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Newton County Mine Tailings Superfund Site
| Client: | EPA Region 7 |
| Role: | Prime Contractor (Joint Venture) |
| Location: | Newton County, Missouri |
| Dates: | 2020 - Present |
The Newton County Mine Tailings Superfund Site is a large-scale remediation project addressing widespread heavy metal contamination from historical lead and zinc mining across approximately 350 acres in southwest Missouri. Arrowhead, as part of the KEMRON/Arrowhead Joint Venture, is leading all field execution for this complex, multi-year EPA Region 7 initiative under the Remedial Environmental Services (RES) contract.
The Joint Venture has managed the excavation, transportation, and off-site disposal of over 1.5 million cubic yards of contaminated material to date. Arrowhead crews self-perform all critical fieldwork, including pre-excavation delineation using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) screening, precision excavation of contaminated soils, construction of haul routes, and installation of erosion and stormwater controls. Excavated areas are surveyed, backfilled, and restored with native vegetation and amended soils to meet EPA cleanup criteria and promote long-term site stability.
The site also included legacy mine features such as subsidence pits and vertical mine shafts. Arrowhead led the successful closure of 210 pits and 40 shafts, constructing reinforced concrete caps and clean fill grading to eliminate physical hazards and prevent future exposure pathways. Each feature was geospatially documented to support future land use and maintenance.
Site-specific stormwater management systems — such as detention berms, rock-lined ditches, and sediment basins — were constructed to prevent runoff during and after construction activities. Arrowhead also implemented a dust and air monitoring program using real-time particulate meters to ensure compliance with EPA health and safety requirements.
Community coordination has been a cornerstone of the project. The team engages directly with affected property owners to obtain access agreements, plan remedial actions, and address concerns related to property use and livestock. An aggressive local hiring program has resulted in 100% of the craft labor workforce being sourced from the surrounding community. The Newton County project highlights Arrowhead’s ability to execute high-volume, technically complex mine waste remediation under strict federal oversight while maintaining strong environmental controls, public engagement, and schedule performance.
The Joint Venture has managed the excavation, transportation, and off-site disposal of over 1.5 million cubic yards of contaminated material to date. Arrowhead crews self-perform all critical fieldwork, including pre-excavation delineation using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) screening, precision excavation of contaminated soils, construction of haul routes, and installation of erosion and stormwater controls. Excavated areas are surveyed, backfilled, and restored with native vegetation and amended soils to meet EPA cleanup criteria and promote long-term site stability.
The site also included legacy mine features such as subsidence pits and vertical mine shafts. Arrowhead led the successful closure of 210 pits and 40 shafts, constructing reinforced concrete caps and clean fill grading to eliminate physical hazards and prevent future exposure pathways. Each feature was geospatially documented to support future land use and maintenance.
Site-specific stormwater management systems — such as detention berms, rock-lined ditches, and sediment basins — were constructed to prevent runoff during and after construction activities. Arrowhead also implemented a dust and air monitoring program using real-time particulate meters to ensure compliance with EPA health and safety requirements.
Community coordination has been a cornerstone of the project. The team engages directly with affected property owners to obtain access agreements, plan remedial actions, and address concerns related to property use and livestock. An aggressive local hiring program has resulted in 100% of the craft labor workforce being sourced from the surrounding community. The Newton County project highlights Arrowhead’s ability to execute high-volume, technically complex mine waste remediation under strict federal oversight while maintaining strong environmental controls, public engagement, and schedule performance.