Abstract <p>Gas chromatography–mass-spectrometry is used to determine the content of 19 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soils of the dumps of the Listvyanskii coal mine of the Kuznetsk coal basin. The PAH concentrations range from 47 to 5031 ng/g, with the maximum values in young embryozems formed in the areas of substandard coal dumping. The prevalent compounds in PAHs are three- and four-ring molecules, in particular, phenanthrene and chrysene. The assessment of benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene equivalent toxicity (BaP_eq) shows that PAH concentrations exceed both the benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene maximum permissible concentration (MPC) and background values. The coal transformation in soil leads to the release of PAHs, potentially going on for a long time. The PAH ratios used to diagnose coal combustion products do not completely reflect the processes of its nonpyrogenic transformation in the soil. The PAH ratios most adequate for assessing the degree of soil nonpyrogenic coal transformation and diagnosing its presence in soils are identified using principal component method and subsequent correlation analysis. The results show the need to monitor post-technogenic systems and develop the methods for assessing the environmental consequences associated with the disposal of coal mining waste and its remediation.</p>