Abstract: The research on water-conserving coal mining is the theoretical basis of water resource protection and high-quality development of coal in the ecologically vulnerable mining areas in northwest of our country. In view of the impact and damage on aquifer and ecosystem in ecologically vulnerable mining areas due to intensive mining activities in northwest China, the development process and scientific connotation of water-conserving coal mining was expounded herein. Specifically, the research on water-conserving coal mining has gone through four stages: initiation, formation, development and maturation, and a relatively perfect technological system has been formed at present, which is mainly reflected in that the concept of water-conserving coal mining is widely accepted and the technology of water-conserving coal mining is widely accepted and applied. In addition, the effect monitoring system of water-conserving coal mining has been built, and the standard and regulation system has also been established for the water-conserving coal mining. It is considered in the research that the core goal of water-conserving coal mining is to protect the basic stability of target aquifer structure with water supply or ecological significance. Thus, the fundamental research framework of the technological system of water-conserving coal mining was established by studying and analyzing the technical principles, applicable conditions and engineering application effects of eight representative projects of water-conserving coal mining technologies, including the evaluation technology of aquifer disturbance by coal mining, the zoning technology for geological conditions of water-conserving coal mining and the prediction technology for the development of water-conducted fracture zone, etc. The research provides theoretical and technical support for green and scientific mining in the large coal base in western China.