The utilization and smelting of metal is a revolutionary event during developing process of human society. The records ofelement geochemistry from lacustrine sediment at Lake Tiaohu in Hexi Corridor, during Holocene indicated that the high values ofelement such as Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni appeared in the period of 10500-9500 and 8000-7200ca1 aBP, responding to the episodeof acial meltwater rising in the period of increasing temperature in early Holocene of the and the period of precipitation strengthduring Holocene optimum, respectively. The highest peak values of Cu, As, Pb, Zn and Ni appeared between 4200 and 3700ca1aBP. Additionally, the secondary high values of Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni appeared in the period of 3001-2700ca1 aBP and 2100-1900ca1 aBP. The element abnormality between 4200 and 3700ca1 aBP record the earliest bronze smelting in Northwest China andthe element of arsenic was the major component in bronze alloy in this period. The element high values of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni in West-ern Zhou Dynasty (3000-2700ca1 aBP) and Han Dynasty (2100-1900ca1 aBP) were probably the result of bronze smelting ancient people. The record of element geochemistry could identify the starting-end time of bronze smelting, and it also provided themessage on the component characteristic of bronze alloy in different periods.