ML20249B021

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PNO-76-007:on 760103,Martin-Marietta Cement Midwest Division of Davenport,Ia,Notified Region III of Possible Loss of Level Gauge Containing 500 Mci of cesium-137.Active Search Efforts Suspended & Source Concluded Lost
ML20249B021
Person / Time
Issue date: 01/16/1976
From: Roy G, Thornburg H, Warnick R
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE)
To:
References
PNO-76-007, PNO-76-7, NUDOCS 9806190292
Download: ML20249B021 (2)


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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE January 16, 1976

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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE -PNO-76-07 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of

! POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance.

The information presented is as initially received without verification or evaluation f'

and is trasically all that is known by OIE staff as of 5:00 P.M. on date of this notification.

IT SHOULD BE SPECIFICALLY NOTED THAT THIS t

NOTIFICATION MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT LATER MAY BE DETERMINED TO BE INACCURATE OR INCONSISTENT.

AN OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT h

NOTIFICATION OF AN INCIDENT OR OCCURRENCE (BLUE SHEET) SUBSEQUENTLY WILL BE ISSUED IF WARRANTED.

Facility: Martin Marietta Cement, Midwest Division, Davenport, Iowa, License No. 14-15959-1 I

Subject:

POSSIBLE LOSS OF A LEVEL GAUGE CONTAINING 500 MILLICURIES OF CESIUM-137 Martin-Marietta Cement Midwest Division of Davenport, Iowa, notified

Region III (Chicago) of the possible loss of a level gauge containing

,'500 mil 11 curies of cesium-137.

In late October 1975, the gauge had been removed from a kiln which was temporarily out of service for f

maintenance purposes.

The gauge was reported to be locked in a safe

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condition at that time.

The licensee reported the gauge could not be located on January 2, 1976, and that a search was in progress.

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.__ A Reg:on III (Chicago) dispatched an investigator and a radiation specialist to licensee's facility on January 5, 1976, to review search l

l efforts.

Information obtained at the site appeared to substantiate r

the licensee's contention that there was a good possibility the source l

is still located somewhere on the licensee's 738-acre plant site. The gauge was last observed by a licensee's employee during the week of December 17, 1975.

The search has been continued since January 3, 1976 entil January 16, 1976 as the weather permitted, by the licensee using:

visual methods (sif ting waste material), radiation surveys of waste areas and metal detection instrumentation.

Efforts to locate the gauge have been unsuccessful, however, it is the licensee's contention that the gauge is probably still located on their premises.

On January 16, 1976, the licensee informed Region III he plans to suspend his active search efforts and has concluded the source is lost.

Region III J

(Chicago) informed the State of Iowa's Department of Environmental j

Quality of the reported possible loss on January 5, 1976.

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9906190292 760116 PDR I&E PNO-76-OO7 PDR

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We Continusd Page 2 January 16, 1976 PNO-76-07 r

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The licensee has made no news release as of January 16, 1976. Region III Plans to make a news release on January 16, 1976.

Region III's Duty Officer was first notified of this occurrence by the licensee by telephone on January 3, 1976, at approximately 1610 hours0.0186 days <br />0.447 hours <br />0.00266 weeks <br />6.12605e-4 months <br /> and notification of the suspension of active search efforts was re-ceived by Region III January 16, 1976.

Contact:

RWarnick, IE x27261 GWRoy, IE x27353 HGThornburg, IE x27541 Distribution:

Chairman Anders

. Commissioner Mason S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Gilinsky Commissioner Rowden G. F. Murphy, JCAE Commissioner Kennedy C. C. Kammerer, CA L. V. Gossick, J. G. Davis, OIE 5=.A. Harris, PA B. C. Rusche, URR J. La Fleur, ISP T. J. McTiernan, AIA K. R. Chsp=an, HMSS E. K. Shepar, ELO Transmitted: P Bldg 7MO W, H St7/O MNBB /66+ - ;

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1 P,RELIMINARY NOTIFICATION - NOT FOR PUBLIC DISCLOSURE g

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