Base metal mine tailings phytostabilisation has been severely hindered by the lack of growth media (soil and inert overburden), and associated hydrogeochemical instability, and phytotoxicity in the tailings. A new paradigm of in situ engineered pedogenesis of tailings into functional technosols has been proposed as a cost-effective and sustainable solution.This project aimed to understand critical factors and processes driving soil formation towards functional technosols in Cu-Pb-Zn tailings, which may be manipulated and stimulated by ecological engineering inputs (e.g., organic amendments, microbial inoculum, and pioneer plants). further accelerated technosols formation in the amended tailings, significantly stimulating OC stabilisation, microbial biomass and functions. While the amended tailings were far from reaching the desired hydrogeochemical stability, the pioneer native plant species were proven to be critical to the colonisation of heterotrophic bacteria and associated biogeochemical processes.Organic matter properties (e.g., labile OC, C: N ratio) induced biogeochemical changes in the tailings with different directions. In a 6-month microcosm experiment, the weathered and neutral Cu-Pb-Zn tailings were amended with plant litter (Acacia chisolmii) and biochar. Topsoil underneath native plant communities rich in microbial inoculums may be used to rapidly prime microbial diversity in the amended tailings. In an 8-week microcosm experiment, the weathered and neutral Cu-Pb-Zn tailings were inoculated with native soils, which had been amended with sugarcane as the base treatment. The colonisation of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi were observed in the tailings-soil mix, strongly linkedto the microbial biomass and functions. Microbial biomass and enzymatic activities increased by 1.5-8 folds in the tailings-soil mix compared to the control, depending on soil addition rates.25 % soil addition doubled the microbial diversity in the tailings-soil mix compared to the control. 50 % soil addition achieved a respiratory quotient, and C and N cycling processes similar to those of the native soil. Again, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes significantly stimulated in the tailings-soil mix. Stresses including EC (thus S) and total heavy metals (Pb, Zn) had negatively impacts on microbial community.Biogeochemical changes were investigated in fresh Cu-Mo-Au tailings (containing low levels of reactive minerals with stable hydrogeochemistry) in response to organic amendments (i.e., sugarcane and biochar) and introduction of native grass (Iseilema vaginiflorum) and leguminous shrub (Acacia chisholmii). Microbial diversity were 2-4 folds in all the amended/revegetated tailings compared to the control. Microbial biomass and enzymatic activities in sugarcane amended and revegetated tailings significantly increased by 4-25 folds, with stimulated abundance of Bacteroidetes and the dominance of heterotrophic bacteria (e.g., Algoriphagus sp. Sphingopyxis sp., Sediminibacterium sp., Planctomyces sp.), enhancing plants growth....