MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st February, 2023) A highly radioactive and potentially deadly capsule, previously lost in the state of Western Australia, was found not far from the city of Newman on Wednesday, the local fire and emergency department said.
On Monday, the Rio Tinto Anglo-Australian mining corporation said it had lost a caesium-137 capsule in Western Australia. The capsule fell off a truck transporting it from a mine on the way from the Pilbara region to the state capital city of Perth. Experts warned then that prolonged contact with the capsule could cause burns, radiation disease and cancer.
"Emergency services have found a tiny radioactive capsule near Newman, ending a large-scale interagency search for the missing object," the department said in a statement.
The capsule was discovered 2 meters (6.6 feet) off the road by a vehicle search crew using specialized radiation equipment, the statement read.
"We have essentially found the needle in the haystack," Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said.
The capsule which measures 6 by 8 mm (0.2 by 0.3 inches) is used in mining equipment.
