Investigations involved upper horizons of black earths – Phaeozems and deluvial soils – Phaeozems situated within the confines of the Legnica Copper Smelter sanitary protection zone. Apart from basic physico-chemical properties, different fractions of copper bound to mineral and organic soil components using McLaren's and Crawfords's speciation method were determined. With regard to total copper content, the analysed soils, especially their diagnostic horizons (epipedons mollic) belong to formations heavily contaminated with this element. The highest copper concentrations (approximately 54% total Cu) were associated with organic matter followed by copper bound with mineral colloids and Fe and Mn oxides (18% each). Distinctly lower Cu quantities (about 10%) were built into the spacial network of primary and secondary minerals. Fractions easily soluble in water and weakly bound with colloids (exchangeable forms) did not exceed 1% of total copper. Calculated correlation coefficients confirmed only a significant correlation between organic carbon and copper quantity (fraction F3) treated as the form associated with organic matter.