How was the Australian radioactive capsule found? Cylinder found on road after 6-day hunt

A 6mm by 8mm radioactive capsule was lost between January 12-16 while it was being transported from the Rio Tinto mine site to a storage facility in northeast Perth.

After searching for over 1,400 kilometers, the radioactive capsule was found in a remote area off a highway near the south of the town of Newman, Western Australia.

It allegedly fell off a secure device from a transportation truck. At 11.13 am local time, the radioactive capsule was discovered about two meters from the side of the road.

Investigations are underway to rightfully deem the matter as negligence or otherwise.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese applauded the efforts taken to ensure its recovery.

"Little radioactive, tiny little thing that they were looking for like a needle in a haystack. But they found it to their great credit, though."

The search party was of over 100 people from five different official departments.

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Missing radioactive capsule found using specialist radiation detection technology

The disappearance of the radioactive capsule was noticed on January 25, 2023.

West Australian authorities say that the capsule was packed on January 10 and transported across the desert through the remote highway on January 12. The container it was packed in arrived on January 16 at the Perth storage facility.

Nine days later, much to the shock of people, they discovered that the radioactive capsule was missing when they unpacked it for inspection.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services commissioner, Darren Klemm, said that the tiny capsule was found using specialist radiation detection technology.

A car traveling at 70km/hour first detected the radioactive capsule. Following that, a radiation detector that was handheld was used to track the location of the capsule on the ground.

Emergency services minister Stephen Dawson praised the officers and people who were a part of the 'relentless search' that lasted for six days:

"It's a good result. It's certainly a needle in a haystack that has been found, and I think West Australians can sleep better tonight... When you consider the scope of the research area, locating this object was a monumental challenge."

Investigations are underway to determine if the radioactive capsule was lost due to negligence or otherwise. If they were found to be negligent, charges would be laid.

Authorities believe that a bolt was securing the lead gage that contained the capsule and it was potentially shaken loose by vibrations from the truck and came loose. The radioactive capsule could've fallen through a hole in place of the missing bolt.

Andrew Robertson, the chief health officer of Western Australia, said:

“I have responsibility as the chair of the radiological council to actually investigate and if required, prosecute offences under the act."

He continued:

“We have a number of authorised officers who are doing that. Our radiation health branch, within the Department of Health, is conducting that investigation and they will be looking at all aspects of this event.”

However, Robertson said something that piqued people's interest on Friday:

“It is unusual for a gage to come apart like this one has."

The Guardian reported that the Australian Defense Force is looking into the serial number of the radioactive capsule and confirming it is the same one that has been lost on the route to Perth.

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Potential radiation disasters that could have been caused if the capsule was not found

The radioactive capsule had enough Caesium-137 covering it to cause acute radiation sickness.

Caesium-137 capsules are used in radiation gages in mining to measure a material's density. However, direct contact with one can cause severe burns and expose you to radiation equivalent to 10 X-rays per hour.

Andrew Robertson warned the public on January 27 about the potential health risks that the loose capsule could've caused:

"It emits both beta rays and gamma rays so if you have it close to you, you could either end up with skin damage including skin burns."

Associate Professor Nigel Marks from Western Australia's Curtin University stated:

"You know it emits gamma radiation so the obvious thing is to comb the side of the road looking for something with a strong gamma signal... and sure enough that's exactly where they found it."

Rio Tinto has offered to reimburse the government for the cost of the search for the radioactive capsule. They have also agreed to fully cooperate in the investigation and launched one on their own.

Subcontractors SGS Australia, responsible for the packaging of the gage, and Centurion, responsible for its shift from the mine to Perth, have also said they will cooperate.

Fortunately, no injuries or radiation burns have been reported and none have come to notice.