Abstract: In order to find out the element geochemical characteristics and prospecting potential of the study area called Hebian in the eastern section of the Wudang-Tongbai-Dabie metallogenic belt，a 1∶10 000 soil geochemical survey is carried out in the study area. Soil samples are collected systematically，and the contents of 11 elements such as Au，Pb，Zn and Mo were determined by chemical spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectrometry. Enrichment coefficient and coefficient of variation were calculated after eliminating outlier data by iteration，and the symbiotic combination rules of elements are clarified by corre⁃ lation analysis and factor analysis. The mean plus double standard deviation is used to determine the lower limit of the anomaly and delineate the geochemical comprehensive anomaly，and the key anomaly is select⁃ ed to carry out the verification of the trenching project. The results show that Pb and Au in the area are strongly enriched，Zn and Mo are relatively enriched elements，Cu，Pb and Mo have significant spatial dif⁃ ferentiation，and Mo and Pb have the best metallogenic potential. Four groups of main factors are extracted by factor analysis. Pb-Zn-Mo，Cu-Ag-Bi and other element combinations correspond to medium-high tem⁃ perature and low temperature multi-stage hydrothermal mineralization，respectively. A total of 9 compre⁃ hensive anomalies have been delineated in the whole area. The AP8 anomaly has a large scale，high peak in⁃ tensity and complete element combination，which is the primary prospecting target area in the area. The trenching project revealed a number of lead and molybdenum mineralization bodies in the anomaly，and the mineralization development is closely related to wall rock alteration such as silicification and pyritization. The geochemical anomaly is formed by lead-molybdenum polymetallic mineralization，and the soil geo⁃ chemical survey can effectively identify the concealed mineralization information in the shallow coverage ar⁃ ea. The study area has a good prospect for lead-molybdenum polymetallic prospecting.

Key words: soil geochemical characteristics, element association, anomaly delineation, prospecting potential