Western Australia launched an emergency search on Saturday after a small capsule of radioactive material from a mine went missing.
Emergency services said an 8x6mm silver capsule used in mining operations had been missing since mid-January.
According to the Western Australian Department of Health, it contains the radioactive material cesium 137.
The capsule is believed to have fallen from a truck while being transported to a warehouse.
Health officials have warned that handling it could cause burns and radiation sickness.
Fire and ambulance officials said the capsule was lost about 1,400 kilometers between remote Newman and the northern suburbs of Perth.
Authorities warn that if you find the capsules, do not handle them and call emergency services.
Western Australia’s chief health officer, Dr Andrew Robertson, said: “The concern is that someone gets it without knowing it.”
A spokesman for the fire department said it is prioritizing populated areas during the search, which could last for weeks.
He added that the capsule management company only noticed the loss on Wednesday and alerted authorities only after that.
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