[Objective] The vegetation in the tailing ponds of Qinling mining areas was investigated in order to provide theoretical basis for vegetation restoration and reconstruction in mining areas.[Methods] Four sites of goal tailing ponds after closures of 2, 3, 6 and 14 years in Shangzhou District, Shaanxi Province were taken as the research objects. The top and slope of the tailing tailing ponds sites were investigated, mainly referring to 5 indexes of floral name, height, density, coverage, dominance.[Results] ① The relative height of tailing ponds after 6 years closure was the highest, followed by the ones after 14, 3 and 2 years closures. ② The relative density was the highest after 14 years closure, followed by that after 6, 3 and 2 years closures. ③ The highest vegetation coverage was observed in 6 years closed mine, followed by the ones of 14, 3 and 2 years closed mines. ④ The 14 years closed mine tailing pond had the highest vegetation coverage, followed by the 6 years, 3 years and 2 years closed mine tailing ponds. ⑤ Plants of the Compositae and Gramineae were the majority in the tailing ponds. The 6 years closed mine had the highest dominance, followed by ones of 14, 3 and 2 years closed mines.[Conclusion] The restoration of natural vegetation in the gold tailings reservoir area is closely related to the closure years. Artificial soil covering can significantly increase the diversity of natural restoration vegetation types.