Abstract: Basic data for ecological restoration around gold mines was sought by comparing, the spatial distribution pattern of principal soil nutrient contents (including available N, P, K and organic carbon (SOC)) on the residue slope (including excavating slope and slag slope, etc.) with those in the original meadow/grassland which has the same habit of a south slope (at altitudes of 2 900 to 3 500 m) near the Jiuzhaigou Manaoke Gold Mine. Soil nutrient content of the residue slope did not differ significantly with altitude. The available nutrients were low and the averaged available N and K were far lower on the residue slope than those of the corresponding original grassland where the contents of soil available N, P and K decreased with increases in altitude and soil depth, and where the nutrients were lower at the slope-ridge than at the slope-valley. SOC in the original grassland initially decreased with increasing altitude, then increased, and finally decreased again. The correlations between contents of available N, P and K and SOC were significant in the original grassland. Environmental factors, including altitude, soil depth, ridge and valley slope, greatly influenced the distribution of soil nutrients and SOC as did soil disturbance.