North Avenue. Western Australia. A radioactive device belonging to mining company Rio Tinto was found on the side of the road after falling out of the back of a truck.
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A lost radioactive capsule is used in Rio Tintomining operations of cause a radiation warning in Western Australia was found.
The 6 millimeter (0.24 inch) x 8 millimeter stainless steel device is part of a scale used to measure iron ore density and falls out of the back of a truck transported by a specialized third party. onion.
The capsule was reported missing after a 1,400 km journey through a rural area. The gauge was taken to a specialist center in Perth for repairs and arrived on 16 January. But the capsule was not found missing until 25 January and is believed to have fallen off the road. rugged.
Emergency services have launched a large-scale search operation for equipment that they warn could cause radiation burns or radiation sickness from close contact, although the risk to the public is low due to the size of the irritant. its size and distance. British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto said it was assisting in the operation.
Western Australian authorities said on Wednesday that the device was under control and contained.
It was found by the roadside on Great Northern Avenue near the town of Newman, about 1,100 kilometers north of Perth.
Emergency services officers and a team from Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Foundation found it after a slow-moving roadside hunt using specialized radiation equipment.
Authorities said it would be safely transported to a Western Australian medical facility in Perth.
The company’s iron ore CEO, Simon Trott, on Monday sorry to cause alarm.
In a statement Wednesday, Trott thanked emergency services for their work.
“While the capsule recall is a great testament to the skill and perseverance of the search team, the reality is that it should never have been lost in the first place. I want to apologize to the community. wider community in Western Australia because of the concern it has created,” he said.
He added that this type of incident is rare but the company is investigating how it occurs and whether it is appropriate to use specialized contractors to pack and ship radioactive material. .
