Geochemical Analyses of Water, Mine Tailings, Fluvial Suspended Sediments, Fluvial Bed Sediments, and Fluvial Flood Deposit Sediments from the Big River and Meramec River Drainage Basins, Missouri

Geochemical data for aqueous, mine tailings, and sediment samples collected from the Big River and Meramec River drainage basins in southeastern Missouri are presented. The Big River drains historical lead, zinc, and barite mining districts, including the Old Lead Belt (OLB). Underground mining in the OLB resulted in large mine-waste chat piles and tailings impoundments that have released material laden with lead, zinc, and other trace elements to the Big River drainage basin. The Meramec River has also been affected by mining-related material transported by the Big River. Since the late 1980s, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been involved in investigations into the effects of mining on the Big River. The data presented here were generated as part of collaborations between the USGS Central Midwest Water Science Center, the USGS Mineral Resources Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Flood deposit sediments were collected immediately after major flooding of the Big and Meramec Rivers in December 2016 and April 2017. Bed sediments and suspended sediments were collected by various methods during several field efforts from 2018 through 2022. Mine tailings were collected by coring on the former Federal mine tailings impoundment within St. Joe State Park in 2018. Concentrations of major and trace elements were determined for multiple particle size fractions of solid-phase samples, and multi-element analyses of deionized water leaches and sequential extractions were performed on select samples. Aqueous samples were collected from the Big River, tributaries, and mine and mine-waste seeps at near baseflow conditions during three different field efforts in 2018, 2019, and 2021. Aqueous samples were analyzed for anions and major and trace elements. Concentrations of major and trace elements in streambed and suspended sediments collected from the Big River drainage basin in 1988 and 1999 are also reported; these data were previously published in a USGS report but are provided here for convenient comparison.

本数据集收录了采自密苏里州东南部大河（Big River）与梅拉梅克河（Meramec River）流域的水体、矿山尾矿及沉积物样品的地球化学数据。大河流域涵盖历史遗留的铅、锌、重晶石采矿区，包括旧铅矿带（Old Lead Belt, OLB）。旧铅矿带的地下采矿活动遗留了大量矿山废石堆与尾矿库，这些设施已将富含铅、锌及其他痕量元素的物质释放至大河流域。梅拉梅克河同样受到大河输送的采矿相关物质的影响。自20世纪80年代末以来，美国地质调查局（U.S. Geological Survey, USGS）一直致力于开展采矿活动对大河影响的相关调查研究。本次发布的数据由美国地质调查局中西部水文科学中心、美国地质调查局矿产资源计划项目、美国环境保护署（U.S. Environmental Protection Agency）与密苏里州自然资源部合作产出。2016年12月及2017年4月大河与梅拉梅克河发生特大洪水后，研究人员立即采集了洪积沉积物样品。2018年至2022年间，研究团队通过多种野外采样手段采集了河床沉积物与悬浮沉积物样品。2018年，研究人员通过取芯采样方式，在圣乔州立公园（St. Joe State Park）内的前联邦矿山尾矿库采集了尾矿样品。研究人员对固相样品的多个粒径组分开展了常量元素与痕量元素浓度测定，并针对部分样品进行了去离子水浸提与连续萃取的多元素分析。2018、2019及2021年的三次野外调查中，研究人员在接近基流的条件下，从大河、支流以及矿山与矿山废石渗流点采集了水体样品。研究人员对水体样品中的阴离子、常量元素与痕量元素开展了分析测试。本数据集同时公布了1988年与1999年从大河流域采集的河床沉积物与悬浮沉积物中的常量元素及痕量元素浓度数据；此类数据此前已在美国地质调查局的报告中发表，本次一并提供以方便对比研究。