Surface coal mine land reclamation using a dry flue gas desulfurization product: Long-term biological response

► Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) product effectively remediated acidic coal mined-land. ► Plant biomass was higher by FGD than by soil treatment 16 years after application. ► Heavy metals measured in plant tissues were not significantly increased. ► Bacterial populations and microbial biomass C were greatly increased by treatments.