What really happened with the lost radioactive source in the Western Australian outback
Frank Harris has been involved in radiation and environmental protection for over 35 years . For the last 13 years , he has been Rio Tinto ' s Chief Advisor ( Radiological Governance and Product Stewardship ). Over his career he has been involved in a number of uranium and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials ( NORM ) operations worldwide . He has had stints with private organisations , Government and the IAEA . In his time he has seen “ the good , the bad and the ugly ”, and he remains passionate about the importance of good practices to maintain the sustainability of the uranium fuel cycle and NORM industries . were informed and the gauge , shield and source were safely moved to a radiation storage area . An experienced and licensed firm was contracted to reassemble the gauge and package it in an overpack for transport to Perth 870 miles away . This was performed on 10-11 January 2023 . It was transported from site to the contractor ' s location in Perth over the period 12-15 January 2023 .
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This article is a summary of a presentation given by Frank at SRP ' s Annual Conference , Eastbourne , 14 – 16 May 2024 . The full presentation can be viewed here .
Perth
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In January 2023 , national and international media became alive with reports of a radioactive source lost in the Western Australian outback . A subsequent multiagency search managed to locate and recover the radioactive capsule utilising large volume radiation detectors . Investigations into the cause of the incident were undertaken , and the sharing of these findings will help improve future gauge design and transport , and reinforce the need for defence in depth whenever radioactive sources are in use or transported .
The incident On 12 December 2022 it was observed at Rio Tinto ' s Gudai-Darri iron ore mine that an industrial radiation gauge used for level measurement had come apart and the shielding material ( with the sealed-source capsule intact within ) had fallen out of the gauge outer housing . Regulatory authorities
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The three stars show ( i ) the Gudai-Darri mine ( ii ) where the source was found ( iii ) the intended destination in Perth . The inset map of the UK is shown for scale .
On 25 January the contractor informed the regulatory authorities and Rio Tinto that the gauge was damaged and the source missing .
Media coverage The incident raised significant media attention with local , national and international press , TV and internet attention for a period of over a week . There was Government concern at all levels ( council , State and Commonwealth ), but despite some public concern , no incidents of panic or inappropriate responses were reported . Following the loss , there was strong government cooperation involving multiple agencies and Rio Tinto focussed on openness and assistance ( and taking full ownership ).
4 Radiation Protection Today www . srp-rpt . uk