Past and Present Conditions of the Tri-State Mining District
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BearWorks MSU Graduate Theses Summer 2020 The Legacy of Mining in Southwest Missouri: Past and Present Conditions of the Tri-State Mining District Anastasia M C McClanahan Missouri State University, [email protected] As with any intellectual project, the content and views expressed in this thesis may be considered objectionable by some readers. However, this student-scholar’s work has been judged to have academic value by the student’s thesis committee members trained in the discipline. The content and views expressed in this thesis are those of the student-scholar and are not endorsed by Missouri State University, its Graduate College, or its employees. Follow this and additional works at: https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses Part of the Environmental Chemistry Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Environmental Public Health Commons, Geochemistry Commons, Geology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Other Earth Sciences Commons, Other Environmental Sciences Commons, Soil Science Commons, Sustainability Commons, and the Water Resource Management Commons Recommended Citation McClanahan, Anastasia M C, "The Legacy of Mining in Southwest Missouri: Past and Present Conditions of the Tri-State Mining District" (2020). MSU Graduate Theses. 3556. https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3556 This article or document was made available through BearWorks, the institutional repository of Missouri State University. The work contained in it may be protected by copyright and require permission of the copyright holder for reuse or redistribution. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LEGACY OF MINING IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI: PAST AND PRESENT CONDITIONS OF THE TRI-STATE MINING DISTRICT A Master’s Thesis Presented to The Graduate College of Missouri State University TEMPLATE In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science, Geospatial Science By Anastasia Marie Cox McClanahan August 2020 Copyright 2020 by Anastasia Marie Cox McClanahan ii THE LEGACY OF MINING IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI: PAST AND PRESENT CONDITIONS OF THE TRI-STATE MINING DISTRICT Geography, Geology, and Planning Missouri State University, August 2020 Master of Science Anastasia Marie Cox McClanahan ABSTRACT The historic Tri-State Mining District (TSMD) of southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma has a history of lead and zinc mining that extended over a hundred years. During the district’s peak production period, the TSMD was one of the world’s largest producers of lead and zinc. The mining activities in the TSMD produced economic growth that supported the local communities and were essential to the victory of the Allied Forces during World War I and World War II. Beginning in the 1920s, the mining activities in the district slowly began to cease due to depletion of metal ores and competition from imports. The last mine in southwest Missouri closed in 1957. Unfortunately, the negative consequences of the mining industry have had a lasting effect in the environment. Abandoned mining sites caused lead and zinc contamination in the soils, sediments, and streams throughout the district. Due to the high level of contaminants present, remediation efforts began in the 1980s and are still on- going today. This study assists in identifying sites with contaminated levels of heavy metals in the sediment due to over a hundred years of lead and zinc mining centers in southwest Missouri. The metal content of sediments reported in literature were collected and added to a database used to build maps that would highlight their spatial distribution. The purpose of this study is to (1) provide an historical description of the mining activities in the Missouri part of the TSMD, (2) aid in further understanding the extent of contamination caused by the historic mining activities, and (3) aid in an understanding of the effectiveness of remediation. KEYWORDS: Tri-State Mining, lead, zinc, contamination: remediation iii THE LEGACY OF MININING IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI: PAST AND PRESENT CONDITIONS OF THE TRI-STATE MINING DISTRICT By Anastasia Marie Cox McClanahan A Master’s Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College Of Missouri State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science, Geospatial Science August 2020 Approved: Mélida Gutiérrez, Ph.D., Thesis Committee Chair Elizabeth A. Sobel, Ph. D., Committee Member Kevin L. Mickus, Ph. D., Committee Member Julie Masterson, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate College In the interest of academic freedom and the principle of free speech, approval of this thesis indicates the format is acceptable and meets the academic criteria for the discipline as determined by the faculty that constitute the thesis committee. The content and views expressed in this thesis are those of the student-scholar and are not endorsed by Missouri State University, its Graduate College, or its employees. