[ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely doomed

Estabrooks, H Bates (IHK) estabrookshb at y12.doe.gov
Thu Dec 5 13:06:24 CST 2013


Yep.  I recall the ol' "Curie-Meter-REM Rule" from my days in HGR's nuke program.  :-O

Bates E.
-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Dennis Quinn
Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 2:03 PM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Cc: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves likely doomed

Rule of thumb. 1 R/hr at 1 meter for 1 curie Co-60. So 3000 R/hr at a meter and about 30,000 R/hr at a foot. About 500 R per minute at one foot. Contact of course much higher. 

Dennis Quinn 


> On Dec 5, 2013, at 13:47, Jim Hardeman <jim.hardeman at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Doomed? Probably so. If I did my math right, they would have been looking
> at ~700 rad/h at a foot.
> 
> The question is, will medical personnel be able to make a proper diagnosis
> of ARS?
> 
> Jim Hardeman -- retired :-)
> Decatur, GA
> jim.hardeman at gmail.com
> 
> 
> 
>> On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 1:24 PM, Boing, Lawrence E. <lboing at anl.gov> wrote:
>> 
>> That's what I read somewhere yesterday as well ....3,000 Curies....
>> 
>> L Boing
>> lboing at anl.gov
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
>> radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Lemieux, Bryan P
>> Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 12:10 PM
>> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves
>> likely doomed
>> 
>> I read 3000 Ci.....
>> 
>> On Dec 5, 2013 11:39 AM, "Estabrooks, H Bates (IHK)" <
>> estabrookshb at y12.doe.gov> wrote:
>> Has anyone revealed/published the activity of the source?
>> 
>> Bates Estabrooks
>> Y-12 NSC
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:
>> radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Harrison - CDPHE, Tony
>> Sent: Thursday, December 05, 2013 11:31 AM
>> To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
>> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Stolen cobalt-60 found in Mexico; curious thieves
>> likely doomed
>> 
>> MEXICO CITY - The carjackers who set off international alarm bells by
>> absconding with a truckload of highly radioactive material most likely had
>> no idea what they were stealing and will probably die soon from exposure,
>> Mexican authorities said at the end of a brief national scare...
>> 
>> The cobalt-60 was found, removed from its casing, in a rural area near the
>> town of Hueypoxtla about 25 miles from where the truck was stolen. Jimenez
>> suspected that curiosity got the better of the thieves and they opened the
>> box. So far the carjackers have not been arrested, but authorities expect
>> they will not live long.
>> 
>> 
>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/stolen-cobalt-60-found-in-mexico-curious-thieves-likely-doomed/2013/12/05/262ef990-5d66-11e3-8d24-31c016b976b2_story.html?hpid=z1
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Tony Harrison, MSPH
>> 
>> Inorganic & Radiochemistry Supervisor
>> 
>> Laboratory Services Division
>> 
>> Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
>> 
>> 8100 Lowry Blvd.
>> 
>> Denver, CO  80230
>> 
>> 303-692-3046 | tony.harrison at state.co.us_______________________________________________
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