Coarse-textured taconite tailing cover about 3,000 ha on Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range. These tailing are deficient in nutrients, cation-exchange capacity, and moisture-retention capacity and are highly erodible. Previous reclamation efforts, in most cases, have been unable to meet the regulatory requirement for 90% vegetative cover after 3 yr. Small-scale test plots have demonstrated that municipal solid waste compost can be used to successfully reclaim tailing areas, which also provides a use for the compost. There has been a general reluctance to use municipal compost for reclamation activities, however, owing to concerns relating to the release of metals and organics. A field demonstration study was initiated to examine the feasibility of applying the compost on a larger scale and to examine its impacts on water quality and runoff from the reclaimed areas. Three 0.1-ha plots were located on the south-facing slope (15% slope) of a coarse tailing dike. Three treatments were studied: (1) a control with no treatment, (2) standard diammonium phosphate fertilizer application of 448 kg/ha, and (3) a compost treatment with 224 kg/ha fertilizer and 44.8 Mg/ha (dry weight) of municipal solid waste compost. All plots except the control were seeded with a grass-legume mixture and mulched with hay. Runoff collection plots were set up, and lysimeters were installed in each plot. Three months after planting, ground cover was 67%, 39%, and 0% for the compost, standard fertilizer, and control plots, respectively. Biomass, as kilograms per hectare, was 976, 225, and O for the compost, standard fertilizer, and control plots, respectively. Chloride, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and nitrate were elevated in the soil water of the compost plot. Nitrate was the only chemical that exceeded water quality standards; however, these concentrations are not expected to significantly impact the local aquifer because the compost is only applied once and the concentrations of all parameters decreased with time.