An experimental area has been established for studying the ecological reconstruction and reclamation in China's Fushun coalmine where coal resource in this mine is almost exhausted now and parts of the surrounding land have undergone subsidence. The experimental area is a large subsided area that has been filled in with gangues (matrix) wastes and then covered with ~80 cm of topsoil. The resulting land was used to grow crops. A grid method was employed to guide sampling of different types of topsoil, covering different depths and reconstruction ages (2, 4, 6 and 8 years). The spatial and temporal variations in nutrient elements and heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr and Cd) in the soil were studied. Nutrients (N, P and K) in the topsoil recovered quickly after reclamation, whereas the heavy metal content decreased with time (except Cd). Nutrient levels were the highest in the top 30 cm of the topsoil and decreased with depth, as a result of the usage of fertilizer and manure. In contrast, the heavy metal contents (except Mn) of the topsoil (0 to 30 cm) were higher than those at depths of 30 to 80 cm, suggesting the high heavy metals were not from the gangues.

Key words: Heavy metals, soil nutrients, reclamation, coalmine, pollution, subsidence.