Prepared in cooperation with the 

OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 

Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine 

Workings within the Picher Mining District, 

Northeastern Oklahoma, 2002–03 

Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5043 

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
Cover: Photographs listed clockwise from top.


Photograph of USGS Personnel measuring streamflow at Tar Creek near Picher taken by Kelli DeHay, U. S. Geological Survey.


Photograph of galena, with fresh face (dark gray) and weathered edges (dark brown) taken by William Andrews, U.S. Geological Survey.


Photograph of Tar Creek near Commerce taken by Monica Allen, U.S. Geological Survey.


Photograph of sphalerite, galena, and quartz taken by William Andrews, U.S. Geological Survey.


Photograph of a mine tailings (chat) pile south of Picher, Oklahoma taken by William Andrews, U.S. Geological Survey.


Photograph of a breccia with white chert clasts in a matrix of dolomotized limestone taken by William Andrews, U.S. Geological Survey.


Photograph of metallic hydroxide film at Tar Creek near Picher taken by Kelli DeHay, U.S. Geological Survey.


Photograph of calcite crystals overgrown on dolomitic limestone taken by William Andrews, U.S. Geological Survey.

5043 

DeHay, K.L. and others.—Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 2002–03—USGS/SIR 2004– 

Printed on recycled paper 
Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the 

Mine Workings within the Picher Mining 

District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 2002–03 

By Kelli L. DeHay, William J. Andrews, and Michael P. Sughru 

Prepared in cooperation with the OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 

Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5043 

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

Gale P. Norton, Secretary 

U.S. Geological Survey

Charles G. Groat, Director 

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2004

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services 

Box 25286, Denver Federal Center 

Denver, CO 80225 

For additional information write to: 

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U.S. Geological Survey

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Oklahoma City, OK 73116 

http://ok.water.usgs.gov


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endorsement by the U.S. Government.


Although this report is in the public domain, it contains copyrighted materials that are noted in the text.


Permission to reproduce those items must be secured from the individual copyright owners.

iii 

Contents 

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1


Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2


Purpose and scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2


Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2


Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Field methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Ground-water altitudes , surface-water elevations and streamflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Water-quality methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Data-analyses methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


Quality-assurance samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8


Equipment blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8


Replicates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8


Hydrology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9


Ground-water altitudes and surface-water elevations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9


Recharge-age dating using chlorofluorocarbons and other dissolved gases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9


Ground-water quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9


Ground-water quality of the mine workings in the Picher mining district, 2002-03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13


Ground-water-quality changes from 1983-85 to 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30


Mineral saturation in ground water in the mining district . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35


Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35


References cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37


Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39


1. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district,


Oklahoma, 2002-03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41


2. Water-quality constituent concentrations from quality-assurance ground-water samples collected


in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002-03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47


3. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentrations and calculated age dates from ground-water samples

collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002-03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 


4. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district,


Oklahoma, 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57


Figures 

1. Map showing location of sampling sites within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . .3


2. Photographs taken in the Picher mining district of Oklahoma, 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


3. Map showing ground-water-level altitudes and surface-water elevations within the Picher mining 

district, Oklahoma, March 2003. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

4. Graph showing daily precipitation and 30-day moving average of precipitation at the Miami,


Oklahoma, Mesonet station, mean daily flows at Neosho River at Commerce, Oklahoma, and


continuous water-levels at the Blue Goose and Slim Jim airshafts within the Picher mining


district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11


Figures 5–8. Maps showing:

iv 

5. Recharge-age dates of ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district,


Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12


6. Dissolved-solids concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher


mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16


7. pH in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . 17


8. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher


mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18


9. Piper diagram of major-ion composition in ground-water samples collected within the Picher 

mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19


Figures 10–11. Maps showing:


10. Sodium concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining


district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20


11. Sulfate concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining


district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21


12. Boxplots showing concentrations of dissolved trace elements in ground-water samples collected


within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22


13. Graph showing sum of dissolved trace elements concentration, in relation to pH and dissolved


oxygen in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma,


2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23


14. Map showing arsenic concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher


mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24


15. Graph showing relation between dissolved arsenic concentrations and dissolved iron


concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma,


2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25


Figures 16–20. Maps showing: 

16. Cadmium concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining


district, Oklahoma 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26


17. Iron concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district,


Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27


18. Lead concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district,


Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28


19. Manganese concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining


district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29


20. Zinc concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, 

Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31


Figures 21–22. Boxplots showing:


21. Selected water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected within the


Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 1983–85 and 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32


22. Concentrations of dissolved trace elements in water samples collected within the Picher


mining district, Oklahoma, 1983–85 and 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33


23. Graph showing relation between dissolved cadmium and dissolved sulfate concentrations 

in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, (A) 1983–85 and 

(B) 2002. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34


24. Bar chart showing saturation indices for selected minerals in ground-water samples collected


within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

v 

Tables 

1. Generalized stratigraphic column and water-yielding properties of Ordovician-age and younger units in


Ottawa County, Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


2. Laboratory analyses methods for analyzed water-quality constituents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7


3. Water-quality constituents analyzed in ground-water samples collected from 16 sites within the


Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002-03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7


4. Summary statistics of water properties, major ions, and dissolved trace elements for ground-water

samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002-03 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

vi 

Conversion Factors and Datum


Multiply By To obtain 

Length 

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm) 

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m) 

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km) 

Area 

square mile (mi2

) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Volume 

gallon (gal) 3.785 liter (L) 

Flow rate 

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s) 

Mass 

ton, short (2,000 lb) 0.9072 megagram (Mg) 

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:


°F = (1.8 × °C) + 32


Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988


(NAVD 88).


Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).


Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.


Specific conductance is given in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm at


25 ̊C).


Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) or


micrograms per liter (μg/L).

Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine 

Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern 

Oklahoma, 2002-03 

By Kelli L. DeHay, William J. Andrews, and Michael P. Sughru 

Abstract 

The Picher mining district of northeastern Ottawa County, 

Oklahoma, was a major site of mining for lead and zinc ores in 

the first half of the 20th century. The primary source of lead and 

zinc were sulfide minerals disseminated in the cherty limestones and dolomites of the Boone Formation of Mississippian 

age, which comprises the Boone aquifer. Ground water in the 

aquifer and seeping to surface water in the district has been contaminated by sulfate, iron, lead, zinc, and several other metals. 

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Oklahoma 

Department of Environmental Quality, investigated hydrology 

and ground-water quality in the mine workings in the mining 

district, as part of the process to aid water managers and planners in designing remediation measures that may restore the 

environmental quality of the district to pre-mining conditions. 

Most ground-water levels underlying the mining district 

had similar altitudes, indicating a large degree of hydraulic connection in the mine workings and overlying aquifer materials. 

Recharge-age dates derived from concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons and other dissolved gases indicated that water in the 

Boone aquifer may flow slowly from the northeast and southeast portions of the mining district. However, recharge-age 

dates may have been affected by the types of sites sampled, with 

more recent recharge-age dates being associated with mineshafts, which are more prone to atmospheric interactions and 

surface runoff than the sampled airshafts. 

Water levels in streams upstream from the confluence of 

Tar and Lytle Creeks were several feet higher than those in 

adjacent portions of the Boone aquifer, perhaps due to low-permeability streambed sediments and indicating the streams may 

be losing water to the aquifer in this area. From just upstream to 

downstream from the confluence of Tar and Lytle Creeks, surface-water elevations in these streams were less than those in 

the surrounding Boone aquifer, indicating that seepage from the 

aquifer to downstream portions of Tar Creek was much more 

likely. 

Water properties and major-ion concentrations indicate 

that water in the mining area was very hard, with large concentrations of dissolved solids that increased from areas of presumed recharge toward areas with older ground water. Most of 

the ground-water samples, particularly those from the airshafts, 

had dissolved-oxygen concentrations less than 1.0 milligram 

per liter. Small concentrations of dissolved oxygen may have 

been introduced during the sampling process. The small dissolved-oxygen concentrations were associated with samples 

containing large iron concentrations that indicates possible 

anoxic conditions in much of the aquifer. 

Ground water in the mining district was dominated by calcium, magnesium, and sulfate. Sodium concentrations tended to 

increase relative to calcium and magnesium concentrations. 

Ground-water samples collected in 2002-03 had large concentrations of many trace elements. Larger concentrations of metals and sulfate occurred in ground water with smaller pHs and 

dissolved-oxygen concentrations. Iron was the metal with the 

largest concentrations in the ground-water samples, occurring 

at concentrations up to 115,000 micrograms per liter. Cadmium, 

lead, manganese, zinc, and the other analyzed metals occurred 

in smaller concentrations in ground water than iron. However, 

larger cadmium concentrations appeared to be associated with 

sites that have small iron concentrations and more oxygenated 

waters. This is noteworthy because the small sulfate and iron 

concentrations in these waters could lead to conclusions that the 

waters are less contaminated than waters with large sulfate and 

iron concentrations. 

Ground-water quality in the mining district was compared 

with subsets of samples collected in 1983-85 and in 2002. Concentrations of most mine-water indicators such as specific conductance, acidity, magnesium, sulfate, and trace elements concentrations decreased over that period. Calcium concentrations 

did not significantly change. 

Mineral saturation indices indicated that the carbonate 

minerals aragonite, calcite and dolomite, that compose much of 

the Boone aquifer, were likely to dissolve at most sites. The sulfate minerals of lead (anglesite), barium (barite), cadmium, zinc 

(goslarite), calcium (gypsum), and iron (melanterite) were generally undersaturated in the ground-water samples, indicating 

likelihood for dissolution of those minerals and potential for 

those elements to dissolve into ground water. The clay mineral 

kaolinite, which is known to form as a hydrolysis product of 

feldspars at low temperatures, was oversaturated in most of the 

samples, indicating that it may precipitate out of local ground 

waters. 

Lack of eh (redox) data makes it difficult to interpret the 

saturation state of the ferric oxyhydroxide minerals. It is likely 

that the ferric oxyhydroxide minerals could be dissolving, but 

precipitation is unlikely due to the lack of dissolved oxygen in 

the mine workings. 
2 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 

Introduction 

The Picher mining district of northeastern Ottawa County, 

Oklahoma, (fig. 1) was the site of mining for lead and zinc ores 

from about 1900 until the mid-1970s (Christenson, 1995). From 

about 1900 to 1970, 1.7 million tons of lead and 8.8 million tons 

of zinc were produced in the district (State of Oklahoma, 2000). 

Lead and zinc ores were first discovered in the Picher mining 

district in 1901, with the main body of ore being discovered in 

1912 (Playton and others, 1980). Those mining activities led to 

contamination of ground water and surface water by sulfate, 

iron, lead, zinc, and several other metals (Playton and others, 

1980). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with 

the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), 

investigated the hydrology and ground-water quality in the mine 

workings in the mining district from 2002-03 as part of the process to aid water managers and planners in designing remediation 

measures that may restore the environmental quality of the district to pre-mining conditions. 

The primary sources of lead and zinc in the Picher mining 

district were sulfide minerals disseminated in the cherty limestones and dolomites of the Keokuk1 and Reeds Spring Formations, otherwise known as the Boone Formation of Mississippian age (table 1, fig. 2). Sulfide minerals mined from the 

Boone Formation include sphalerite, galena, and the accessory 

minerals chalcopyrite, enargite, luzonite, marcasite, and pyrite 

(McKnight and Fischer, 1970). Exposure of these minerals to 

oxygenated water, such as when the mines were in operation or 

were filling with water, can create acidic solutions resulting in 

elevated concentrations of sulfate and metals in the ground 

water, surface water, and sediments. 

The mining district is on the western flank of the Ozark 

uplift, with the units dipping westward at about 25 feet per mile 

to the axis of the Miami Trough, a syncline (McKnight and Fischer, 1970) located just west of Picher, Cardin, and Commerce, 

Oklahoma (fig. 1). 

Although lead and zinc ores were known to occur in the 

district in the early 1900s, ore production in the district 

increased rapidly between 1915 and 1920 due largely to 

demand created by World War I (Playton and others, 1980). 

Mine production reached a peak by 1925 with an annual production of 387,000 tons of zinc and 101,000 tons of lead (McKnight and Fischer, 1970). The mines maintained moderate production levels until the 1950s when yields began to decline. 

Most of the large mining operations then abandoned the area, 

and only a small amount of ore was produced by mining of 

residual deposits until the mid-1970s (Christenson, 1995). 

De-watering of the Boone Formation was necessary to 

mine the ores. After mining ceased in the mid-1970s, approximately 300 miles of underground mine tunnels filled with 

acidic, metals-rich ground water, which started to seep into Tar 

Creek and Lytle Creek through natural and man-made conduits 

(State of Oklahoma, 2000). In addition to water in mineshafts, 

approximately 165 million tons of metal- and sulfide-containing mine tailings (locally known as chat) were left by mining 

activities (State of Oklahoma, 2000). Some of the tailings have 

been removed from the area for use on gravel roads, road base, 

and as aggregate in concrete and asphalt (State of Oklahoma, 

2000). 

Several thousand people continue to live in the mining district and nearby areas, including members of eight Native 

American Tribes (State of Oklahoma, 2000). In 1993, Indian 

Health Service data indicated that 34 percent of Native American children in the area had blood-lead concentrations considered to be dangerous to human health (State of Oklahoma, 

2000). Subsequent cleanup of contaminated soils by the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency and public education campaigns by state and local governments have led to a 50 percent 

reduction in elevated blood-lead concentrations in local children (State of Oklahoma, 2000). 

The Boone Formation (table 1, fig. 2) comprises an important aquifer in the region and is the source of part of the baseflow to streams in the Picher mining district (Luza, 1986). Elevated trace-metal concentrations in ground water may seep to 

adjoining portions of the Boone aquifer, creeks, and streams in 

hydraulic connection with the aquifer, and to the underlying 

Roubidoux aquifer. 

Purpose and Scope 

This report describes the hydrology of the mine workings 

and the ground-water quality in 2002-03 in the Picher mining 

district. Water-level altitudes were measured 3-4 times at 20 

ground-water sites in the mine workings and were continuously 

monitored for 12 months at two sites. Surface-water elevations 

also were measured at nine stream sites, with discharge measurements being made at two of the sites (figs. 1, 2). Groundwater samples from 16 mineshafts or airshafts completed in the 

mine workings in the Picher mining district were analyzed for 

water properties, dissolved trace elements, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Two of the mineshafts were sampled twice—in a 

shallow part of the water column and in a deep part of the water 

column. 

