Australia’s Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) joined the search on Tuesday small but potentially deadly radioactive capsule that was lost between January 10 and 16, while being trucked from Rio Tinto’s Newman mine to Malaga, a suburb of Perth in the vast state of Western Australia.
ARPANSA has indicated in a press release that it has adhered to the tasks with “a team of specialized portable and car-mounted survey instruments to support research”, which is concentrated between the Pilbara region, where Rio Tinto operates more than a dozen mines, and the city of Perth, a route approximately 1,400 kilometers long.
The entity, the Australian Government’s principal authority on matters of radiation protection and nuclear safetyindicated today that its support for the operation is part of the “national emergency response and radiological protection capacity” and its aim is “to protect the community from harmful effects of radiation“.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) is leading the operation in which the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO) is also participating.
Western Australia emergency teams today issued a new warning for motorists circle through the area where the radioactive object is believed to have been lost and run into the search party.
“Radiation specialists and DFES are searching along the Great Northern Highway driving north-south at low speeds. Be careful when approaching and be careful when overtaking,” they said.
Authorities have warned, in a previous advisory, of the risks of exposure to this toxic substance, which include “radiation burns or radiation sickness“like cancer.
the lowercase capsule, 6 mm in diameter and 8 mm in heightcontains a “small amount” of the radioactive substance Cesium-137, used in mining.
The department requests that, if any suspicious material is sighted, people stay at least five meters away from it, do not touch it, keep it in bags or backpacks or carry it in their cars, but report it “immediately” to the authorities. “It’s important to be aware of the risks and know what to do if you see the capsule,” he said.
The toxic material was packed on 10 January and the vehicle arrived in Perth six days later, but it was not until the 25th that cargo inspectors noticed that one of the packages was torn and one of those tiny capsules was lost. On the road.
Not an easy search
The emergency services said a few days ago that they were hampered by the lack of equipmentToday they have asked for help from the Commonwealth of Nations and other countries.
“What we do is try to find a tiny little device within sight,” said Superintendent Darryl Ray. The teams were focusing on populated areas north of Perth and strategic sites along the Great Northern Highway, he added. “We use radiation detectors to locate gamma rays,” the official added.
Even the authorities analyzed the truck’s GPS data to determine the driver’s exact route and where he stopped after leaving the mine around 10 January.
It is feared that the solid capsule may have become lodged in the tire of another vehicle and may be hundreds of kilometers (miles) from the search area.
It is believed that a screw came loose inside a lead lined clamp and the unit fell through a hole.
From the Rio Tinto mine they assured that an expert in the handling of radioactive materials had been hired to pack the capsule and transport it “safely” to the warehouse and only on Wednesday they informed him of its disappearance.
With information from EFE.
IS
Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.