In　recent　years,　heavy　metal　contamination　of　soils　has　become　a　major　concern　in　China　due　to　the　potential　risks　involved.　To　assess　environmental　pollution　and　human　health　risks　in　a　typical　heavy　metal　polluted　site　in　Jiangxi　Province,　a　thorough　evaluation　of　the　distribution,　pollution　levels,　and　sources　of　heavy　metals　in　soils　of　the　Yangmeijiang　River　watershed　was　conducted　in　this　study.　Positive　matrix　factorization　and　Monte　Carlo　simulation　were　used　to　evaluate　the　ecological　and　human　health　risks　of　heavy　metals.　The　research　findings　indicate　that　heavy　metal　pollution　was　the　most　severe　at　the　depth　of　20–40 cm　in　soils,　with　local　heavy　metal　pollution　resulting　from　mining　and　sewage　irrigation.　The　high-risk　area　accounted　for　91.11%　of　the　total　area.　However,　the　pollution　level　decreased　with　time　due　to　sampling　effects,　rainfall,　and　control　measures.　Leaf-vegetables　and　rice　were　primarily　polluted　by　Cd　and　Pb.　The　main　four　sources　of　heavy　metals　in　soils　were　traffic　emission,　metal　smelting,　agricultural　activities　and　natural　sources,　mining　extraction,　and　electroplating　industries.　Heavy　metals　with　the　highest　ecological　risk　and　health　risk　are　Cd　and　As,　respectively.　The　non-carcinogenic　and　carcinogenic　risks　of　children　were　7.0　and　1.7　times　higher　than　those　of　adults,　respectively.　Therefore,　children　are　more　likely　to　be　influenced　by　heavy　metals　compared　to　adults.　The　results　obtained　by　the　risk　assessments　may　contribute　to　the　identification　of　specific　sources　of　heavy　metals　(e.g.,　traffic　emissions,　metal　smelting,　mining　excavation,　and　electroplating　industries).　Additionally,　the　environmental　impacts　and　biotoxicity　associated　with　various　heavy　metals　(e.g.,　Cd　and　As)　can　also　be　reflected.　These　outcomes　may　serve　as　a　scientific　basis　for　the　pollution　monitoring　and　remediation　in　the　mining-affected　areas.　©　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature　2024.