The researchers studied the distribution of heavy metals in soil near a mining area in Inner Mongolia, China. They found that copper, chromium, lead, and manganese levels varied across the area, with manganese being the most abundant. The distribution of these metals followed specific patterns, with copper and manganese being concentrated closer to the mining area, while chromium and lead were more spread out. The levels of copper, chromium, and manganese were strongly correlated with the soil structure, while lead showed a moderate correlation with both structure and randomness. Overall, the heavy metals showed a gradient distribution, decreasing as distance from the mining area increased.