Acknowledgments 

Sincere thanks are extended to Ed Keheley, a local resident, who provided his time and assistance in locating sampling 

sites. Thanks also go to local landowners, James Thompson, 

Joel Thompson, Louanne Barrett, and Steve Turner, for their 

cooperation in obtaining water samples and water levels. John 

Dalgarn, with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was helpful in pro1Geologic names and stratigraphic ages in this report are accepted by the Oklahoma Geological Survey and are not necessarily the same as those used by the 

U.S. Geological Survey.
Introduction 3

9

6

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986Albers Equal-Area Conic projectionStandard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 WMine map coverage and structural features from McKnight andFischer (1970)

o o o

ELM CREEK

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami

Cardin

9

8

7

5

4

3

2

1

29

28

26

25

22

23

24

21

20

19

17

18

16

15

14

13

11

12

10

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56'

37°

94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46'

012 0.5 Miles

012 0.5 Kilometers

26

15

16

1 ADMIRALTY #32 ADMIRALTY #43 BABY JIM 3 BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG7 CULVERT N. OF A STREET8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN9 ELM CREEK at CARDIN RD10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER14 LYTLE CREEK at A STREET15 LYTLE CREEK at CARDIN RD16 LYTLE CREEK nr MINERAL HEIGHTS17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM23 TAR CREEK at A STREET24 TAR CREEK at CARDIN RD25 TAR CREEK NEAR PICHER26 TAR CREEK NEAR COMMERCE27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

SURFACE-WATER SITEMINESHAFTAIRSHAFT

14

7

23

24

25 4

29

1

2

19

18

10

17

28

20

21

27

5

13

11

12

3

22

Picher mining district

8

KNOWN UNDERGROUND EXTENT

OF MINES

TAR CREEK

LYTLE CREEK

TAR CREEK

T35S

T29NT28N

6 54

9

8

7

R22E R23E R24E

19 20 21 22 23 24 19

27 28 29 30

2425

23

26

18 13 17 16 15 14 13 18

34 33 32 31 36 35

1 2

14

12 11

Approximate axis of Miami Trough

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

 Figure 1. Location of sampling sites within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03.
4 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 Table 1. Generalized stratigraphic column and water-yielding properties of Ordovician-age and younger units in Ottawa County, Oklahoma [modified from Christenson, 1995] 

Water-yielding properties

Wells generally yield less than 1 gallon persecond

Wells generally yield less than 1/2 gallon per

second.Wells generally yield less than 0.5 gallon persecond, with local yields as much as 15 gallons per secondDo not yield significant quantities of water

Does not yield significant quantities of water

Wells generally yield less than 0.5 gallons persecond, but locally yield up to 7 gallons persecond

Well yields unknown

Principal aquifer in Ottawa County. Wellsyield 1.6 to ~160 gallons per secondGasconade Dolomite does not yield substantial quantities of water. Gunter SandstoneMember can yield a few gallons per second. 

Lithologies

Shale, siltstone, sandstone, limestone, and thin 

coal seams

Limestone, shale, siltstone, and sandstone

Chert, and fine- to coarse-grained gray, light

gray, and bluish limestone

Greenish-black or dull-blue shale, and gray,

nodular, shaley limestone

Black, carbonaceous, fissile shale

Buff to brown cherty dolomite with sandy and 

clayey zones

Buff, gray, and brown cherty dolomite

Light-colored, cherty dolomite with 2 or 3 layers of sandstone, each 15-20 feet thickLight-colored cherty dolomite; Gunter Sandstone Member is sandstone or sandy dolomite

at the base. 

Ranges of

Thickness

(feet)

0-2000-100250-3500-30

0-30

110-550200-42065-25025-325 

Geologic Units

Pennsylvanian units

undivided

Mississippian units,

undivided

Boone

Formation

Northview Shale andCompton Limestone

Chattanooga Shale

Cotter Dolomite and Swan

Creek Sandstone

Jefferson CityDolomiteRoubidoux FormationGasconadeDolomite andGunter Sandstone Member 

Boone 

aquifer Roubidoux aquifer 

Geologic Systems

PennsylvanianMississippianDevonian and MississippianOrdovician 
Introduction 5 

Figure 2. Photographs taken in the Picher mining district of Oklahoma, 2002. Top and middle photographs taken by Monica Allen 

and Kelli DeHay, U.S. Geological Survey. Bottom photographs taken by William Andrews, U.S. Geological Survey. 
6 

2002-03 

Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

viding access to sites on Indian trust land. The authors also 

thank numerous individuals within the USGS for their assistance in various phases of the study. Special thanks are extended 

to Monica Allen, USGS, for her help with the data collection. 

Methods 

Ground-water altitudes and surface-water elevations were 

collected within the Picher mining district in 2002-03. Groundwater-quality samples were collected at many of the groundwater sites. Statistical summaries were calculated for the waterquality constituents collected at these sites, and the water-quality constituents were compared to constituents collected from 

ground water in the mine workings in 1983-85. 

Field Methods 

Ground-Water Altitudes, Surface-Water Elevations and 

Streamflow 

Ground-water altitudes were measured at 20 ground-water 

sites completed in the Boone aquifer, and nine surface-water 

elevations were measured in the Picher mining district (fig. 1). 

Ground-water altitudes and surface-water elevations were measured four times from September 2002 to March 2003 at most 

sites. Ground-water altitudes and surface-water elevations were 

not measured at all sites during the first two water-level-measurement trips because some sites were located during the 

course of the study. Depths to the water table were measured 

using a steel tape to mark the distance from the water surfaces 

to fixed tape-down points. Ground-water ltitudes and surfacewater elevations of the tape-down points at each site were established through optical surveying from benchmarks of known 

altitude and by differentially corrected dual-frequency globalpositioning system surveys. 

Two of the ground-water sites, the Blue Goose and the 

Slim Jim (fig. 1), were instrumented with pressure transducers 

and data-collection platforms to collect continuous water levels 

from October 2002 to October 2003. 

Streamflow was measured at Tar Creek near Picher 

(USGS Station number 07185088) and Tar Creek near Commerce (USGS Station number 07185090) from September 2002 

to March 2003 (fig. 1). The streamflow measurements coincided with the ground-water level measurements and were done 

according to methods described in Rantz and others (1982). 

Water-Quality Methods 

Sixteen ground-water sites, composed of nine airshafts and 

seven mineshafts in the Picher mining district, were sampled 

once from October 2002 to January 2003 using methods 

described in the USGS Water-Quality Field Manual (Wilde and 

Radtke,1998). Ground water was sampled using a Grundfos 

submersible pump and Teflon-lined polyethylene tubing. The 

sampling sites were purged until field parameters were stable as 

described in Wilde and Radtke (1998). A multi-parameter probe 

was used to measure the field water properties using a flowthrough chamber. Specific conductance, pH, water temperature, 

and dissolved-oxygen concentrations were measured at each 

site. The multi-parameter probe was calibrated at the beginning 

of each day, using methods described in Wilde and Radtke 

(1998). 

Sampling sites were completed within the Boone aquifer 

and were located based on records and reports of the USGS and 

Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Site information also was 

obtained from Picher residents who were knowledgeable of the 

area. 

Water-quality samples were collected between 55 and 80 

feet below land surface at most of the sites. The samples were 

collected closer to the water table rather than in the mine workings that are typically located around 150 to 200 feet below land 

surface. Samples were collected at shallower depths to determine the general quality of water in the mining area, rather than 

focusing on water quality in the mine workings. Two of the 16 

ground-water sites (Admiralty #3 and Consolidated #2) were 

sampled both in the upper part of the water column (around 60 

feet below land surface (bls)) and in the deeper part of the water 

column (around 200 feet bls). 

Ground-water samples were analyzed for specific conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and alkalinity 

in the field, and for major ions and trace elements at the USGS 

National Water Quality Laboratory in Lakewood, Colorado 

(tables 2 and 3). The laboratory reporting levels (LRL) are listed 

for the major ions and trace elements (table 3). Laboratory 

reporting levels control false negative error. The probability of 

falsely reporting a non-detection for a sample that contained an 

analyte at a concentration equal to or greater than the LRL is 

predicted to be less than or equal to 1 percent (Childress and 

others, 1999). Samples to be analyzed for those constituents 

were filtered using a 0.45-micrometer pore-size capsule filter 

prior to decanting into sample bottles. 

Concentrations of dissolved CFCs and other dissolved 

gases (nitrogen, oxygen, methane, and carbon dioxide) in water 

from selected sites were measured at the USGS CFC Laboratory in Reston, Virginia, to estimate recharge-age dates based 

on historic atmospheric concentrations of CFCs (table 2). 

Data-Analyses Methods 

Summary statistics were calculated for the water-quality 

constituents from water samples collected from the mining area 

in 2002-03 using the program S-Plus 2000 (MathSoft, Inc., 

1999). Comparisons were shown for selected water properties 

and constituents thought to be the primary indicators of mine 

water for this system, including specific conductance, pH, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, iron, lead, manganese, and zinc. 

Water-quality constituents from water samples collected 

from the mine workings in 1983-85 were compared to those 

collected in 2002 using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, also 
--

Methods 7

 Table 2. Laboratory analyses methods for analyzed water-quality constituents 

[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; --, no lab code] 

Constituent or constituent 

group 

USGS schedule 

or lab code Analysis method Method reference 

Major ions 

Trace elements 

Chlorofluorocarbons and 

dissolved gases 

2750 

2703 

Induction coupled plasma 

Induction coupled plasma 

mass spectrometry 

Gas chromatograph and 

electron capture 

Fishman and Friedman (1989), 

Fishman (1993), and American 

Public Health Association (1998) 

Faires (1993), McLain (1993), 

Jones and Garbarino (1999), and 

Fishman and Friedman (1989) 

Busenberg and Plummer (1991)

 Table 3. Water-quality constituents analyzed in ground-water samples collected from 16 sites within the Picher mining district, 

Oklahoma, 2002-03 

[USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; SC, analytical schedule code] 

Laboratory Laboratory Constituent Constituent reporting level reporting level 

Major ions, USGS SC2750, in milligrams per liter (* denotes units in micrograms per liter) 

Dissolved solids 10.0 Chloride 0.20 

Calcium 0.012 Fluoride 0.17 

Magnesium 0.008 Bromide 0.016 

Sodium 0.09 Iron* 10.0 

Potassium 0.11 Silica 0.13 

Sulfate 0.18 

Trace elements, USGS SC2703, in micrograms per liter 

Aluminum 1.6 Lead 0.08 

Antimony 0.02 Manganese 0.18 

Arsenic 1.9 Molybdenum 0.33 

Barium 0.2 Nickel 0.06 

Beryllium 0.06 Selenium 2.6 

Cadmium 0.037 Silver 0.20 

Chromium 0.8 Uranium 0.018 

Cobalt 0.015 Zinc 1.0 

Copper 0.23 
8 

2002-03 

Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

known as the Mann-Whitney test (MathSoft Inc., 1999; Helsel 

and Hirsch, 1992). Statistical tests and comparisons were calculated for water properties and constituents designated as indicators of mine water. Those properties and constituents included: 

specific conductance, pH, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, aluminum, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel 

and zinc. Because most of the sixteen sites sampled in 2002-03 

were sampled at shallower depths than in previous studies, the 

results are not directly comparable to most previous studies in 

which water was collected at deeper depths. To compare the 

2002-03 water samples to the samples collected in 1983-85 the 

2002-03 samples were regrouped using only samples with specific conductance greater than 2,000 microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) and combined with 14 water-quality samples 

collected from abandoned mineshafts in 2002 (DeHay, 2003). 

The resultant data were only from 2002. 

The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used because it is a nonparametric test, which does not require normally distributed 

data. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test is done on ranked data 

instead of the actual constituent concentrations. The Wilcoxon 

rank-sum test has two hypotheses. The null hypotheses was that 

the concentrations of chemical constituents in the water samples from the mine workings were the same in 1983-85 and 

2002. The alternative hypothesis was that the concentrations in 

water samples taken from the mine workings in 1983-85 and 

2002 were significantly different, meaning the 2002 concentrations were either greater or lesser than concentrations in samples from 1983-85. The null hypothesis was rejected if the pvalue of the test was less than or equal to 0.05. 

CFC samples were collected from 18 sites to determine the 

time of recharge for water in the mines; however some of the 

samples were damaged during shipping so only data for 14 sites 

is available. CFCs are synthetic volatile organic compounds 

that have been used in refrigerants and aerosols since the 

1930’s. Ground-water age can be dated by measuring concentrations of CFC-11, CFC-12, and CFC-113 and relating their 

measured concentrations back to known historical concentrations (Plummer and Friedman, 1999). Dissolved gases (nitrogen 

and argon) were also collected to help estimate the recharge 

temperature which is needed to determine the recharge age. The 

accuracy of the determined recharge age depends on how perfectly the CFCs are transported in water and how the CFCs are 

affected by chemical processes (Plummer and Friedman, 1999). 

Microbial degradation and sorption onto organic or mineral surfaces can affect CFC concentrations in the ground water (Plummer and Friedman, 1999). Other factors that can affect the 

recharge age determination are uncertainties in recharge elevation and temperature, and mixing of younger and older waters 

(Plummer and Friedman, 1999). 

To determine the geographic distribution of ground-water 

altitudes, surface-water elevations and water-quality constituents, a series of maps of those parameters were drawn. To investigate the general chemistry of the ground-water system and 

minerals that may be dissolved by or precipitated from the 

ground water, water-quality data were input to the PHREEQC 

mineral saturation and equilibrium model, using the default 

PHREEQC mineral equilibrium data base (Parkhurst and 

Appelo, 1999). 

Quality-Assurance Samples 

Quality-assurance samples were collected and analyzed to 

identify the degree of accuracy, precision, and bias of environmental samples. Quality-assurance samples for this study consisted of an equipment blank and three environmental replicate 

samples. 

Equipment Blank 

An equipment blank was collected to verify any waterquality effects of the sampling equipment, composed of a stainless steel and Teflon Grundfos RediFlo-2 pump and 300 feet of 

Teflon-lined polyethylene tubing. and the cleaning procedures 

used to prepare the pump for sampling. Water-quality data from 

that sample indicated that the sampling equipment was unlikely 

to have had a substantive effect on the detection of analyzed 

water-quality constituents (appendix 2). 

Replicates 

Replicate quality-control samples are used to evaluate 

variability in water-quality data due to analytical or sample collection procedures. Replicate samples were collected sequentially, following the collection of environmental samples, and 

were analyzed for concentrations of major ions and trace elements. Precision is used as a measure of variability of analytical 

sampling and procedures. Precision can be calculated as the relative percent difference (RPD) between the replicate and the 

environmental samples, as follows: 

RPD = [|C1 - C2| / ((C1 + C2) / 2)]*100 

where C1 is the concentration of the environmental sample and 

C2 is the concentration of the replicate sample. 

If the estimated concentration of a constituent in a sample 

pair was less than the minimum reporting level, then the RPD 

was not calculated. Most of the RPD values were less than 2 

percent (appendix 2). Most of the larger RPD values were associated with samples having small constituent concentrations 

[trace elements less than 0.5 micrograms per liter (μg/L)] 

(appendix 2). However, some of the samples of dissolved solids, potassium, aluminum, barium, copper and zinc had concentrations greater than 0.5 μg/L and RPD values greater than 2 

percent. The results of the replicate samples indicate that the 

constituent concentrations were reproducible in environmental 

samples and were not likely to be substantially skewed by analytical or sampling procedures. 
9 

Hydrology 

Hydrology of the Picher mining district is described using 

ground-water altitudes and surface-water elevations, precipitation, and daily streamflows. Recharge-age dating of groundwater samples is used to evaluate differences in ground-water 

flow. 

Ground-Water Altitudes and Surface-Water 

Elevations 

Ground-water altitudes and surface-water elevations were 

measured at 29 sites in the Picher mining district: 20 groundwater sites and 9 surface-water sites. The ground-water sites 

were abandoned mineshafts and air shafts completed in the 

Boone aquifer. Ground- and surface-water levels were collected 

synoptically four times during a 6-month period—on September 24, 2002, December 16, 2002, and January 22, 2003, and 

March 10, 2003. The water-level map for March 2003 (fig. 3) 

indicates that the water table in much of the mining district was 

relatively flat at about 800 feet. The relatively flat topography 

(except for chat piles), the fractured and karstic nature of the 

Boone aquifer, and especially the large interconnected voids 

created by the mine workings may all have contributed to a 

hydraulic gradient that was so small that it was within the range 

of measurement error. In addition, the concrete collars on many 

of the mineshafts sampled may have been subject to subsidence 

or shifting that could contribute to measurement error. 

