Treating mine water as a resource is the only way to alleviate water shortage and the environmental pollution issues generated at mining sites in areas of northern and western China. By investigating 77 coal mine water treatment stations in western China, we sought to analyze the application status, direct operating costs, and the challenges of using membrane separation technology for this purpose. Here, we introduce the principle underlying membrane separation technology, the influent water requirements, pre-treatment requirements, and typical examples. The importance of membrane separation technology as well as the development prospects of this method are highlighted, and references are provided for the design and management of similar projects.