The licensee called to report a missing 15 milliCurie Nickel-63 source. This source is used in an unknown nuclear device. The licensee believes that the device, which was previously removed from a wall was taken to a scrap metal yard. The licensee has searched the scrap yard and is still searching for the source. The licensee is investigating and will update this report when more information is obtained.
The following was received via email:
Serial number of 466AN. The plant number for this device is J-128.
Below is a brief sequence of events:
06/04/2013 - J-128 was observed mounted in place and a leak test was performed (A035645).
We [E.I. DuPont] are not sure of the date, but we have evidence that sometime in August maintenance removed the analyzer from the wall to make space for other equipment. There was a clear 'Caution Radioactive Material' label on the front of the unit.
10/30/2013 - J-128 was verified not in place.
10/30/2013 - We have pictures of this device. An extensive plant wide search began. This search then intensified to include all metal dumpsters on site, all operating areas, all scrap metal trailers scheduled to go off site, and then off site locations where metal may have been sent. The local scrapyard with acres of storage piles was searched using heavy equipment.
11/05/2013 - Even with all our efforts to locate the device, we were unable to locate it. On this date our formal investigation began and is ongoing.
11/08/2013 - Called the NRC to report this incident.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than
IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as
moisture density gauges or thickness
gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf