Spatial distribution of mining-related metals in channel and floodplain deposits in Elm Creek, Picher Field, Oklahoma

Keywords: Tri-State Mining District, superfund site, mining contamination, fluvial geomorphology, remediation efforts
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

The Picher Field in Oklahoma within the Tri-State Mining District was a hub for Pb and Zn mining from the early 1900s to the 1970s. The Tar Creek Superfund site includes the Picher Field and was the first of four areas within the District to be marked as a superfund site due to widespread pollution from mining waste. Elm Creek, a tributary of the Neosho River, lies within the superfund site and has been impacted by the surrounding mining operations. However, sediment Pb and Zn distribution and storage across the floodplain and within the channel of Elm Creek had not been evaluated. The levels and variability of mining-related Pb and Zn in Elm Creek were investigated using surficial-soil sampling across the floodplain and channel. XRF analysis showed elevated concentrations of Pb and Zn were present in fluvial deposits. This poster will describe the spatial trends of contamination among different landforms with increasing distance from mining sites within Elm Creek watershed. Understanding the distribution and concentrations of Pb and Zn will assist in the on-going remediation of the superfund site.