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Fact Sheet
November 2007
Mine Waste Cleanup Actions Begin at Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt Site, Jasper County, Missouri
INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 continues its work at the Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt Superfund site in Jasper County, Missouri. EPA's contractor, Snyder Construction Co. has mobilized in the Carterville, Missouri area. The Carterville area is the location of the first phase in the mine waste cleanup effort.
Approximately 7,000 acres of land, in Jasper County, will be cleaned over a 10-year period. Mine wastes in Carterville, Duenweg, Oronogo, Joplin Webb City and Carl Junction will all be addressed in this cleanup.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt Site is an inactive lead and zinc mining and smelting area in the southwestern part of Jasper County, Missouri. It covers over 250 square miles. It is part of the Tri-State Mining District which covers parts of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma.
Mining, milling, and smelting of lead and zinc ore operations began in the area during the mid-1800s ending in the 1970s. The operations included hundreds of mines and 17 smelters.
PAST CLEANUP ACTIONS
EPA's past cleanup actions include cleaning up approximately 2,700 residential yards. Investigations of homes in the smelter area showed soil samples had high lead levels. The residential yard cleanup was started in November 1996 and was completed in September 2001.
EPA supplied approximately 350 homes with public water supplies. EPA funded Public Water Supply District #3, Missouri American Water Company, Webb City, and the city of Duenweg to install public water supply lines into the contaminated areas. The water supply phase was completed in 2006.
MINE WASTE CLEANUP
The mine waste cleanup will include the following:
- Removing or combining mining/milling wastes, contaminated soil, and stream sediments
- Disposal of excavated contaminated material in mine subsidence pits
- Re-contouring and re-vegetating excavated areas, and capping the disposed wastes
- Plugging selected mine shafts and diverting surface water from mine openings
- Establishing a monitoring program to determine the effect of the cleanup on Site streams
- Creating land use controls for future residential development in contaminated areas and the use of the disposal areas
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Administrative Records associated with the various cleanups are available at the following locations during normal business hours:
Joplin Public Library
300 Main St.
Joplin, Mo.
Webb City Public Library
101 S. Liberty St.
Webb City, Mo.
Carl Junction City Hall
105 N. Main St.
Carl Junction, Mo.
EPA Records Center
901 N. Fifth St.
Kansas City, Kan.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:
Mark Doolan
Remedial Project Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
(913) 551-7169
Toll free: 1-800-223-0425
doolan.mark@epa.gov
Debbie Kring
Community Involvement Coordinator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, Kansas 66101
(913) 551-7725
Toll free: 1-800-223-0425
kring.debbie@epa.gov
