ST. LOUIS (AP) – An old Missouri lead mining site that has been a dormant nuisance for decades may soon get new life, thanks to its vast reserves of an element vital for use in electric vehicle batteries.
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced an agreement allowing a division of Missouri Cobalt LLC to implement a cleanup plan at the Madison County Mines site near Fredericktown. It will remain on the Superfund list, but the cleanup allows reuse for cobalt mining.
Lead mining there ended in the 1960s, but lead waste left behind prompted the Superfund designation. High blood-lead levels have previously been found in Madison County children, putting them at risk for learning disabilities and other problems.
The EPA says recent testing has shown a significant drop in blood-lead levels.
Missouri Cobalt expects the new operation to create 250 permanent jobs.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI