ABSTRACT: This study investigated the concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) including Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, V, and Zn in 102 soils (in the Near and Far areas of the mine), 7 tailings, and 60 plant samples (shoots and roots of Artemisia sieberi and Zygophylum species) collected at the Gol-E-Gohar iron ore mine in Iran. The elemental concentrations in tailings and soil samples (in Near and Far areas) varied between 7.4 and 35.8 mg kg-1 for As (with a mean of 25.39 mg kg-1 for tailings), 7.9 and 261.5 mg kg-1 (mean 189.83 mg kg-1 for tailings) for Co, 17.7 and 885.03 mg kg-1 (mean 472.77 mg kg-1 for tailings) for Cu, 12,500 and 400,000 mg kg-1 (mean 120,642.86 mg kg-1 for t
