The observable algebra O of SO_q(3)-symmetric quantum mechanics is generated by the coordinates of momentum and position spaces (which are both isomorphic to the SO_q(3)-covariant real quantum space R_q^3). Their interrelations are determined with the quantum group covariant differential calculus. For a quantum mechanical representation of O on a Hilbert space essential self- adjointness of specified observables and compatibility of the covariance of the observable algebra with the action of the unitary continuous corepresent- ation operator of the compact quantum matrix group SO_q(3) are required. It is shown that each such quantum mechanical representation extends uniquely to a self-adjoint representation of O. All these self-adjoint representations are constructed. As an example an SO_q(3)-invariant Coulomb potential is intro- duced, the corresponding Hamiltonian proved to be essentially self-adjoint and its negative eigenvalues calculated with the help of a q-deformed Lenz-vector.