Distribution, Geochemistry, and Storage of Mining Sediment in Channel and Floodplain Deposits of the Big River System in St

Distribution, Geochemistry, and Storage of Mining Sediment in Channel and Floodplain Deposits of the Big River System in St

The Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute (OEWRI) Missouri State University (MSU) Big River Mining Sediment Assessment Project Distribution, Geochemistry, and Storage of Mining Sediment in Channel and Floodplain Deposits of the Big River System in St. Francois, Washington, and Jefferson Counties, Missouri Field work completed Fall 2008 to Spring 2009 FINAL REPORT Prepared by: Robert T. Pavlowsky, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Marc R. Owen, M.S., Research Specialist II Derek J. Martin, M.S., Research Specialist I Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute Missouri State University 901 South National Avenue Springfield, MO 65897 bobpavlowsky@missouristate.edu Funded by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit David E. Mosby, Environmental Contaminants Specialist Columbia Missouri Field Office 573-234-2132 Ext. 113 Dave_Mosby@fws.gov June 18, 2010 OEWRI EDR-10-002 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................... 2 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................... 3 LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................................. 4 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................... 7 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................... 10 STUDY AREA ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................................................ 11 Mining History..................................................................................................................................... 12 Climate and Hydrology ....................................................................................................................... 12 County Boundaries .............................................................................................................................. 12 METHODS .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Sampling Design .................................................................................................................................. 13 Field Methods ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Geomorphic Analyses of Channel and Bar Areas. ....................................................................... 14 Channel Surveys ........................................................................................................................... 14 Sediment Sampling and Characterization ..................................................................................... 14 Laboratory Methods ........................................................................................................................... 16 Sample Preparation ....................................................................................................................... 16 Sediment Texture .......................................................................................................................... 16 Chat Grain Counts......................................................................................................................... 17 Geochemical Analysis .................................................................................................................. 17 Geospatial Data and Analysis ............................................................................................................ 20 GIS Data Sources .......................................................................................................................... 20 Channel and Floodplain Feature Classification ............................................................................ 21 River Kilometer Scale ......................................................................................................................... 22 Background Information and Appendices ........................................................................................ 22 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................. 23 Tailings Input Geochemistry .............................................................................................................. 23 Channel Sediment Geochemistry and Particle Size Trends ............................................................ 24 Comparison of Glide and Bar Geochemistry ................................................................................ 24 Within-Site Geochemical Variability ........................................................................................... 25 Particle Size of Channel Glide and Bar Deposits ......................................................................... 25 Chat Grain Mineralogy ................................................................................................................. 26 Downstream changes in Sediment Geochemistry......................................................................... 27 Tributary Channel Sediment Contamination ................................................................................ 29 Bar Core Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 29 Lead Concentrations in the <2 mm and Chat Fractions of Channel Sediment ............................. 31 2 Contamination Trends in Floodplain Deposits ................................................................................. 31 Depth of Contaminated Floodplain Deposits ................................................................................ 32 Maximum Floodplain Contamination ........................................................................................... 32 Surface Floodplain Contamination ............................................................................................... 32 Floodplain Contamination Processes ............................................................................................ 33 Average Floodplain Contamination .............................................................................................. 34 Spatial Variability of Floodplain Geochemistry ........................................................................... 35 Tributary Floodplain Contamination ............................................................................................ 36 Pb:Zn Ratios of Floodplain Deposits ............................................................................................ 36 Storage of Contaminated Sediment and Lead .................................................................................. 37 Channel Sediment and Lead Storage ............................................................................................ 37 Floodplain Soil and Lead Storage ................................................................................................. 39 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 42 LITERATURE CITED .......................................................................................................................... 45 TABLES ................................................................................................................................................... 50 FIGURES ................................................................................................................................................. 65 APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................................ 106 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Location and Size of Tailings Piles ...........................................................................................................50 Table 2: Lead and Zinc in Tailings Piles .................................................................................................................51 Table 3: Explanation of Geologic Map Units ..........................................................................................................52 Table 4: Sample Site Descriptions...........................................................................................................................53 Table 5: Geospatial Data Sources ............................................................................................................................54 Table 6: Size Fractionation of Metals in Tailings Materials ...................................................................................55 Table 7: Geochemical Differentiation by Size Fraction ..........................................................................................56

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