Missing radioactive capsule found in Australia, says authorities

• A radioactive capsule that went missing last month has reportedly been located.
• The capsule was in use at Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri mine in Western Australia.
• It has a little amount of caesium-137, which can lead to burns, skin damage, and radiation sickness.

A tiny radioactive capsule that went missing last month has reportedly been located, according to authorities in Western Australia.

They said that the emergency services had “actually found the needle in the haystack.”

When the item went missing during shipment across the state’s 1,400km (870 mile) border, a massive search was launched.

A close-up image of the pea-sized capsule, which might be handled dangerously, lying on the ground among tiny stones was provided by the authorities.

They were able to confirm they had discovered the correct capsule, which measures 6mm (0.24 inches) in diameter and 8mm in length thanks to a serial number.

It has a little amount of caesium-137, which can lead to burns, skin damage, and radiation sickness.

Rio Tinto, a major mining company, expressed regret over losing the tool, which served as a density indicator for the sector.

The capsule will now be housed within a lead container with a 20-meter “hot zone” around it.

Before being moved to a secure facility in the city of Perth on Thursday, it will be kept in a safe place in the town of Newman overnight.

The state emergency services praised “inter-agency coordination in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances” in their announcement of their discovery.

According to officials, a vehicle with specialized equipment travelling at 70 km/h (43 mph) detected radiation, leading to the discovery of the capsule.

The capsule was eventually found using portable detecting equipment, around 2 meters (7 feet) from the side of the road.

The component is a density gauge that was in use at Rio Tinto’s Gudai-Darri mine in Western Australia’s isolated Pilbara region.

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