The State of
Colorado sent this report in by fax.
On 5/7/09, the Department received a request for assistance from a private citizen regarding the disposition of a load of scrap metal that he sent to a scrap metal recycling facility. The load was rejected after it tripped the gate radiation monitor.
On 5/8/09, representatives from the Department went to the owner's site to investigate. After sifting through the pile of scrap, a radium source was found. The source, which was approximately 2 inches [in] diameter and 0.25 thick, had a glass face and appeared to be some type of light source. The back of the source was stamped with the following, 'USRC, UNDARK, 22MTTR58, Poison Inside.' The source was reading approximately 35 millirem per hour on contact and 0.3 millirem per hour at one foot. No removable contamination was detected by wipe test. The owner, who was cleaning out an old building on the property, did not know where the source came from.
The source is currently being stored inside a locked, empty building on the property pending disposition. No other details are available at this time.