2023年02月02日 VOA慢速英语：澳大利亚在沙漠中回收微型放射性容器

 

Australian officials on Wednesday recovered a powerfully radioactive container that was lost in the desert.
澳大利亚官员周三找回了一个丢失在沙漠中的强放射性容器。
 
Officials said a team found the small container, or capsule, after days of searching, involving about 100 people along 1,400 kilometers of highway. The capsule is smaller than a coin, a piece of metal money.
官员们说，经过几天的搜索，一个小组在 1,400 公里的高速公路上找到了这个小容器，涉及大约 100 人。胶囊比硬币还小，是一块金属钱。
 
The capsule contained Caesium-137, a highly radioactive material. It was lost while being transported more than two weeks ago. A vehicle equipped with special detection equipment picked up the radiation from the capsule, officials from the state of Western Australia said.
胶囊中含有铯 137，这是一种高放射性物质。两个多星期前，它在运送途中丢失了。西澳大利亚州的官员说，一辆配备特殊检测设备的车辆检测到了太空舱的辐射。
 
The search team then used smaller detection equipment to find the capsule itself. It was about two meters from the side of the road in an area far from any community, officials added.
搜索小组随后使用较小的检测设备找到了胶囊本身。官员补充说，它距离路边约两米，远离任何社区。
 
The mining company Rio Tinto used the radioactive capsule to measure the density of iron ore in the Gudai-Darri mine in the Australian state's remote Kimberley area.
力拓矿业公司使用放射性胶囊测量澳大利亚偏远金伯利地区Gudai-Darri 矿的铁矿石密度。
 
Rio Tinto was sending the capsule to a center near the state capital, Perth. The distance from Kimberly to Perth is greater than length of the Island of Great Britain.
力拓正在将胶囊送往州首府珀斯附近的一个中心。从金伯利到珀斯的距离大于大不列颠岛的长度。
 
Simon Trott, the head of iron ore for Rio Tinto, said the company would pay for the cost of the search if asked by the state government.
力拓铁矿石负责人西蒙·特罗特 (Simon Trott) 表示，如果州政府提出要求，该公司将支付搜索费用。
 
"We're sorry that that has occurred and we're sorry for the concern that that has caused within the Western Australian community," he said.
他说：“我们对发生这种情况感到抱歉，我们对这在西澳大利亚社区引起的担忧感到抱歉。”
 
Australians had been told to stay at least five meters away if they saw the capsule. Exposure to radiation could cause radiation burns or sickness. But, driving past was said to be low risk.
澳大利亚人被告知，如果他们看到太空舱，要保持至少五米的距离。暴露于辐射可能导致辐射灼伤或疾病。但是，据说开车过去的风险很低。
 
Western Australia's Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the discovery was an "extraordinary result." The search involved the state's emergency response department, defense officials and radiation experts.
西澳大利亚州紧急服务部长斯蒂芬道森说，这一发现是一个“非凡的结果”。搜查涉及该州的应急响应部门、国防官员和辐射专家。
 
People are not permitted to go within 20 meters of the capsule while defense officials confirm it through a serial number. It will then be placed in a lead container and kept in a secure place in Newman. Newman is a town about 1,200 kilometers north-west of Perth. It will be taken to the state capital on Thursday.
人们不得进入太空舱 20 米以内，国防官员通过序列号进行确认。然后将其放入铅制容器中，并保存在纽曼的安全地方。纽曼是珀斯西北约 1,200 公里处的一个小镇。它将在周四被带到州首府。
 
The capsule is only six millimeters across and eight millimeters long. But, it contains Caesium-137. The small amount can release radiation equal to 10 X-rays every hour.
胶囊只有六毫米宽，八毫米长。但是，它含有铯 137。少量每小时可释放相当于10次X射线的辐射。
 
Officials said the capsule fell off a truck and landed on the side of the road. Officials added that it was unlikely contamination in the area would be a problem.
官员说，胶囊从卡车上掉下来，落在路边。官员们补充说，该地区的污染不太可能成为问题。
 
Seeking Answers
寻求答案
 
Rio Tinto said in a statement that it would investigate whether it should have hired specialist contractors. SGS Australia prepared the capsule and Centurion transported it.
力拓在一份声明中表示，它将调查是否应该聘请专业承包商。澳大利亚 SGS 准备了胶囊，Centurion 负责运输。
 
Centurion said it is investigating how the capsule fell off the truck. The container provided by SGS arrived in Perth in the same condition in which it was sent. Technical GPS information showed the truck did not suddenly change speed.
Centurion 表示正在调查胶囊是如何从卡车上掉下来的。SGS 提供的集装箱以发运时的相同状态抵达珀斯。GPS 技术信息显示卡车没有突然变速。
 
Western Australia's Chief Health Officer Andrew Robertson said there would be an investigation. He said officials would consider charges under the state's radiation safety laws from 1975.
西澳大利亚州首席卫生官安德鲁·罗伯逊表示将展开调查。他说，官员们将考虑根据该州 1975 年的辐射安全法提出指控。
 
The highest fine for failing to safely deal with radioactive substances is about $700. The state government said on Wednesday it was considering a change to permit bigger fines.
未能安全处理放射性物质的最高罚款约为 700 美元。州政府周三表示，它正在考虑改变以允许更高的罚款。
 
But officials said they may not use new laws against Rio Tinto for this incident.
但官员们表示，他们可能不会针对这一事件使用新的法律来对付力拓。