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Criteria for the Safe and Environmentally Protective Use of Granular Mine Tailings Known as "Chat"

Final Rule - July 18, 2007

Proposed Rule

Summary

In July 2007, EPA finalized criteria for the environmentally protective use of chat in transportation construction projects carried out in whole or in part with federal funds. EPA is also recommending criteria as guidance for the beneficial use of chat in non-transportation, non-residential concrete and cement projects, such as commercial foundations, side walk areas, and parking areas.

Chat is a gravel-like waste created from lead and zinc mining activities in the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri tri-state mining region between the late 1800s and mid 1900s. Currently about 100 million tons of chat contaminated with lead, zinc and cadmium are located in the tri-state mining district. The finalized criteria will help reduce chat piles and improve human health and the environment in the Tri-state area.

The tri-state district covers approximately 2,500 square miles and includes parts of Ottawa County, Oklahoma; Cherokee County, Kansas; and Jasper, Lawrence, Newton and Barry Counties, Missouri. It includes four Superfund National Priority List (NPL) sites: Cherokee County, Tar Creek (Ottawa County), Newton County Mine and the Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt.

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

The support materials for this final and the proposed rule and the public comments EPA received are available for public review online at Regulations.gov.

To use Regulations.gov:

  1. Select Docket Search.
  2. Select "Environmental Protection Agency" from the Agency drop-down menu.
  3. In the Docket ID box, type in the docket number — EPA-HQ-RCRA-2006-0097 and press the "Submit" button to receive search results. Be patient; loading the documents takes time.

Frequent Questions

Proposed Rule - April 4, 2006

Summary

In April 2006, EPA proposed criteria for the environmentally protective use of chat in transportation construction projects carried out in whole or in part with federal funds, and in concrete and cement projects. Chat is a gravel-like waste created from lead and zinc mining activities in the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri tri-state mining region between the late 1800s and mid 1900s. The proposed criteria involve safely encapsulating chat particles in asphalt or cement and concrete.

Currently about 100 million tons of chat contaminated with lead, zinc and cadmium are located in the tri-state mining district. The proposed criteria will help reduce these piles, thus reducing the amount of chat particles that are spread by wind, water or air into the surrounding environment.

The tri-state district covers approximately 2,500 square miles and includes parts of Ottawa County, Oklahoma; Cherokee County, Kansas; and Jasper and Newton Counties, Missouri. It includes four Superfund National Priority List (NPL) sites: Cherokee County, Tar Creek (Ottawa County), Newton County Mine and the Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt.

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