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many individuals contributed to the success of this thesis. First, I would like to thank the faculty and staff of the Geography, Geology, and Planning (GGP) department at Missouri State University particularly my committee members- Dr. Mélida Gutiérrez, Dr. Elizabeth Sobel, and Dr. Kevin Mickus- for their support and encouragement during the course of my graduate studies. I would especially like to express my gratitude to Dr. Gutiérrez for her time, patience, and guidance during my research. Dr. Gutiérrez, I can never thank you enough for everything you have done for me. I would also like to thank my family, including my parents- Cindy and Russell Cox- and my siblings- Guinevere, Richard, Matthew Cox- whom have provided me with love, emotional support, and many hours of babysitting to help me to complete this degree. I appreciate each and every one of you. The success of this research is as much my victory as it is yours. Last but definitely not least, I would like to thank my husband and son. Spencer, it has been a challenge to remain a strong mother to you while being a student myself. I hope watching me complete this research encourages you to realize that all dreams can be possible through hard work and dedication. Matt, I know that the road has been rocky and rough at times, but I wouldn’t want to take this journey with anyone else. I dedicate this thesis to my son, Spencer McClanahan, and the memory of the mother, Cindy Cox. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One: Introduction Page 1 1.1 Content and Organization Page 1 1.2 Significance of the Study and Specific Objectives Page 2 Chapter Two: Physiography and Geology of the TSMD Page 4 2.1 Physiographical Setting Page 4 2.2 Geological Setting Page 6 Chapter Three: History of Mining in the TSMD Page 10 3.1 Archival Research and Literature Review Methodology Page 10 3.2 Early Mining History Page 11 3.3 Civil War, Railroads, and Improved Mining Methods Page 15 3.4 Growth and Decline of Mining Operations Page 19 3.5 Sisters of Mercy and the Establishment of Mercy Hospital Page 24 3.6 Generation of Mining Waste Page 27 3.7 Disposal of Mining Waste and its Consequences Page 34 3.8 Health Hazards Page 35 3.9 Discussion Page 37 Chapter Four: Six Mining Sites: then and now Page 38 4.1 Methods Page 38 4.2 Joplin Page 39 4.3 Granby Page 50 4.4 Neosho Page 57 4.5 Aurora Page 63 4.6 Oronogo Page 69 4.7 Springfield Page 74 4.8 Discussion Page 75 Chapter Five: Post Mining Era Page 77 5.1 Methods Page 77 5.2 Environmental Consequences of Mining Page 80 5.3 Superfund Sites Page 83 5.4 State of Remediation Page 83 5.5 Posting Mining Maps Page 88 5.6 Discussion Page 89 References Page 106 Appendix Page 113 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1. TSMD boundary Page 5 Figure 2.2. The geographic distibution of lead and zinc mining Page 6 activities in southwest Missouri Figure 2.3. Map of Watersheds and Streams Page 7 Figure 3.1. Geographic location of the Leadville Hollow, Missouri and Page 12 the Turkey Creek Mining Camp Figure 3.2. Early mining partnership TSMD Page 13 Figure 3.3. Map of railroad lines and stations in southwest Missouri Page 16 Figure 3.4. Miners in large underground mine cavity in Jasper County Page 18 Figure 3.5. Men working at Leckie Foundry and Machine Works in Page 20 Joplin Figure 3.6. Southwest Missouri Electric Railway Company’s trolley Page 21 Figure 3.7. Map of Southwest Missouri Electric Railway Company Page 22 lines Figure 3.8. Miner during the Great Depression reworking an old Page 23 prospect with 1870s equipment Figure 3.9. Joplin area mine during the WWII Page 25 Figure 3.10. The original Saint John’s Hospital Page 27 Figure 3.11. Unknown milling site in the TSMD Page 29 Figure 3.12. Early jigging operations in the TSMD Page 31 Figure 3.13. Empire Smelter Works near Joplin, Missouri Page 32 Figure 4.1. Geographic location of six historic mining towns and the Page 39 major streams in southwest Missouri Figure 4.2. Bird’s-eye view of Joplin. Circa 1877. Page 44 Figure 4.3. Joplin, Missouri. Circa 1900 Page 45 Figure 4.4. Postcard of Landreth Park in Joplin after the cleanup Page 47 Figure 4.5. Aerial photo of Joplin. Circa 1940 Page 48 Figure 4.6. Joplin circa 1890 Page 49 Figure 4.7. Joplin Main Street. Circa 1912 Page 49 Figure 4.8. Joplin circa 1970 Page 50 Figure 4.9. The Granby Mining and Smelting Company Page 54 Figure 4.10. Frisco Railroad Depot in Granby, Missouri Page 55 Figure 4.11. Home Stake Mine in Granby Page 56 Figure 4.12. Underground workings at the Klondike Mine in Granby Page 56 Figure 4.13.