The marked rise in global antimony(Sb)production over the past two decades is largely attributable to its use in flame retardants,car brake liner lubricants,catalysts for the production of polyethylene tetraphthalate(PET)and alloy additives.Currently,~84%of global Sb production takes place in China and,although some large-scale mines have recently closed,many are operational,e.g.at the Dachang and Zhazaixi deposits in Guangxi and Hunan provinces,respectively.Significant environmental and human health impacts are associated with on-going ore extraction and smelting processes but there are also environmental concerns relating to historical sites.In the UK,Sb mining and smelting activities ceased in the mid-20th century but impacts upon soils and waters are still observed in the 21st century.In addition,Sb mining and smelting processes usually release arsenic(As)and lead(Pb)to the environment since all three elements commonly co-occur in the sufidic ore deposits.In Europe,Sb is a list Ⅱ pollution reduction substance,with some chemical forms considered to be carcinogenic.Arsenic is similarly classified while Pb is a list I priority hazardous substance by the EU Water Framework Directive.As part of our studies of Sb,As and Pb in soils,sediments and waters from mining-impacted areas in the UK and China,we have determined their concentrations and associations but have also been investigating the processes controlling the long-term mobility and fate of these elements in historically contaminated organic-rich soils in southern Scotland.Release from the solid phase was linked to the degradation of organic matter and,at the point of release,Sb was predominantly present in truly dissolved(<3 kDa)forms whilst As was more commonly associated with colloids.Where present in colloidal forms,however,Sb,like As,was frequently associated with large Fe-rich organic colloids,potentially a precursor to removal from the aqueous phase.Although Sb and As concentrations decreased with increasing distance down gully from a spoil heap,elevated concentrations(~5 and 13 ?g L-1,respectively)were detected in receiving streamwaters.Thus,only partial attenuation occurs in steeply sloping sections of mining-impacted upland organic-rich soils and so spoil-derived contamination of surface waters may continue over time periods of decades to centuries.