Over in Weir, according to the EPA, the Chicago Zinc Works Company and several other companies owned and operated a primary zinc smelter from approximately 1873 until 1918. The businesses initially chose the location due to the nearby commercial coal deposits and proximity to the Tristate lead and zinc mining district. Operations closed in approximately 1918 when smelter operations using coal became less profitable. Upon further review of the Cherokee County Superfund site, the EPA noted that the primary contaminants of concern within the county are lead, zinc, and cadmium.
Source: morningsun.net
