A radioactive capsule that was lost during transportation in western Australia last month and caused anxiety among nearby residents was found safely after six days of searching.  



According to foreign media such as ABC Broadcasting Australia on the 1st (local time), this radioactive capsule was found on the side of a highway about 50 km south of the Newman mining town. 



On this day, Western Australia (WA) Minister for Emergency Preparedness Steven Dawson held a press conference and said, "It's like finding a needle in the desert," and "Western Australians will be able to sleep more comfortably tonight." 



This capsule, which terrified Australian residents with just the news of its disappearance, is a silver cylinder, 6 mm in diameter and 8 mm in height, the size of a pea. It is a component used by mining companies for mining equipment sensors. 



This part contains cesium, a radioactive material, which is dangerous in itself because of the possibility of exposure. 



Being in a capsule radius of 1m for 1 hour is exposed to radiation equivalent to receiving X-rays 10 times.  



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▲ At the time of discovery of the lost 'radioactive capsule'


News of the disappearance of this dangerous object has shocked Australian authorities. 



Earlier, on the 12th, the capsule was loaded onto a transport truck from a mine in Newman, located in northern Western Australia, and arrived at the radiation storage facility in Perth, a southwestern city 1,400 km away, four days later on the 16th. 



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▲ Northern 'Newman' → Southwest 'Perth' movement map (left), "Radioactive Hazardous Material Warning" on the local real-time disaster notification page 


After opening the box for inspection on the 25th, the capsule that was supposed to be in the meter was gone. 



Fire officials speculated that the screw had loosened and disintegrated due to the vibration applied during transportation, and that it had fallen through a hole.  



Afterwards, the fire authorities began searching for the missing capsule by scanning the 1,400 km highway to the first point of disappearance using radiation detectors. 



Subsequently, the work speed was increased by using special equipment provided by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authority (ARPANSA), and as a result, they succeeded in 'finding a needle in the desert'. 



This is the result of six days after authorities conducted a search operation.


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A state official said, "I detected radiation while looking for a capsule while moving along the road using special equipment, and then using a portable detection device, I found the capsule just 2 meters from the roadside." No one will be exposed," he said. 



The recovered capsules were stored in safety containers and transported to the WA Health Department facility in Perth today (2nd). 



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▲ Changed the local real-time disaster notification page to "No radioactive hazard. Some roads are under control" 


(Photo = Emergency WA page, 'Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA' Facebook page, AP/Yonhap News)