Surface-water elevations decreased by an average of about 

9 feet per mile on Tar Creek and an average of about 7 feet per 

mile along Lytle Creek as the streams flowed southward (fig. 

3). Along the upstream portions of Tar and Lytle Creeks, the 

surface-water elevations were several feet higher than those of 

surrounding ground-water altitudes. The sediments in this area 

appear to be saturated sediments or water is collecting over 

local low-permeability shales of Pennsylvanian age overlying 

the Boone aquifer (table 1, fig. 3). Surface water in this area 

may be contributing to ground-water in the mine workings. In 

mineshafts near that area, ground water was observed to cascade down the walls of the mineshafts. In the area of the confluence of the streams, surface-water elevations were lower than 

the ground-water altitudes, and the mine water is discharging to 

the streams in that area. The area around Douthat Bridge and 

southward is where the mine discharges first began flowing in 

the 1970s (State of Oklahoma, 2000). 

The continuous water-level recorders installed in the Blue 

Goose and Slim Jim mineshafts (fig. 1) indicated that the aquifer near those mineshafts was recharged relatively rapidly, 

responding closely to precipitation events both in time and in 

magnitude (fig. 4). Greater evapotranspiration during the spring 

and summer may have diminished the magnitude of groundwater-level rises in response to storm events (fig. 4). 

Surface-water runoff closely corresponded to precipitation, with mean daily streamflows at the Neosho River near 

Hydrology 

Commerce gage ranging from 20 cubic feet per second at the 

end of a dry period in late August 2003, to about 20,000 cubic 

feet per second during rainy periods in March, April, and May 

2003 (US Geological Survey, 2003; fig. 4). The Neosho River 

near Commerce gage is not shown on fig. 1, but is located 4.5 

miles west of Commerce, Oklahoma, and 4 miles upstream 

from the confluence of Elm Creek with the Neosho River. 

Recharge-Age Dating Using Chlorofluorocarbons and 

Other Dissolved Gases 

As mentioned in the previous section, the water table in the 

mining district is relatively flat, at approximately 800 feet 

above NAVD 88, giving little indication of ground-water flow 

directions through most of the district. Recharge-age dates from 

CFC concentrations and dissolved gases may provide some 

indication of ground-water flow or recharge (appendix 3). The 

CFC data was difficult to interpret. The laboratory likes three 

duplicate samples from each well to estimate the time of 

recharge. Some of the samples were damaged during shipment 

so three samples for each well were not available. Also, CFCs 

are degraded under reducing conditions and the dissolved gas 

data indicates the water in the mine workings was highly reducing because of lack of oxygen in the samples and the presence 

of methane (J. Castile, U.S. Geological Survey, written. commun., 2003). The estimated recharge-age data for each sample 

was based mainly on CFC-113 and CFC-12 concentrations. 

CFC-11 is the least stable under reducing conditions (J. Castile, 

U.S. Geological Survey, written. commun., 2003).

Based on the available CFC data, the water samples with 

the youngest recharge-age dates were located in the southeastern and northern part of the mining district (fig. 5), indicating 

that those areas may have received more recent recharge to the 

Boone aquifer. Water samples with older recharge-age dates 

occurred toward the Miami Trough to the west (fig. 5) that 

could indicate that flow is much faster through the central part 

of the mines and is slower at the western and eastern edges so 

recharge rates are slower. An alternative explanation for the distribution of recharge-age dates is the relation of those dates to 

the type of ground-water sites sampled. Mineshafts, which had 

larger openings flush with the ground surface, tended to have 

more recent recharge-age dates than water samples from the airshafts, which had 8-12 inch openings in pipes a foot or more 

above the land surface. The morphology of mineshafts may be 

more conducive to ground water interaction with the atmosphere and runoff of recent rainfall. 

Ground-Water Quality 

In this section, ground-water quality of the mine workings 

is described using results from samples collected at 16 sites in 

2002-03 (appendix 1). These data are later regrouped and compared to ground-water quality data collected in 1983-85 to eval­
10 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma,

2002-03

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami

Cardin

9

6

5

4

3

2

1

29

27

24 20

19

18

15

14 11

10

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56'

37°

94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46'

012 0.5 Miles

012 0.5 Kilometers

SURFACE-WATER SITEMINESHAFTAIRSHAFT

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986Albers Equal-Area Conic projectionStandard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 WStructural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970)

o o o

Picher mining district

ELM CREEK

TAR CREEK

LYTLE CREEK

800.47- Ground-water altitudes

and surface-waterelevations in feet aboveNAVD 88

800.68

800.78

800.13

800.63

801.23

805.02 808.43

800.88 800.52

800.51

782.64

800.73

801.15

800.47

800.64

800.44

822.66

822.68

800.69

814.81

800.35

800.65

800.61 802.50

810.74

792.47

Approximate axis of Miami Trough

--

 Figure 3. Ground-water altitudes and surface-water elevations within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, March 2003.
11 

0.0 

0.5 

1.0 

1.5 

2.0 

Ground-Water Quality 

0.30

PRECIPITATION, IN INCHES PER DAY 

THIRTY-DAY MOVING AVERAGE OF 

PRECIPITATION, IN INCHES 

Miami,Oklahoma Mesonet Station 0.25 

0.20 

0.15 

0.10 

0.05 

0.00 

Miami,Oklahoma Mesonet Station 

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP 

2002 2003 2002 2003 MEAN DAILY STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND 

10 

50 

100 

500 

1,000 

5,000 

10,000 

50,000 

100,000 Neosho River near Commerce, Okla., USGS Station 07185000 

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP 

2002 2003 

795 

796 

797 

798 

799 

800 

801 

802 

803 

804 

805 

Blue Goose Airshaft Water Levels 

ALTITUDE, IN FEET, ABOVE NAVD 88

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP 

2002 2003 

795 

796 

797 

798 

799 

800 

801 

802 

803 

804 

805 

Slim Jim Airshaft Water Levels 

ALTITUDE, IN FEET, ABOVE NAVD 88 

OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP 

2002 2003 

Figure 4. Daily precipitation and 30-day moving average of precipitation at the Miami, Oklahoma, Mesonet station, mean 

daily flows at Neosho River at Commerce, Oklahoma, and continuous water-levels at the Blue Goose and Slim Jim airshafts within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 
94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

12 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 

37°

36°59'

36°58'36°57'36°56'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986 Albers Equal-Area Conic projection 

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami North Miami

Cardin 9 

8 

6 6 

55 

44 

33 

22 

1

1 

2929

28 

27 27 

24 

22 

21 

20 20

19 19 

18

17 

18

15 

14 

13 

12 

1111 

10 10

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM 3 BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER

17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM

27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

1992 

1980 

1964

1974 

1975

1970 1968

2001 

1981

1992 

1968 2001 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

1990 RECHARGE AGE DATES RECHARGE AGE DATES

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W 

Geologic structure from McKnight and Fischer (1970) 

0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 5. Recharge-age dates of ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 
Ground-Water Quality 13 

uate changes over time. When maps of water-quality data are 

presented, only data for samples collected from the shallow part 

of the mine workings are used (depths of 55-80 feet) 

Ground-Water Quality of the Mine Workings in the 

Picher Mining District, 2002-03 

Specific conductances in the mine workings in the Picher 

mining district were relatively large ranging from 463 to 2,860 

μS/cm, with a median concentration of 1,560 μS/cm (table 4; 

appendix 1). Specific conductance is related to the concentration of dissolved constituents in the water. The large specific 

conductance values indicate relatively large dissolved-solids 

concentration (fig. 6). 

Water-sample pHs were generally slightly acidic, with 

only 25 percent of the samples having neutral or alkaline pH 

(greater than 7.0) (table 4). The median pH value was 6.7, ranging from 6.0 to 7.9. There was no particular pattern relating pH 

and recharge-age dates in the water samples (fig. 7), so pH must 

be due to local factors such as dissolution of carbonate minerals 

and buffering capacity of carbonate minerals in the aquifer 

matrix. 

All water samples contained at least small concentrations 

of dissolved oxygen (table 4), ranging from 0.3 to 8.2 mg/L. 

However, in samples where dissolved oxygen was less than 1.0 

mg/L, the oxygen could have been introduced during the sampling process and the dissolved-oxygen concentration in the 

aquifer may have been less. The low dissolved oxygen concentrations were associated with samples containing high dissolved 

iron concentration that indicates possible anoxic conditions in 

much of the aquifer. While sampling the sites with dissolved 

oxygen less than 1.0 mg/L, hydrogen sulfide odors were noted 

to emanate from the water. Four of the sixteen ground-water 

sites had dissolved oxygen concentrations greater than 1.0 mg/ 

L (fig. 8). As with recharge age-dates and dissolved-solids concentration, dissolved oxygen in the ground-water locally may 

be affected by greater exposure to the atmosphere and greater 

recharge from surface runoff through open mineshafts. 

About half of the alkalinities in the ground-water samples 

exceeded 200 mg/L as calcium carbonate (table 4), which is 

consistent with the dissolution of carbonate minerals in the 

mine workings. Calcium and magnesium concentrations were 

relatively large (table 4), which is consistent with the large alkalinities and not unusual in an aquifer containing slightly acidic 

water and abundant calcite and dolomite. Calcium concentrations ranged from 79.7 to 581 mg/L, and magnesium concentrations ranged from 6.01 to 123 mg/L. The cationic ratios were 

dominated by calcium, with magnesium as a secondary constituent (fig. 9). 

Sodium (fig. 10) and potassium were relatively minor cationic constituents of the water samples. There were, however, 

several sites that had from 20 to 50 percent of total cations that 

were sodium plus potassium (fig. 9). Ground water can become 

more enriched in sodium and potassium due to gradual dissolution of silicate minerals with increased residence time and contact with aquifer materials (Kharaka and Hanor, 2003). 

Sulfate was the dominant anion in most of the samples and 

calcium was the dominant cation, meaning that most samples 

were in the CaSO4 (gypsum/anhydrite) portion of the piper diagram (fig. 9). Sulfate concentrations ranged from 85.8 to 1,750 

mg/L. Sulfate concentration exceeded the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (USEPA) secondary drinking-water standard of 250 mg/L (USEPA,2004) in most of the samples (table 

4, fig. 11). Sulfate concentration may have been related to local 

oxidation of sulfide minerals or dissolution of gypsum formed 

when the mines were open and exposed to oxygen (McKnight 

and Fischer, 1970). Although ground water was probably 

anoxic over much of the sampled area, the abundant iron in the 

aquifer may act as a sink that takes up much of the dissolved 

oxygen and forms iron oxyhydroxide minerals (Hem, 1992). 

Chloride occurred in relatively small concentrations in groundwater samples collected in the mining district except for the 

Blue Goose airshaft (table 4, fig. 9). 

Dissolved trace elements were dominated by iron, manganese, and zinc (fig. 12). Approximately two-thirds of the iron 

concentrations, nine-tenths of the manganese concentrations, 

and one-third of the zinc concentrations exceeded USEPA secondary drinking-water standards for those trace elements (fig. 

12, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004). Secondary 

standards for those trace elements were established to prevent 

taste or staining problems from water, rather than any possible 

deleterious health effects from consumption of water with elevated concentrations of those trace elements. 

Substantial portions of the samples exceeded the USEPA 

Chronic Criterion Concentrations for protection of aquatic life 

for concentrations of cadmium, nickel, and zinc (USEPA, 2004; 

fig. 12). The greatest concentrations of trace elements, except 

cadmium, were associated with water samples having pH of 6.5 

or less and dissolved oxygen concentration less than 1.0 mg/L 

(fig. 13), which are conditions favorable to dissolution of iron 

and manganese oxides and hydroxides (Elder, 1988, p. 11-16). 

The sum of dissolved trace elements concentration tended to be 

greatest at sites that produced water samples with lesser pHs 

and dissolved oxygen concentrations (fig. 13). 

Four of the water samples contained arsenic concentrations ranging from 27 to 51 μg/L (appendix 1) that exceeded the 

proposed USEPA drinking-water standard of 10 μg/L (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2004). Two of the samples 

exceeding the USEPA drinking-water standard were collected 

from the deeper part of the aquifer and are not shown on figure 

14. Arsenic was generally not detected at concentrations greater 

than the reporting limit of two at most of the sampling sites (fig. 

14). The large arsenic concentrations seem to be associated with 

large iron concentrations (fig. 15) suggesting the source of 

arsenic may be dissolution of iron-containing sulfide or oxyhydroxide minerals. 

Cadmium is a metal occurring in trace concentrations in 

the ore-bearing units of the mining district. Consumption of 

drinking water containing small concentrations of cadmium 

may cause damage of renal tubes in kidneys and greater rates of 
----

----

----

----

----

-- -- --

 Table 4. Summary statistics of water properties, major ions, and dissolved trace elements for ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002-03[μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; °C, degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; LRL, laboratory reporting level; --, no statistic calculated; ---- , no censored data for this constituent; <, less than;]

Percentiles Statistics Number of Min- Max- Constituents and physical properties method1 samples LRL imum imum 25 50 75 

Specific conductance (

μS/cm at 25°C )


pH, field (standard units)
Water temperature (°C)
Dissolved oxygen (mg/L)
Hardness, total (mg/L as CaCO3)


Alkalinity, lab (mg/L as CaCO3)


Dissolved solids (mg/L)
Calcium (mg/L)
Magnesium (mg/L)
Sodium (mg/L)
Potassium (mg/L)
Sulfate (mg/L)
Chloride (mg/L)
Fluoride (mg/L)
Bromide (mg/L)
Silica (mg/L)
Aluminum (

μg/L)


Antimony (

μg/L)


1 18 

1 18 

1 18 

1 17 

1 18 

1 18 

1 18 1 18 1 18 1 18 1 18 1 18 1 18 1 18 2 18 1 18 

2 18 

3 18 

1

10 

0.0120.0080.090.110.180.200.170.0160.13

1.6

0.3 

463

6.0

15.6

0.3

220

64 

306

79.7

6.013.060.72

85.8

0.67

<0.17<0.02

6.72

<2

<0.30 

858

6.5

16.0

0.3

415

152

608

130

19.711.8

2.14

313

1.94

0.220.03

9.18

<2 

1,560

6.7

16.2

0.7

670

197

1,155

172

45.240.2

4.34

630

7.42

0.380.06

12.4

<2 

2,510

7.0

17.1

0.9

1600

265

2,455

454

88.459.3

6.94

1,488

18.28

1.440.11

13.415 

2,860

7.9

18.0

8.2

1,800

362

2,870

581

123326

14.6

1,750147

3.320.47

21.8

267

<0.60 

14 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03
-- -- --

-- --

--

--

15 

 Table 4. Summary statistics of water properties, major ions, and dissolved trace elements for ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002-03—Continued[μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter; °C, degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; LRL, laboratory reporting level; --, no statistic calculated; ---- , no censored data for this constitPercentiles Statistics Number of Min- Max- Constituents and physical properties method1 samples LRL imum imum 25 50 75 

Arsenic (μg/L)
Barium (μg/L)
Beryllium (μg/L)


Cadmium (μg/L)


Chromium (μg/L)


Cobalt (μg/L)
Copper (μg/L)


Iron (μg/L)
Lead (μg/L)
Manganese (μg/L)


Molybdenum (μg/L)
Nickel (μg/L)
Selenium (μg/L)
Silver (μg/L)
Zinc (μg/L)


Uranium (μg/L)


2 18 1 18 2 18 

1 18 

3 18 

1 18 1 18 

2 18 2 18 1 18 

2 18 1 18 2 18 3 18 

1 18 1 18 

1.90.05

0.06

0.037

0.80

0.0150.23

10 

0.080.18

0.33

1.02.6

0.2

1

0.018 

<2

6

<0.06

<0.04

<0.80

0.210.90

<10

<0.08

0.6

<0.33

3.55

<3<0.2

2

0.13 

<2

10.8

<0.06

<0.04

0.482.12

<10

<0.08

186

<0.33

11.6

<3

978

0.22 

<2

22.5

<0.06

0.34

2.482.40

3,350

0.14

622

0.60

22.4

3

2,080

0.44 

9.75

34.5

0.14

2.32

32.2

3.75

39,900

0.75

1,565

2.0

163

5,482

1.34 

51

58

0.3

113

<0.80

74.2

8.4

115,000

16.9

4,680

3.7

633

3

<0.2

20,100

10.3 

1Statistical Method 1. ordinary percentile calculation; 2.censored data present, (Helsel and Hirsch, 1992), 3. no calculation, more than 80 percent of the data were censored.

