In　this　study,　the　authors　examined　the　health　risks　to　1234　residents　(15-80　yr　of　age)　who　lived　near　a　lead-zinc　mine　and　to　801　controls　(15-80　yr　of　age)　who　lived　40　km　from　the　mine.　Subjects　had　higher　levels　of　urinary　cadmium,　urinary　beta(2)-microglobulin,　and　N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase　(NAG)　than　controls　(p　＜　0.0001),　but　subjects＇　urinary　beta(2)-microglobulin　and　NAG　were　within　normal　ranges.　Standardized　death　rates　for　cancer　in　the　contaminated　and　control　areas　were　116.7/100,000　and　90.28/100,000,　respectively,　and　for　neonatal　disease　the　respective　rates　were　89.83/100,000　and　16.74/100,000.　Young　girls　residing　in　the　contaminated　areas　had　higher　menstrual　abnormalities　than　did　controls　(p　=　0.002).　The　prevalence　of　difficulties　in　becoming　pregnant　and　the　proportion　of　premature　births　and　stillbirths　were　higher　among　those　in　the　contaminated　areas　(p　＜　0.0001).　Individuals　who　lived　around　the　lead-zinc　mine　had　different　health　problems　than　those　who　lived　far　from　the　mine　in　Zhenhe　County,　Republic　of　China.