Moisture characteristics of coarse textured soils and peat:mineral mixes were evaluated in situ on undisturbed and reclaimed sites and in the laboratory. The undisturbed sites reached field capacity (FC) within 12 h and the reclaimed sites by 24 h. Moisture contents at 0.01 MPa were significantly different from in situ FC for tailings sands; moisture contents at 0.033 MPa were similar to in situ FC for sandy loam and peaty loamy sand. Both gravimetric and volumetric laboratory available water holding capacity were altered by organic carbon in peat:mineral mixes. For in situ samples organic carbon altered gravimetric AWHC but not volumetric. Increasing depths of peat:mineral mix over tailings sand significantly increased total soil moisture (TSM) to 90 cm. Increasing peat:mineral mix ratios from 1:1 to 3:1 increased not statistically significantly TSM. TSM also increased non-significantly with changes in component texture for given peat:mineral mixes. Moisture content of peat:mineral mixes at FC was enhanced by profile interfaces.