Parts of Western Australia have experienced a radiological hazard alert;
After the authorities announced that a radioactive capsule used in mining went missing while it was being transported from a mine to Perth, the state capital.
A search for the capsule was launched today, Saturday, in the state, and the Emergency Authority stated that the silver capsule, which does not exceed 8 centimeters in size and is used in mineral extraction operations, has been missing since the middle of this month.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said the small silver capsule containing cesium-137 was lost during transport from North Newman - a small town in the remote Kimberley region - to the northeastern suburbs of Perth.
The administration stated that the substance "is used inside measuring devices in mining operations, and exposure to it can cause burns or radiation sickness."
The state health agency said the capsule was lost while it was being transported in a truck from a mine to a storage facility in Perth.
According to the authorities, the truck left the site on January 12, but the missing capsule was not found until last week, and emergency services were alerted.
The director of medical services in the state said, "The concern is related to the possibility that someone will pick it up without realizing how to deal with it," noting that the capsule, if it remains close to the body, can cause redness of the skin and radiation burns, and may affect the immune system.
A spokesman for the rescue authority said that searches for the capsule are taking place specifically in populated areas, explaining that it may take weeks.
He indicated that he believed that the vibration of the truck caused the device to disintegrate and the capsule to escape from it.