Discharge of heavy metals(HMs)from mining activities and industrial sources constitute a hazard to human health.Here,the environmental magnetic features are introduced to recording the source,behavior and fate of Cd,Pb,Cu and Zn from the Dabaoshan Mine,being a well–known rich polymetallic sulfide deposit in the Hengshi River catchments(South China).The spatial distributions of the four metals from anthropogenic activities on the soil surface(a depth of about 30cm)were delineated and separated from those areas where it results from lithogenic origin by combined exploratory data analysis(EDA),sequential indicator co-simulation(SIcS)and the ratio of isothermal remnant magnetization(S100=?IRM?100mT/SIRM).The results of magnetic properties(χlf,χARM,IRM20,50,100,SIRM,HIRM and χARM/SIRM)indicated anthropogenic source proportions of Cd,Pb,Cu and Zn in soils were 50.19%,12.54%,21.07%and 8.04%,respectively.Using the non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)method,the interpret variables was ranked by χlf > slope> elevation>TOC>AMP>pH>D50 >△NDVI%.It suggests that soil erosion and parent material bearing iron content have controlled the transportation and deposition of the four metals in the catchments.The risk assessment codes coupled with bioavailable metal concentrations revealed that Zn could uptake directly by crops and a hazard to groundwater be posed by Cd and Pb in the bioavailable hotspots,such as the riparian regions and the Xiaba agricultural system.The studies showed that the responses of magnetic properties were sensitive to the historical behaviors of HMs pollution in multiple scales.It helps to provide the accurate and important details for controlling pollutants,soil remediation and making hierarchical risk management.