A tiny radioactive capsule that can cause cancer and skin burns has been lost in the West Australian outback, triggering an urgent health warning.
As a hunt was launched, people were warned to stay away from the 8mm high and 6mm wide capsule, which fell off a truck somewhere on an 870 mile journey between Perth and a mine site north of Newman.
Radioactive gauges are commonly used in mining and the capsule was lost sometime after Jan 10. It is thought it fell through a bolthole after a bolt was knocked loose by a container collapsing from vibrations on the trip.
