Abstract: The ecological risks of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Mn, Cu, Hg, and Cd) in soil wereevaluated in a lead-zinc mine area located in Danzhai County, Guizhou Province, China. We analyzed concentrations and chemical species of heavy metals and assessed ecological risk using potential ecological risk index (RI) and the ratio of secondary phase to primary phase. The results showed that concentrations of Pb, Zn, Mn, Cu, Hg, and Cd in 0-10 cm soil layer were 5.69,3.91, 0.80, 0.58, 9.64 and 1.50 times higher than background values of Guizhou Province, respectively. Compared with the risk screening values of heavy metals in Risk Control Standard for Soil Contamination of Agriculture Land in China (GB 15168-2018), concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cd were high in the tailings accumulation area. For 10-20 cm soil layer, concentrations of Pb, Zn, Hg, and Cd were higher than the background values of Guizhou Province. The concentrations of Zn and Cd exceeded the risk screening value of heavy metals in the tailings accumulation area, the cropland in the tailings accumulation area, and the downstream of the river near the tailings. Residual fraction was the predominant species for all heavy metals. Exc-Pb(20.9%), CARB-Zn (26.2%), RED-Mn (31.8%) and OM-Mn (48.7%) accounted for the highest proportion in the exchangeable fraction, carbonate bound fraction, iron-manganese bound fraction and oxide bound fraction, respectively. The bioavailability of heavy metals was characterized by the order of Zn>Pb>Hg>Cd>Cu>Mn. The potential bioavailability heavy metals was characterized by the order of Mn>Pb>Cd>Hg>Zn>Cu. Results of potential ecological index assessment showed that there were high ecological risk in the cropland in tailings accumulation area, village of downstream of the tailings accumulation area and the downstream of the river near the tailings. Contribution rate of Hg to the potential ecological hazard index was 60.9%. Soil Mn and Cd had the greatest ecological risk as indicated by the ratio of secondary phase to primary phase.