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Ten species were selected based on their economic value in. order to study and compare their growth, nutrient uptake pattern, AM-fungal infection etc, in both mine spoil and normal cultivated soil in pot culture. In general, per cent root infection and number of viable AM fungal spores in the rhizosphere of the plant species grown in mine spoil were higher compared to those in normal cultivated soil. Mine spoil had supported significantly higher growth of Prosopis juliflora, Salvadora oleoides and Cenchrus ciliaris compared to normal soil. Concentrations of phosphorus, potassium and calcium in plants growing on gypsum mine spoil were higher than observed in normal soil. In general, micronutrient concentrations (namely Cu, Zn and Fe) were lower in all the plant species growing in normal soil. Salvadora oleoides, Colophospermum mopane and Pithecellobium dulce were identified as calcium-loving plants. All the species tested can be employed for rehabilitation of gypsum mine spoil. (C) 1998 Academic Press.