Due to a slope failure into the Big River and growing concerns over the amount of heavy metals in the tailings that were migrating off site, The Doe Run Company initiated reclamation and closure activities of the tailings basin and mill at the closed underground mining facility known as the Desloge (Big River) Mine and Mill. Because of lead concentrations, reclamation activities of the 600-acre site were performed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or Superfund, in coordination with the U.S. EPA Region 7 and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
As part of Barr’s initial phase of work on this project, we provided regulatory agency coordination and developed plans for health and safety, sampling, and data quality control. We also developed conceptual alternatives for proposed reclamation actions, completed analytical and geotechnical investigations of the facility, and developed an engineering evaluation and cost analysis for the conceptual alternatives.
After a conceptual design was selected, Barr developed a detailed design for reclamation, with the goals of minimizing wind and water erosion and providing stability for the slopes at the site, which is located in a region at risk for seismic activity. We also provided construction support for design implementation, developed a documentation report and record drawings, and created and helped implement a long-term care and maintenance plan.