Abstract: With the gradual shift of coal mining from shallow to deep and the westward shift of coal development strategy in China, the deformation between rock mass and soil due to underground coal mining in coal mining areas has become more prominent, which can seriously affect the ecology of mining areas and the safety of construction (structure), thus threaten the ecological protection and high-quality development of mining areas. To further understand the characteristics and mechanism of synergistic deformation between mining rock mass and soil, and to improve the effectiveness and pertinence of mining damage prevention and control as well as land ecological damage restoration, some studies on mining rock mass and soil synergistic deformation are classified according to different soil cover types, and the stratified structure is the main feature of coal measure formation structure. The synergistic deformation effect and synergistic deformation process of mining rock mass and soil are clarified. The research progress of mining rock mass and soil synergistic deformation under three types of soil covering conditions, such as clay loose layer, loess layer and aeolian sand layer, are reviewed. The influencing factors of mining rock mass and soil synergistic deformation are analyzed, pointing out that the combination of rock layer and soil layer thickness is an important influencing factor of mining rock mass and soil synergistic deformation, and the interface of mining rock mass and soil is the key interface in the synergistic deformation process of rock mass and soil. The technological means such as field measurement, numerical simulation, physical simulation and theoretical analysis are reviewed. The shortcomings and key scientific problems of existing research are discussed from the aspects of research methods, synergistic deformation mechanism, interface mechanical behavior of mining rock mass and soil, spatial shape of rock mass and soil deformation, prediction model of rock and soil deformation, synergistic deformation of mining rock and soil under the coupling condition of new mining technology and multiple coal seams, etc. The scientific research path is proposed, and the principles of scientific research that should be followed are emphasized. Finally, future research emphasis and development directions are put forward, including: mechanical behavior and mechanism of different thickness combinations of mining rock mass and soil layers, as well as combination of different types of soil layer, interfacial stress-strain transfer and extension mechanism of rock mass and soil layer interface, construction of a reliable and applicable mining subsidence prediction model taking into account the synergistic deformation effect of mining rock mass and soil, spatial shape evolution characteristics of mining rock mass and soil deformation, consistency and compatibility of mechanical principles of multi-technical methods, synergistic deformation characteristics and mechanism due to high-intensive mining and deep mining in western ecological fragile region and new coal mining technology, quantitative study of load transfer effect of soil layer, etc.