ABSTRACT: Indigenous zinc smelting (IZS) is a backward technique that releases a great deal of heavy metal(loid)s into the environment. However, the contamination of heavy metal(loid)s in ground dust and the associated health risks in such areas are poorly known. In this study, a former IZS area in Guizhou, China, was surveyed during 2008-2018 with 15 elements (Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, In, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Tl, Zn) being analyzed. The results indicate that most elements (e.g., Ag, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Sn, Zn) in ground dust decreased significantly after the cessation of the IZS in 2006; nevertheless, some elements still remained at relatively high levels in 2018, e.g., Pb (average: 762 ± 647 mg/kg), Zn (average: 1287 ± 753 mg/kg), Cd (average: 7.76 ± 5.06 mg/kg), and As (average: 41.9 ± 34.8 mg/
