A phytosociological survey of the vegetation established on tailing sand dunes was carried out in the area of the mining company Rutilo & Ilmenita do Brasil (RIB), municipality of Mataraca, northern coastland of the state of Paraiba, NE Brazil (6º29'S, 34º56'W, 10 to 75 m of altitude). The purpose was to provide basic information to the environmental restauration programs which have been implemented by the company. The floristic composition and the structure (percent cover, sociability and height) of the plant community that grew on the dune were registered in 30 plots with 3 x 3m in two different sectors: a) area where a pioneer plant community regenerated after the deposition of a 20 cm layer of forest topsoil; b) area where four pioneer species were planted after localized organic fertilization. In the first sector, 51 plant species of 21 families were found whilst in the other sector the figures were 44 species and 17 families. The cover values both for the plots and the species were higher in the sector covered by forest topsoil.
Environmental; restauration; coastal dunes; succession; weeds