The Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp. site covers roughly 110 square miles in the Old Lead Belt region of Missouri, about 70 miles south of St. Louis. It encompasses eight large areas of mine waste left behind by historic lead mining operations. The site was added to the National Priorities List in 1992, and a formal cleanup remedy was selected in 2011. Construction is not yet complete, and the site has not been deleted from the list.
Lead is the primary contaminant of concern. It has been found in soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater across the site. Wind and water erosion spread mine waste over a wide area, and chat from the mines was used in road construction, railroad ballast, and fill material, including on some residential properties. Children are at the greatest risk. The main exposure pathway is swallowing lead-contaminated soil during outdoor play or through household dust. Lead exposure in young children can cause brain damage, learning and behavior problems, slowed growth, and hearing problems. Contaminated fish and other aquatic life from the Big River also present exposure risks. Human exposure is not currently under control at the site.
The EPA leads the cleanup with support from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, using funding from responsible party settlements and the Superfund trust fund, including support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The site is divided into five operable units. Operable Unit 1 targets residential areas and has seen the most progress. Over 2,500 residential yards have been cleaned up through 2024, with the EPA removing soil where lead exceeds 400 parts per million, replacing it with clean fill, and revegetating the area. A partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers launched in 2023 aims to remediate roughly 1,000 more properties through at least 2027. Work on other operable units covering off-source areas, railroad lines, and the Doe Run mine tailings is at earlier stages, with investigations and feasibility studies underway or planned. Institutional controls, including environmental covenants, restrict excavation, well construction, and residential construction at cleaned-up source areas. Two source areas have been redeveloped for industrial use and now host hundreds of businesses.
Community members can get involved through the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator, Shaylee Borcsani, at EPA Region 7. The Technical Assistance Services for Communities program also offers free, independent help from scientists and engineers to help residents understand the cleanup process and engage effectively with the EPA. The most recent five-year review was completed in February 2025.
