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• N03-N and NH4N. Both nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen content of the soils were significantly increased due to the addition of waste coal to the soil at the Southfield Mine. Singleton and Barker (1980) presented data suggesting that waste coal increased the N03-N content of mine spoils in Wyoming. In North Dakota, Safaya et. al. (1982) reported that the addition of slack coal to sodic spoil more than doubled the total N content of mine spoil, however, they questioned the functional benefits of this added ntrogen. Since plants readily utilize both nitrate and ammonium forms of nitrogen, it appears that the addition of waste coal acts as a form of fertilizer. This finding is consistent wdh the North Dakota work of Mutakondaiah and Safaya (1982) who reported that leonardfte had a positive effect on plant growth when no or low levels of supplemental nitrogen were applied. These data suggest that waste coal could be an important source of supplemental nitrogen during the reclamation process. Upon applying the nitrogen criteria for agronomic soils (SoRanpour et. al. 1985) to these mine soils it shows that 75 percent of the Southfield Mine coal amended soils have adequate nitrate nitrogen levels, while virtually all of the unamended soils would require supplemental nitrogen fertilization for optimum plant growth. Therefore, the coal amended soils appear to be superior in terms of nitrogen suitability as a plant growth media to the non coal amended soils at the Southfield Mine. Fe and Mn. Increased levels of Fe and Mn are indicative that acidification • has occurred. Elevated concentrations of these elements on the coal amended soils confirms the fact that the decrease in pH, apparently caused as a result of acid cation, has increased the Fe and Mn content of the coal amended soils. The trend of increased Fe concentration in soils where pyrites have oxidized is consistent with the findings reported by Barrau and Berg (1977). No suspect levels of Fe or Mn are given in either the WDEO or NMMMD guidelines, however, Schafer (1979) suggested that the Mn concentrations of mine soils should not exceed 60 ppm. The maximum Mn concentration found on the coal amended soils was 23 ppm, well below the proposed suspect level. A minimum level of 3 ppm Fe is required to avoid deficiencies of this essential plant element (Softanpour et. al. 1985). Applying this criteria, adequate levels of Fe are present on 88 percent of the coal amended soils white adequate levels of iron are present on only 29 percent of the non coal amended soils. Wdh respect to Fe fertility levels, it appears that the coal amended soils have a better suitability than the non coal amended soils. ~. Increased levels of Cu were associated with the coal amended soils at the Southfield Mine. These trends are similar to the findings in North Dakota reported by Malakondaiah and Safaya (1982) wherein they stated that Cu levels were higher on slack coal treated spoil. Using the criteria recommended in Sottanpour et. al. (1985) it is suggested that all of the soil • materials have adequate Cu levels. However, it appears that the increased availability of Cu on coal amended soils renders the Cu levels on these materials more suitable than levels encountered on non coal amended soils. Implications are that higher levels of plant growth can be expected from the coal treated soils. 26