Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto today apologized for the loss of a tiny capsule, but dangerous to human health levels of radiation, January 10 in Western Australia.
An eight-by-six millimeter silver capsule used in mining contains a radioactive substance called caesium-137, according to the Western Australian Department of Health.
Emergency services said the capsule disappeared while being transported by truck some 1,400 kilometers from a mine near the remote city of Newman to a northern suburb of Perth, a city of 2.1 million people.
“We understand that this situation is clearly of great concern and we regret the concern it has caused to the Western Australian community,” said Rio Tinto Iron Ore CEO.
“We have launched our own investigation to understand how the capsule could have been lost,” Simon Trott added in a statement.
The radioactive capsule, which is part of equipment used in the mining industry to measure the density of iron ore, was delivered by a Rio Tinto-certified company, Trott said.
The health authorities, who announced the incident on Friday, have warned the public not to touch the capsule or even come within five meters of it.
Cesium-137 emits a dangerous amount of radiation equivalent to receiving ten X-rays per hour. The capsule may cause skin burns and prolonged exposure may cause cancer.
Last week, a fire department spokesman said searches for the capsule had begun in communities along the truck’s route, but acknowledged it could take weeks.
The truck arrived at the Perth depot on January 16, but authorities only became aware of the incident on Wednesday, after the trucking company reported it missing.
The police determined that the disappearance was an accident and not a criminal case.