The urban surface dust is a complex mixture of particles found in the urban environment and serves as a carrier for various environmental pollutants. It is susceptible to gravitational, wind, and water forces, leading to its continuous suspension and deposition of solid particles on surfaces. This phenomenon significantly impacts both the urban ecological environment and human health. In Karamay metropolis, Xinjiang, 52 samples of surface dust were collected to investigate the pollution status and sources of heavy metals in surface dust of a typical oil metropolis. The levels of six heavy metal elements, including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Hg, were then determined. The spatial distribution pattern of heavy metal content was examined employing GIS technology and Geo-statistics theory, the Geo-accumulation index was employed to assess the level of heavy metal pollution, and the main sources of heavy metal elements in surface dust were discussed via multivariate statistical analysis and positive matrix factorization (PMF). According to the outcomes, the average concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb, and Hg in surface dust in Keramay were 1.64, 1.85, 1.5, 1.24, and 2.94 times higher, respectively, than the background concentrations for Xinjiang soils. Hg was somewhat contaminated in the surface dust, while As, Cu, Cr, and Pb Cd were uncontaminated. The heavy metal content of surface dust in Karamay and the high value region of pollution, according to the results of spatial distribution, were primarily dispersed in the northwest of the research area. In terms of pollution sources, anthropocentric pollution sources possessed the most impact on Hg, As, Pb, and Cd in surface dust in the research region, whereas soil Geo-chemical properties have the greatest influence on Cu and Cr.