Abstract:The quality and safety of agricultural products caused by heavy metal pollution has become the focus of the whole society. In order to understand the risk of heavy metal pollution caused by the development of the Xiaoqinling gold mine, samples of farmland soils, wheat and maize grains were collected at the same sites to test the contents and forms of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Cu and Zn in the soil. The risk of heavy metal pollution in soils was analyzed by exponential method and RAC risk assessment method. The health risk of heavy metals in wheat and maize kernels was evaluated by transfer factor and target risk index. The results show that the contents of Hg, Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in the soil of Xiaoqinling gold mining area are greatly influenced by the mining activities and present distinct accumulated effect on the soil. The total amount of Hg, Cd, Pb and Cu in the soil exceeds the national limit, showing that Cd, Hg and Cu have potential risk for ecology. The average content of Pb in wheat and maize grains and the average content of Cd in maize grains are higher than the national standards, showing a certain degree of pollution. Hg and Cd in some wheat samples and Cd in some maize samples exceed the WHO/FAO safety limits and but the average Pb concentration in maize kernels exceeds EU safety standards, indicating potential health risks. The heavy metal transfer factors indicate that Cd, Zn and Cu are more easily transported from soil to wheat and maize grain than other heavy metals. The intake of heavy metals by wheat is slightly higher than that of corn, but much lower than that WHO/FAO recommended dose. The evaluation of target risk index shows that consuming only wheat or corn poses little health risk, but consuming wheat and corn grown in the mining areas have high Pb health risks.