Assessment of Heavy Metal Contaminationand Human Health Risks Associated withSoil and Crops at a Zinc Smelting WasteDump in Northwest Guizhou, China

Mineral resources are a crucial component of social and economic development, and their development and utilization have played a significant role in China's economic growth [1].However, irresponsible and unsustainable mineral exploitation, production, and management practices have resulted in the formation of mining wastelands, including tailings ponds, waste residue, and waste rock fields from non-ferrous metal mining and smelting.These wastelands occupy a considerable amount of land and cause ecological damage [2], biological imbalances, and environmental