Background Mine water represents a major type of water body produced during coal mining. Investigating its quality, influential factors, and contamination prevention and control technologies is of great significance for environmental protection and the sustainable utilization of water resources in coal mining areas.

Methods Based on field surveys and literature review, this study systematically analyzed the quality and formation mechanisms of mine water in representative coal mining areas of China. Furthermore, it explored the advances and primary challenges in current research on technologies for the prevention and control of mine water contamination and proposed major directions for future research.

Advances and Prospects In some coal mining areas in China, the water quality indicators of part of mine water exceed the limits specified for class III water, including pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), and the concentrations of sulfates (SO₄^2－), fluorides (F^－), and heavy metals (e.g., Fe/Mn). Based on this, the mine water is classified into five types: acidic, high-TDS, high-sulfate, high-fluoride, and high-Fe/Mn mine water. The formation and evolution of mine water quality are jointly affected by natural settings and anthropogenic mining activities. Specifically, during the mine construction stage, human activities exert minimal influence on the geological structures of mines, with the mine water quality remaining relatively stable. During the mining stage, mining activities render coals to be long exposed to air and water while also introducing new contaminants, leading to more complex mine water quality. Following mine closure, the mine water quality exhibits staged changes in the context of water level recovery, with its evolutionary process primarily associated with the multi-field coupling effect governed by the hydrodynamic field. From the perspective of the full lifecycle of mines, this study expounds on multiple technologies involved in source control, process monitoring and early warning, and end-of-pipe treatment for the prevention and control of mine water contamination. The purpose is to establish a comprehensive, three-dimensional prevention and control technology system for mine water quantity and quality throughout the full lifecycle of mines. This study points out the limitations of current research and proposes strengthening research on fundamental, critical, and cutting-edge scientific issues of mine water, including water quality monitoring and data sharing, the formation and evolutionary mechanisms of mine water quality, and the technical system for the prevention and control of mine water contamination.