Abstract: The paper provided a case example of EM38 for characterizing topsoil layer thickness (TSLT). The experimental site was a plot of a reclaimed field with 5 000 m2 in Fuxin Mining, China. Covered by the topsoil layer, a thick layer of coal waste was deposited. An analytical model was described based on measurement principle of EM38. According to the experimental results, a negative relationship between ECa and TSLT was fulfilled the necessary condition of the analytical model. By comparing three statistical models, a linear model was selected as the transform function between ECa and TSLT. A 3-D mapping was used to reveal the TSLT visually. The results showed that it was receivable to estimate the topsoil layer thickness of reclaimed fields by measuring ECa with EM38. The study can provide a method for determining the quality of reclaimed fields quickly and easily.