Ground-Water Quality 
94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

16 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 

37°

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986 Albers Equal-Area Conic projection 

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami North Miami

Cardin 9 

8 

6 6 

55 

44 

33 

22 

1

1 

2929

28 

27 27 

24 

22 

21 

20 20

19 19 

18

17 

18

15 

14 

13 

12 

1111 

10 10 

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG

8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER

17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 306 

DISSOLVED-SOLIDSCONCENTRATION, IN CONCENTRATION,MILLIGRAMS PER LITER 

IN

MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

564 

528 1,230 

898 

386 

2,380

2,530 

529 2,190 

1,060

2,690 

1,080 

907 

1,470 

285 

2,480 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W 

Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer, 1970 

0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 6. Dissolved-solids concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 
17 

94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56' 

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami North Miami

Cardin 9 

8 

6 6 

55 

44 

33 

22 

1

1 

2929

28 

27 27 

24 

22 

21 

20 20

19 19 

18

17 

18

15 

14 

13 

12 

1111 

10 

10 

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

37° 

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

Ph CONCENTRATION, PhIN STANDARD UNITS 

CONCENTRATION,

IN STANDARD UNITS

6.7 

6.8 7.8

6.5 

6.6 

7.1 

6.7 

6.5 

6.8 7.2 6.0 

6.8 6.1 

7.9 7.4 

6.7 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

6.7

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986 Albers Equal-Area Conic projection 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W Structural feature fromMcKnight and Fischer (1970) 

0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 7. pH in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

Ground-Water Quality 
94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

18 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 

37°

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56'

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986 Albers Equal-Area Conic projection 

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami North Miami

Cardin 9 

8 

6 6 

55 

44 

33 

22 

1

1 

2929

28 

27 27 

24 

22 

21 

20 20

19 19 

18

17 

18

15 

14 

13 

12 

1111 

10 

10 

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 1.7 DISSOLVED-OXYGEN CONCENTRATION, IN CONCENTRATION,

MILLIGRAMS PER LITER 

IN

MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

1.7 

0.3 7.7

0.3 

0.7 3.7 

0.4 

0.5 

0.3 

0.7 

0.8 

0.7 

0.3 

8.2 0.9 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W 

Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970) 

0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 8. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 
19 

8

Ground-Water Quality 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

1 ADMIRALTY #3 

2 ADMIRALTY #4 EXPLANATION 

3

4

5

6 CRAIG 6 CRAIG

11 HOWE 11 HOWE

17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS

19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO

27 TURNER 27 TURNER

29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

CaSO 

(gypsum, 

anhydrite) 

4 

CaCO 

CaMg(CO ) 

( 

dolomite) 

3 

32 

calcite, 

NaCl 

(halite) 

NaHCO3 SULFATE PLUS CHLORIDE 

CALCIUM PLUS MAGNESIUM 

PERCENT 

PERCENT 

SULFATE 

SODIUM PLUS POTASSIUM

MAGNESIUM 

20 CARBONATE PLUS BICARBONATE 

40 

60 

80 

100 

0 

20 

40 

60 

80 

100 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

20 

40 

60 

80 

100 

0 

20 

40 

60 

80 

100 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

BABY JIM BABY JIM

BLUE GOOSE BLUE GOOSE

CONSOLIDATED #2 CONSOLIDATED #2

DEER RUN DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #5

13 KENOYER 13 KENOYER

21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #2

22 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM

MINESHAFT 

AIRSHAFT 

11 

22 

4 

13 

8 27 

10 

21 2 

1 5 

6 

2 

19 

5 

17 

3 

29 6 

17 4 13 

11 1 

3 

19 27 2

5 29 2 

10 5 21 

22 8 

11 

22 

4 13 

6 

17 

1 3 

21 

8 

5 10 

2 

19 

27 29 

5 2 

0 100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

0 

20 

40 

60 

80 

100 0 

CALCIUM CHLORIDE 

PERCENT 

Figure 9. Major-ion composition in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 

2002–03. 
94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

37°

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56' 

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami North Miami

Cardin 9 

8 

6 6 

55 

44 

33 

22 

1

1 

2929

28 

27 27 

24 

22 

21 

20 20

19 19 

18

17 

18

15 

14 

13 

12 

1111 

10 10

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG

8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER

17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM

27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 4.00

4.12 

3.06

28.2

10.2 

125 

53.7

166 

326 

62.4

52.4 

5.96

24.9 

61.2 

16.4 

48.7 

SODIUM CONCENTRATIONS, SODIUMIN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

CONCENTRATIONS,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

62.4

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986
Albers Equal-Area Conic projection
 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W
Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970)


0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 10. Sodium concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

20 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 
21 

94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

37°

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56' 

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami North Miami

Cardin 9 

8 

6 6 

55 

44 

33 

22 

1

1 

2929

28 

27 27 

24 

22 

21 

20 20

19 19 

18

17 

18

15 

14 

13 

12 

1111 

10 

10 

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

SULFATECONCENTRATION, IN CONCENTRATION,MILLIGRAMS PER LITER 

IN

MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

85.8 

376 250

1,550 

517 744 

131 

243 

1,300 794 1,670 370 

1,570 

456 

294 1,170 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

85.8

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986 Albers Equal-Area Conic projection 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970) 

0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 11. Sulfate concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

Ground-Water Quality 
22 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 1,000,000

17 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 

oo

o 

o 

oo

oo 

o 

oo 

EXPLANATION 100,000 schematic boxplot 

30 number of 

values 10,000 USEPA Drinkingwater standard 

Chronic Criterion 1,000 Concentration 

o Outlier 

100 90th percentile 

75th percentile

median

10

1 25th percentile

10th percentile 0.1

o Outlier 

0.01 

Figure 12. Concentrations of dissolved trace elements in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

ZINC

URANIUM

VER SIL


NICKEL

SELENIUM

LEAD

MANGANESE

YBDENUM
 MOL

IRON

T

COPPER

CHROMIUM


COBAL


CADMIUM


YLLIUM


BARIUM

BER


ANTIMONY


ARSENIC


ALUMINUM


CONCENTRATION, IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER

23 

160

SUM OF DISSOLVED TRACE ELEMENTS 

140 

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER 

SUM OF DISSOLVED TRACE ELEMENTS 

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER 

140120100

80

604020

0 

120

8040 

6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0 0 5.5 0 1 3 5 7 

PH, IN STANDARD UNITS DISSOLVED OXYGEN, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

 Figure 13. Sum of dissolved trace elements concentration, in relation to pH and dissolved oxygen in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining

district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

Ground-Water Quality 
94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

37°

36°59'36°58'36°57'36°56' 

Picher

Commerce

Quapaw

North Miami North Miami

Cardin 9 

8 

6 6 

55 

44 

33 

22 

1

1 

2929

28 

27 27 

24 

22 

21 

20 20

19 19 

18

17 

18

15 

14 

13 

12 

1111 

10 

10 

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM 3 BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICACO 18 NEW CHICACO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

DISSOLVED ARSENIC DISSOLVED ARSENICCONCENTRATION, IN CONCENTRATION,MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

IN

MICROGRAMS PER LITER

<2 

<2 

<2 

<2 

9 

<2 

<2 

<2 

6 <2 41 <10 

51 

<2 

<2 

<2 

2

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER 

< LESS THAN

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986
Albers Equal-Area Conic projection
 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W
Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970)


0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 14. Arsenic concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

24 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 
Ground-Water Quality 25 

60 

ARSENIC CONCENTRATION , IN 

MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

50


40


30


20


10


0


0 20,0000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 

IRON CONCENTRATION, IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

Figure 15. Relation between dissolved arsenic concentrations and dissolved iron concentrations in 

ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

osteoporosis, may cause birth defects, and may be carcinogenic 

(Jarup and others, 1998; Reesal and others, 1987). The USEPA 

established a maximum contaminant level for cadmium in 

drinking water of 5 μg/L (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2004). Cadmium concentration was generally less than 

1 μg/L, with the exceptions of the Consolidated#2 mineshaft in 

the northeast part of the mining district and the Admiralty#3, 

Craig, and Federal#5 mineshafts in the southern part of the district (fig. 16). Larger cadmium concentrations appear to be associated with sites that have small iron concentrations and more 

oxygenated waters. This is noteworthy because since the small 

sulfate and iron concentrations in the waters could lead to conclusions that the waters are less contaminated than waters with 

large sulfate and iron concentrations. 

Iron was the metal that occurred in the largest concentrations in the ground-water samples compared to other trace elements (table 4). The largest iron concentrations occurred at the 

Royal#2, Turner, and Vent#1 airshafts, and the Admiralty#4 

mineshaft in which ground-water samples had relatively low 

pH and small dissolved oxygen concentrations (figs. 7, 8, and 

17). Iron concentrations had a similar distribution in the samples as sulfate, indicating possible relation to oxidation and dissolution of the iron-sulfide minerals marcasite and pyrite. 

The occurrence and distribution of lead merits concern, not 

only because of its known occurrence in the rocks composing 

the Boone Formation, but also because of the known deleterious 

health effects of consumption of even small concentrations of 

lead through water or other media. Lead is widely known as a 

neurotoxin, capable of causing learning disorders, memory 

lapses, irritability, fatigue, dizziness, depression, peripheral 

neuropathy (lead palsy) and also has been linked to kidney damage, hearing loss, impotence, and increased incidence of miscarriage, and is a possible carcinogen (Canadian Centre for 

Occupational Health and Safety, 1998; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1999b, and U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 2003). Most of the ground-water samples 

had detectable concentrations of lead (fig. 18; appendix 1). 

Only one sample, from the Admiralty#3 mineshaft, exceeded 

the USEPA Treatment Technique level of 15 μg/L (USEPA, 

2004), which can only occur in 10 percent of water samples 

from a public-water supply before corrective action must be 

taken (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004). 

Manganese is commonly associated with iron and, similar 

to iron, tends to occur in greater concentrations in water under 

reducing conditions. In oxidizing conditions, manganese tends 

to form low-solubility oxides and hydroxides, limiting concentrations in water. Although manganese is not regarded as being 

as toxic or hazardous as cadmium or lead, long-term consumption of water or food with large concentrations of manganese 

has been associated with a condition known as manganism, the 

symptoms of which are mental and emotional disturbances and 

slow, clumsy body movements (Agency for Toxic Substances 
94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

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INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM 3 BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

50 DISSOLVED CADMIUM DISSOLVED

CONCENTRATION, IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

CADMIUM

CONCENTRATION, IN

MICROGRAMS PER LITER

24.1 

<0.04 9.34

0.05 

3.00 

1.11 0.43 <0.04 

E0.02 E0.03 0.24 0.93 

0.09 

<0.04 

113 <0.07 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986
Albers Equal-Area Conic projection
 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W
Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970)


0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 16. Cadmium concentrations in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma 2002–03. 

26 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 
27 

94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

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INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM 3 BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICACO 18 NEW CHICACO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

50 DISSOLVED IRON DISSOLVED CONCENTRATION, IN 

MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

IRON

CONCENTRATION, IN

MICROGRAMS PER LITER

<10 

12,200 

<10 

45,400 

<10 

10 

3,600 1,220 

23,500 3,100 115,000 5,160 

60,600 

1,370 

<10 <10 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER 

< less than

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986
Albers Equal-Area Conic projection
 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W
Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970)


0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 17. Iron concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

Ground-Water Quality 
94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

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INSET MAP

OKLAHOMA 

1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

DISSOLVED LEAD DISSOLVEDCONCENTRATION, IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

LEAD

CONCENTRATION, INMICROGRAMS PER LITER

0.19 

<0.08 16.9 

<0.08 

E0.05 

<0.08 

0.68 1.58 

0.94 0.11 0.81 0.11 

E0.05 

<0.08 <0.08 

<0.16 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER 

0.19

< less than

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986
Albers Equal-Area Conic projection
 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W
Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970)


0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 18. Lead concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

28 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 
29 

94°54' 94°53' 94°52' 94°51' 94°50' 94°49' 94°48' 94°47' 94°46' 

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INSET MAP

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1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

50 DISSOLVED MANGANESE CONCENTRATION, IN 

MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

2.8 

209 0.6

1,870 

59 

178 

551 

694 

2,840 4,680 2,340 904 

711 

214 17.6 

321 

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986
Albers Equal-Area Conic projection
 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W
Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970)


0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 19. Manganese concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

Ground-Water Quality 
2002-03 

30 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

and Disease Registry, 1995). Manganese concentrations were 

associated with areas with lesser pH (figs. 7 and 19). 

Zinc, like manganese, is commonly considered to be a 

dietary supplement rather than a toxic element. However, at elevated concentrations, short-term intake of zinc has been associated with stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, and debilitated 

immune systems (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease 

Registry, 2003). Long-term ingestion of zinc at large concentrations (100-150 milligrams per day) has been associated with 

anemia, pancreas damage, and decreased levels of high-density 

lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (Agency for Toxic Substances 

and Disease Registry, 2003). Water from the Vent#1 airshaft had 

the greatest zinc concentration (20,100 μg/L or 20.1 mg/L). 

Similar to manganese, the largest zinc concentrations were 

associated with sites with the most acidic pHs and the lowest 

dissolved oxygen concentrations (figs. 7, 8, and 20). 

Ground-Water-Quality Changes from 1983-85 to 2002 

Because most of the 16 sites sampled in 2002-03 were 

sampled at shallower depths than in previous studies and were 

potentially influenced by water from other zones, those waterquality data may not be directly comparable to data from previous studies in which samples were collected in the mine workings. The USGS collected water from the mine workings within 

the Picher mining district in 1983-85 (Parkhurst, 1987). The 

sites sampled in 1983-85 were mineshafts and airshafts located 

near to those sampled in 2002-03. To compare the 2002-03 data 

with data collected in 1983-85, a subset of 21 samples was 

selected—7 samples from this study and 14 samples collected 

from abandoned mineshafts in 2002 (Appendix 4; DeHay, 

2003) (which will be referred to as 2002 in this section). 

The water-quality samples from the abandoned mineshafts 

indicated water within the mine workings typically had a specific conductance greater than 2,000 μS/cm. So for this comparison, 21 water-quality samples collected in 2002 with a specific 

conductance greater than 2,000 μS/cm were selected to compare to data from the mine workings in 1983-85. Water-quality 

data from ground-water samples collected in 1983-85 were 

included in the comparison, except data from two sites sampled 

in Kansas (Parkhurst, 1987), which were outside of the study 

area of this report. 

