In this paper, the research progresses on soil moisture and ecological environment effects in the arid and semi-arid coal mining areas are reviewed, and soil moisture transport mechanism and dynamic simulation methods are systematically summarized. The results show that coal mining collapse destroys soil aquifer structure and deepens the groundwater level, indirectly changing the spatial distribution of soil water content; mechanical compaction during surface mining and reclamation reduces the number and connectivity of soil pores, which prevents soil water infiltration; and soil reconstruction and revegetation techniques can effectively improve soil structure and alleviate soil water loss. It is suggested that future research should be strengthened on the following aspects: Firstly, the potential energy theory system should be further enhanced, and dynamic indicators should be added to numerical simulation methodologies; Secondly, given the special characteristics of the arid and semi-arid coal mining environment, soil moisture migration law and its underlying mechanism should be reinforced; Thirdly, the control measures should be optimized based on the coupling relationship between soil-vegetation-moisture to promote reclamation and ecological restoration in arid and semi-arid coal mining areas.