A Tiny Radioactive Capsule Was Lost On A 700-mile Stretch Of Highway In Australia

Authorities in Australia are asking anybody who finds a small capsule that contained radioactive material but vanished during shipment to remain their distance.According to authorities, the Pilbara, Midwest Gascoyne, Goldfields-Midlands, and Perth areas are at danger from the radioactive chemical from the round, silver capsule, which is around a quarter of an inch in diameter and a third of an inch tall.Dr. Andrew Robertson, Western Australia's chief health officer and chair of the radiological council, said in a statement that exposure to this substance "could cause radiation burns or severe illness; if people see the capsule or something that looks similar, stay away from it and keep others away from it too."A tiny quantity of radioactive caesium-137, which is utilised in mining activities, is included inside the capsule.The capsule, according to the authorities, cannot be used to create a weapon but can result in health issues including radiation burns to the skin.The container was packed on January 10 for road transportation, and it arrived in Perth on January 16 according to the state's Department of Fire and Emergency Services.The gauge, however, had broken apart and the capsule was gone when the gauge it was a part of was unpacked for examination on January 25.The capsule belonged to the mining giant Rio Tinto, which issued a statement apologising for any distress the missing component may have caused.The business said that it had contracted with a third party firm to package the gadget and that it was collaborating with that business to determine what went wrong. Along with conducting radiological inspections of the region where the device had been as well as the roadways going to and from the Gudai-Darri mining site, according to Rio Tinto.There is currently an extensive search being conducted along the more than 700-mile journey from Perth to Newman. Government representatives from Western Australia and radiation experts are carefully cruising the Great Northern Highway in search of the capsule, which is about the width of a pencil eraser.The capsule is being kept at least 16 feet away from people, and the authorities are advising them not to touch it. Instead, they should phone the fire and emergency services department.