Water-quality data from the 35 samples collected in 1983­

85 were compared to water-quality data from 21 samples collected in 2002 using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test (Helsel and 

Hirsch, 1992), which can produce a p-value as a measure of the 

probability of similarity of data groups. Lesser p-values indicate 

less likelihood of the null hypothesis being significant. For this 

report a p-value of less than 0.05 means that constituent concentrations in samples collected in 2002 were different than in 

those 1983-85, at a confidence level greater than 95 percent. 

The Wilcoxon rank-sum test indicated that the concentrations of most mine-water indicator constituents were greater in 

1983-85 samples than in 2002 samples, except for pH values 

that were greater in the 2002 samples and calcium concentrations that did not change significantly (figs. 21 and 22). Arsenic 

concentrations were not available for the 1983-85 data so they 

could not be compared. 

Specific conductance in 2002 samples were less than in 

1983-85 samples, indicating decreases in dissolved mineral 

constituents with time in local ground water. The median value 

of specific conductance was 3,820 μS/cm in 1983-85 and 2,630 

μS/cm in 2002 within the mine workings (fig. 21). 

The pH has significantly (p<0.0001) increased in the mine 

workings since 1983-85. Median pH values were slightly acidic 

(less than 7.0) both in 1983-85 and in 2002, with the median 

value of pH in the 1983-85 data set being 5.7 and the median 

value in the 2002 data set being 6.1 (fig. 21). However, in the 

1983-85 data set, there were more outliers having pH concentrations less than 4.8 compared to the 2002 data. In the 2002 

data set the range of concentrations tended to be smaller and 

closer to neutral (fig. 21). The increase in pH since 1983-85 is 

probably due to reduction in sulfide oxidation indicated by a 

significant reduction in dissolved iron and zinc along with the 

continued dissolution of carbonate minerals. 

Alkalinities were greater in the 1983-85 samples than in 

the 2002 samples (fig. 21). The alkalinity analyses in 1983-85 

were done with unfiltered samples, whereas, the alkalinity titrations in 2002 were done with filtered samples. The unfiltered 

samples could contain more colloids (microscopic particles) of 

calcium carbonate that may have caused greater alkalinities in 

the 1983-85 samples. 

The Wilcoxon rank-sum test indicated that calcium concentrations were not significantly different between the 1983­

85 and 2002 data sets (fig. 21). Magnesium concentrations were 

greater in the 1983-85 data set than in the 2002 data set (fig. 21). 

The median value of magnesium concentrations in 1983-85 was 

203 mg/L and was 59.7 mg/L in 2002 (fig. 21). The significant 

decrease in magnesium concentrations over time may be due to 

decreasing dolomite dissolution as water in the mines became 

less acidic and corrosive to carbonate minerals such as dolomite. Calcium concentrations in local ground water may not 

have changed to the same extent as magnesium due to the presence of other potential sources of calcium [such as gypsum 

(CaSO4*H2O), calcite (CaCO3)] to local ground water. 

Sulfate concentrations decreased between 1983-85 and 

2002 in the mine workings. The median concentration of sulfate 

in 1983-85 was 2,700 mg/L and in 2002 was 1,470 mg/L (fig. 

21). 

Concentrations of metals also decreased between 1983-85 

and 2002, perhaps due to decreased dissolution rates of metallic 

sulfide minerals as waters in the mine workings became less 

acidic. Cadmium and lead are two metals of concern in ground 

water in the mining district due to the health risks (Agency for 

Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1999a, 1999b; Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 1998; Jarup 

and others, 1998; and Reesal and others, 1987). 

Cadmium concentrations significantly decreased from a 

median 10 μg/L in 1983-85 to 0.6 μg/L in 2002. Unlike the 

1983-85 data, greater cadmium concentrations appeared to be 

associated with waters that have less sulfate (fig. 23). Cadmium 
31 

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1 ADMIRALTY #3 2 ADMIRALTY #4 3 BABY JIM 3 BABY JIM4 BLUE GOOSE 4 BLUE GOOSE5 CONSOLIDATED #2 5 CONSOLIDATED #26 CRAIG 6 CRAIG8 DEER RUN 8 DEER RUN

10 FEDERAL #5 10 FEDERAL #511 HOWE 11 HOWE12 HOWE #2 12 HOWE #213 KENOYER 13 KENOYER17 MIDAS 17 MIDAS18 NEW CHICAGO 18 NEW CHICAGO19 RIALTO 19 RIALTO20 ROYAL 20 ROYAL21 ROYAL #2 21 ROYAL #222 SLIM JIM 22 SLIM JIM27 TURNER 27 TURNER28 VENT N OF A STREET 28 VENT N OF A STREET29 VENT #1 29 VENT #1

MINESHAFTAIRSHAFT 

Picher mining district 

ELM CREEK 

TAR CREEK 

LYTLE CREEK 

Approximate axis of Miami Trough 

DISSOLVED ZINC DISSOLVEDCONCENTRATION, IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER 

ZINC

CONCENTRATION, INMICROGRAMS PER LITER

2,340 

2 2,230 

6,340 

1,900 1,830 

5,790 724 

4,320 

373 

20,100 1,740 

14,800 

2 

1,930 8 

8

SAMPLING SITE AND NUMBER

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000, 1986 Albers Equal-Area Conic projection 0 0.5 1 2 Miles o o o Standard parallels 34 00’ and 36 30’, central meridian 98 W Structural feature from McKnight and Fischer (1970) 

0 0.5 1 2 Kilometers 

Figure 20. Zinc concentration in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03. 

Ground-Water Quality 
32 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 

7.5 6,000 SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE, IN MICROSIEMENS O SULFATE, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER CALCIUM, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER PER CENTIMETER AT 25 CELSIUS 5,500 

5,000 

4,500 

4,000 

3,500 

3,000 

2,500 

2,000 

32 21 

p-value<0.0001 

o 

35 21 

p-value<0.0001 

o o o 

o 

o 

o 

o 

o 

7.0 

ALKALINITY, IN MILLIGRAMS PER 

pH, IN STANDARD UNITS

6.5 

6.0 

5.5 

5.0 

4.5 

34 21 

35 21 

p-value=0.0005 

p-value<0.0001 

oo 

o 

o 

o 

o 

o 

o 

o 

1,200 34 21 

p-value=0.0927 

o 

o 

EXPLANATION 

600 p-value=Wilcoxon 

800 

700 1,000 

MAGNESIUM, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER LITER AS CaC03

800 

600 

400 

200 

rank-sum test 

500 

30 number of 

values 400 

o Outlier 

300 

90th percentile 

200 

75th percentile 0 100 

median 

500 

400 

300 

200 

100 

0 

35 21 

p-value<0.0001 

o 

oo

5,000 

25th percentile 

10th percentile

4,000 

o Outlier 

3,000 

2,000 

1,000 

0 

1983-85 2002 1983-85 2002 

Water Water Water Water 

Samples Samples Samples Samples 

Figure 21. Selected water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 1983–85 and 2002. 
33 

CONCENTRATIONS, IN MICROGRAMS PER LITER
 p-value p-value p-value p-value p-value p-value p-value p-value <0.0001 =0.0076 <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001 EXPLANATION 1,000,000 33 21 33 21 34 21 33 21 35 21 34 21 23 21 34 21 

oo o

o oo

o 

oo

ooo

o 

o o 

o

o 

ooo

o 

o 

p-value = Wilcoxon rank- 100,000 sum test 

30 number of 10,000 values 

1,000

o Outlier

90th percentile 100

10 75th percentile

median 125th percentile

10th percentile 0.1 

o Outlier 

0.01 

Cadmium

2002

Iron

2002

Aluminum

2002

Cadmium

Manganese

Manganese 2002 

Aluminum

1983-85 Copper

2002 Copper

1983-85

Iron

1983-85

1983-85

Lead 

Lead

2002

Zinc

2002

Nickel

1983-85

Nickel

2002

Zinc 

1983-85

1983-85

1983-85


 Figure 22. Concentrations of dissolved trace elements in water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 1983–85 and 2002. 

Ground-Water Quality 
34 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 

0 

0 

0.0002 

0.0004 

0.0006 

0.0008 

0.001 

0.0012 

0.0014 

0.0016 

20 40 60 80 

CADMIUM, IN MILLIEQUIVALENTS 

PER LITER 

(A) 1983-85

SULFATE, IN MILLIEQUIVALENTS PER LITER 

0 

0.0002 

0.0004 

0.0006 

0.0008 

0.001 

0.0012 

0.0014 

0.0016 

CADMIUM, IN MILLIEQUIVALENTS 

PER LITER 

(B) 2002 

0 20 40 60 80 

SULFATE, IN MILLIEQUIVALENTS PER LITER 

Figure 23. Relation between dissolved cadmium and dissolved sulfate concentrations in 

ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, (A) 1983–85 

and (B) 2002. 
concentrations were greater in the 2002 water samples that had 

measurable concentrations of dissolved oxygen. The potential 

concern is these waters would typically be considered less contaminated because sulfate and iron concentrations are less and 

contain cadmium concentrations up to 82.6 μg/L. Geochemical 

processes explaining cadmium solubility in 2002 samples is 

poorly understood, and requires further investigation. Samples 

from four wells in the 2002 data set had cadmium concentrations exceeding the USEPA drinking water standards of 5 μg/L 

(Appendix 4). 

Concentrations of lead also decreased from 1983-85 to 

2002. The median value of lead in the 1983-85 data set was 11 

μg/L and in the 2002 data set the median value was 0.54 μg/L 

(fig. 22). 

Mineral Saturation in Ground Water in the Mining 

District 

The aqueous speciation model PHREEQC (Parkhurst and 

Appelo, 1999) was used to calculate saturation indices of common minerals in ground-water samples collected in the mining 

district in 2002-03. A saturation index is the log10 of the ionactivity product of components of a mineral divided by the 

equilibrium constant for a mineral. Saturation indices greater 

than zero indicate that a mineral may precipitate from water 

(oversaturated), whereas, indices less than zero indicate that a 

mineral may be dissolved by water (undersaturated). If minerals 

readily formed and precipitated from aqueous solutions upon 

reaching ionic saturation, minerals would not become oversaturated. Some minerals, such as feldspars found in igneous rocks, 

would precipitate very slowly at low temperatures, whereas others, such as calcite and pyrite, are likely to precipitate at greater 

rates at temperatures typical for ground water. Another factor 

that may lead to substantial oversaturation of aqueous solutions 

with respect to some minerals is the presence of colloids. Colloids are small mineral or polymeric particles that can pass 

through the 0.45-micron effective pore size of the filter used in 

processing the water-quality samples. Rather than being true 

dissolved ions, colloids are microscopic mineral particles. Substantial concentrations of colloids may lead to over-estimation 

of what is truly dissolved in a water sample, leading to overestimation of saturation indices for minerals in water. 

The carbonate minerals such as calcite (CaCO3) and dolomite [(Ca(Mg, Fe)(CO3)2] are some of the most common minerals in the Boone Formation (McKnight and Fischer, 1970, p. 

116-117), but were generally undersaturated (fig. 24). Carbonate minerals of cadmium (otavite), iron (siderite), lead (cerrusite), and zinc (smithsonite) were undersaturated in all samples, indicating the possible dissolution of those minerals and 

the release of associated metals into local ground water. 

The sulfate minerals of lead (anglesite), barium (barite), 

cadmium, zinc (goslarite), calcium (gypsum), and iron (melanterite) were generally undersaturated in the ground-water samples (fig. 24), indicating likelihood for dissolution of those minerals and potential for associated metals to be released into 

Summary 35 

ground water. The clay mineral kaolinite, which is known to 

form as a hydrolysis product of feldspars at low temperatures, 

was oversaturated in most of the samples (fig. 24), indicating 

that it may precipitate from local ground waters. McKnight and 

Fischer (1970) noted the presence of localized deposits of 

kaolinite in the mine workings. 

Lack of eh (redox) data makes it difficult to interpret the 

saturation state of the ferric oxyhydroxide minerals. It is likely 

that the ferric oxyhydroxide minerals could be dissolving, but 

precipitation is unlikely due to the lack of dissolved oxygen in 

the mine workings. 

Summary 

The Picher mining district of northeastern Ottawa County, 

Oklahoma was the site of mining for lead and zinc ores from 

about 1900 until the mid-1970s. The primary source of lead and 

zinc were sulfide minerals disseminated in the cherty limestones and dolomites of the Keokuk and Reeds Spring Formations, otherwise known as the Boone Formation of Mississippian age, which composes the Boone aquifer. Sulfide minerals 

mined from the Boone Formation included: sphalerite, galena, 

and the accessory minerals chalcopyrite, enargite, luzonite, 

marcasite, and pyrite. Exposure of these minerals to oxygenated 

water can create acidic solutions resulting in elevated concentrations of sulfate and trace elements in the ground water, surface water, and streambed sediments. 

The Boone Formation is an important aquifer in areas surrounding the Picher mining district and is the source of baseflow to streams in the Picher mining district. Water-level measurements at 20 ground-water and 9 surface-water sites within 

the mining district indicated that the water table is a relatively 

flat at approximately 800 feet above NAVD 88 in the mining 

district. Water levels in streams upstream from the confluence 

of Tar and Lytle Creeks were several feet higher than those of 

the surrounding ground-water altitudes, perhaps due to low-permeability streambed sediments, indicating the streams may be 

losing water to the mine workings in this area. Near the confluence of Tar and Lytle Creeks, the elevations of water in the 

stream were lower than the ground-water altitudes, and the 

mine water is discharging to the streams in that area. 

Mean daily streamflow in the nearby Neosho River near 

Commerce, Oklahoma, ranged from 20 cubic feet per second in 

a dry period in August 2003 to 20,000 cubic feet per second during wet periods in March, April, and May 2003. Ground-water 

altitudes recorded continuously for one year in two mineshafts 

completed in the Boone aquifer responded relatively rapidly to 

individual precipitation events, indicating connection between 

the aquifer and the land surface. 

Ground-water recharge-age dates, determined by concentrations and ratios of chlorofluorocarbons and other gases dissolved in ground water, indicated that although water-level altitudes in much of the mining district were fairly flat, there tended 
36 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma,


2002-03


0 

0.5 

1.0 

1.5 

-0.5 

-1.0 

-1.5 

-2.0 

-2.5 

Calcite Dolomite 

INDICES 

6 

4 

2 

0 

-2 

-4 

-6 

-8 

-10 

-12 

-14 

Anglesite Barite Cadmium Sulfate 

10 

0 

-10 

-20 

-30 

-40 

-50 

Kaolinite 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

-2 

-4 

-6 

0 

-2 

-4 

-6 

-8 

-10 

-12 

-14 

Siderite Smithsonite 

Goslarite Gyp sum Melanterite

SA TURA TION 

Ot avite 

(21)

(1)

(4)

(5)

(5) 

(13)

(17)

(19)

(21)

(29)

(2)

(6) 

(10)

(27)

(8) 

Howe (11)

(2) 

(3) Jim 

Goose Blue

Consolidated2-shallow

Admiralty3

Admiralty4-shallow 

Consolidated2-deep 

Craig 

Run 

Royal2

Admiralty4-deep 

Rialto 

Royal2

Kenoyer 

Midas 

#1 

Turner

Federal5 

Vent

Baby 

Deer 

SITE NAME AND NUMBER


Figure 24. Saturation indices for selected minerals in ground-water samples collected within the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 

2002–03. 
to be more recently-recharged ground-water in the southeastern 

and northeastern parts of the mining district, progressing to 

older ground-water in the center of the mining district on the 

south side of Picher and on the west side of Picher and Cardin. 

