Abstract: A systematic survey and determination of heavy metal concentrations in crops and the corresponding soils was conducted in the three manganese mine recovery areas in Guangxi, China. The possible health risk to local inhabitants via consumption of crops was assessed based on target hazard quotients (THQ) and pollution index. The results showed that the Cd concentration in the minesoils exceeded the threshold level of China Environmental Quality Standard for Soils (GB 15618-1995 Class II). The heavy metal concentrations in the crops were 0.02-9.56 mg/kg for Cu, 0.24-36.73 mg/kg for Zn, 0.08-23.47 mg/kg for Pb, 0.03-2.04 mg/kg for Cd and 0.05-9.20 mg/kg for Cr. The crops were heavily polluted by Pb, Cd and Cr, with the pollution rate being 93.5%, 80.0% and 64.5%, respectively. THQ shows that the contaminated rate is 100% and the heavy contaminated rate is 93.5%. The local inhabitants experience a high potential health risks by intake of Pb and Cd via consumption of these crops. So it is unfavorable to plant directly edible crops if the soil in mine wastelands doesn’t go through a special repair.

Key words: manganese mine, recovery areas, crop, heavy metal, health risk, Guangxi, China