The present study performed on the Angovia, Kokumbo, Hire and Agbaou sites consisted of mapping the environmental risks linked to artisanal gold mining activities in C
?te d’Ivoire. An inventory was done by observing the different phases of gold extraction and identifying the risks associated with these phases. Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), the representation of the spatial distribution of the pollution risks has been realized from indicator descriptives of the environmental sensitivity (i.e. slope, proximity to the watercourse, soil cover) and the transfer indicator (i.e. rainfall). The analysis of this map showed low sensitivity of mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) measured in the waters of the Hire and Agbaou localities, while moderate sensitivity in Kokumbo surface waters and high sensitivity for those of Angovia locality were observed. Moreover, analysis of Hg, As, Cu and Zn content spatial distribution maps in surface waters revealed that Hg and As come mainly from the artisanal mining activities for most localities. Among these metallic trace elements observed, only the Hg content was above the
WHO Limit Values, 1994 (>0.001 mg
·L
-1). The continuous spread of metallic trace elements in surface water can pose serious health problems for people living around artisanal gold mining sites, hence the need to put in place a protection plan against contamination.