Variations in recharge-age dates of ground water samples may 

have been due to ground water flow in the aquifer or to the 

nature of the sites sampled. Mineshafts had larger openings than 

airshafts and were flush with the ground, perhaps allowing 

greater exchange with the atmosphere and infiltration of surface 

runoff than the smaller airshafts, which had casings completed 

above land surface. 

Ground water in the mining district had large specific conductances and dissolved solids concentrations. Most of the 

ground-water samples, particularly those from the airshafts, had 

dissolved oxygen concentrations less than 1.0 milligram per 

liter. Small concentrations of dissolved oxygen may have been 

introduced during the sampling process. The low dissolved oxygen concentrations were associated with samples containing 

high iron concentration that indicates possible anoxic conditions in much of the aquifer. 

Ground water in the mining district was dominated by calcium, magnesium, and sulfate. Sodium concentrations tended to 

be less than calcium and magnesium concentrations in samples. 

Sulfate was the dominant anion in most of the samples. 

Ground-water samples from the mining district had elevated concentrations of many trace elements. Trace elements 

may seep with ground water to adjoining portions of the aquifer, 

creeks and streams in hydraulic connection with the aquifer, 

and to the underlying Roubidoux aquifer. Many trace elements 

have potential health effects, when present in sufficient quantities in drinking water. Dissolution of trace elements and sulfate 

in ground water within the Picher mining district in 2002-03 

were primarily a function of pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations. Greater concentrations of trace elements and sulfate 

occurred in ground water with low pH and dissolved oxygen 

concentrations. 

Iron was typically the metal occurring in greatest concentration in the water samples, with concentrations as much as 

115,000 micrograms per liter (μg/L) being detected. About twothirds of the samples had iron concentrations exceeding the secondary drinking-water standard of 300 μg/L. Iron concentrations had a similar distribution in the samples as sulfate, indicating possible relation to oxidation and dissolution of the ironsulfide minerals—marcasite and pyrite. Cadmium, lead, manganese, zinc, and the other analyzed trace elements occurred in 

lesser concentrations than iron in water samples collected in the 

mining district, with most of the trace elements concentrations 

in the samples being less than drinking-water standards or 

chronic criterion concentrations designed to protect aquatic life. 

However, large cadmium concentrations appeared to be associated with sites that have small iron concentrations and more oxygenated waters. This is noteworthy because the small sulfate and 

iron concentrations in these waters could lead to conclusions that 

the waters are less contaminated than waters with large sulfate 

and iron concentrations. 

References cited 37 

Ground-water quality in the mining district was compared 

with subsets of samples collected in 1983-85 and in 2002 that 

had specific conductances greater than 2,000 μS/cm, indicating 

that they were from the mine workings, rather than from overlying ground water. Concentrations of most mine-water indicators such as acidity, specific conductance, magnesium, sulfate, 

and most trace elements concentrations decreased over that 

period. Calcium concentrations did not significantly change. 

Mineral saturation indices indicated that the carbonate 

minerals calcite and dolomite, that compose much of the Boone 

aquifer, were likely to dissolve at most sites. The sulfate minerals of lead (anglesite), barium (barite), cadmium, zinc (goslarite), calcium (gypsum), and iron (melanterite) were generally 

undersaturated in the ground-water samples, indicating likelihood for dissolution of those minerals and potential for those 

elements to dissolve into ground water. The clay mineral 

kaolinite, which is known to form as a hydrolysis product of 

feldspars at low temperatures, was oversaturated in most of the 

samples, indicating that it may precipitate out of local ground 

waters. 

Lack of eh (redox) data makes it difficult to try to interpret 

the saturation state of the ferric oxyhydroxide minerals. It is 

likely that the ferric oxyhydroxide minerals could be dissolving, 

but precipitation is unlikely due to the lack of dissolved oxygen 

in the mine workings. 

References cited 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1999a, 

ToxFAQs for cadmium, accessed December 13, 2003, at 

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts5.html 

——, 1999b, ToxFAQs for lead, accessed December 13, 2003, 

at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts13.html 

——, 1995, ToxFAQs for manganese, accessed December 13, 

2003, at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts151.html 

——, 2003, Public health statement for zinc, accessed December 13, 2003, at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts60.html, 5 p 

American Public Health Association, 1998, Standard methods 

for the examination of water and wastewater (20th ed.); 

Washington, D.C., American Public Health Association, 

American Water Works Association, and Water Environment Federation, p.3-37 - 3-43. 

Busenberg, Eurybiades. and Plummer, L. N., 1991, Chlorofluorocarbons (CCl3F and CCl2F2)— Use as an age dating tool 

and hydrologic tracer in shallow ground-water streams, in, 

Mallard, G.L., and Aronson, D.A., eds.,U.S. Geological 

Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, Technical 

Meeting, Monterey, California, March 11-15, 1991,U.S. 

Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 

91-4034, p. 542-547. 

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 1998, 

Health Effects of lead, accessed December 13, 2003, at 

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/ 

lead/health_lead.html 
38 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002-03 

Childress, C.J.O, Foreman, W.T., Connor, B.F., and Mahomey, 

T.J., 1999, New reporting procedures based on long-term 

method detection levels and some considerations for interpretations of water-quality data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-193, 19 p. 

Christenson, Scott, 1995, Contamination of wells completed in 

the Roubidoux aquifer by abandoned zinc and lead mines, 

Ottawa County, Oklahoma: U.S. Geological Survey WaterResources Investigations Report 95-4150, 114 p. 

DeHay, K.L., 2003, Assessment and comparison of 1976-77 

and 2002 water quality in mineshafts in the Picher mining 

district, northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas: 

U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations

Report 03-4248, 65 p. 

Elder, J.F., 1988, Metal biogeochemistry in surface-water systems—A review of principles and concepts: U.S. Geological 

Survey Circular 1013, 43 p. 

Faires, L.M., 1993, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological 

Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination 

of metals in water by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-634, 

28 p. 

Fishman, M.J., and Friedman, L.C., eds., 1989, Methods for 

determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial 

sediments (3d ed.): U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of 

Water-Resources Investigations, book5, chap. A1, 545 p. 

Fishman, M.J., ed., 1993, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey national Water Quality Laboratory—Determination of inorganic and organic constituents in water and 

fluvial sediments: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

93-125, 217 p. 

Helsel, D.R., and Hirsch, R.M., 1992, Statistical methods in 

water resources, Studies in environmental sciences: Amsterdam, Elsevier, 522 p. 

Hem, J. D., 1992, Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural water (3d ed.): U.S. Geological Survey 

Water-Supply Paper 2254, 263 p. 

Jarup, L., Berglund, M., Elinder, C.G., Nordberg, G. and 

Vahter, M., 1998, Health effects of cadmium exposure—A 

review of the literature and a risk estimate: Scandinavian 

Journal of Work, Environment, and Health: v. 24, no. 3, p. 

240 

Jones, S.R., and Garbarino, J.R., 1999, Methods of analysis by 

the U.S. Geological Survey national Water Quality laboratory—Determination of arsenic and selenium in water and 

sediment by graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrometry: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 98-639, 39 p. 

Kharaka, Y.K., and Hanor, J.S., 2003, Deep fluids in the continents- I. Sedimentary basins, in Drever, J.I., ed. Surface and 

ground water, weathering, and soils: Treatise on Geochemistry, v. 5, Amsterdam, Elsevier, p. 499-540 

Luza, K.V., 1986, Stability problems associated with abandoned underground mines in the Picher field northeastern 

Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular 88, 114 p., 

3 pls. in pocket 

MathSoft Inc., 1999, S-Plus 2000 Users Guide, Modern Statistics and Advanced Graphics: Cambridge, MA. 

McLain, B.J., 1993, Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological 

Survey National Water Quality Laboratory—Determination 

of chromium in water by graphite furnace atomic absorption 

spectrophotometry: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 93-449, 16 p. 

McKnight, E.T., and Fischer, R.P., 1970, Geology and ore 

deposits of the Picher field, Oklahoma and Kansas: U.S. 

Geological Survey Professional Paper 588, 165 p., 11 pls. in 

pocket 

Parkhurst, D.L., 1987, Chemical analyses of water samples 

from the picher mining area, Northeast Oklahoma and Southeast Kansas: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 87­

453, 43 p. 

Parkhurst, D.L., and Appelo, C.A.J., 1999, User’s guide to 

PHREEQC (version 2)—A computer program for speciation, 

batch-reaction, one-dimensional transport, and inverse 

geochemical calculations: U.S. Geological Survey WaterResources Investigations Report 99-4259, 312 p. 

Playton, S.J., Davis, R.E., and McClaflin, R.G., 1980, Chemical 

quality of water in abandoned zinc mines in northeastern 

Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas: Oklahoma Geological 

Survey Circular 82, 49 p. 

Plummer, L.N., and Friedman, L.C., 1999, Tracing and dating 

young ground water: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 134­

99, 4 p. 

Rantz, S.E., and others, 1982, Measurement and computation of 

streamflow-Volume 1, Measurement of stage and discharge: 

U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2175, 284 p.

Reesal, M.R., Dufresne, R.M., Corbet, Ken, 1987, Adverse 

health effects from industrial and environmental cadmium: 

Alberta Occupational Medicine Newsletter, v. 5, no. 1, 4 p. 

State of Oklahoma, 2000, Governor Frank Keating’s Tar Creek 

Superfund Task Force, Final Report: Office of Secretary of 

Environment, October 1, 2000, 27 p. 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003, Health effects of 

lead, accessed December 13, 2003, at 

http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/OWCM.NSF/lead/pbhealth 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2004, List of drinking 

water contaminants and MCLs, accessed January 8, 2004, at: 

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html#mcls 

U S Geological Survey, 2003, National Water Information 

System Data Base. 

Wilde, F.D., and Radtke, D.B., eds., 1998, National field 

manual for the collection of water-quality data: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, 

book 9, chap. A6, variously paged 

http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/FS/FS-134-99/ 
Appendices

40 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03 
--

--

41

 Appendix 1. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site

number Baro- Specific conducStation name (as in Station Sampling metric tance pH (standard unit) Tempera- Oxygen,

figure 1) number Date Time depth at 25 ̊C, (μS/cm) ture, water dissolved pressure ( ̊C) (mg/L) (feet) (mm of Hg) 

field lab field lab 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBlue GooseConsolidated #2Consolidated #2CraigDeer RunFederal #5HoweKenoyerMidasRialtoRoyal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

12234

55

68

101113171921222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365732094513201

365927094485901365927094485901

365702094492901365839094492601365803094494101365921094505701365846094505401365815094493601365807094503101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

10/23/200211/05/200211/05/200210/28/200211/04/2002

11/18/200211/18/2002

10/22/200201/14/200310/24/200211/21/200210/30/200210/29/200210/31/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

13201330170011001245

12501540

12101305134512551138113011451550162010351123 

6060

200

6075

80

200

6060755560757580808080 

766766766766

760760

767760766760760766766760760766 

7712,5502,860

728

1,580

6952,540

4631,8001,1201,5401,2305531,370

2,420

2,6302,2802,640 

744E2,3602,260

708

1,550

6662,580

4211,7001,0801,4801,230528E1,350

2,450

2,5902,4602,520 

7.86.56.5

6.5

6.8

7.46.0

6.77.26.67.96.86.77.1

6.8

6.76.16.0 

E7.5

6.35.7

7.2

6.9

7.36.1

E7.1

7.37.47.87.36.97.3

6.6

7.16.05.1 

16.0 7.7 15.6 0.3 15.6 0.3 

15.9 0.5 

16.1 0.3 

17.1 8.2 16.2 0.7 

17.6 1.7 15.6 --16.1 0.7 17.4 0.3 16.1 0.8 16.0 0.4 17.1 3.7 

16.4 0.3 

17.6 0.9 16.4 0.7 18.0 0.7 

Appendices 
 Appendix 1. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03 —Continued 

[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Alkalinity, Solids, residue at Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, number Station Sampling dissolved, Station name (as in number Date (feet) 180 ̊C, dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved Time depth field (mg/L dissolved (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) figure 1) as CaCO3) (mg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBlue GooseConsolidated #2Consolidated #2CraigDeer RunFederal #5HoweKenoyerMidasRialtoRoyal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122345568

101113171921222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365732094513201365927094485901365927094485901365702094492901365839094492601365803094494101365921094505701365846094505401365815094493601365807094503101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

10/23/200211/05/200211/05/200210/28/200211/04/200211/18/200211/18/200210/22/200201/14/200310/24/200211/21/200210/30/200210/29/200210/31/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

132013301700110012451250154012101305134512551138113011451550162010351123 

6060

200

607580

200

6060755560757580808080 

167180259144268

64

225150220100319290160

88

362315193201 

5642,4802,8705281,0805292,6903061,4708981,0609073861,2302,3802,1902,5302,690 

144569581118169126572

79.7

245161

90.6

161

86.9

273487174419466 

13.060.491.515.233.511.480.2

6.01

96.141.44933.113.438.690.482.3

123102 

3.06

28.243.516.4

125

4.12

36.8

4.00

48.724.9

166

61.2

5.96

10.252.4

326

62.453.7 

0.722.964.022.16

8.98

0.764.652.677.362.13

14.613.5

1.671.225.70

13.3

4.695.36 

42 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
43

 Appendix 1. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03 —Continued [mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Sampling Bicarbonate, Carbonate, Sulfate, Chloride, Fluoride, Bromide, number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth dissolved, dissolved, dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved

figure 1) (feet) field (mg/L) field (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBlue GooseConsolidated #2Consolidated #2CraigDeer RunFederal #5HoweKenoyerMidasRialtoRoyal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122345568

101113171921222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365732094513201365927094485901365927094485901365702094492901365839094492601365803094494101365921094505701365846094505401365815094493601365807094503101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

10/23/200211/05/200211/05/200210/28/200211/04/200211/18/200211/18/200210/22/200201/14/200310/24/200211/21/200210/30/200210/29/200210/31/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

132013301700110012451250154012101305134512551138113011451550162010351123 

6060

200

607580

200

6060755560757580808080 

202219315175326

77

274182268121385353195107440383235244 

0 250 0 1,550 0 1,750 0 243 0 376 

0 294 

0 1,700 0 85.8 0 794 0 517 2 456 0 370 0 131 0 744 0 1,300 0 1,170 0 1,570 0 1,670 

1.438.88

13.2

2.01

147

0.67

6.761.92

25.0

2.54

30.430.4

1.141.665.94

19.6

8.07

14.3 

0.202.631.740.273.32

0.24

1.680.220.380.210.610.730.190.310.400.38

<0.17

2.31 

0.040.040.060.030.47

0.03

0.06

<0.02

0.13

E0.01

0.130.11

E0.02

0.020.060.22

0.10

0.08 

Appendices 
 Appendix 1. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03 —Continued 

[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; mS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Sampling Silica, Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved

figure 1) (feet) (mg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBlue GooseConsolidated #2Consolidated #2CraigDeer RunFederal #5HoweKenoyerMidasRialtoRoyal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122345568

101113171921222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365732094513201365927094485901365927094485901365702094492901365839094492601365803094494101365921094505701365846094505401365815094493601365807094503101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

