule, which is round and silver, it’s imperative that you contact authorities by calling 13 DFES (13 33 37). It’s to be taken very seriously as the pill emits the equivalent of someone undergoing 10 x-rays every hour.
