Federal funds will help Missouri Department of Natural Resources workers search for raw materials for batteries in gravel piles near abandoned mines.
The U.S. Geological Survey is giving over $200,000 to the Missouri Geological Survey to find critical minerals in the waste piles of Missouri’s Old Lead Belt District.
Carey Bridges, Missouri’s state geologist, said this project could lead to the state’s most significant geologic discovery in a generation.
This funding is part of $2 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help the U.S. Geological Survey and 14 states map mine waste locations and measure the potential for critical minerals in these piles.
Starting in September, state geologists will dig in piles near abandoned mines to search for cobalt and nickel. The Doe Run Company will partner with the state to check if these rare elements are in Missouri’s mud.
Missouri’s St. Francis Mountains are one of the few places in the U.S. with cobalt deposits, which are essential for making lithium-ion batteries.
Three sites owned by Doe Run, no longer in operation, will be part of the project. Gravel-like waste from lead mining, called chat and tailings piles, will be examined in Bonne Terre, Rivermines, and National mines. In 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated there were about 100 million tons of chat contaminated with lead, zinc, and cadmium in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri.
Critical minerals like cobalt and nickel were not targeted during past mining processes, so they remain in these materials at varying levels. By sampling and analyzing, the team can determine the concentrations and potential recovery of these minerals as a domestic source for materials needed for advanced energy technology and essential goods.
The final results are expected in August 2026. The work will take place on the surface of the piles without using heavy equipment. There will be no major ground disturbances or impact on vehicle traffic, as the sites are in gated areas or away from roads.
Missouri’s proposal was one of 26 submitted and one of 16 selected by the U.S. Geological Survey. The project will receive $207,464 for fieldwork and analysis, with an additional $4,000 for team members to attend an earth mapping resources workshop.