In order to establish plants on any kind of mine waste it is essential to determine its chemical properties, i.e. the potential to release elements. In this study we combine chemical extraction of six different solid metal species (water soluble, ion-exchangeable, carbonate, reducible, oxidizable acid leachable) on tailings from Zelazny Most, Poland. The results show that the plants encounter an environment with circumneutral pH and high availability of Ca, Na, and Cu. During reducing conditions there is also an increasing availability of As, Fe, Pb, and Zn.