The activity levels of long-lived radionuclides in minerals have received more and more concern for the public health. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure the content of uranium and thorium in 60 mineral samples collected from 16 mines of seven provinces in China. The contents of uranium and thorium ranged0.17 ± 0.04 lg g~(-1)to 15.3 ± 2.39 lg g~(-1), and 0.19 ± 0.04 lg g~(-1)to 19.6 ± 7.56 lg g~(-1), respectively. The highest levels of U and Th contents were found in aluminum ore,whereas the lowest was found in antimony and copper ores. The activity levels of long-lived radionuclides in minerals have received more and more concern for the public health. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure the content of uranium and thorium in 60 mineral samples collected from 16 mines of seven provinces in China . The contents of uranium and thorium ranged from 0.17 ± 0.04 lg g -1 to 15.3 ± 2.39 lg g -1 and from 0.19 ± 0.04 lg g -1 to 19.6 ± 7.56 lg g ~ -1), respectively. The highest levels of U and Th contents were found in aluminum ore, and the lowest found in antimony and copper ores.