Abstract: In order to solve the problems of being lack of surface soil source in the open-pit coal dump in the process of the reclamation. It is urgent to work out the substitute materials to adapt to the different surface soil, the paper sorts tons of research literatures of the domestic and overseas and get the definition of this substitute materials: From the point of view of the land reclamation environment construction sustainable development, making use of the non-surface soil source physicochemical properties, via reasonably matching, comprehensive utilization, and finally making the non-surface soil be the new type soil which is suitable to the plants growing. The research of the substitute materials at abroad is earlier, and has obtained good achievements no matter in the law or in the practical explorations; in our country, the research of the materials goes through removing earth from some other place to improve the local soil way, improving soil properties technology and new type substitute materials development technology, it has got many achievements in the materials screening, matching and promoting, but it still exists defects in the scope and wild promoting. As a whole, as the open-pit coal further exploration, the task will be much heavier in the reclamation, and the substitute materials will the best choice to solve the problem of being lacking of the surface soil.