The main obstacles to restoration of the vegetation and ecological reconstruction of abandoned mines are from the special and poor physical and chemical properties of the land, particularly to gangue piles. Vegetation is based on soil and also affects soil formation, nutrient cycling and development. Study of nutrient change in soil is important to understand soil fertility and mechanism of nutrient cycling. The study of re-vegetation for coal gangue piles has mainly focused on growth of young forest, soil matrix improvement, vegetation restoration patterns, vegetation dynamics and vegetation restoration techniques and mechanisms, etc. However, there are no many studies on eco-environmental effects of vegetation on gangue piles. Study of the relationship between environment and vegetation on gangue piles is helpful to reveal the stability and dynamic development of existing ecosystem, and to build up the foundation for vegetation regulation on gangue piles. In this study, different reclaimed lands from 280 gangue piles of No.3 coal mine of Yangquan Coal Industry Group in Shanxi Province were included. The effect of different vegetation restoration patterns were analyzed on reclaimed soil and weathered coal gangue. The soil, physical and chemical properties of weathered coal gangue and heavy metals under 6 different vegetation types (platation of Robinia pseudoacacia L., mixed plantation of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Caragana intermedia, mixed plantation of Ulmus pumila L. and Amorpha fruticosa L., mixed plantation of Platycladus orientalis (L.)Franco and Robinia pseudoacacia L., Vitex negundo var. heterophylla and grass vegetation of Medicago sativa L.) on coal gangue piles were compared. The results showed: (1) The vegetation, particularly the tree plantation on coal gangue piles significantly influenced the soil bulk density, soil water holding capacity and porosity. As the vegetation was recovered, the nutrient content in the soil significantly increased. Soil nutrient content varied with the difference between vegetation restoration types. The mixed plantation of R. pseudoacacia and C. intermedia was much better than other vegetation types. The order of different vegetation types according to their positive effects on soil bulk density and mechanical components of coal gangue were: coniferous> mixed shrub and tree forest> broad-leaf tree pure forest> shrub> grass; (2) The vegetation order according to the accumulation of organic matter and total nitrogen were: mixed plantation of P. orientalis and R. pseudoacacia > R. pseudoacacia plantation > mixed plantation of R. pseudoacacia and C. intermedia > mixed plantation of U. pumila and A. fruticosa > V. negundo var. heterophylla plantation > Grass of M. sativa. Total P content under V. negundo var. heterophylla plantation on weathered gangue piles was the highest. V. negundo var. heterophylla plantation and mixed plantation of P. orientalis and R. pseudoacacia were good for quick P accumulation, and mixed plantation of U. pumila and A. fruticosa for quick K accumulation; (3) Planting of vegetation could reduce the heavy metal content in weathered gangue. Mixed plantation of U. pumila and A. fruticosa was better in reducing excessive heavy metal Cd, and followed by mixed coniferous forest (mixed plantation of P. orientalis and R. pseudoacacia). In reduction of excessive heavy metal As, the mixed plantation of P. orientalis and R. pseudoacacia was better than the other vegetation types, and could control the As level lower than the national standard.