big river mine tailings/st. joe minerals corp.

SECTION 25 26 35 & 36 T37N R4E

The Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp. site is located in a former mining region known as the "Old Lead Belt", which is 70 miles south of St. Louis. This site is composed of seven large areas of mine waste in this rural region, approximately 110 square miles in size. The areas included are the Bonne Terre Mine Tailings Site, the Leadwood Mine Tailings Site, the Elvins Mine Tailings Site, the Federal Mine Tailings Site, the Desloge Mine Tailings Site, the Doe Run Mine Tailings Site, and the National Mine Tailings Site. Also included are the surrounding residential and recreational areas. In 1977, heavy rains caused an estimated 50,000 cubic yards of tailings to slump into the Big River. The residual lead content in the tailings material is about one-half percent; other minerals such as cadmium and zinc are also present. The Missouri Department of Conservation has detected elevated lead levels in fish downstream of the mining area above World Health Organization Standards. The State of Missouri advises p eople fishing not to eat fish they catch from the Big River downstream of this area. The Big River is used for recreational purposes such as fishing and canoeing, as well as for commercial activities such as watering livestock. Approximately 23,000 p eople reside within 4 miles of the site. Dust created by wind erosion contaminates the surrounding area and is a potential hazard to residents. A 1997 human health exposure study by the Missouri Department of Health (MDOH) showed that 17% of the children under seven years old had blood-lead concentrations exceeding the health-based standard of 10 microgram per deciliter. Since EPA has implemented its response actions at residential properties, MDOH has reported that rate of blood-lead exceedances in young children have dropped to 2.6% in 2009.