Background Quantitative assessment of economic losses from soil erosion on subsidence slopes in coal mining-induced subsidence areas can offer a critical basis for formulating scientific economic compensation standards while also laying a solid foundation for efficient governance.

Methods This study investigated the subsidence slopes with different morphologies in the typical loess area subjected to coal mining-induced subsidence in northern Shaanxi Province. Using methods including field sampling, laboratory tests, and environmental economics analysis, this study constructed an index system for the quantitative assessment of economic losses from soil erosion on coal mining-induced subsidence slopes and revealed the variation patterns of such economic losses.

Results and Conclusions An index system was constructed for the quantitative assessment of economic losses from soil erosion on coal mining-induced subsidence slopes. This system included four subsystems (i.e., soil moisture loss, soil nutrient loss, land abandonment, and sediment loss) and eight quantitative assessment indices (i.e., soil moisture, organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, soil available potassium loss, abandoned land area, sediment retention, and sediment deposition). With an increase in the slope gradient, the economic losses related to soil moisture, organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, and available potassium caused by soil erosion on subsidence slopes decreased significantly, whereas the economic loss from sediment retention increased significantly. The economic losses related to soil moisture, organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium peaked in the case of straight slopes at angles of +≤5°. In contrast, the economic losses from land abandonment, sediment retention, and sediment deposition reached the maximum in the case of straight slopes at angles of +＞15°. With an increase in the slope gradient, the total economic losses from soil erosion on straight and convex, composite, and concave subsidence slopes exhibited an initial rise followed by a decline, a continuous decrease, and first stabilization followed by an increase, respectively. The sum of the economic losses from sediment retention, soil organic matter loss, and land abandonment accounted for 91.69 % of the total economic losses from soil erosion on subsidence slopes. Therefore, the three indices should be highlighted in the efficient management and economic compensation after soil erosion on subsidence slopes. Overall, the results of this study provide a scientific basis for the precise management of soil erosion in the coal mining-induced subsidence areas in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.