10/23/200211/05/200211/05/200210/28/200211/04/200211/18/200211/18/200210/22/200201/14/200310/24/200211/21/200210/30/200210/29/200210/31/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

132013301700110012451250154012101305134512551138113011451550162010351123 

6060

200

607580

200

6060755560757580808080 

9.50

12.313.113.2

6.72

10.812.512.413.421.8

6.819.08

19.1

7.21

21.212.7

8.00

21.3 

<2

81

112

M

4

<2

126

<2<2<2<2<2<2<2<2<3

15

267 

0.34

<0.30

<0.60

<0.30<0.30

E0.19

<0.60

E0.18

<0.30<0.30<0.30<0.30<0.30<0.30<0.30<0.60<0.30

<0.60 

<2

9

27

<2<2<2

27

<2<2<2<2

<10

<2<2

6

<2

51

41 

14

8

7

242322

6

5847

6

23382315

38 

13

50

10 

<0.06

0.14

0.23

<0.06

E0.04

<0.06

0.24

<0.06<0.06

<0.06

<0.06<0.06<0.06<0.06

<0.06

<0.12

0.24

0.3 

44 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
45

 Appendix 1. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03 —Continued [mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; mS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Man- Site Sampling Cadmium Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, ganese, number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolfigure 1) (feet) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) ved (μg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBlue GooseConsolidated #2Consolidated #2CraigDeer RunFederal #5HoweKenoyerMidasRialtoRoyal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122345568

101113171921222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365732094513201365927094485901365927094485901365702094492901365839094492601365803094494101365921094505701365846094505401365815094493601365807094503101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

10/23/200211/05/200211/05/200210/28/200211/04/200211/18/200211/18/200210/22/200201/14/200310/24/200211/21/200210/30/200210/29/200210/31/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

132013301700110012451250154012101305134512551138113011451550162010351123 

6060

200

607580

200

6060755560757580808080 

9.340.052.44

<0.04<0.04

113

1.97

24.1

E0.03

3.00

<0.04

0.930.431.11

E0.02

<0.07

0.090.24 

<0.8<0.8<0.8

<0.8<0.8

<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8

<0.8

<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8

<0.8

<0.8<0.8 

0.33

37.138.8

3.070.40

0.33

26.8

0.216.150.73

0.24

1.685.721.64

39.9

1.90

34.074.2 

2.46.88.4

1.42.3

1.23.82.72.32.4

0.9

2.21.33.93.0

2.1

3.64.2 

<1045,40092,100

1,22012,200

<1076,900<103,100<10

1,370

5,1603,600

10

23,500

<10

60,600115,000 

16.9 0.6 

<0.08 1,870 

0.56 1,370 

1.58 694 

<0.08 209 

<0.08 17.6 

0.77 1,630 0.19 2.8 0.11 4,680 

E0.05 59.0 

<0.08 214 

0.11 904 0.68 551 

<0.08 178 

0.94 2,840 

<0.16 321 

E0.05 711 

0.81 2,340 

Appendices 
 Appendix 1. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03 —Continued 

[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; mS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data 

Site Molybde- Nickel, Selenium Silver, Zinc, Uranium, number Station Sampling num, Station name Date Time dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved (as in number depth (feet) dissolved (μg/L) (

μg/L) figure 1) (μg/L) (μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBlue GooseConsolidated #2Consolidated #2CraigDeer RunFederal #5HoweKenoyerMidasRialtoRoyal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122345568

101113171921222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365732094513201365927094485901365927094485901365702094492901365839094492601365803094494101365921094505701365846094505401365815094493601365807094503101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

10/23/200211/05/200211/05/200210/28/200211/04/200211/18/200211/18/200210/22/200201/14/200310/24/200211/21/200210/30/200210/29/200210/31/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

132013301700110012451250154012101305134512551138113011451550162010351123 

6060

200

607580

200

6060755560757580808080 

E0.3

3.03.30.5

E0.3E0.3

2.20.8

<0.7

E0.2

0.50.30.50.41.4

<0.7

2.93.7 

13.1

283319

16.0

6.15

11.1

199

7.95

40.5

26.4

3.55

22.410.622.456.2

14.3

207633 

<3

<3<3

<3<3<3

E2

<3

<3

<3<3

<13

<3

E1E2

E2

E2E1 

<0.2

<0.2<0.4

<0.2<0.2<0.2

<0.4

<0.2

<0.2

<0.2<0.2<0.2<0.2

<0.2<0.2

<0.4

<0.2<0.4 

2,230

6,3409,550

724

2

1,930

4,560

2,340

373

1,900

2

1,7405,790

1,8304,320

8

14,80020,100 

0.87

2.379.00

0.130.250.14

8.39

0.66

0.13

0.210.161.490.24

0.31

10.3

0.51

0.360.52 

46 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
47

 Appendix 2. Water-quality constituent concentrations from quality-assurance ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data; RPD, relative percent difference; E, environmental; R, replicate, B, equipment blank] 

Site Baro- Specific conducType of Sampling metric tance pH (standard unit) Tempera­ number Station Station name (as in number Date Time sample depth pressure at 25 ̊C, (μS/cm) ture, water ( ̊C) figure 1) (feet) (mm of Hg) field lab field lab 

Federal #5 10 365803094494101 10/24/2002 1345 E Federal #5 10 365803094494101 10/24/2002 1346 R 

RPD 

Kenoyer 13 365846094505401 10/30/2002 1138 E Kenoyer 13 365846094505401 10/30/2002 1139 R 

RPD 

Turner 27 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1035 E Turner 27 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1036 R 

RPD 

Baby Jim 3 365818094505201 12/17/2003 1240 B 

75 766 1,120 1,080 6.6 7.4 16.1 75 766 1,120 1,090 6.6 7.4 16.1 

0.0 0.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 

60 760 1,230 1,230 6.8 7.3 16.1 60 760 1,230 1,230 6.8 6.9 16.1 

0.0 0.0 0.0 5.6 0.0 

80 760 2,280 2,460 6.1 6.0 16.4 80 760 2,280 2,430 6.1 6.3 16.4 

0.0 1.2 0.0 4.9 0.0 

-- -- -- E4 -- 6.4 --

Appendices 
--

 Appendix 2. Water-quality constituent concentrations from quality-assurance ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data; RPD, relative percent difference; E, environmental; R, replicate, B, equipment blank]

Site

Type of Oxygen, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, number Station Station name Date Time dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved (as in number sample (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) figure 1) 

Federal #5Federal #5KenoyerKenoyerTurnerTurnerBaby Jim 

101013132727

3 

365803094494101365803094494101

RPD

365846094505401365846094505401

RPD

365855094484501365855094484501

RPD

365818094505201 

10/24/200210/24/200210/30/200210/30/200211/19/200211/19/200212/17/2003 

1345 E 1346 R 1138 E 1139 R 1035 E 1036 R 1240 B 

0.70.7

0.0

0.80.8

0.0

0.70.7

0.0 

161161

0.0

161161

0.0

419425

1.4

0.02 

41.4

41.5

0.2

33.1

33.3

0.6

123125

1.6

0.01 

24.924.9

0.0

61.261.2

0.0

62.463.1

1.1

E0.05 

2.13

2.11

0.9

13.5

13.5

0.0

4.69

4.94

5.2

<0.16 

48 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
--

49

 Appendix 2. Water-quality constituent concentrations from quality-assurance ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data; RPD, relative percent difference; E, environmental; R, replicate, B, equipment blank]

Site

Type of Sulfate, Chloride, Fluoride, Bromide, Silica, number Station Station name Date Time dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved (as in number sample (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) figure 1) 

Federal #5Federal #5KenoyerKenoyerTurnerTurnerBaby Jim 

101013132727

3 

365803094494101365803094494101

RPD

365846094505401365846094505401

RPD

365855094484501365855094484501

RPD

365818094505201 

10/24/200210/24/200210/30/200210/30/200211/19/200211/19/200212/17/2003 

1345 E 1346 R 1138 E 1139 R 1035 E 1036 R 1240 B 

517

515

0.4

370

372

0.5

1,570

1,570

0.0

<0.2 

2.54

2.63

3.5

30.4

30.7

1.0

8.07

7.99

1.0

<0.20 

0.21

0.21

0.0

0.73

0.80

9.2

<0.17

<0.20

<0.17 

E0.01

E0.01

0.0

0.11

0.14

24.0

0.10

0.10

0.0

<0.16 

21.8

21.8

0.0

9.08

9.09

0.1

8.00

8.13

1.6

E0.03 

Appendices 
-- -- -- --

-- -- -- --

--

 Appendix 2. Water-quality constituent concentrations from quality-assurance ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data; RPD, relative percent difference; E, environmental; R, replicate, B, equipment blank]

Site

Type of Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium number Station Station name Date Time dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved (as in number sample (μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) figure 1) 

Federal #5Federal #5

KenoyerKenoyer

TurnerTurnerBaby Jim 

1010

1313

2727

3 

365803094494101365803094494101

RPD

365846094505401365846094505401

RPD

365855094484501365855094484501

RPD

365818094505201 

10/24/200210/24/2002

10/30/200210/30/2002

11/19/200211/19/200212/17/2003 

1345 E 1346 R 

1138 E 1139 R 

1035 E 1036 R 1240 B 

<2 

<2 

<2 

<2 

15 14 

6.9

E1.4 

<0.30

<0.30

<0.30

<0.30

<0.30<0.30<0.20 

<2

<2

<10

E1

51
50


2.0

<2 

6.0

6.0

0.0

3837

2.7

5047

6.2

<0.2 

<0.06

<0.06

<0.06<0.06

0.240.25

4.1

<0.06 

3.00

2.97

1.0

0.93

0.94

1.1

0.090.09

0.0

<0.04 

50 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
-- -- --

--

--

51

 Appendix 2. Water-quality constituent concentrations from quality-assurance ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data; RPD, relative percent difference; E, environmental; R, replicate, B, equipment blank]

Site

Type of Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead, Manganese, number Station Station name Date Time dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved (as in number sample (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) figure 1) 

Federal #5Federal #5

KenoyerKenoyer

TurnerTurner

Baby Jim 

1010

1313

2727

3 

365803094494101365803094494101

RPD

365846094505401365846094505401

RPD

365855094484501365855094484501

RPD

365818094505201 

10/24/200210/24/2002

10/30/200210/30/2002

11/19/200211/19/2002

12/17/2003 

1345 E 1346 R 

1138 E 1139 R 

1035 E 1036 R 

1240 B 

<0.8

<0.8

<0.8

<0.8

<0.8

<0.8

<0.8 

0.73

0.73

0.0

1.68

1.65

1.8

34.0

33.8

0.6

0.04 

2.4

2.4

0.0

2.2

2.0

9.5

3.6

3.4

5.7

E0.3 

<10

<10

5,160

5,190

0.6

60,600

61,400

1.3

<10 

E0.05

<0.08

0.11

0.11

0.0

E0.05

E0.07

33.3

0.11 

59.059.1

0.2

904

894

1.1

711

694

2.4

1.1 

Appendices 
-- --

-- --

--

 Appendix 2. Water-quality constituent concentrations from quality-assurance ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data; RPD, relative percent difference; E, environmental; R, replicate, B, equipment blank]

Site

Type of Molybdenum, Nickel, Selenium Silver, Zinc, Uranium, number Station Station name Date Time dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved (as in number sample (μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) figure 1) 

Federal #5Federal #5KenoyerKenoyerTurnerTurnerBaby Jim 

101013132727

3 

365803094494101365803094494101

RPD

365846094505401365846094505401

RPD

365855094484501365855094484501

RPD

365818094505201 

10/24/200210/24/200210/30/200210/30/200211/19/200211/19/200212/17/2003 

1345 E 1346 R 1138 E 1139 R 1035 E 1036 R 1240 B 

E0.2E0.2

0.0

0.3

E0.3

0.0

2.92.9

0.0

E0.4 

26.426.8

1.5

22.422.4

0.0

207202

2.4

0.72 

<3<3

<13

<3

E2E2

0.0

<3 

<0.2<0.2

<0.2

<0.2

<0.2<0.2

<0.2 

1,9001,870

1.6

1,740

1,720

1.2

14,80013,400

9.9

0.7 

0.210.21

0.0

1.49

1.47

1.4

0.360.36

0.0

<0.04 

52 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
53

 Appendix 3. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentrations and calculated age dates from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03[pg/kg, picograms per kilogram; NP, not possible; Contam, contaminated, greater than 2001 air; Modern, possible range of modern air; --, no data, A, sample from shallow part of aquifer; B, sample from deeppart of aquifer]

Site Concentration in Solution Model piston-flow dates (excess air corrected) Sampling (pg/kg) number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth Dual dates are possible for CFC-11, CFC-113

figure 1) (feet) CFC-11 CFC-12 CFC-113 CFC-11 CFC-12 CFC-113 

Admiralty #3 1 365737094502201 10/23/2002 1600 60 Admiralty #3 1 365737094502201 10/23/2002 1600 60 Admiralty #3 1 365737094502201 10/23/2002 1600 60 

469.2 279.5 155.2 1985.5 NP Modern Contam Contam 825.0 291.5 903.0 Contam Contam Contam Contam Contam 855.4 331.4 138.1 Contam Contam Contam Contam Contam 

Admiralty #4A 2 365753094504601 11/05/2002 1300 60 Admiralty #4A 2 365753094504601 11/05/2002 1300 60 Admiralty #4B 2 365753094504601 11/06/2002 1300 200 

30.9 4,706.2 101.1 1961.5 NP Contam Contam Contam 

29.8 4,643.3 72.0 1961.5 NP Contam 1991.5 2001 

104.2 2,804.2 69.0 1968.5 NP Contam 1990.5 NP 

Baby Jim 3 365818094505201 10/28/2002 1331 60 -- 659.1 357.8 NP NP Contam Contam Contam Blue Goose 4 365732094513201 11/04/2002 1245 75 6.5 50.1 1,066.1 1954 NP 1968 Contam Contam Consolidated #2A 5 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1400 80 Consolidated #2A 5 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1400 80 Consolidated #2B 5 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1645 200 Consolidated #2B 5 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1645 200 

609.2 252.3 72.4 Modern Modern 1991.5 1991.5 2000 596.2 253.0 70.1 1993 1993 1991.5 1990.5 NP 561.6 242.4 49.5 1989 2002 1989.5 1987 NP 576.4 261.2 52.2 1990.5 1997.5 1993.5 1987.5 NP 

Deer Run 8 365839094492601 01/14/2003 1350 60 Deer Run 8 365839094492601 01/14/2003 1350 60 Deer Run 8 365839094492601 01/14/2003 1350 60 

23.4 52.6 10.2 1960 NP 1968 1974.5 NP 

4.3 54.9 7.7 1953 NP 1968.5 1972.5 NP 

24.8 42.6 7.5 1960.5 NP 1966.5 1972.5 NP 

Howe 11 365921094505701 11/21/2002 1400 55 14.6 29.9 12.9 1957 NP 1964 1976.5 NP Midas 17 365815094493601 10/29/2002 1300 75 1,268.8 416.8 134.2 Contam Contam Contam Contam Contam Rialto 19 365807094503101 10/31/2002 1230 75 61.3 159.8 90.5 1965 NP 1981 Contam Contam Royal #2 21 365834094485302 11/19/2002 1650 80 Royal #2 21 365834094485302 11/19/2002 1650 80 Royal #2 21 365834094485302 11/19/2002 1650 80 

