Three harmful metals were determined using ICP-MS and AAS techniques in 51 samples of fruiting bodies of 9 edible mushroom species. The mushrooms were collected from four sites in a rural area in SW Moravia, Czech Republic, unpolluted by human activities but known by an increased occurrence of serpentines and amphiboles. The metals were determined also in 11 samples of three horizons of underlying substrates using an ICP-OES method. As compared to background levels from an unpolluted region of S Bohemia, mercury and cadmium contents in mushrooms were very comparable and lead contents were lower. Levels of cadmium 2.0 and 10.0 mg kg-1 dry matter were exceeded in 86.3 and 15.7% of samples, respectively. Mercury and lead contents above 5.0 and 10.0 mg kg-1 dry matter, respectively, were found only sporadically. Thus, high consumption of mushrooms from the observed area may contribute considerably to the body burden with cadmium. The metal contents in the underlying soils were very comparable with data for the C European forests. It seems from the results that presence of serpentines and amphiboles in soil substrate did not influence the metal contents in fruiting bodies of the analysed mushrooms.