4.1 356.6 4.3 1953 NP Contam 1968.5 NP 

2.1 367.8 7.4 1951 NP Contam 1972.5 NP 6.6 354.5 5.2 1954.5 NP Contam 1970 NP 

Slim Jim 22 365942094504203 11/20/2002 1630 80 Slim Jim 22 365942094504203 11/20/2002 1630 80 Slim Jim 22 365942094504203 11/20/2002 1630 80 

196.3 216.4 36.2 1973 NP 1987 1984.5 NP 117.8 161.5 22.3 1969.5 NP 1981 1980.5 NP 405.6 154.1 24.1 1982.5 NP 1980 1981 NP 

Turner 27 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 Turner 27 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 Turner 27 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 Turner 27 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 

19.8 -- 9.8 1959 NP Contam 1974.5 NP 30.1 -- 39.6 1961.5 NP Contam 1985 NP 20.8 -- 12.5 1959.5 NP Contam 1976.5 NP 46.6 -- 75.8 1963.5 NP Contam 1995 1995 

Appendices 
 Appendix 3. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentrations and calculated age dates from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued

[pg/kg, picograms per kilogram; NP, not possible; Contam, contaminated, greater than 2001 air; Modern, possible range of modern air; --, no data, A, sample from shallow part of aquifer; B, sample from deep 

Site Concentration in Solution Model piston-flow dates (excess air corrected) Sampling (pg/kg) number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth Dual dates are possible for CFC-11, CFC-113

figure 1) (feet) CFC-11 CFC-12 CFC-113 CFC-11 CFC-12 CFC-113 

Vent #1 29 365844094510501 11/20/2002 1225 80 Vent #1 29 365844094510501 11/20/2002 1225 80 Vent #1 29 365844094510501 11/20/2002 1225 80 

22.7 3,152.0 8.8 1960 NP Contam 1973.5 NP 24.8 3,237.9 8.2 1960.5 NP Contam 1973.5 NP 79.8 3,202.1 12.1 1967 NP Contam 1976 NP

54 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03 
55

 Appendix 3. Chluorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentrations and calculated age dates from water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued[pg/kg, picograms per kilogram; NP, not possible; Contam, greater than 2001 air; Modern, possible range of modern air; ***, no data] 

Sampling Probable Age Station Station name	 Date Time depth based on CFC 11, Comments Assigned number (feet) 12, or 113	 Age 

Admiralty #3 365737094502201 10/23/2002 1600 60 

2001 Admiralty #3 365737094502201 10/23/2002 1600 60 CFC-12, 113 Modern 

Admiralty #3 365737094502201 10/23/2002 1600 60 Admiralty #4A 365753094504601 11/05/2002 1300 60	 Early 1992 

1990s Admiralty #4A 365753094504601 11/05/2002 1300 60 CFC-113 

Admiralty #4B 365753094504601 11/05/2002 1300 200 CFC-113 Early 1990s 1991 Baby Jim 365818094505201 10/28/2002 1331 60 CFC-113 Modern 2001 Blue Goose 365732094513201 11/04/2002 1245 75 CFC-12 Mid-early to mid- 1968 

1960s 

Consolidated #2A 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1400 80	 Early

1990s 1992 Consolidated #2A 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1400 80 All 

Consolidated #2B 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1645 200	 Early

1990s 1987 Consolidated #2B 365927094485901 11/18/2002 1645 200 CFC-113 

Deer Run 365839094492601 01/14/2003 1350 60 

1968 Deer Run 365839094492601 01/14/2003 1350 60 CFC-12, 113	 Mid to

late 1960s

Deer Run 365839094492601 01/14/2003 1350 60 Howe 365921094505701 11/21/2002 1400 55 CFC-12 Early to mid-1960s 1964 Midas 365815094493601 10/29/2002 1300 75 CFC-113 Modern 2001 Rialto 365807094503101 10/31/2002 1230 75 CFC-12 Early 1980s 1981 Royal #2 365834094485302 11/19/2002 1650 80 

Late 1960s to 1970 Royal #2 365834094485302 11/19/2002 1650 80 CFC-113 early 1970s Royal #2 365834094485302 11/19/2002 1650 80 

Slim Jim 365942094504203 11/20/2002 1630 80 

1980 Slim Jim 365942094504203 11/20/2002 1630 80 CFC-12, 113 Early 1980s 

Slim Jim 365942094504203 11/20/2002 1630 80 

Appendices Turner 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 Turner 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 Mid-1970s or 1975 CFC-113 younger Turner 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 

Turner 365855094484501 11/19/2002 1200 80 
 Appendix 3. Chluorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentrations and calculated age dates from water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002–03—Continued

[pg/kg, picograms per kilogram; NP, not possible; Contam, greater than 2001 air; Modern, possible range of modern air; ***, no data] 

Sampling Probable Age Station Station name Date Time depth based on CFC 11, Comments Assigned number (feet) 12, or 113 Age 

Vent #1 365844094510501 11/20/2002 1225 80 

Early to mid-1970s 1974 Vent #1 365844094510501 11/20/2002 1225 80 CFC-113 or younger Vent #1 365844094510501 11/20/2002 1225 80

56 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03 
--

57

 Appendix 4. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Baro- Specific conducnumber Station Sampling metric tance pH (standard unit) Tempera- Oxygen, Station name (as in number Date Time depth at 25 ̊C, (μS/cm) ture, water dissolved pressure ( ̊C) (mg/L) figure 1) (feet) (mm of Hg) field lab field lab 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBaby JimBaby JimConsolidated #2Consolidated #2Consolidated #2Federal #5Federal #5Royal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122222222333

555

101021222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365818094505201365818094505201

365927094485901365927094485901365927094485901

365803094494101365803094494101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

07/17/200211/05/200211/05/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/18/200207/18/200207/18/2002

11/18/200207/16/200207/16/2002

07/17/200207/17/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

111513301700092010051030110011351200162016501730

154015501610

183018501550162010351123 

197

60

200

40

100170190200205150160170

200227230

200210

80808080 

760

766

766

760

760760760760760760760760

760759759

760760

760760766 

2,750

2,550

2,860

2,630

2,6302,6402,6702,6902,7802,2702,3302,520

2,5402,6402,780

2,6402,8002,420

2,6302,2802,640 

2,270

E2,360

2,260

2,400

2,4002,4102,4002,4402,4302,0102,0802,150

2,580684915

8998982,450

2,5902,4602,520 

5.9

6.5

6.5

6.1

6.16.16.16.16.16.26.26.1

6.06.26.1

6.06.16.8

6.76.16.0 

5.6

6.3

5.7

5.9

5.95.85.85.85.86.56.26.1

6.16.96.5

6.96.76.6

7.16.05.1 

15.4 0.3 

15.6 0.3 

15.6 0.3 

15.3 0.9 

15.3 0.5 15.3 0.3 15.3 0.3 15.3 0.3 15.4 0.2 15.9 0.2 15.9 0.2 15.9 0.2 

16.2 0.7 15.7 1.1 15.8 0.3 

16.1 0.1 16.1 0.1 16.4 0.3 

17.6 0.9 16.4 0.7 18.0 0.7 

Appendices 
 Appendix 4. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002 —Continued 

[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Alkalinity, Solids, residue at Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, number Station Sampling dissolved, Station name (as in number Date Time depth (mg/L as 180 ̊C, dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved

figure 1) (feet) dissolved (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) CaCO3) (mg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBaby JimBaby JimConsolidated #2Consolidated #2Consolidated #2Federal #5Federal #5Royal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122222222333555

101021222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365818094505201365818094505201365927094485901365927094485901365927094485901365803094494101365803094494101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

07/17/200211/05/200211/05/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/18/200207/18/200207/18/200211/18/200207/16/200207/16/200207/17/200207/17/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

111513301700092010051030110011351200162016501730154015501610183018501550162010351123 

197

60

200

40

100170190200205150160170200227230200210

80808080 

59

180

259

807863637170

123133138225

68708688

362315193201 

2,3302,480

2,870

2,5802,5802,5902,5602,6602,630

1,9301,9602,0502,690

5517827517132,3802,1902,5302,690 

479569

581

563569551556556557

368374382572

136190149141487174419466 

52.260.4

91.5

59.760.258.058.962.163.6

56.256.656.380.2

12.418.232.133.390.482.3

123102 

23.928.2

43.5

27.727.926.627.129.230.2

27.627.427.836.8

4.787.65

16.717.652.4

326

62.453.7 

2.542.96

4.02

3.283.393.383.373.313.22

3.183.153.134.65

0.931.242.082.225.70

13.3

4.695.36 

58 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
--

--

------------------------

59

 Appendix 4. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002 —Continued [mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; μS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Sampling Bicarbonate, Carbonate, Sulfate, Chloride, Fluoride, Bromide, number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth dissolved, dissolved, dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved

figure 1) (feet) field (mg/L) field (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBaby JimBaby JimConsolidated #2Consolidated #2Consolidated #2Federal #5Federal #5Royal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122222222333555

101021222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365818094505201365818094505201365927094485901365927094485901365927094485901365803094494101365803094494101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

07/17/200211/05/200211/05/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/18/200207/18/200207/18/200211/18/200207/16/200207/16/200207/17/200207/17/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

111513301700092010051030110011351200162016501730154015501610183018501550162010351123 

197

60

200

40

100170190200205150160170200227230200210

80808080 

219315

274

440383235244 

-- 1,400 

0 1,550 0 1,750 

-- 1,550 

-- 1,550 -- 1,550 -- 1,470 -- 1,590 -- 1,590 -- 1,100 -- 1,140 -- 1,170 

0 1,700 

-- 298 -- 453 -- 415 -- 400 

0 1,300 0 1,170 0 1,570 0 1,670 

9.888.88

13.2

9.72

9.979.549.52

10.210.710.511.610.9

6.761.341.612.192.285.94

19.6

8.07

14.3 

2.242.631.74

2.59

2.672.672.842.732.531.771.942.171.680.350.530.260.250.400.38

<0.17

2.31 

0.060.040.06

0.06

0.060.050.060.080.060.050.060.060.060.03

E.03E.02E.02

0.060.22

0.10

0.08 

Appendices 
 Appendix 4. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002 —Continued 

[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; mS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Sampling Silica, Aluminum, Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved

figure 1) (feet) (mg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBaby JimBaby JimConsolidated #2Consolidated #2Consolidated #2Federal #5Federal #5Royal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122222222333555

101021222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365818094505201365818094505201365927094485901365927094485901365927094485901365803094494101365803094494101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

07/17/200211/05/200211/05/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/18/200207/18/200207/18/200211/18/200207/16/200207/16/200207/17/200207/17/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

111513301700092010051030110011351200162016501730154015501610183018501550162010351123 

197

60

200

40

100170190200205150160170200227230200210

80808080 

17.612.313.112.112.311.711.812.312.410.310.610.912.512.011.219.119.121.212.7

8.0

21.3 

241

81

112

9396

136130121149

313633

126

39

<1<1<2<3

15

267 

0.07

<0.30

<0.60

<0.05<0.05

<0.05<0.05<0.05

0.05

0.050.060.09

<0.60

0.200.19

0.140.07

<0.30<0.60<0.30

<0.60 

26

9

27

1414

191921

21

141515

27

<2

2

<2<2

6

<2

51

41 

68

7

88

777

6

141313

6

16

16 

88

38 

13

50

10 

0.290.14

0.23

0.210.21

0.280.240.22

0.16

0.170.140.14

0.24

<0.06

<0.06

<0.06<0.06<0.06

<0.12

0.24

0.3 

60 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03
61

 Appendix 4. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002 —Continued [mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; mS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data] 

Site Man- Sampling Cadmium Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lead,

Station name number Station Date Time depth dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved ganese, (as in number dissolved

figure 1) (feet) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) (μg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBaby JimBaby JimConsolidated #2Consolidated #2Consolidated #2Federal #5Federal #5Royal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122222222333555

101021222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365818094505201365818094505201365927094485901365927094485901365927094485901365803094494101365803094494101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

07/17/200211/05/200211/05/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/18/200207/18/200207/18/200211/18/200207/16/200207/16/200207/17/200207/17/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

111513301700092010051030110011351200162016501730154015501610183018501550162010351123 

197

60

200

40

100170190200205150160170200227230200210

80808080 

2.560.052.440.100.140.600.470.200.220.780.980.981.97

82.674.511.211.1

E0.02

<0.07

0.090.24 

<0.8<0.8<0.8

1.6

<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8<0.8

1.7

<0.8

<0.8

<0.8<0.8 

35.837.138.8

35.4

35.638.937.935.639.429.930.729.026.8

1.794.240.74

0.60

39.9

1.90

34.074.2 

6.96.88.4

32.0

75.752.411.612.119.018.2

8.64.83.81.72.2

21.5

6.2

3.0

2.1

3.64.2 

56,20045,40092,100

49,200

50,00049,90050,40054,80056,30044,200

45,10045,40076,9003,82010,600

22

<30

23,500

<10

60,600115,000 

2.08 1,020 

<0.08 1,870 

0.56 1,370 

<0.08 1,440 

E0.05 1,420 

0.54 1,230 0.36 1,190 0.96 1,130 0.55 1,300 1.05 935 

1.13 940 2.01 893 0.77 1,630 

E0.07 105 

0.12 253 0.13 54.1 

0.13 57.9 

0.94 2,840 

<0.16 321 

E0.05 711 

0.81 2,340 

Appendices 
 Appendix 4. Water-quality concentrations from ground-water samples collected in the Picher mining district, Oklahoma, 2002 —Continued 

[mm of Hg, millimeters of mercury;  ̊C, degrees Celsius; mS/cm, microSiemens per centimeter; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μg/L, micrograms per liter; <, less than; E, estimated value; --, no data 

Site Molyb- Sampling denum, Nickel, Selenium Silver, Zinc, Uranium, number Station Station name (as in number Date Time depth dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved dissolved

figure 1) (feet) (μg/L) (μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) (

μg/L) 

Admiralty #3Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Admiralty #4Baby JimBaby JimBaby JimConsolidated #2Consolidated #2Consolidated #2Federal #5Federal #5Royal #2Slim JimTurnerVent #1 

122222222333555

101021222729 

365737094502201365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365753094504601365818094505201365818094505201365818094505201365927094485901365927094485901365927094485901365803094494101365803094494101365834094485302365942094504203365855094484501365844094510501 

07/17/200211/05/200211/05/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/19/200207/18/200207/18/200207/18/200211/18/200207/16/200207/16/200207/17/200207/17/200211/19/200211/20/200211/19/200211/20/2002 

111513301700092010051030110011351200162016501730154015501610183018501550162010351123 

197

60

200

40

100170190200205150160170200227230200210

80808080 

4.43.03.33.73.64.04.04.14.21.21.31.42.20.30.5

<0.2<0.2

1.4

<0.7

2.93.7 

265283319324324358362345344234240235199

20.337.728.024.256.2

14.3

207633 

4

<3<3

334455333

E2E1E1E1E1E2

E2

E2E1 

<1 <0.2<0.4<1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <0.4<1<1<1<1<0.2

<0.4

<0.2<0.4 

9,2506,3409,5509,6809,63010,30010,3009,89011,1009,0508,5507,9704,5601,9002,2702,1802,0504,320

8

14,80020,100 

3.162.379.002.772.773.073.033.483.132.813.423.918.390.841.940.290.27

10.3

0.51

0.360.52 

62 Hydrology and Ground-Water Quality in the Mine Workings within the Picher Mining District, Northeastern Oklahoma, 

2002–03